John: The Different Disciple

Introduction

• John wrote an account of Jesus’ life that is vastly different than the other gospels in the New Testament. This is due, in large part, to how God worked to change him over his lifetime. John the disciple is much different than the man who wrote the gospel. Same person, but his life experiences after led him to write a unique gospel. We benefit from John’s uniqueness in the stories he tells that are found in no other account of Jesus’ life.

• I’m Brent and this is episode 20 of the Bible Unplugged. In this episode we explore the life, ministry, and writings of John the Beloved Disciple.

Who was John

• John doesn’t use his own name in his gospel. This is common in the New Testament. The author does not want to draw attention to himself. Early church theologians attribute the Gospel of John with this disciple of Jesus

• Much of what we know about John comes from the other three gospels.

• John had a rough and impetuous side:

• He and his brother James worked for their father Zebedee’s fishing business.

• Church tradition says that Salome, one of the women who followed Jesus was his mother.

• The disciples, Peter and Andrew, were partners in the fishing business with John.

• Jesus nicknamed John and his brother James, “sons of thunder,” likely referring to their fiery and contentious personalities.

• We have direct evidence of John’s personality in Luke 9 where John asks that fire from heaven come down and burn up a Samaritan village that rejected Jesus.

• Jesus recognized John’s potential even with his fiery temperament

• John, along with Peter and his brother James, were part of an inner circle that were the lone witnesses to some significant events in Jesus’s life.

• Raising of Jairus’ daughter, the Transfiguration of Jesus, and the agony Jesus went through in the garden of Gethsemane

• John was especially close to Jesus.

• He leaned on Jesus at the Last Supper, referring to himself as “the disciple whom Jesus loved.”

• John was an eyewitness to Jesus’ crucifixion. In John 19, Jesus entrusted his mother’s care to John.

• In chapter 20, John and Peter ran to see the empty tomb when Mary Magdalene told them about her experience.

John’s transformation

• We see a significant transformation in John’s life and personality between his experiences as a disciple and when he wrote the books: The Gospel of John; First, Second, and Third John; and the Book of Revelation. As a side note, there is no “S” at the end of Revelation.

• John went from being a son of thunder to an apostle of love later in his life.

• Love is a strong theme in the Gospel of John

• In John 13, Jesus said, “a new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, just as I have loved you…”

• John emphasized sacrificial love in chapter 15. Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”

• In the same chapter, Jesus says, “As the Father has love me, so have I loved you.”

• The most recognized verse in the New Testament is John 3:16 when Jesus meets Nicodemus: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.”

• The book we refer to as First John says that. John also connects love to action in chapter 3 when he says, “let's not love in word only, neither with the tongue only, but in deed and truth.” In chapter r, John says, “God is love and that as believers, we should love one another.”

Uniqueness of John’s Gospel

• John’s Gospel is so different than the other three that theologians call the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke the “synoptic” gospels, which means “similar view.”

• John does seem to care about chronology, the order in which things happen. His concern is theology, presenting Jesus as the son of God and emphasizing belief in Jesus for eternal life through his signs, teaching, and divine nature.

• About 90% of the content of John’s Gospel is not found in the other three gospels.

• Without John’s writings we would not know about:

• Jesus and Nicodemus, the passage that includes John 3:16

• The encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well in John chapter 4.

• Jesus healing the lame man beside the Pool of Bethesda in John chapter 5

• Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead in John chapter 11

• We also would miss out on Jesus answering Thomas’ doubt after the resurrection.

• A list of significant stories unique to John’s Gospel is at the end of this article

Interesting Characteristics of John’s Gospel

• John’s literary style and structure show a lot of symbolism.

• John uses the number 7, the number for perfection, in a subtle but complex way.

• There are seven signs, or miracles, in John’s gospel that affirm Jesus as the Son of God

• Jesus uses the phrase “I am” seven times. For instance, Jesus says, “I am the bread of life” in John chapter 6.

• There are seven sermons that illustrate the “I am” sayings

• In fact, there are several groups of seven in the Gospel. A list of these is in the show notes.

• John has some strong themes in his gospel

• John uses some form of the verb “believe” over 100 times

• John’s gospel contains fewer miracles or signs than the others. Matthew has 20, Mark has 18 and Luke has 20. John only has 7 miracles

• John’s emphasis, however, is not to show how many ways Jesus performed miracles, but the meaning behind each one.

• John parallels the “I am” sayings of Jesus with the seven miracles. For instance, when Jesus feeds 5,000 people with a few loaves of bread, Jesus refers to himself as “the bread of life.” This is in John chapter 6

• John’s purpose in using this writing style is to emphasize that Jesus is the Son of God and that God’s power is greater than any earthly event or circumstance.

What we learn from this

• God uses John’s life experiences to change him from a blustering, impetuous fisherman into a caring and loving minister. God can use who we are and work miracles through us to bring us in line with his will for our lives.

• Being different and going against the crowd is not a bad thing. Each of us is unique. God can work through you differently than through someone else. Recognize the value in your gifts and abilities.

• I don’t know if John was even aware of the patterns and symbolism in his gospel, but the Holy Spirit influenced him to include subtle evidence of the power of God in our world.

What do we do with this

• Look back on your life and acknowledge how God has changed you over the years. The person you are and are becoming is of infinite value.

• Think of the times you have kept your thoughts to yourself even though what you had to say may have had an impact on others. Recognize that what you have to say can be helpful to someone else and may start a dialogue that helps everyone involved.

• Think of events in your life when God spoke in and through you to bless someone else even when you weren’t aware of what you were about to say. God works his will in each of us to show his love and grace to the people in our lives who need to know that God loves them too.

The conclusion

• Well, the music in the background means I have run out of time for this episode. I’ll be back to talk another day.

• I hope this has been helpful. If so, give this podcast a high rating and share it with others.

• In the next few episodes we will look at the different leadership styles of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther. Three people whom God used in different ways to fulfill his promises to the people of Israel.

• My prayer for you see that who you are and what you do are God’s gifts to you and can be a blessing to the people around you.

• Have a blessed week

The disclaimers

• Just to let you know

• All opinions are my own. If you agree, keep listening. If you don’t… keep listening, you may learn something

• All Bible quotations come from the World English Bible which is a public domain work

• Our show theme song is “Awesome Call” by Kevin MacLeod and is available under a Creative Commons license

• The content of this podcast is copyrighted 2025 by J. Brent Eaton

• This has been a Power Love and Miracles production

Here's a list of the major unique stories and events in John:

1. The Prologue (John 1:1-18)

· A theological introduction presenting Jesus as the eternal Word (Logos), who was with God and was God, and who became flesh.

· This high Christology is unparalleled in the Synoptics.

2. The Wedding at Cana (John 2:1-11)

· Jesus' first miracle, turning water into wine.

· Emphasizes Jesus as the bringer of new covenant joy and abundance.

3. The Cleansing of the Temple at the Start of His Ministry (John 2:13-22)

· In the Synoptics, the cleansing occurs during Passion Week, near the end of Jesus’ ministry.

· John places it early, possibly for theological reasons or to indicate multiple such events.

4. Jesus’ Conversation with Nicodemus (John 3:1-21)

· A Pharisee comes to Jesus at night, leading to the famous teaching on being "born again" and the well-known verse John 3:16.

5. The Samaritan Woman at the Well (John 4:1-42)

· Jesus speaks with a Samaritan woman, revealing His identity as the Messiah and offering "living water."

· Highlights Jesus' outreach to marginalized groups and spiritual inclusivity.

6. Healing the Official’s Son (John 4:46-54)

· While there are similar healings in the Synoptics (e.g., the centurion’s servant), this specific story is unique to John.

7. Healing the Lame Man at the Pool of Bethesda (John 5:1-15)

· Jesus heals a man who had been disabled for 38 years and confronts opposition for doing so on the Sabbath.

8. The Bread of Life Discourse (John 6:22-71)

· Following the feeding of the 5,000, Jesus delivers a profound teaching about being the "bread of life."

· Includes controversial statements about eating His flesh and drinking His blood.

9. The Healing of the Man Born Blind (John 9:1-41)

· A detailed account of Jesus restoring sight to a man born blind, with significant theological implications about spiritual blindness and revelation.

10. The Raising of Lazarus (John 11:1-44)

· Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead after four days in the tomb.

· A pivotal event leading to the plot against Jesus by religious leaders.

11. The Foot Washing (John 13:1-17)

· At the Last Supper, Jesus washes His disciples' feet as a model of servant leadership.

· This act replaces the institution of the Eucharist found in the Synoptics.

12. The Farewell Discourse and the High Priestly Prayer (John 14–17)

· An extended section of teachings and prayers during the Last Supper.

· Includes promises about the Holy Spirit, Jesus’ unity with the Father, and His prayer for future believers.

13. The Appearance to Mary Magdalene (John 20:11-18)

· Jesus first appears after His resurrection to Mary Magdalene, calling her by name in a tender moment.

· Unique in its intimate portrayal of their interaction.

14. The Doubting Thomas Episode (John 20:24-29)

· Thomas demands physical proof of Jesus’ resurrection and then confesses, "My Lord and my God."

· Highlights the importance of faith even without seeing.

15. The Restoration of Peter (John 21:15-19)

· After His resurrection, Jesus reinstates Peter by asking three times, "Do you love me?" to correspond with Peter’s three denials.

· Includes Jesus’ prophetic words about Peter’s martyrdom.

16. The Extended Fishing Scene (John 21:1-14)

· Post-resurrection, Jesus appears to seven disciples by the Sea of Galilee, directing them to a miraculous catch of fish.

· A symbolic reminder of their mission as "fishers of men."

Groups of Seven in John

• Seven Signs

• Miracles revealing Jesus' identity and authority

• Water into wine, Raising Lazarus

• Jesus' divine authority and call to faith

• Seven "I Am" Sayings

• Declarations of Jesus' divine nature and mission

• I am the bread of life, I am the light

• Jesus as the fulfillment of God's promises

• Seven Titles for Jesus

• Titles affirming Jesus' Messiahship and divinity

• The Word, The Lamb of God

• Reinforces Jesus' divine identity and mission

• Seven Witnesses

• Testimonies affirming Jesus' identity

• John the Baptist, Martha, Thomas

• Validates the truths revealed in signs and discourses

• Seven Discourses

• Conversations revealing profound truths about salvation

• Nicodemus, Samaritan Woman, Farewell Discourse

• Explains the spiritual significance of signs and sayings

• Seven Women

• Women playing pivotal roles in Jesus' ministry

• Mary, Samaritan Woman, Mary Magdalene

• Faith, insight, and active roles in salvation history

• Seven Statements on the Cross

• Statements culminating Jesus' mission on the cross

• It is finished, I am thirsty

• Fulfillment of prophecies and culmination of Jesus'