Week I: John 1:1-1:8

Agenda - Tuesday, April 10, 2007
A. Opening Prayer
B. Review – Principles
C. John 1-18 – Prologue
D. Discussion
E. Closing Prayer

II. Authorship of John’s Gospel
A. St. John, the Beloved Apostle
B. Brother of James, son of Zebedee, fisherman
C. Follower of John the Baptist
D. One of four “pillars”
E. Symbolized by eagle
F. Accompanied Paul
G. Died a natural death

III. John’s Audience
A. Purpose - to reveal Jesus as God
B. Jews and Greeks – all mankind
C. To strengthen faith of all Christians
D. To counter Gnostism
E. Revealed the very heart of God
F. Multiple layers of meaning

IV. The Overture
A. First 18 verses touch upon every theme found in the 21 chapters.
B. Ancient hymn

V. The Overture - Parallelism
1. The Word with God (vv. 1-2)
2. Role in creation (v. 3)
3. Gift to mankind (vv. 4-5)
4. Testimony of John (vv. 6-8)
5. The Word enters the world (vv. 9-11)
6. Through the Word we become Children of God (vv. 12-13)
5. The incarnation (v. 14)
4. Testimony of John (v. 15)
3. Gift to mankind (v. 16)
2. Role in re-creation (v. 17)
1. The Son at the Father’s side (v. 18)


VI. John 1:1-2
1 In the beginning was the Word; the Word was in God’s presence, and the Word was God.

A. “was” - continuous condition
B. Logos – Greek

2 He was present to God in the Beginning.

VII. John 1:3
3 Through him all things came into being,
and apart from him nothing came to be.

– (CCC 291)

VIII. John 1:4-5
4 Whatever came to be in him, found life, life for the light of men.
5 The light shines on in darkness, a darkness that did not overcome it.

A. Theology of life and light
B. (CCC 298)

IX. John 1:6-8
6 There was a man named John sent by God,
7 who came as a witness to testify to the light, so that through him all men might believe—

– witness - marturia

8 but only to testify to the light, for he himself was not the light.



XVII. Announcements
Next Meeting - Invite others. All are welcome!


REMEMBER: No Bible, no breakfast;
No Bible, no bed!