InstaStudy

The Gospel of John: Discovering the Fullness of God

This Bible study explores the profound truths presented in the Gospel of John, focusing on the nature of God as revealed through Jesus Christ. We will delve into Jesus' divine identity, His relationship with the Father, and the role of the Spirit, understanding them as unified expressions of the one true God.

1. The Word Made Flesh: The Fullness of God in Jesus

1.1 The Eternal Word

Verses: John 1:1-3
  • The Word was with God and was God, indicating the singular divine essence.
  • All things were made through Him, showing His active role in creation.
  • The Word is not a separate entity but the expression and thought of the one God.

1.2 God Manifested in Flesh

Verses: John 1:14
  • The eternal Word took on human form, dwelling among us.
  • Jesus is the visible manifestation of the invisible God.
  • In Jesus, the fullness of the Godhead bodily resides.

1.3 Revealing the Invisible God

Verses: John 1:18
  • No one has ever seen God in His absolute spirit form.
  • Jesus, who is God manifested in flesh, has declared and revealed Him.
  • He is the perfect image and representation of the one true God.

2. Jesus' 'I AM' Statements: Declarations of Deity

2.1 The Divine Sustainer

Verses: John 6:35; John 6:48
  • Jesus declares Himself as the 'Bread of Life,' essential for spiritual sustenance.
  • This echoes God's provision in the wilderness, identifying Jesus with that divine source.
  • He is the sole source of eternal life and satisfaction.

2.2 The Source of Spiritual Illumination

Verses: John 8:12; John 9:5
  • Jesus is the 'Light of the World,' dispelling spiritual darkness.
  • He reveals truth and guides humanity out of sin.
  • His presence brings understanding and spiritual sight.

2.3 The Eternal God

Verses: John 8:58
  • Jesus uses the divine 'I AM' (ego eimi), a direct claim to eternal existence and deity.
  • This statement identifies Him with the God who spoke to Moses from the burning bush.
  • He existed before all creation, possessing inherent, uncreated life.

2.4 The Protector and Provider

Verses: John 10:11; John 10:14
  • Jesus is the 'Good Shepherd,' caring for His flock.
  • He lays down His life, demonstrating ultimate love and sacrifice.
  • He knows His own, and they know Him, reflecting a deep, personal relationship with God.

2.5 The Conqueror of Death

Verses: John 11:25
  • Jesus declares Himself the 'Resurrection and the Life,' possessing power over death.
  • Belief in Him grants eternal life, even in physical death.
  • He is the source and embodiment of life itself.

2.6 The Exclusive Path to God

Verses: John 14:6
  • Jesus is the 'Way, the Truth, and the Life,' the sole means of access to God.
  • No one comes to the Father except through Him.
  • He embodies divine truth and is the source of all spiritual vitality.

3. The Father and Jesus: One and the Same

3.1 Seeing Jesus is Seeing God

Verses: John 14:7-9
  • Jesus explicitly states that whoever has seen Him has seen the Father.
  • This demonstrates that Jesus is the full and complete manifestation of the one God.
  • There is no separate 'person' of the Father to be seen apart from Jesus.

3.2 Indwelling Unity

Verses: John 10:30; John 14:10-11
  • 'I and My Father are one' signifies a unity of essence and identity, not just purpose.
  • Jesus affirms that the Father dwells in Him, and He in the Father.
  • His works are the works of the Father, demonstrating the singular divine actor.

3.3 The Name and Glory of God

Verses: John 17:6; John 17:11; John 17:22
  • Jesus reveals the Father's name, which is His own name, demonstrating shared identity.
  • He prays for believers to be one, just as He and the Father are one in essence.
  • The glory He received from the Father is the glory of the one God, shared with humanity.

4. The Spirit of Truth: The Presence of God

4.1 The Comforter as Jesus' Presence

Verses: John 14:16-18
  • Jesus promises another Comforter, the Spirit of Truth.
  • He clarifies that He will not leave them orphans, but 'I will come to you.'
  • The Spirit is the active, indwelling presence of Jesus Himself, the one God.

4.2 The Spirit Glorifies Jesus

Verses: John 15:26
  • The Spirit proceeds from the Father and testifies of Jesus.
  • The Spirit's role is to exalt and reveal Jesus, not to draw attention to itself as a separate entity.
  • This shows the unified purpose and identity of God's Spirit with Jesus.

4.3 The Spirit Reveals Jesus' Truth

Verses: John 16:13-15
  • The Spirit will guide believers into all truth, taking what is Jesus' and declaring it.
  • The Spirit does not speak of Himself, but speaks what He hears from Jesus.
  • This confirms the Spirit as the manifestation of Jesus' own divine mind and will.