Reference: John, Theology of
Hastings
It is the object of this article to give a brief account of St. John's teaching as contained in his Gospel and Epistles. Without prejudging in any way the authorship of the Apocalypse, it will be more convenient that the doctrine of that book should be considered separately. Enough if it be said here that, despite the obvious and very striking difference in the form and style of the book, the underlying similarities between it and those to be now considered are no less remarkable. Careful students, not blinded by the symbolism and other peculiarities of the Revelation, who have concentrated attention upon its main ideas and principles, have come to the conclusion that if it did not proceed from the same pen that wrote the Gospel and Epistles, it belongs to the same school of Christian thought. See Revelation [Book of].
1. Some general characteristics of the teaching of St. John.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
The next day John saw Jesus coming towards him and exclaimed, "Look, that is the Lamb of God who is to take away the sin of the world!
And just as Moses lifted high the serpent in the Desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
For so greatly did God love the world that He gave His only Son, that every one who trusts in Him may not perish but may have the Life of Ages. For God did not send His Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.
He who believes in the Son has the Life of the Ages; he who disobeys the Son will not enter into Life, but God's anger remains upon him.
God is Spirit; and those who worship Him must bring Him true spiritual worship."
For just as the Father awakens the dead and gives them life, so the Son also gives life to whom He wills. The Father indeed does not judge any one, but He has entrusted all judgement to the Son, read more. that all may honour the Son even as they honour the Father. The man who withholds honour from the Son withholds honour from the Father who sent Him.
Wonder not at this. For a time is coming when all who are in the graves will hear His voice and will come forth-- they who have done what is right to the resurrection of Life, and they whose actions have been evil to the resurrection of judgement.
they who have done what is right to the resurrection of Life, and they whose actions have been evil to the resurrection of judgement.
How is it possible for you to believe, while you receive glory from one another and have no desire for the glory that comes from the only God?
And this is the will of Him who sent me, that of all that He has given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it to life on the last day. For this is my Father's will, that every one who fixes his gaze on the Son of God and believes in Him should have the Life of the Ages, and I will raise him to life on the last day."
I am the living bread come down out of Heaven. If a man eats this bread, he shall live for ever. Moreover the bread which I will give is my flesh given for the life of the world."
"In most solemn truth I tell you," said Jesus, "that unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no Life in you. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has the Life of the Ages, and I will raise him up on the last day. read more. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in union with me, and I remain in union with him.
"You," He continued, "are from below, I am from above: you are of this present world, I am not of this present world.
"Now," exclaimed the Jews, "we know that you are possessed by a demon. Abraham died, and so did the Prophets, and yet *you* say, 'If any one shall have obeyed my teaching, he shall in no case ever taste death.'
I give them the Life of the Ages, and they shall never, never perish, nor shall any one wrest them from my hand.
"I know," said Martha, "that he will rise again at the resurrection, on the last day." "I am the Resurrection and the Life," said Jesus; "he who believes in me, even if he has died, he shall live;
"I am the Resurrection and the Life," said Jesus; "he who believes in me, even if he has died, he shall live;
Now is a judgement of this world: now will the Prince of this world be driven out.
Now is a judgement of this world: now will the Prince of this world be driven out. And I-- if I am lifted up from the earth--will draw all men to me."
He who sets me at naught and does not receive my teachings is not left without a judge: the Message which I have spoken will judge him on the last day.
And if I go and make ready a place for you, I will return and take you to be with me, that where I am you also may be.
I will not leave you bereaved: I am coming to you.
"If any one loves me," replied Jesus, "he will obey my teaching; and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.
"You heard me say to you, 'I am going away, and yet I am coming to you.' If you loved me, you would have rejoiced because I am going to the Father; for the Father is greater than I am.
As the Father has loved me, I have also loved you: continue in my love.
And in this consists the Life of the Ages--in knowing Thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent.
I have given them Thy Message, and the world has hated them, because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world.
that they may all be one, even as Thou art in me, O Father, and I am in Thee; that they also may be in us; that the world may believe that Thou didst send me. And the glory which Thou hast given me I have given them, that they may be one, just as we are one: read more. I in them and Thou in me; that they may stand perfected in one; that the world may come to understand that Thou didst send me and hast loved them with the same love as that with which Thou hast loved me.
And, righteous Father, though the world has failed to recognize Thee, I have known Thee, and these have perceived that Thou didst send me.
"My kingdom," replied Jesus, "does not belong to this world. If my kingdom did belong to this world, my subjects would have resolutely fought to save me from being delivered up to the Jews. But, as a matter of fact, my kingdom has not this origin."
"If I desire him to remain till I come," replied Jesus, "what concern is that of yours? You, yourself, must follow me."
storing up for themselves that which shall be a solid foundation for the future, that they may lay hold of the Life which is life indeed.
That which was from the beginning, which we have listened to, which we have seen with our own eyes, and our own hands have handled concerning the Word of Life--
This is the Message which we have heard from the Lord Jesus and now deliver to you--God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness.
But if we live in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, cleanses us from all sin.
and He is an atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
Any one who professes to be in the light and yet hates his brother man is still in darkness. He who loves his brother man continues in the light, and his life puts no stumbling-block in the way of others.
Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If any one loves the world, there is no love in his heart for the Father.
Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If any one loves the world, there is no love in his heart for the Father. For the things in the world--the cravings of the earthly nature, the cravings of the eyes, the show and pride of life--they all come, not from the Father, but from the world.
For the things in the world--the cravings of the earthly nature, the cravings of the eyes, the show and pride of life--they all come, not from the Father, but from the world. And the world, with its cravings, is passing away, but he who does God's will continues for ever. read more. Dear children, the last hour has come; and as you once heard that there was to be an anti-Christ, so even now many anti-Christs have appeared. By this we may know that the last hour has come.
And now, dear children, continue in union with Him; so that, if He re-appears, we may have perfect confidence, and may not shrink away in shame from His presence at His Coming. Since you know that He is righteous, be assured also that the man who habitually acts righteously is a child of His.
See what marvellous love the Father has bestowed upon us--that we should be called God's children: and that is what we are. For this reason the world does not recognize us--because it has not known Him. Dear friends, we are now God's children, but what we are to be in the future has not yet been fully revealed. We know that if Christ reappears we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is.
Every one who is guilty of sin is also guilty of violating Law; for sin is the violation of Law.
He who is habitually guilty of sin is a child of the Devil, because the Devil has been a sinner from the very beginning. The Son of God appeared for the purpose of undoing the work of the Devil. No one who is a child of God is habitually guilty of sin. A God-given germ of life remains in him, and he cannot habitually sin--because he is a child of God.
No one who is a child of God is habitually guilty of sin. A God-given germ of life remains in him, and he cannot habitually sin--because he is a child of God.
We are not to resemble Cain, who was a child of the Evil one and killed his own brother. And why did he kill him? Because his own actions were wicked and his brother's actions righteous.
Every one who hates his brother man is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has the Life of the Ages continuing in him.
But if any one has this world's wealth and sees that his brother man is in need, and yet hardens his heart against him--how can such a one continue to love God? Dear children, let us not love in words only nor with the lips, but in deed and in truth.
He who is destitute of love has never had any knowledge of God; because God is love.
He who is destitute of love has never had any knowledge of God; because God is love.
This is love indeed--we did not love God, but He loved us and sent His Son to be an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
And, as for us, we know the love which God has for us, and we confide in it. God is love, and he who continues to love continues in union with God, and God continues in union with him. Our love will be manifested in all its perfection by our having complete confidence on the day of the Judgement; because just what He is, we also are in the world.
If any one says that he loves God, while he hates his brother man, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother man whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.
Every one who believes that Jesus is the Christ is a child of God; and every one who loves the Father loves also Him who is the Father's Child.
For every child of God overcomes the world; and the victorious principle which has overcome the world is our faith.
We know that no one who is a child of God lives in sin, but He who is God's Child keeps him, and the Evil one cannot touch him.
We know that no one who is a child of God lives in sin, but He who is God's Child keeps him, and the Evil one cannot touch him.
The outer garment in which He is clad has been dipped in blood and His name is THE WORD OF GOD.