Bible Month is an annual campaign that celebrates Scripture by inviting the whole Methodist Connexion to feast on one particular book of the Bible together. For 2025, the book chosen is John's Gospel. Below is an article written by Rev Charles Nevin to introduce John's Gospel and encourage you to read it!

BIBLE MONTH 2025

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

This year the book chosen for our Bible Month is the Gospel of John. The material is divided into four sections and will be preached over June and early July. However, you might like to use the time from now until June for your own personal preparation, hence this article has a threefold purpose

1. To provide some background to John’s Gospel.

 2. To briefly touch on the main focus for each of the four weeks.

3. To suggest material and ideas for you to use.

Unlike the synoptic Gospels – Matthew, Mark and Luke, - John takes a quite different approach to narrating the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. John’s Gospel does not provide a chronological biography but focuses more on a theological portrait of who Jesus is and why he came.

Authorship, context and purpose: Traditionally the Gospel is attributed to John the Apostle, the “beloved disciple of Jesus” who was one of the twelve. The most likely dating for the Gospel is AD 85-95 and it was written in Ephesus or another location in Asia Minor. By this time Christianity had spread widely, and the church was suffering persecution from the Roman and Jewish authorities. Against this historical background Christians faced questions about Jesus’ identity.

When we consider the purpose of the Gospel the best source are the words of John himself: “But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in His name” John 20:31

John’s purpose goes beyond the words to the need for a response – to inspire us all to faith. To show Jesus as the eternal son of God and one with whom we are called into a life-giving and life-changing relationship.

Key themes: This section touches on a few of the main elements of John’s Gospel:

a) Jesus as the Word (Logos): The very first verses of the Gospel set out this concept very much front and centre: In the beginning was the Word, and the word was with God, and the Word was God. This portrays Jesus as eternal and divine, there at the beginning of creation and representing the full revelation of God in human form.

b) Light v darkness: John makes much use of symbolic language. Light signifies truth, life and salvation. Darkness represents sin and alienation from God. Jesus is described as the “light of the world”, to dispel spiritual darkness. (John1:4-5 and 8:12)

c) Signs and belief: John introduces seven signs or miracles to confirm his divine nature and invite faith:

• Changing water into wine
• Healing the son of a royal official
• Healing the paralysed man
• Feeding the 5,000
• Walking on water
• Healing the man born blind
• Raising Lazarus from the dead

d) ‘I am’ statements: Jesus uses seven statements about himself, each one beginning with the words ‘I am’. This echoes the self-revelation of God before Moses (Exodus 3:14) I AM WHO I AM. They are:

• I am the bread of life (6:35)
• I am the light of the world (8:12)
• I am the door (gate) (10:7)
• I am the Good Shepherd (10:11)
• I am the resurrection and the life (11:25)
• I am the way, the truth and the life (14:6)
• I am the true vine (15:1)

Structure and style: The Gospel can be broadly summarised in four sections:

• Chapter 1 – The Prologue, clear evidence that Jesus is much more than a man.
• Chapters 2 – 12. Jesus’ ministry.
• Chapters 13 – 17. The events leading up to the death of Jesus
• Chapters 18 – 21. The death, burial and resurrection of Jesus

John’s Gospel is more meditative in style including:

• Long discourses and conversations (e.g. with Nicodemus in Chapter 3 and the Samaritan woman in Chapter 4)
• A style rich in symbolic language and metaphor
• A clear and unwavering focus on the identity of Jesus.

The four themes of Bible Month

1. Embracing God and all reality (Chapter 1): This provides the overarching framework of the nature and person of Jesus. By the use of the term ‘Word’ he sets in place God and hence Jesus at the heart of creation. He invites us into a personal relationship with Jesus and discloses Him as the fulfilment our life now and into eternity.

2. Signs, conversations and controversy (Chapters 2 – 12): Essentially this is the very heart of the work and ministry of Jesus. It begins with the Wedding at Cana symbolically declaring the new wine of the Kingdom demonstrating an abundance for all. It also allows time for deep conversations to explore more fully Jesus’ nature and ministry. It further brings us up against the controversy generated by his message and his doctrine of universal salvation.

3. Jesus’ discipleship course (Chapter 13 – 17): This allows us to join with the disciples at the feet of Jesus. It re-emphasises the nature and dynamic force of love; love fulfilled, and love betrayed. It gives us clear insights into the teachings of Jesus to inspire our own discipleship. It reminds us of the power of prayer to encounter God and ground our daily living in His constant presence.

4. ‘The hour’ and the resurrection and our drama (Chapters 18 – 21): It leads us into the inevitable consequence of his teaching, but also the fulfilment of his calling. We witness his arrest and trial where justice is left outside the door. We walk with Jesus through his punishment and his crucifixion journey. Finally, we stand in awe at an empty tomb and wonder at the fulfilment of God’s covenant of grace and presence.

Ideas for your own preparation

This is just a list of resources you might find helpful:

          I.                        A 30-day reading guide to the Gospel of John – this is published by the Methodist Church and copies will be available in your church. Why not start reading it now so you are ready when Bible Month starts.

        II.                        The Ultimate Book Club – Rev Philip Berry: John — Bramhall Methodist Church

      III.                        Gospel of John Summary: Gospel of John Summary: A Complete Animated Overview (Part 1)

     IV.                        Gospel of John Summary: Gospel of John Summary: A Complete Animated Overview (Part 2)

       V.                        Reading text scrolling Contemporary English Version – different voices for different characters The Book of John | Contemporary English | Holy Bible (FULL) With Text

     VI.                        The Methodist Church website has a range of materials: Bible Month - The Methodist Church

   VII.                        For a more in-depth view of the four weeks a book has been published and is available for £4.95 at Preach – https://www.preachweb.org/books-and-diaries

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