Gospel of John as a whole and John 8:31-32

[Wynteriii]

I'm working on a sermon and think it will be called "The Eternal Truth". I would give an exegesis on the whole chapter but this is just a guest preaching chance.

[BIBLE]John 8:31-32[/BIBLE]

I was thinking about how Christ is the truth and that none can prove otherwise. They can ignore it, make fun of it, try to kill those who say it is the truth, but we all cannot prove it false and as soon as we embrace it we should embrace the amazing grace of God.

I told a pastor what I was working on and from what I gathered, he skirted around telling me that he thinks I'm just "spring boarding" and I'm not sticking to scripture.

My questions are:

1. Who is the audience for the Gospel of John?
2. What is the purpose? (Those who have debated what truth is? What the logos is?
3. How would you preach John 8? How about 8:31-32?

Just wanting to make sure I don't bring a heavier judgment upon myself.

 

[GloriousBoaz]

So am I reading you right, that this pastor told you that you are "Spring boarding and not sticking to scripture" because you want to preach Christ being the Truth from John 8:31~32?

 

[Bill The Baptist]

I think it is fine to preach on just those two verses, but I would encourage you to consider covering the entire pericope and preach on verses 31-36. This will give you much fuller context as to what Jesus was specifically referring to.

 

[Wynteriii]

I think what he meant is that he knows that I am majoring in philosophy (I think he know's) and he is warning me not to go the route of of others and preach on just the philosophical aspect of truth and the dominance of relativity in our culture. Stick to what John was trying to convey (which makes me want to expand to 31-36).

I think I am sticking to what John was trying to convey. The truth will set you free from the bondage of sin and Christ said that he is the truth. It seems so clear cut to me but we debated over how these verses connect with the context of the rest of the passage (before and after). I hope he is just making sure I'm doing my research.

 

[PhillipJLee]

I was thinking about how Christ is the truth and that none can prove otherwise. They can ignore it, make fun of it, try to kill those who say it is the truth, but we all cannot prove it false and as soon as we embrace it we should embrace the amazing grace of God.

Amen!

My questions are:
1. Who is the audience for the Gospel of John?
2. What is the purpose? (Those who have debated what truth is? What the logos is?
3. How would you preach John 8? How about 8:31-32?
Just wanting to make sure I don't bring a heavier judgment upon myself.

From the ESV Study Bible:

The Gospel of John was written by the apostle John, the son of Zebedee, a Palestinian Jew and a member of Jesus’ inner apostolic circle during his earthly ministry. John’s original audience consisted of both Jews and Gentiles living in the larger Greco-Roman world in Ephesus and beyond toward the close of the first century a.d. He frequently explains Jewish customs and Palestinian geography and translates Aramaic terms into Greek (see note on 1:38), thus showing awareness of non-Jewish readers. He also presents Jesus as the Word become flesh against the backdrop of Greek thought that included Stoicism and early Gnosticism. But John also shows awareness of Jewish readers as he demonstrates Jesus to be the Jewish Messiah, the fulfillment of many OT themes, and the Son of God who was sent by God the Father to reveal the only true God and to provide redemption for humanity.

The purpose statement in 20:30–31 makes it appear that John wrote with an evangelistic intent. However, his depth of teaching shows that he wanted readers not only to come to initial saving faith in Jesus but also to grow into a rich, well-informed faith. John’s central contention is that Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah and Son of God, and that by believing in him people may have eternal life. To this end, he marshals the evidence of several selected messianic signs performed by Jesus and of a series of witnesses to Jesus—including the Scriptures, John the Baptist, Jesus himself, God the Father, Jesus’ works, the Spirit, and John himself. It is also likely that John sought to present Jesus as the new temple and center of worship for God’s people, a concept that would be especially forceful if the date of composition (as seems likely) was subsequent to a.d. 70 (the time of the destruction of the Jerusalem temple).

 

[littlepeople]

Look back to verse 13 for the reason for the "truth" statement.

So the Pharisees said to him, “You are bearing witness about yourself; your testimony is not true.” Jesus answered, “Even if I do bear witness about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me.

I think rather than centering the falsehood being unproveable concerning Jesus; focus on God's own testimony to the world commending Jesus. Remember that God the Spirit lifts the veil of darkness over each heart so that Jesus is believed in. John likes to play with word pictures, and there is definitely a darkness vs light and sonship vs slavery theme. Those who don't have God for a father are darkened by their enslavement to sin. Their judgements about Jesus are made with darkened, fleshy eyes rather than spiritual ones.

I think you are definitely on the right track, just be sure to speak about truth in the same way, or for the same purposes John/Jesus is using it here.