John wants us to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, so that we might have life in His name [Joh 20:31].
Knowing John’s purpose, there are important questions one should consider
How does his saying “in the beginning was the word”, and the other parts of the introduction help us know his stated reason for writing the book of John?
How did John know these things?
John says Jesus made the world, but the world didn’t know Him [Joh 1:10].
This implies that the world was supposed to know Him because He created us.
It implies that there was probably a time men knew that He created the world but must have forgotten.
To be born of God is an objective that John wants us to know [Joh 1:13].
Men have to know Him to be born of God.
Eleazar prayed in the name of Abraham, and Elisha prayed in the name of Elijah
Praying in someone’s name requires a relationship
Whether men know it or not, everyone has a basic relationship to Jesus—since He created us, therefore, anyone can call on Him.
We have to believe in Jesus’ name.
Both Eleazar and Elisha were in the will of their masters—Abrahm and Elijah—and has their prayers answered.
Eleazar was sent to get a wife for Abraham’s son
Elisha was to stand in Elijah’s office, and so, heaven’s resources for Elijah were at work for Elisha.
Therefore, being born of God serves a purpose for Jesus.
If the world recognized Jesus, they would’ve believed in His name [Joh 1:10-13].
By birth Jesus came after John, but John says Jesus was before him [Joh 1:15]. This means Jesus pre-existed.
Church isn’t for doing business [Mat 21:12-13; Mar 11:17; Joh 2:16].
Jesus drove out the dove sellers and money changers because in doing business, sellers try to get an advantage over the buyers, and buyers over the seller. The possibility of telling lies, or committing fraud to get the advantage in
trade is the reason why Jesus didn’t want it being done in the temple.
Just like the AoY, Jesus doesn’t introduce Himself. He just does things and expects people to figure out who He is.
Jesus called Himself (that is, His body) a temple [Joh 2:19]. The AoY was the first person to be called a Temple in the Bible.
This is seen when God said His name is in the Angel [Exo 23:20-21].
God’s name is His Spirit, and where He puts His name (His Spirit) is His temple [Deu 12:5, 11; 14:23; 26:2; 1Kgs 8:29; Jer 7:12]
The temple is described as a dwelling for His name
God’s name is His presence, i.e., His Spirit [2Chr 20:9 NIV].
Yahweh lives in heaven, but His presence lives in the temple [1Kgs 8:27; Mat 6:9].
Yahweh’s presence is His Spirit [Psa 51:11; 139:7].
Born of water and Spirit is the same thing as “Being Born Again”. When Nicodemus asked if a man would be born of his mother when he is old, Jesus responded by saying that the man has to born of water and Spirit—He was defining born
again. He proceeded to explain by saying flesh births flesh, but Spirit births spirit. He wasn’t making a different point or saying a different thing when He said, “born of water and Spirit”, He was saying “born again”
using different spiritual language [Joh 3:37].
Being “born of water” is to be born of the Spirit—in this case, to receive the Spirit.
The Spirit is called water in the OT.
To be born of something is to come from it.
It is receiving the Spirit that qualifies us to be changed
We will be brought back to life by the Spirit at the Resurrection.
A man must first be baptized by the Spirit, before he can be born of the Spirit.
Being born of water is receiving the Holy Spirit, and the indwelling of the Spirit is our assurance that we will be born of the Spirit—that we will partake of the resurrection.
Jesus wasn’t saying that a time is coming when people can worship God anywhere. If He was, He wouldn’t have said “neither” [Joh 4:21].
God wants worshippers that will worship Him in Spirit and truth, and this is because He is a Spirit [Joh 4:23-24].
True worshippers are God’s children. This can be seen from Jesus words. He said the “Father” seeks worshippers [Joh 4:23].
God seeks Spirits to be His worshippers.
The woman expected that a prophet should know the word of God. The Samaritan woman asked Jesus—the Prophet—about where to worship, not to see a vision or give her prophecy [Joh 4:19-20].
Prophets are meant to know the word of God, they’re to have knowledge of the ways of God.
Prophets [and Apostles] are to have insight into the things of God [Eph 3:1-5].