A Reading of John

The Gospel of John is different from the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke: they are first generation gospels which tell the story of Jesus in order to bring people to faith and to guide discipleship. John is a second-generation gospel; the Gospel of Jesus must make its voice heard in a world full of philosophies and faiths. The author presents in Christ an eternal truth which fulfills and surpasses all other truths. John looks beyond the down-to-earth facts and experiences and points his audience to the truth which enables eternal life—life in all its fullness.