John - part 1 - Unlocking The Bible

Part 65 of the David Pawson 'Unlocking the Bible' Podcast series 

David Pawson, in looking at the gospel of John, speaks about the variety and yet the unity of scripture which had 40 human authors and one divine Editor. The authors retained their personalities. The book of John has a difference from the other 3 gospels. David says it’s as though John is looking at the ‘inside’ of Jesus – what was he like, what was his real Person. Of the 12 disciples, John was the closest to Jesus. He omits much said in the other gospels – the conception & birth, baptism, temptations, casting out of demons, the transfiguration, the Last Supper, Gethsemane, the ascension – because of his purpose in writing. But there are some very important extras – 5 particular miracles which he sees as ‘signs’; Peter and the foot washing; Jesus’ dealing with individuals; 7 claims of Jesus. David irons out seeming contradictions. Rather than concentrating on short parables, John writes about Jesus’ ministry in the south of Israel where he was not popular, his arguments with the Jews and long discourses. David explains the difference between the ancient Greek thinking which the West has adopted and Hebrew thinking – which is important in our understanding of the Bible.