Signs
John’s word for miracles — graded Moodle answer for why: “Because they are not meant to point to Jesus” (review this miss carefully against the pack wording).
Lesson 5 · Course 64
John
Jesus the Christ and Son of God -- believe, and have life.
At a glance
Summary
John presents Jesus as the Christ and Son of God so that readers believe and have life — signs, “I am” sayings, tabernacle/temple fulfillment, written from Ephesus for Jewish believers still in the synagogue outside Palestine.
Quiz 5.1 100%. Quiz 5.2 87.5% (miss: why miracles are called signs -- Moodle: "Because they are not meant to point to Jesus."). Quiz 5.3 100%. Cumulative 95% (miss: Eusebius quotes Irenaeus about John at Ephesus, not Clement of Alexandria).
Big ideas
What to teach and remember
- Emphases: Christ and Son of God, belief, life, eyewitness testimony, signs, “I am” sayings, fulfillment of God’s presence (tabernacle/temple).
- Structure: introduction, public ministry, private ministry, conclusion. Public ministry divided by Passovers and feasts. Climax: Thomas — “my Lord and my God.” First sign: water to wine at Cana.
- Author: John son of Zebedee (Jesus’ cousin, inner circle, Sons of Thunder, later Patmos); wrote from Ephesus; not named in the Gospel. Also 1–3 John and Revelation.
- Audience: Jewish believers outside Palestine still in the synagogue. Purpose: confirm Jesus is both Christ and Son of God.
- Four themes: Son of God, Christ, Life, Believing. “Believe” ~106× (34 in synoptics). Eternal life: joyful fellowship with God already beginning when we believe. “I am” 24× as claim of deity.
- Fulfills tabernacle/temple by showing God’s presence in the world; sanctuary decorations modeled after Eden; foot washing symbolized His whole earthly ministry.
- Feast of Dedication: 165 BC, Maccabees vs Antiochus Epiphanes, purifying the temple — today Hanukkah.
- Quote: John is a pool in which babes wade and elephants swim. P52/Rylands ~100–150 AD. Eusebius quotes Irenaeus about John at Ephesus.
Key terms
People, places, and words that matter
I am
Phrase Jesus used 24 times claiming deity.
Eternal life
Timeless joyful fellowship with God, already beginning when we believe.
Thomas’s confession
Climax — “my Lord and my God.”
Feast of Dedication
165 BC temple purification (Maccabees vs Antiochus) — Hanukkah.
P52 / Rylands
Early manuscript fragment dated roughly 100–150 AD.
Ephesus
Where John wrote; Eusebius quotes Irenaeus (not Clement) about John there.
Structure
Outline / timeline
- Introduction
- Public ministry (divided by Passovers and feasts; first sign at Cana)
- Private ministry
- Conclusion (Thomas’s confession as climax)
Must remember
Facts to keep straight
| Author | John son of Zebedee — cousin, inner circle; from Ephesus; unnamed in the Gospel |
|---|---|
| Audience | Jewish believers outside Palestine still in the synagogue |
| Purpose | Confirm Jesus is Christ and Son of God — believe and have life |
| Structure | Introduction, public ministry, private ministry, conclusion |
| Four themes | Son of God, Christ, Life, Believing |
| Believe count | ~106 times (34 in the synoptics) |
| First sign | Water to wine at Cana |
| Climax | Thomas: my Lord and my God |
Compare
Side-by-side contrasts
John 1:10–14 mapped to structure
- Introduction — Jesus came into the world
- Public ministry — rejected by His own
- Private ministry — received as children of God
- Conclusion — witnesses of His glory
For the pulpit
Sermon hooks
- Believe and live — John’s aim is faith that already tastes fellowship with God.
- Preach the “I am” sayings as deity claims, not mere metaphors.
- Babes and elephants: keep John simple enough for a child and deep enough for a lifetime.
Quiz drill
Quiz drill / review · open to practice · 43 items
Lesson 5 is complete: Quizzes 5.1-5.3 plus the Cumulative Test. No essays. Moodle's 'signs' option is reported as graded, even though the wording is odd.
Quiz 5.1 · 100% · 1 attempt
1. Vocabulary and themes are similar to first-century Palestinian Judaism.
TrueJohn sounds like Palestinian Judaism of that century.
2. The name of John is not mentioned in the fourth gospel.
TrueThe author never names himself John in this Gospel.
3. Many references show the author was an eyewitness.
TrueEyewitness notes run through the book.
4. John probably wrote from ________.
EphesusEphesus is the probable place of writing.
5. True about John (select all that apply).
Jesus was his cousin; he was the son of Zebedee.Son of Zebedee, cousin of Jesus.
6. Other NT books by John (select all that apply).
1 John; 2 John; 3 John; RevelationThe three letters and Revelation.
7. Purpose?
To confirm for Jewish believers that Jesus was both Christ and the Son of GodChrist and Son of God -- confirmation, not first introduction.
8. Probable audience?
Jewish believers outside Palestine still participating in the synagogueDiaspora synagogue believers.
9. Authorship has been seriously debated throughout history.
FalseMoodle: False. Authorship was not a long serious debate in this lesson's telling.
10. Oldest manuscript Papyrus 52 / Ryland's dates between _______.
100 and 150 ADMoodle spelling kept (Ryland's). P52 about 100-150.
Quiz 5.2 · 87.5% · 1 attempt
1. Match John 1:10-14 ideas to the four divisions.
Introduction = Jesus came into the world. Public Ministry = rejected by His own. Private Ministry = those who received became children of God. Conclusion = those who believed became witnesses.Came, rejected, received as children, then witnesses.
2. Why are miracles called "signs"?
Because they are not meant to point to Jesus.Miss / partialMiss on 5.2 -- Jay-R chose that they point to the authority of the apostles. Moodle graded this wording correct (odd as it sounds): they are not meant to point to Jesus. Report the grade, do not invent a cleaner option.
3. Foot washing symbolized?
His whole earthly ministryNot a side ritual -- the whole ministry in a basin.
4. Climax of John's narrative?
Thomas's confession that Jesus is his Lord and GodThomas: my Lord and my God.
5. Public Ministry sections divided by?
Passovers and religious feastsThe feasts mark the public blocks.
6. Rabbi means?
TeacherRabbi = Teacher.
7. Match the John references.
John 1:10-14 = the world / His own / children of God / glory. John 15:1-5 = the vine. John 14:26 = the Helper. John 17 = He prays for His disciples.World/own/children/glory; vine; Helper; the prayer.
8. Greek king who massacred, desecrated the temple, and set up Zeus?
Antiochus EphiphanesMoodle spelling kept (Ephiphanes). The Hanukkah villain.
Quiz 5.3 · 100% · 1 attempt
1. Eternal life meaning?
A timeless state of continual joyful fellowship with God, already beginning when we believeAlready, not only later. Fellowship with God now.
2. Phrase Jesus used 24 times claiming deity?
"I am"The I am sayings.
3. How does He fulfill tabernacle/temple?
He showed God's presence in the worldGod's presence, now in a Person.
4. Tabernacle/temple decorations modeled after?
The Garden of EdenEden is the pattern behind the sanctuary art.
5. Four major themes (select all that apply).
Son of God; Christ; Life; BelievingThose four hold the book together.
Cumulative Test · 95% · 1 attempt
1. Match the John references.
John 1:10-14 = the world / His own / children of God / glory. John 15:1-5 = the vine. John 14:26 = the Helper. John 17 = He prays for His disciples.Same matching as Quiz 5.2.
2. Match John 1:10-14 ideas to the four divisions.
Introduction = Jesus came into the world. Public Ministry = rejected by His own. Private Ministry = those who received became children of God. Conclusion = those who believed became witnesses.Came, rejected, received, witnesses.
3. Quote about John?
"It is a pool in which babes wade and elephants swim."Simple enough for a child, deep enough for a lifetime.
4. Audience?
Jewish believers outside Palestine still participating in the synagogueDiaspora synagogue believers.
5. True about John (select all that apply).
Son of Zebedee; Jesus was his cousin.Zebedee's son, Jesus' cousin.
6. Why are miracles called "signs"?
Because they are not meant to point to Jesus.Moodle graded this wording correct here too: they are not meant to point to Jesus.
7. Life of John (select all that apply).
Inner circle; Sons of Thunder; exiled on PatmosInner circle, thunder, Patmos.
8. First miracle?
Water to wine at CanaCana -- the first sign.
9. Word used 106 times in John vs 34 in the synoptics?
BelieveBelieve is John's heavy word.
10. John is not named in the gospel.
TrueHe does not name himself.
11. Vocabulary and themes similar to Palestinian Judaism.
TruePalestinian Judaism of that century.
12. Purpose?
To confirm for Jewish believers that Jesus was both Christ and the Son of GodConfirm Christ and Son of God.
13. Four major themes (select all that apply).
Christ; Life; Believing; Son of GodThe four themes.
14. Other NT books (select all that apply).
1 John; 2 John; 3 John; RevelationLetters plus Revelation.
15. Feast of Dedication (select all that apply).
Began 165 BC, Maccabees vs Antiochus; purifying the temple; today HanukkahMoodle spelling in the lesson pack: Macabbees. Hanukkah is Dedication.
16. Wrote from?
EphesusEphesus.
17. Eternal life?
Joyful fellowship with God, already beginning when we believeAlready, at belief.
18. Many references show the author was an eyewitness.
TrueEyewitness.
19. Greek king?
Antiochus EphiphanesMoodle spelling kept.
20. Whom does Eusebius quote about John at Ephesus?
IrenaeusMiss / partialMiss -- Jay-R chose Clement of Alexandria. Moodle: Irenaeus.