Understanding the Times – Lifting Up the Son of Man and God's Love for the World: John 3:16 in Its Historical, Literary, and Theological Context

Köstenberger exegetes John 3:16 within its original historical setting, its place within John’s narrative, and its theological context.

John 3:35 – The Beauty and Glory of the Father – The Father's Love for His Son

This essay considers the love of the Father for the Son (John 3:35). It explores how the Gospel of John views the relationship between the Father and the Son and the significance of this relation for man as son of God. This leads to a consideration of the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ as God’s beloved Son.

The Scriptures Testify about Me – Studying the Scriptures and Finding Jesus (John 5:31-47)

Chapter 1 is a consideration of the theme of preaching Jesus and the gospel from the Old Testament. The author develops his theme by reflecting on John 5:31-47. In this text the importance of Scripture as a witness to the mission of Jesus Christ is unfolded. John refers also to other witnesses: John the Baptist, Jesus’ own works, and the Father. The author continues with a defence of the Old Testament as part of the Christian canon.

Gospel of Glory – Individualism

According to the author, the Gospel of John lays emphasis on both the individual believer and the community of believers. We should not allow either to cancel out the other. What Bauckham indicates as individualism is nothing more than the considerable emphasis this Gospel account lays on the relationship of the individual believer to Jesus Christ. In Chapter 1 he gathers and assesses the evidence for the individual’s relationship with Jesus.

The Gospel of John – Genre and Historical Considerations

The first section of the Introduction deals with the genre (literary type) of the Gospel of John and the historical value of the Gospel. It considers whether John’s Gospel is folk literature, a memoir, a novel, drama, or biography. John’s distinctive style and adaptation of the gospel form are also considered.