Introduction
In the Gospel of John Jesus is revealed as the embodiment of the creative spoken word of God. His very existence and name brought with it the power and authority of the Creator of the universe. Every aspect of who Jesus is even down to his name points to the truth of His authority as the spoken Word of God, and the truth of the authority of believers in speaking the name of Jesus as seen in his divinity, humanity, and work throughout John’s Gospel .
Jesus was the embodiment of the creative spoken Word of God on earth. The very utterance of His name produces the same spoken Word of God on earth again. John makes this very clear in the prologue of His Gospel and throughout its pages. As the spoken Word of God on earth, Jesus’ name brings with it God’s power to earth, that same creation power that brought life to earth is available to every believer when the name of the spoken Word of God is verbalize.
It is important for Christians today to understand the authority of God that Jesus embodied when He was born here on earth; and realize the authority they can walk in because of their belief in who He was and what His name represents. This paper will look at the aspects of the life of Jesus, as seen through the eyes of a disciple who saw Jesus not just as the Savior of the world, but as the very Word of God spoken on the earth; by exploring the nature of Jesus as the spoken Word of God and how that title given to Him by John sets the stage for every believer to walk in the authority and name of Jesus, the embodiment of God on earth. It will also consider the way in which John fleshes out the claim of Jesus as the spoken Word of God through the evidence of His divinity as seen in John’s assertion that Jesus is Life, the Light of the World, and the authority over the future of all mankind. The humanity that Jesus walked in while on earth is also vital in the Christian’s understanding of the authority Jesus held and released to believers in the gift of the Holy Spirit. John, although speaks of the humanity of Jesus only a few times, does paint a picture of His humanity throughout his Gospel to which every believer can relate. Lastly, John points to the work of Jesus, His teaching, serving, healing, imparting, interceding, commanding, dying, and rising again as further evidence of the claim of His authority as the spoken Word of God.
Word of God
John begins his Gospel with the purpose of introducing Jesus as the Word of God in order to establish Jesus’ equality with God. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself” (John 1:1). He then develops his purpose throughout the book ending his Gospel with an expanded statement of his purpose, “Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:30-31).[1]
The spoken word of God throughout history has been seen to bring life, destruction, peace, justice, fear, and truth. These words written by John infer that Jesus was God’s spoken word on the earth. God intervened in the normal human life by speaking life into existence once again in the form of a man. This was not just any man; it was God Himself, in the form of man. Just as God spoke life and creation was accomplished, He spoke life again and Jesus was born into the world and became the Word of God. His life spoke the Word of God on earth. Jesus even said of Himself, “I do only what the Father does” (John 5:19), implying that He and the Father were one.
The prologue of John’s Gospel reiterates over and over again the fact that Jesus was God in the flesh. John 1:1, Jesus is God and God’s Word; John 1:2, He has always been with God; John 1:3,10 and 11, He is the Creator of life and everything that exists and everything was made through Him, and He came for those who belonged to Him; John 1:4, He was life and the light of men; John 1:5, He is light that dispels darkness; and John 1:12, He has the authority and gives it to those who believe; all of these verses speak of Jesus as God coming to earth. However, if there is any question as to Jesus being that Word of God that John spoke of in the previous verses, John 1:14 specifically says the “Word became flesh and dwelt among us”, indicating that Jesus was the Word. John’s centrality of the incarnation can also be supported by warranting special attention to two other statements that John makes in the prologue giving credence to the theme. John 1:16, ‘From his fullness we have all received grace upon grace’; and 1:18, ‘No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who is made God known’.[2]
The language that John uses to describe the incarnation seems to be very intentional in its construction. There are several incidents in his prologue and in the rest of the Gospel where John’s use of language gives depth and credence to his claim of Jesus and God being one and the same. He gives validity to Jesus’ authority in spite of His humanness; understanding of the way the incarnation is a model for Christians being born of water and Spirit; Jesus’ eternal existence; and Jesus’ eternal fellowship with God along with independent activity. It is interesting how John uses language to give understanding of the concept of the authority of Jesus inside every believer as modeled by Jesus Himself.
When John reveals Jesus as the Word of God become flesh, he is not referring to flesh in the normal definition of the word. John is actually making a radical theological claim that is “often overlooked because many Christians look beyond the incarnation for redemption and salvation in the death of Jesus”. John does not use the word “flesh” to identify with the realm of human sin or human brokenness.[3] The word John uses for flesh indicates a figure of speech, a synecdoche instead of a metaphor. “It is the part, flesh, standing for the whole, human life. When the Word becomes flesh, flesh is at that moment redeemed. Jesus’ death is not necessary to redeem humanity; he redeems flesh by becoming flesh. Flesh is now the habitation of the holy. Human flesh is now the embodiment of God in the world. The flesh is the realm of ordinary human existence, as it is seen in John 3:6, ‘The one who is born of the flesh is flesh,’ and 17:2, ‘you have given him authority over all flesh.’ The event of the Word becoming flesh shows that God places value on human life, as God is known because the Word, who dwells near the Father’s heart, also dwells with human hearts; the Word has a human heart.”[4]
In John 3, the gospel refers to the story of Jesus and Nicodemus discussing the idea of being “born of water and Spirit. John is again relaying the importance of the incarnation within the use of his language. The phrase “born of water and Spirit” illuminates “the new life of which Jesus speaks, because ‘water’ evokes the waters of physical birth and ‘Spirit’ points to a new birth from God. One is not reborn to a new life apart from the physical body; one is reborn to a new life within the physical body. In this way what Jesus offers Nicodemus is what Jesus Himself models in the incarnation: God-made-present in flesh.”[5]
When John uses the term “beginning” in 1:1, he was not talking about creation, or the beginning of the Christian era, he was instead referring to an eternal beginning. He makes his point clear; Jesus as the Word, the Son of God, existed eternally. He was with God, He was God, and still is God. As God, Jesus created all things. Many today question the creation and look for answers to the question, “where did life come from?” The Bible says the answer can be found in Jesus. All life has its source in Jesus. John 1:4 states, “In Him was life” and John 5:26 states, “Just as the Father has life in Himself; even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself”. Jesus also claimed the same when He said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.” (John 14:6).[6]
Another place John uses language to convey the incarnation is in his use of “word” (logos) in his prologue. He uses “word” in a technical sense to mean reason. He may have used it this way because of his Jewish background. Many occurrences of this same use are found in the Septuagint. Psalms 33:6 states, “by the word of the Lord the heavens were made”, and Psalms 147:15 ff states, “by the word of the Lord the universe is maintained” both are making reference to God speaking and everything coming into existence and being maintained by that word. Other references can be found in Isaiah 55:11 where God’s word was personified and goes forth from the mouth of God; and Deuteronomy 8:1-3 where God’s word and commandments were creative and revelatory, light and life. John’s use of logos for Jesus was more than just divine utterance; Jesus had eternal fellowship with God and independent activity.[7]
John used his prologue to prepare the reader for his presentation of the nature of Jesus as seen through His words and works in the light of His divine origin. In John 1:14, he proceeds to show how the Word was in the world. “The Word become flesh and pitched His tent among us and we beheld His glory, glory as an only Son from beside the Father, full of grace and truth.” Although, John never applied the term Word to Jesus after the prologue, he was in no way finished with the idea. When Jesus is mentioned in John’s gospel after the prologue, and identified as the Word, He is described in “Son of God” and “Son of man” concepts. “However, the revelation of God which Jesus gave actually gains its validity by virtue of the fact that he is the Word.”[8]
Gail R. O’Day in her article, The Love of God Incarnate: The Life of Jesus in the Gospel of John sums up beautifully the vision of John for conveying the incarnation of Jesus when she states, “John envisions the possibility of grace and new life that come from fullness, not emptiness and sacrifice, from an image of God that creates new possibilities out of the stuff of human flesh, from love that dwells incarnate. God is made known in the enfleshed life of the Word in the world, and that life is one of fullness and grace, not sacrifice and emptying.”[9]
DIVINITY
After revealing the eternal relationship of the Word with God and the role of the Word in creation, John moved along in his prologue to show that the Word was also life and light. The Word was the genuine light who was now in the world. “Jesus, as the Son of God, exposed God to mankind.” [10] John also shows that the authority Jesus walked in while here on earth came from being the spoken Word of God. Jesus being both God and man made it possible for every believer to walk in the authority He carried. The divinity of Jesus is shown in the Gospel of John through the names Jesus gives to Himself as Life, who brings physical, spiritual and eternal life; Light, who reveals the darkness of sin and dispels it; and through the authority He held as seen in the resurrection of the dead, claiming all power and judgment as being equal to God, and affirmation from God Himself at Jesus’ baptism.
As John’s Gospel reveals Jesus as Life he points to the fact that everything He did in His life on earth and in His death on the cross was in perfect harmony with His Father’s plan (John 5:19). Jesus told His critics that He, God’s Son, could give life to the dead; He could raise the dead just as surely as His Father could (John 5:21). Jesus not only claimed to raise the dead, He chose to do so three times in the New Testament. (Mark 6:41-42, Luke 7:14-15, and John 11: 43-44).[11] John’s account focuses on the resurrection of Lazarus, and the results of this resurrection. Many people believed; however, at the same time the Pharisees not only sought to kill Jesus but also wanted to kill Lazarus. It created such a following for Jesus the Pharisees became threatened. They said in John 11:48, “If we let Him alone to go on like this, everyone will believe in him and adhere to Him, and the Romans will come and suppress and destroy and take away our [holy] place and our nation.” Not only did the resurrection of Lazarus bring a larger following to Jesus, but it also was a precursor for Jesus’ own resurrection.
John guides the reader into another aspect of Jesus bringing life to the dead by revealing Him as Life in a spiritual and eternal sense. “Jesus said that in the future the dead would hear His voice and live. Jesus gave spiritual life and eternal life, to all who received Him as their Savior. He promised to raise the dead in the future. In both the physical and spiritual sense He claimed to be the Life-giver. John 5:26”[12]
In the Gospel Jesus is revealed to have authority over the afterlife of human beings. After His equality with God is seen in His ability to raise the dead; Jesus makes a very interesting statement, “Some individuals would be raised to a resurrection of life and others to a resurrection of judgment. His point was that both believers and unbelievers would be raised and He would be involved in both of these resurrections” (John 5: 25-29).[13]
John also gives credibility to the divinity of Jesus by stating that, “In Him was Life, and the Life was the Light of men.” (John 1:4) Jesus also calls Himself the “Light of the world” and ties it back into Light being Life to men. (John 8:12) As His followers believers are to reflect His light. By knowing Jesus, the believers light will be brighter. [14]
As the Light of the world Jesus not only brought light to the darkness of sin, but He also brought light to hidden places in the hearts of men. When the woman who was accused of adultery (John 8:1-11) was brought to Jesus, the Pharisees ask Him what He thought should be done with the woman. Jesus revealed the sin in their own life by being the Light in the dark places of their souls and responding to them with the statement, ‘Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.’ They all left because the darkness within them had been exposed by the Light.
The Gospel also shows in John 3:21, that Jesus as the Light brings glory to God when believers walk in truth, because they do so under the encouragement of the Light. John says, “But he who practices truth comes out into the Light; so that his works may be plainly shown to be what they are, wrought with God [divinely prompted, done with God’s help, in dependence upon Him.]
Lastly, John points to the credibility of the divinity of Jesus found in the authority that was given to Him by God when He was born into this world. When establishing one’s authority over others, genuine credentials are always necessary. Such authority may be verified in a number of ways and John points to His family, His own words, and God’s claim of Jesus as His Son.[15] One of the first places John reveals this authority is at the wedding feast at Cana. Jesus’ mother Mary asks Jesus to do something because the wine was running low and she did not want the bridegroom embarrassed. Jesus might have understood from the conversation with His mother that the important thing was His mission, that is, the revelation of his identity, of the glory he had in the presence of the Father before the world existed, so that people may believe in him. It was not necessary to accomplish this mission only in Jerusalem at the last moment. The initiative of the mother of Jesus, as well as the confidence between her and Jesus, has thus been very decisive for this 'beginning of the signs', whose objective was the demonstration of the glory of Jesus.[16] “Mary obviously had complete trust in Jesus’ authority and ability to remedy the situation. She may not have known just what He would do; but she knew He could fix the problem. Her Son was not only a man but was at the same time also God.”[17]
Many times throughout the book of John, Jesus makes the claim that He is equal with God, having all the power God held; John 5:30, John 6:38-40, and John 7:28-29 are just a few of these occurrences. “In addition to claiming all power as an affirmation of His being equal with God, Jesus also affirmed it by claiming to possess divine authority. The Father ‘has given all judgment to the Son,’ Jesus said (John 5:22-27). ‘He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him’ (John 5:23). Furthermore, those who believe in Him have eternal life. Those who do not believe remain in a state of spiritual death and will face the judgment of God (John 5:24). Here again He was claiming to be equal with God in His divine authority. Jesus said He had been given authority to execute judgment upon mankind in the future. He had this right because He is equal with God in His divine nature.” [18]
Jesus’ divine authority is also given accreditation in the fact that God Himself revealed Jesus as His Son. This is seen in John 1:32 when John the Baptist was baptizing Jesus and a dove came from heaven and lighted on Jesus. Matthew 4:17 takes this account further by stating that God the Father acclaimed Jesus as His Son when His voice was heard: ‘This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased’.[19] Also, in John 5:37 Jesus makes reference to His baptism and God’s response to Him, buy stating, “And the Father Who sent me has Himself testified concerning Me.”
HUMANITY
God wanted human beings to know Him, not just cognitively, but also emotionally, physically, and spiritually. He wanted to have interaction and intimacy with human beings. God found a way to do this through Jesus, the spoken Word of God. God becoming a man gave humans a perspective of God they would have never experienced if He had just stayed on His throne. God did not create man to serve Him, He created man for intimacy. Once man realized and experienced God first hand, a love and respect grew from that experience which translated into service and honor. In order for man to understand God, God had to look like man, feel as man feels, and experience the same heartaches and trials man experiences. Jesus was that man. However, Jesus was not only a man; He also had God living inside of Him in the form of the Holy Spirit. In His human state, He was all human, but God was present also. It is important that Jesus was human as He was the model for believers not only for living but also for salvation, understanding of God, and understanding of the power of God within believers through the gift of the Holy Spirit.
The Gospel of John reveals this humanness in several ways, through bodily needs, showing his need for nourishment; identity, showing His need to be known; social relationships, showing His relationship with other humans; and emotions, showing He felt and struggled with the same feelings as humans. John wanted to make it very clear that Jesus was God; however, in his attempt to present Jesus as God, he also made it clear Jesus was very much human as well.
In John 4:6-7, Jesus asks the woman of Samaria to give him a drink from the well; this shows His need for water as He was thirsty. He also states that the disciples had gone off to buy food, clearly showing His need for food. John 21: 12-15, shows that Jesus prepared fish and bread for the disciples and ate with them; and John 13, relays the story of Jesus eating the Passover meal with the disciples. He was human in the basic form requiring nourishment for His body.
Identity is an important part of any human experience. At the core of every individual is the need to be known and remembered. This was also evident with the life of Jesus while He was here on earth. During the three years of His ministry, the continual theme for those around Him to know Him was found. John reveals numerous times when Jesus was telling His disciples, the Pharisees, and the crowds His identity. Some got it but most got angry. Scott in his book, Jewish Backgrounds of the New Testament, shows from John 1:11 what was really going on. He states it this way, “The stumbling block was His own person and claims – that God was at work and made Himself known in Jesus that the covenant was made new, that both the Law and the Prophets were fulfilled. He came as both Messiah and bearer of the reign of God, but he fitted none of the contemporary models for what those figures would be like. And so, ‘He came to what was His own, and His own people did not accept Him’.”[20]
There were those who realized His identity quickly and celebrated Him. John the Baptist was actually born to be the forerunner of Jesus and proclaim Him as God to the world. In John 1:20-23, John the Baptist tells of this purpose ending with the statement, “Prepare the way of the Lord.” Also, he recognized Jesus whenever He was around and let everyone know, so they would see His identity. This is seen in the first chapter of John’s Gospel, in verse 29, when John the Baptist sees Jesus coming near him and cries out, “Look! There is the Lamb of God, Who takes away the sin of the world!” and also again in verse 36, he says to his disciples, “Look! There is the Lamb of God!” Jesus’ mother was also one of those individuals who showed she knew who He was as seen in chapter 2, with the story of the wedding feast at Cana. It is obvious that Jesus' attitude to his mother could not have been that of an impolite son, but that of a reverential man responding to the desperation of his mother in her true role.[21] The fact that she asked Him to do something knowing not only that He would, because He was her son, but also knowing He had the ability, shows clearly she knew His true identity.
Jesus had varying degrees of social relationships, just like every human, He needed some to be closer than others, but He needed them. At the wedding of Cana, “this first group was for the most part His friends. At least those present at the great social event were not trying to find fault with Him.” Also the fact that, “In response to what Mary told them, they followed the orders. Since Jesus told them to do it, they must have respected Him and His right to make the demand.” [22] Other relationships Jesus had that are seen in John are His family and His disciples. John 2:12, shows Him spending time with them. “He, His mother, brothers and disciples went to Capernaum on the northwest side of the Sea of Galilee. They spent a few days there and then He and the disciples went to Jerusalem for the Passover observance.”[23]
Social relationships with other humans always produce emotional responses. Sometimes these emotions can be warm and fuzzy and sometimes hurtful and angry. Jesus as a human had His fair share of emotions. John points out two incidents where Jesus shows love and respect for His mother, in John 2:4 and in John 19:26. “Woman, what do I have to do with you? My hour has not yet come.” (2:4) “In our culture one’s mother is not usually addressed in that way. But in the Middle East culture of that day Jesus’ words were not viewed as disrespectful. To the contrary, “woman” was a term of respect and affection. Jesus used the same term of His mother when He was on the cross (19:26) where He was showing love and care for her.”[24]
Another woman that seemed to evoke emotion from Jesus was Mary Magdalene. John 12:7 shows us that Jesus respected Mary for using her most valuable possession to wash his feet and took up for her against Judas. Also, John 13:1 reveals the depth of love Jesus had for His disciples when John wrote, “And as He had loved those who were His own in the world, He loved them to the last and to the highest degree.”
Jesus also showed the emotion of anger in John 2:16 when He drove the merchants out of the temple. “What He was opposed to was the greed and materialism with which the business was conducted. Such behavior was totally inconsistent with the purpose for which the Passover was established.” [25] Compassion and sadness were also emotions Jesus portrayed in John’s Gospel. In John 11:32 -38 at the death of Lazarus, Jesus sighed and was disturbed at Mary’s weeping, and the Scripture says, “Jesus wept.” The Jews that were at the wake understood Jesus’ weeping to be the expression of love He must have had for Lazarus as they said, See how [tenderly] He loved him!”
WORK
In the three years that He ministered on earth Jesus was busy doing the work of God. He claims to be equal with God on the basis of “the witness of His own works” (John 5:36) which in turn reiterates Johns claim of Him being the Word of God. “The ‘works’ Jesus said He did were works given to Him by God the Father. These many works, He said, send forth loud proclamation that He was indeed sent by the Father; thus ‘works’ show the character of the one who performs them.” [26] Hence it must be assumed that the signs were expected by the Jews as indications of the Messiah’s presence.[27]
These ‘works’ seen in John’s Gospel seem to be a reference to the miracles Jesus performed; John 2 relays the water-into-wine miracle; John 4 reveals Jesus healing the nobleman’s son; and John 5:1-8, the miracle of healing at the pool of Bethesda. These and other miracles were an even greater testimony of Jesus’ equality with God than even John the Baptist gave when He proclaimed Jesus as the Lamb of God. Also, these works of His were given to Him by the Father according to His own testimony (John 5:36).[28] Other works of Jesus can be found in John’s Gospel. Jesus’ teaching, as He speaks to Nicodemus, the Jews, and His
disciples; His serving, as He is obedient in bringing the message of hope to the city of Samaria and washing the disciples feet; His works of healing, as He brought both physical and spiritual healing to mankind; His imparting the Holy Spirit into His disciples and commanding them to love one another; His interceding before the Father on behalf of His disciples; and His dying and rising again are all evidence of His deity.
Jesus shows once again that He is the spoken Word of God through the work of His teaching. In the story of Nicodemus Jesus is found teaching him the significance of being born of water and Spirit. (John 3:2-21) As He teaches this concept He makes it clear that His birth is the model for every believer as His birth represented a human birth as well as a spiritual birth. He is also found teaching the Jews about eternal life and how to obtain it. In John 8:51 Jesus makes a clear statement that offers eternal life to those who will observe His teaching. “I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, if anyone observes My teaching [lives in accordance with my message; keeps My word], he will by no means ever see and experience death. The disciples were also students of Jesus not only in word but also in deed. Most followed Jesus the entire three years of His ministry and were taught daily as seen in John 6:45, “It is written in the Prophets, And they shall be taught of God [have Him in person for their Teacher].”
Through works of service for God and others Jesus shows not only His humanity, but also a humbleness of Spirit that elevates Him to that place of equality with God. God loved the world so much that He humbled Himself in order to come as a human being and that human was the spoken Word of God. In John 4 Jesus is seen talking to a Samaritan woman. “Samaria was avoided like the plague by going the long way around it. Why then did Jesus ‘need’ to go through Samaria? It was because He had an important message for the people of the city. They needed to know of God’s love for them.”[29] Jesus humbled Himself in obedience to God and
16
served God and the people of Samaria. Jesus also portrayed service when He washed the disciple’s feet. John 13:1 paints a beautiful picture of the humbleness of Spirit Jesus walked in
as He stripped off His outer garment and began to wash His disciple’s feet as a servant would do when guests came to visit. This one act of servitude was done not only to teach the disciples a lesson but also to prove that Jesus was who He claimed.
As seen above, John points to only a few miracles of physical healing that Jesus performed during His ministry on earth. Instead John seems to form and underlying theme throughout his Gospel that focuses on Jesus being healing in His very nature. This is seen in the fact that He is the creative Word of God (John 1:3), the Bread of Life (John 6:48), the Light that brings Life (John 8:12), the Humble Servant teaching healing and restoration to relationships (John 13:14-15), bringing emotional healing and peace in the midst of tribulation (John 16:33), and He brought healing and eternal life through His resurrection from the dead (John 20). Jesus brought physical, mental, emotional, relational, and spiritual healing into every place He walked. “The reality and power of the good news that Jesus proclaimed was demonstrated in His healings and exorcisms – that is, in Jesus’ freeing of hostages from the bondage of Satan and his allies. This freeing also entailed a forgiveness of sin that made renewed fellowship with God possible. Conversely, such a freely bestowed divine forgiveness made possible- indeed, required- a corresponding freely bestowed forgiveness of one human being for another. And on the basis of such forgiveness, it was then possible to worship God freely, to treat others humanely, and to view personal sacrifice, suffering, and death as imaginable-even, in fact, acceptable.”[30]
Part of the works of Jesus that point to Him being the Word of God, centered around teaching His disciples to walk in His ways. He loved them and was concerned for their welfare after He left this world. Two of the most important ways in which He taught them was found in John’s Gospel. The first was to command them to love one another in John 15:10-17. He understood what they would face in the future and He had taught them how to love each other by modeling it through His own life, now He commanded that they do as He did. The second way in which He taught them was revealing to them the gift of the Holy Spirit as seen in John 16:13-15. Also in John 14: 16-17 “Jesus promised that His departure would lead to the coming of the Spirit of truth. He identified this Spirit as the Counselor who would encourage, strengthen, and aid believers.”[31] After His resurrection, Jesus appeared to His disciples and breathed on them imparting the Holy Spirit. He said in John 20:21-22, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me forth, so I am sending you. And having said this, He breathed on them and said to them, Receive the Holy Spirit!” He knew they would need the Holy Spirit to truly follow in His ways after He was gone.
Jesus’ heart of compassion for His disciples and all mankind was very evident throughout His ministry on earth. One of the ways He showed this compassion was through His intercession to the Father for His disciples. John 17:1-26 is a beautiful picture of the heart of God as seen through Jesus prayer for them. He knew His time was ending and He was very concerned for them and how they would react when He was gone. Jesus knew their hearts and knew exactly what they needed from the Father, just as He still does today for every believer. The fact that Jesus could approach the Throne of God on behalf of the disciples and every believer today gives support to John’s claim of Jesus as the Word of God.
Lastly, John points to Jesus as the spoken Word of God in his account of Jesus’ death and resurrection from the dead. John 19 opens with Jesus and Pilate standing before the Jews. They want Him crucified because He claimed that He was the Son of God, equal with God. Pilate asks Him who He is, to which Jesus does not reply. Pilate then tells Him that he has the power to release Him or crucify Him. Jesus makes it clear to Pilate in verse11 that he really has no power over the situation and He does not hold him accountable. “Jesus answered, you would not have any power or authority whatsoever against Me if it were not given you from above. For this reason the sin and guilt of the one who delivered Me over to you is greater.” John shows that even Pilate believed Jesus to be innocent and wanted to let Him go, realizing the truth of what He said. Jesus was obedient to His Father’s will even unto death. Jesus did not come to earth to die reluctantly or against His will. He came to carry out the divine will and plan, and He did so willingly and gladly. He did everything pleasing to God the Father.[32]
In the final moments of the death of Jesus on the cross He uttered the words, “It is finished.” (John 19:30) In that moment Jesus was more fully the expression of the Word of God on earth than at any other time in His ministry. God the Father was fully satisfied with the price Jesus paid for the sins of mankind. The plan of salvation had been completed. In His death He reconciled the world to God. All of Jesus’ endeavors on the cross were in the nature of a provision.[33]
John 20 gives the account of the resurrection of Jesus, emphasizing two major points, the material evidence and the personal evidence. Materially the stone was rolled away and the grave clothes were still there, fully intact but with no body in them. Personally, there were many instances of Jesus appearing to individuals after His death. John points to four of these accounts in his Gospel: John 20:14, Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene; John 20:19-23, He appears to ten disciples in Jerusalem; John 20:26-31, He appears to eleven disciples; and John 21:1-25, He appears to seven disciples in Galilee.[34]
The resurrection of Jesus was different from that of Lazarus, in that Lazarus’ body eventually died physically. Jesus also died physically, but returned to life; however, He did not return with the same body. He received a new body, a glorified body. Jesus was the representation of the resurrection reserved for believers, just as He received a glorified body never to die again, so will all believers.[35] The resurrection provides evidence of the deity of Christ. The resurrection is also the event by which Jesus was exalted into heaven. It is the resurrection that has prompted human beings to believe in Jesus as Lord. The resurrection has led individuals to experience hope for the future and encouragement and help in this life. It has placed Christianity in the unique position of having a historical basis for the supernatural faith which it declares.[36]
CONCLUSION
This paper has centered on Jesus as the Word of God found in the Gospel of John and the authority that comes with Jesus being that Word. It has explored the nature of Jesus, and the fact that He was the model for every believer in His life, resurrection, and authority. As John focuses on Jesus being the Word of God he reveals that the incarnation was a picture of the new birth every believer steps into when they believe. Just as Jesus was born of water and the Spirit, so is every believer. Therefore, every believer walks through life with the same Spirit living on the inside. John also reveals the authority that Jesus walked in and how His death and resurrection released that same authority to everyone who believes and claims the name of Jesus. John 14:12-14 makes this very clear as Jesus is talking with His disciples. “I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, if anyone steadfastly believes in Me, he will himself be able to do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these because I go to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in My Name, so that the Father may be glorified and extolled in the Son. Yes I will grant whatever you shall ask in My Name.” Because Jesus was the spoken Word of God on earth, those who believe in Him have His Spirit living inside of them. Therefore, they also have the same authority that Jesus had while on earth and will be able to do the same miracles He did and even more through the authority of His Name. The purpose of Jesus being the spoken Word of God was not just for salvation, it was for God to be known to humanity, so He could dwell in the hearts of every human being. Just as Jesus was created for intimacy with the Father so is every human being; and this can be seen in the authority of His Name as the Word of God, His divinity releasing life, light, and power, His humanity redeeming flesh by becoming flesh, and His works that bring redemption and restoration for every believer.
ISSUES FOR FUTHER STUDY
It is important for Christians to understand their authority in Jesus, in order to live a victorious life. Many believers spend their lives struggling to overcome even the smallest of obstacles, never realizing freedom. When Jesus returned to the Father He left the Holy Spirit with every believer in order that they may walk in freedom as Jesus did while here on earth. The authority of the believer would be a great course of study for every believer to examine, so that they may come into the fullness in which they were intended to walk.
Also, a study on the life of Jesus as a model for all Christians would be advantageous for those seeking to know God better and develop intimacy with Him. God’s desire is for every believer to walk in intimacy with Him, so any study that will create a hunger to draw closer to Him would be beneficial.
[1] D.A. Carson & Douglas J. Moo, An Introduction to the New Testament, second ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2005), 270.
[2] Gail R. O’Day, “The Love of God Incarnate: The Life of Jesus in the Gospel of John,” Life in Abundance (2002): 158-167.
[3] Life in Abundance (2002): 158-167.
[4] Ibid.
[5] Ibid.
[6] Robert P. Lightner, Portraits of Jesus in the Gospel of John, (Eugene, Or: Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2007), 4-5.
[8] Jesus in the Gospel of John, 73-74.
[9] Life in Abundance (2002): 158-167.
[11] Ibid., 39-40.
[13] Ibid.
[14] Ibid., 65.
and Meaning of John 2.1-12,” Journal for the Study of the New Testament 30.1 (2007): 55-73.
[19]Ibid., 42.
[20]Scott, Jr., J. Julius. Jewish Backgrounds of the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books,
1995), 354.
[23] Ibid., 16.
[24] Ibid., 14.
[25]Ibid., 16.
[26] Ibid., 42.
[27]Jewish Backgrounds of the New Testament, 321.
[29] Ibid., 26.
[30] Craig A. Evans, “The Ministry of Jesus in the Gospels,” Community Formation in the Early Church and in the Church Today, (2002): 59-72.
[31] Thomas D. Lee and David Allen Black. The New Testament Its Background and Message
(Nashville, TN: Broadman and Holman, 2003), 261.
[33] Ibid., 176-77.
[34] Ibid., 182-84.
[35] The New Testament Its Background and Message, 274-75.
[36] Ibid., 276.
Bibliography
Carson, D.A. & Moo, Douglas J. An Introduction to the New Testament, second ed. Grand
Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2005.
Evans, Craig A. “The Ministry of Jesus in the Gospels”. Community Formation in the Early
Church and in the Church Today, (2002): 59-72.
Jean-Bosco Matand Bulembat. “Head-Waiter and Bridegroom of the Wedding at Cana: Structure
and Meaning of John 2.1-12”. Journal for the Study of the New Testament 30.1, (2007):
55-73.
Lee, Thomas D. and Black, David Allen. The New Testament Its Background and Message
Nashville, TN: Broadman and Holman, 2003.
Lightner, Robert P. Portraits of Jesus in the Gospel of John, Eugene, Or: Wipf and Stock
Publishers, 2007.
O’Day, Gail R. “The Love of God Incarnate: The Life of Jesus in the Gospel of John”. Life in
Abundance, (2002): 158-167.
Scott, Jr., J. Julius. Jewish Backgrounds of the New Testament Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books,
1995.
Smith, T.C. Jesus in the Gospel of John, Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1959.
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