LIFE THROUGH HIS NAME

“Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of His disciples which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing, you may have life through His name.” John 20:30, 31.

Unlike the other three gospels, John clearly stated the reason for his story. His gospel rounds off the four pictures of Jesus that the four gospels present, each complete in itself and yet incomplete because they need each other to tell the whole story.

Matthew’s gospel was written for Jewish readers. He did not state his purpose, New Testament scholars have gleaned from the book that he presented Jesus as the King of the Jews and the fulfilment of Old Testament prophecy.

Matthew’s birth narrative of Jesus and the genealogy of His ancestry highlighted His royal position. Although Jesus was born in a humble place, He descended from the line of David, Israel’s greatest king, in fulfilment of Messianic prophecy. He had visitors from the East who came looking for a new king whose birth they had discerned from the movement of the stars and who brought gifts that befitted a king.

Matthew focused on Jesus’ presentation of the kingdom of God, arranging the teachings of Jesus into blocks rather than in chronological order. The gospel He came to announce was good news about the kingdom of God and to enter, one needed to repent and receive the kingdom like a little child. Matthew often referred to the things Jesus did as the fulfilment of prophecy.

Jesus was born a king, He lived as a king, exercising His authority over the demonic realm and giving authority to His disciples to continue what He had begun. He died under the written indictment: “This is Jesus, the king of the Jews.”

Mark presented Jesus, not as a king but as a servant. There are no birth narratives — the birth of a servant was of no consequence. Jesus’ story was one of action. There is not much teaching in Mark’s Gospel; his emphasis was on what Jesus did rather than on what He said. Mark highlighted what the Jewish leaders and even Jesus’ disciples failed to grasp; that Jesus was first the Servant of Yahweh before He took His place as the king of the Jews.

Luke focused on Jesus’ humanity, and presented Him as the Son of Man. However, the title, “Son of Man” was not only a reference to His humanity as God addressed Ezekiel, but also a Messianic title as in Daniel 7:13, 14:

“In my vision at night I looked and there before me was like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into His presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and people of every language worshiped Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not pass away, and His kingdom is one that shall never be destroyed.”

Luke traced His ancestry back to Adam, the father of the human race. He presented Jesus as one who was totally dependent on the Holy Spirit; conceived by the Holy Spirit, baptised in the Spirit; driven by the Spirit into the wilderness; and one who prayed. Jesus was true man; He had the emotions and weaknesses of human beings. He entered fully into the experiences of humanity but He was truly the Son of Man.

John completed the picture of Jesus by presenting Him as the Son of God. Not birth narratives but rather a commentary on Genesis 1 is where he started. Jesus existed before He became flesh and took His place among humans. He was God’s Word, bringing all of creation into existence, enlightening every human being born into the world and giving Hs life to restore them to their rightful place as sons of God.

John recorded only seven miracles, referring to them as “signs”, pointing his readers to the nature of Jesus – the Son of God – and the outcome of each sign – faith in Him. The controversy between Him and His religious opponents raged around His claim to be the Son of God and His ringing statement, I AM…”

Four gospels, four pictures, King of the Jews, Servant of Yahweh, Son of Man and Son of God. This is who Jesus is. Our only response is John’s longed-for desire for his readers; to believe that Jesus is the Son of God, and by believing, to have life through His name.

Acknowledgement

Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.