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The Faces of Jesus: John

Written between the years 8 BC and the first century, it has been said that the Bible is one of humanity’s greatest treasures. 

Multi-Lingual

Originally composed in Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek, and today the complete Bible is available in 704 languages. It has been a source of study, prayerful mediation and reading and sometimes debated over. The Bible means different things to different people. It can be a study guide, an inspiration for prayer or for life. No matter how one approaches it, the Bible is arguably one of the most important books in the world. 

The Gospel According to John

The fourth book of the New Testament is the Gospel of John. The author of this gospel is not clearly anonymous. He identifies himself as “the disciple whom Jesus loved”. John’s gospel was probably written for Jews and Jewish Christians that were spread throughout the Mediterranean area. It seems that in reading this gospel that the author tries to fill some holes left by Matthew, Mark and Luke. He concentrates on themes that were only lightly touched on in the synoptic gospels. 

God Revealed

The main theme of this gospel in the first lines: light, life, truth, the world and God as revealed in Jesus. It is a beautiful narrative filled with poetic expressions and images. Whoever the author, whatever the audience, it is clear that John has one purpose: that it is written “that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name” (20: 31). 

Homework

The four faces as portrayed through the eyes of the four evangelists call us to reflect imagine of Jesus in our lives and out into the world.