The gospel of John was written around 95 AD and the key figures in this gospel include Jesus Christ, the Twelve Apostles, and Pilate. The Gospel of John contains twenty-one chapters and is composed of narrative history, sermons, and parables. The book of John was written to incorporate the importance that one must believe in order to live eternally. The first theme that consistently recurs throughout the Gospel of John is: Jesus is the Son of God and all who believe in him will receive eternal life. The second theme, which is evident throughout the Gospel of John, is the importance of the seven miracles and the seven speeches. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayOne of the primary purposes of the book of John is to demonstrate that Jesus is the Son of God and the giver of eternal life. The divinity of Jesus is revealed throughout the book of John: “These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:31). Along with Jesus' divinity, his identity is also understood through the titles given to him throughout the book of John. These titles include Son of God, Messiah, and Lamb of God. These titles emphasize the importance Jesus had and his relationship with God. It is clear throughout the Gospel of John that Jesus is more than man: “You have given him power over all men, so that he would give eternal life to all those you gave him. Now this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. I have given you glory on earth, completing the work you gave me to do" (John 17:2-4). This exemplifies how Jesus will reward you with outward life if you have given your life to glorify God. The Gospel of John displays the teaching in a series of miracles and speeches. This differs from the Synoptic Gospels as the Synoptic Gospels are taught through parables about the Kingdom of God. The first section of the Gospel of John is structured around the seven miracles and discourses which are both related to each other. The seven discourses speak of the powers Jesus possesses to help others gain eternal life while the seven miracles confirm that Jesus does indeed possess these powers. The seven miracles recorded in the Gospel of John include: the turning of water into wine, the healing of a nobleman's son who was near death, the healing of a man at the sheep gate pool, Jesus walking on the water, the the feeding of five thousand people, the healing of the man born blind and the resurrection of Lazarus. Each of these miracles is used to introduce a speech, showing the meaning of Jesus and the importance of his message. The reason these miracles are so important is because they offer a spiritual lesson through analogies. An example of a spiritual lesson in these miracles is the story of Jesus turning water into wine. This miracle is intended to contrast the difference between the old and the new. Throughout the Bible wine is seen as a symbol of happiness. The turning of water into wine symbolizes the change that occurs when you allow the spirit of Jesus Christ into your life. Another example of a spiritual lesson that occurs in the seven miracles is the story of Jesus healing a man born blind. The disciples believed that the reason the man was born blind was because he or his parents had sinned. Jesus replies: “Neither he nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the power of God might be manifested in his life” (John 9:3). The spiritual lesson that can be drawn from this story is not the healing of physical blindness, but rather healing.
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