The Godhead in the Gospel of John

Text: John 14:8-21

 

I.         John 1:1-4

            A.        Of all the books of the Bible, the Gospel of John does the most to describe the nature of God

            B.        We are introduced to the Word

                        1.         The Word dwelt among mankind - John 1:14

                        2.         The Word is distinct from the Father because he is from the Father

                                    a.         John 1:1-2 - Notice twice it is mentioned that the Word was with God

                                    b.         “With” implies at least two

                        3.         Simultaneously, the Word is stated to be God

                                    a.         He existed at the beginning; an allusion to Genesis 1:1

                                    b.         It is re-enforced in verse 3, everything was created by the Word

                                                (1)       It wasn’t partial or as a helping role

                                                (2)       Notice, nothing came into being apart from the Word

                                    c.         The Word was life; an allusion to Genesis 2:7

            C.        We have examining the nature of God. There are three major views of God with MANY variations within each category

                        1.         Polytheism sees a multitude of gods

                                    a.         Each independent

                                    b.         Interacting with one another cooperatively and in opposition

                        2.         Monotheism sees a single God

                                    a.         He may manifest Himself to mankind in a variety of ways

                                    b.         He interacts with His creation, but you would not expect Him to interact with Himself

                        3.         Trinitarianism sees a single God who is a composite unit

                                    a.         The agents in the unit always act cooperatively

                                    b.         They are seen as distinct, but the unity is so strong that at times it is difficult to tell which agent is acting

II.        Distinctiveness

            A.        Location

                        1.         Spirit descending on Jesus - John 1:32

                        2.         Father is in heaven, Jesus is on earth

                        3.         Jesus is not of this world - John 8:23; 16:28

            B.        Love for another

                        1.         The Father loves the Son - John 5:20

            C.        Both Jesus and the Father are working - John 5:17-20

                        1.         The Jews understood he was claiming equality with God and not God, Himself

                        2.         Jesus does what he sees the Father doing. The Father shows the Son what He is doing

                        3.         Jesus has seen the Father - John 6:46

                        4.         Jesus speaks of the things he has seen with the Father - John 8:38

            D.        Sending and Duty

                        1.         The Father sent the Son - John 5:25

                        2.         On Jesus God has set His seal - John 6:27

                        3.         Jesus sends the Spirit. The Spirit will come from the Father and testify of Jesus - John 15:26; 16:7

                        4.         Further distinctiveness of the Spirit - John 16:13-15

                        5.         The Son did not come to do His own will, but the Will of the Father - John 5:30; 6:38; 8:42

            E.        Witness

                        1.         Jesus could not bear witness of himself - John 5:31

                                    a.         The Father bears witness of Jesus - John 5:37

                        2.         Only Jesus can explain the Father to mankind

                                    a.         John 1:18 - Only Jesus has seen the Father

                        3.         The Spirit will testify of Jesus - John 15:26

            F.        Giving

                        1.         The Father does not judge, but gives judgment to the Son - John 5:22, 27

                                    a.         An impossibility if the Son was a manifestation of the Father

                        2.         The Father gives to the Son - John 6:37

            G.        Jesus is not alone, because God is with him - John 8:29

                        1.         An impossibility if Jesus was a manifestation of God

            H.        Order of authority

                        1.         The Father is greater than the Son - John 14:28

                        2.         The Father is Jesus’ God and Father - John 20:17

III.       Similarities

            A.        Both work - John 5:17

            B.        Both teach - John 6:45

                        1.         The Spirit teaches - John 14:26

            C.        Both give life - John 5:21, 26

                        1.         From heaven to give life - John 6:32-33, 35

                        2.         Jesus raises up - John 6:40, 44

                        3.         The Spirit gives life - John 6:63

            D.        Both receive honor - John 5:23

                        1.         Only God seeks glory - John 8:50

                        2.         Jesus receives glory - John 8:54

                        3.         What glorifies God, glorifies the Son - John 11:4

                        4.         Shared glory - John 13:31-32

                        5.         To love one is to love the other - John 15:9

                        6.         To hate one is to hate the other - John 15:23

                        7.         A glory before the world began - John 17:5

            E.        Knowledge of God

                        1.         Jesus knows God - John 7:28-29

                        2.         I Corinthians 2:11 - No one knows God, but the Spirit of God

                        3.         John 8:55 - To say that Jesus did not know God would be a lie

            F.        No one can snatch someone from Jesus or the Father’s hand - John 10:27-29

                        1.         Everything they have is shared - John 17:10

IV.      Claims of Deity

            A.        Jesus claims to be “I AM” - John 8 58

            B.        John 9:35-38 - Jesus is one to believe in and he accepted worship

            C.        Jesus has the authority to both lay down his life and take it up - John 10:17-18

                        1.         Jesus is saying he will raise himself!

            D.        Jesus says he and the Father are one - John 10:30

            E.        The Father and Jesus are in each other - John 14:9-11

V.        Conclusion

            A.        The book of John focuses on the relation between Jesus and the Father, though it is not fully confined to these two

                        1.         Mention is made to the Spirit of God, who is equated to Jesus as another comforter

            B.        The Father, the Son, and the Spirit are clearly distinct

            C.        Yet claims are made that the Father and Son are one and that the Son is Deity.