Lesson - John 1:1-34 (NIV based)

THEME - Investigating the Claims of Christianity

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v.1 What is the "Word"?

    What does having the name "Word" signify?  A: "Word" = GRK #3056 "Logos" = a thought or concept and the expression or utterance of that thought.  Therefore = expression of God - one who makes God known to men  v.18

    How can somebody be both with God & be God?

v.3 What is this verse essentially saying?

v.4 What "life" is it talking about here?

    Who is the only one with the power to give eternal life?

v.5 What is this verse talking about?

vv.6-9 Who is this "John"?

    Who is the author of this book?

    What was John the Baptist's purpose?  A: to prepare the way, to identify and bare witness that Jesus is the Son of God, who baptizes in the Spirit;  John's method: preaching repentance and using the insufficient baptism in water v.31

vv.10-11 are like v.5

    "Recognize Him" as what?

    Who are "His own"?

    What does it mean they "did not receive Him"?

vv.12-13 Aren't we all "children of God"?

    What does it mean to be "born of God"?

v.14 What does "glory" mean?  A: magnificence; a state of great gratification, praise, honor, or exaltation

    What does "became flesh" mean?

v.18 What was the purpose stated in v.18 of God coming to earth?  What purpose is stated in vv. 4-5?

    Who are the "Jews", "priests", & "Levites"?

v.20 What does the word "Christ" mean?

v.21 Who is the "prophet"?

v.23 What was John's purpose that is stated here?  A: see v.34, vv.7-8

v.24 Who are the "Pharisees"?

v.28 Where is Bethany?  A: about 2-3 miles east of Jerusalem

v.29 What is being referred to by "Lamb"?

    How can the sacrifice of one man take away the sins of the world?

v.31 Why was John to baptize Jesus?  A: vv.31,32,34

v.33 According to this passage, are being "baptized with water" and being "baptized with the Spirit" one & the same thing?  A: vv.26,31,33

    Why did the Spirit come down in a visible form?

v.34 What was John's testimony about Jesus?

    What does it mean to be the "Son" of God?  A: see v.18   Is this different from being a "human" v.13 and a "child" of God v.12?
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vv.1-34 What is the main issue in this passage?  A: to establish the deity of Jesus Christ - His God-hood

    How is Jesus' deity established in this passage? A: by the
       1. testimony of the author
       2. testimony of John the Baptist
       3. the coming of the Holy Spirit in a visible form
       4. testimony of O.T. Scriptures - see v.23 "Lord" =Jehovah= Jesus
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BIG IDEA:  The Book of John is making some very serious claims about who Jesus was/is.  The Jews of that time did not understand, recognize, or receive Jesus as God, but instead rejected Him as the Christ, the Messiah, the Anointed One.  Either these claims are wildly false or they are the truth.  Either Jesus really is God, the source for eternal life, the sacrifice to take away sin or He is not.  As we continue our study of the Book of John in the coming weeks, we will be considering further claims about Jesus.  Hopefully, these studies will help you to formulate an informed opinion on the claims of Christianity.

    meet me afterwards for further discussion or call me

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Works Cited:
“Strong's Greek Dictionary”. The Bible Library CD‑ROM. Oklahoma City, OK: Ellis Enterprises, 1988.
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Copyrights:
Scriptures taken from Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®
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Translation used: NIV
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Updated: 1-21-15