How to Understand and Teach the Gospel of John
“But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ,
the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”
John 20:31
There is hardly another place in God’s Word where you encounter such a strong statement about why an account is written. Nowhere can you find a stronger invitation than John’s: to find meaning and purpose in life by knowing Jesus. The Gospel of John stands out from the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke by offering a unique perspective in several key ways. Obviously, John’s gospel is equally as inspired as Matthew, Mark, and Luke, but it stands apart due to its philosophical content, tone, structure, and theological depth. John charters a different course with his Gospel by focusing on Jesus’ divine nature and his deep personal relationships with his followers.
Distinctives of the Gospel of John
A Different Beginning
The Gospel of John opens in a dramatically different way from the other three Gospels, beginning not with a genealogy, a birth narrative, or a prophetic announcement, but with a profound theological statement: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). Because John is writing to a non-Jewish audience, he decides to key in on eternity past and take us back to the beginning of God’s Word in Genesis 1 to communicate one idea: this eternal “Word” character, who is identified later as Jesus (who “became flesh and dwelt among us”), is equal with the same God who created all things. This will continue all the way to the end of the Gospel, as Thomas responds to the resurrected Jesus with the words, “My Lord and my God!”
Different Identifiers
The other area where you see the unique coverage of Jesus’ divine nature in the Gospel of John is in the seven “I AM” statements that dominate the middle part of the Gospel. These statements bring the readers back to Exodus 3, where God announces this name to Moses, asserting His identity as the one, true God of Israel’s ancestors. These statements are divine in nature, ways for Jesus to claim authority by utilizing specific imagery that highlights His divinity.
For instance, the bread of life (He can give life), the light of the world (He reveals salvation), and the resurrection and the life (He can overcome death) all point to Jesus’s divine identity and mission.
Key Moments in John’s Gospel
Personal Encounters
Some of the most encouraging and engaging parts of reading the Gospel of John are the relational moments that dominate the narrative. These personal encounters between Jesus and individuals make a profound impact, revealing His deep knowledge of the human heart and His invitation to true faith. Each encounter moves beyond surface-level interaction to address core issues of identity, belief, and eternal life.
One such story is Nicodemus, a religious leader who, in seeking truth about God, comes to meet with Jesus at night and ends up getting a challenge he wasn’t expecting: “you must be born again” (John 3:7). Another example in the next chapter is when Jesus engages the woman at the well with an invitation to drink of the living water He offers. These scenes also occur with his disciples and followers. One unique scene at the end of the Gospel is when Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene after his resurrection and calls out her name to reveal Himself.
Through these moments, John emphasizes that faith in Christ is not merely doctrinal but relational, by recognizing Jesus as the incarnate Word who knows, loves, and calls each person individually.
Connection Between Signs and Teaching
The other Gospels will use the word miracle for the works done by Jesus but John talks about them as signs. These signs build on each other, each chosen to reveal a specific aspect of Jesus’ identity and mission, encouraging belief in Him as the Son of God, the main theme of the whole Gospel. In most cases, these signs are connected to teachings that illustrate important spiritual truths. Here are a few examples:
Jesus turning the water to wine (John 2). He proceeds to teach on being “born again of water and spirit” with Nicodemus (John 3) and offering “living water” to the women at the well (John 4).
Jesus feeds five thousand people with five loaves of bread and two fish (John 6). After this, Jesus teaches that He is the bread of life and offers spiritual sustenance to those who have faith in Him.
Finally, the healing of the man born blind (John 9) is paired with Jesus’ teaching that He is "the light of the world," emphasizing the spiritual enlightenment He brings.
Reading these accounts in isolation from the broader context of John’s Gospel might lead you to marvel at Jesus’ miracles while missing out on the broader spiritual connection. This is why it’s important to keep reading after you see miracles and signs in the Gospel of John.
John’s Passion Week: The Willing Passover Lamb
John emphasizes Jesus’ control over the events leading to His crucifixion. Unlike the Synoptics, which often showcase Jesus as increasingly distressed, John highlights His divine authority and purpose. For example, when the soldiers come to arrest Jesus in John 18, He steps forward voluntarily and identifies Himself, causing them to fall to the ground – an event not recorded elsewhere. This moment portrays Jesus’ sovereign power even in the face of betrayal and arrest, aligning with John's theological focus on Jesus as the divine Word made flesh.
There is also the importance of the timeline surrounding Passion week. In his account, Jesus is crucified on the Day of Preparation for the Passover, at the time when Passover lambs were being slaughtered (John 19:14). This also fits in line with the other Gospels, as they suggest the Last Supper was a Passover meal, with Jesus being crucified the next day. This theological framing casts Jesus as the ultimate Passover Lamb, whose sacrifice fulfills the Old Testament parallels in a profound way.
After repeated mention of a future “time” and that Jesus’s “time had not yet come” (John 2:4, 5:25, 7:8, 16:4, 16:25), Jesus prays in the Garden of Gethsemane, “Father the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you” (John 17:1). The Gospel of John uses “time” to lead the reader by the hand to the cross, where the Lamb of God makes atonement for the people of God.
Why John Matters for Youth Ministry
Teaching the Gospel of John to youth can spark some excellent discussions about big questions Jesus and others imply or leave unanswered. For example, when Pilate asks at the end of chapter 18, “what is truth?” with no reply. Others include how to be “born again” from John 3, or why Jesus said “It is finished” at his death in chapter 19. These moments in Scriptures invite students to grow in a deeper understanding of how to study God’s Word and know the Word become flesh, the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Gospel of John invites readers not only to learn about Jesus but to get to know Him personally as the eternal Son of God who offers new life. Through its theological depth, symbolic language, and the richness of the personal stories, John paints a portrait of Jesus that continues to captivate, challenge, and help us walk by faith in Jesus Christ.
John’s goal isn’t mere knowledge about Jesus — it’s an invitation to believe in the Son of God and to receive life in his name!