peace to live by

Unique Characteristics of John's Gospel, Part 3 (TMF:2960)

Friday, September 11, 2026
Peace to Live By: Unique Characteristics of John's Gospel, Part 3 (TMF:2960) - Daniel Litton
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       A second point of note, and this contrasts interestingly with what was just discussed, are some head-scratching absences. As far as the miracles of Jesus are concerned, in this Gospel we are not going to see any casting out of demons. That’s not present for whatever the reason. We also aren’t going to hear any Parables, which are prevalent in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Finally, we aren’t going to be presented with any of the lengthy end times monologues. So, for those who love this third area, you aren’t going to find it in John. And finally, the third thing. It should also be noted that John, as a writer, is expecting his audience to be already familiar with the other three Gospels. This is yet another reason to show this Gospel was written last. We can understand this by noting John 3:24, for example, where the Apostle assumes that his listeners are going to know that John the Baptist was put in prison. Another example would be John 11:1, where he is assumes his audience already knows of Mary and Martha, Lazarus’ sisters.

Unique Characteristics of John's Gospel, Part 2 (TMF:2959)

Thursday, September 10, 2026
Peace to Live By: Unique Characteristics of John's Gospel, Part 2 (TMF:2958) - Daniel Litton
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       The fact that John saw this with his own eyes, in some manner, could fulfill what we already referred to as pertains to John being alive until Jesus’ second coming. If he’s not still on earth today, he was around, in a sense for it due to the fact he saw the vision of the Revelation. Quickly, and before we hit the water, let's ruminate on three more things. The most interesting, and one fact that is applicable to us, is that John will record famous passages about Jesus' discussion in regard to the Holy Spirit—the Third Person of the Trinity. Indeed, some of the most famous passages regarding him come to us in the form of John's Gospel. Particularly, we note chapters 14 to 16. It is in chapter 14 that we first learn, for instance, that the Holy Spirit is our helper as believers. A second point of note, and this contrasts interestingly with what was just discussed, are some head-scratching absences.

Unique Characteristics of John's Gospel, Part 1 (TMF:2958)

Wednesday, September 09, 2026
Peace to Live By: Unique Characteristics of John's Gospel, Part 1 (TMF:2957) - Daniel Litton
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       In contemplating all of this, and as we are about to dive headfirst into the text, there are some particularly unique features we can note about this account, versus the other somewhat similar accounts. To begin, we note John’s Gospel does not open with a genealogy that traces Jesus’ linage, like Matthew and Luke do. While Matthew traces Jesus’ linage back to Abraham, and Luke to Adam, John, we could say, traces his linage all the back in eternity, since he establishes Jesus as God. Traveling the other way, into the future, John will end his Gospel by focusing on Jesus’ promise to believers that he will truly return one day. Let us not forget John's most famous other writing—that special preview of Christ's return, the fact that Jesus will return, and this account also presents a whole host of other things along with that. This is the text of The Revelation of John. The unique vision of Christ's return.

Why It is Believed John Wrote the Gospel (TMF:2957)

Tuesday, September 08, 2026
Peace to Live By: Why It is Believed John Wrote the Gospel (TMF:2957) - Daniel Litton
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       The fact that John is not named is evidence that he wrote the book. Besides, numerous early church fathers credited John with being the author. So, there really isn’t any creditable or reasonable evidence to show he is not the author. We know that the author was Jewish, as he was looking for the Messiah to come. He is particularly familiar with Jewish geography, and where locations are at in Jerusalem and the surrounding areas. The author is also very familiar with Jewish customs (see 2:1-10, 11:55, & 18:28 for instance). He is familiar with the various Jewish feasts, like the famous Passover. Regardless, John refers to himself in the third person as the author in John 21:24, after mentioning himself in verse 21 as the one whom Jesus loved, of which verse 24 says, “This is the disciple who is bearing witness about these things, and who has written these things, and we know that his testimony is true” (ESV).

A Brief Biography of the Apostle John, Part 5 (TMF:2956)

Monday, September 07, 2026
Peace to Live By: A Brief Biography of the Apostle John, Part 5 (TMF:2956) - Daniel Litton
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       It would be this second Mary, who is named “his mother’s sister” of which we are referring to. Anyway, it is interesting to think about. Perhaps different from Jesus, in a way, was that John was known to be a little bit heated at times. In thinking about John, we probably don’t think of him being like this, but rather we likely see him as a meek and mild man, likely pretty chill and calm, and full of love. But, we understand that Jesus names James and John as “Sons of Thunder” (see Mark 3:17). And, consider this next verse. Luke 9:54: “And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” Our minds had probably deleted John from that episode. Now, when we read the Gospel of John, we can note that John himself is not mentioned by name. Actually, we will note rather that he refers to himself as ‘The Disciple Whom Jesus Loved.’

A Brief Biography of the Apostle John, Part 4 (TMF:2955)

Friday, September 04, 2026
Peace to Live By: A Brief Biography of the Apostle John, Part 4 (TMF:2955) - Daniel Litton
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       What else can be noted as pertains to John? As already stated, he had an older brother named James. We know James was the older one because, when the two of them are mentioned together in the Scriptures, James is always listed first, which, in Jewish custom, would note he is the older brother. Now this James we find was martyred in the early persecution of the Christian church in Acts 12, not too long after Jesus returned to Heaven. John is probably in the lower end of age of all Jesus’ disciples (see John 13:28). Anyway, their father’s name was Zebedee. Their mother’s name was Salome, who may have in fact been Mary’s (the mother of Jesus) sister. That would mean, if that were the case, that Jesus and John were cousins. We perhaps understand this from John 19:25, where it says, “standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.”

A Brief Biography of the Apostle John, Part 3 (TMF:2954)

Thursday, September 03, 2026
Peace to Live By: A Brief Biography of the Apostle John, Part 3 (TMF:2954) - Daniel Litton
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       We read, in John 21:22 to 23: “Jesus said to [Peter], “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” So the saying spread abroad among the brothers that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?” This seems to imply, looking at this from the 80 to 90 A.D. future, that the Apostle John is apparently the last Apostle still living. The conclusion could also be made that some time has passed since Peter had been martyred by the time this is actually written. Truly, it is theoretically possible that John is still alive somewhere on the earth today, if in actuality Jesus has had him live for that long. Perhaps hidden away somewhere waiting for Jesus’ return, or perhaps rather waiting for the rapturing of God's people.

A Brief Biography of the Apostle John, Part 2 (TMF:2953)

Wednesday, September 02, 2026
Peace to Live By: A Brief Biography of the Apostle John, Part 2 (TMF:2953) - Daniel Litton
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       Once the disciple John learns Jesus is the Messiah, he leaves John the Baptist and becomes a disciple of Jesus. In reading the account, we understand that this was with his older brother who was named James. There was also a close friend involved named Peter. Thus, these three guys come to end up being Jesus' closest friends during the time of his venture, what we call his earthly ministry. Drawing this roundabout, by the time John is writing this whole account, some fifty to sixty years after Jesus’ ascension into Heaven (around 80 to 90 A.D.), John has already had an extensive career, to use today's terminology. Notable in that is having served as one of the chief leaders in the first Christian church in Jerusalem, the first Christian church of all time (see Acts 8:14 & Gal. 2:9). A notable point of significance regarding John is that he was the apostle who will live the longest—the longest of all of Jesus' original Twelve disciples.

A Brief Biography of the Apostle John, Part 1 (TMF:2952)

Tuesday, September 01, 2026
Peace to Live By: A Brief Biography of the Apostle John, Part 1 (TMF:2952) - Daniel Litton
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       Why this man named John? Why should it be thought that what is written out is true? To start, we learn, in the first chapter of his book, the he originally was a disciple of John the Baptist. John the Baptist—a different John afore to mentioned. Out in the wilderness at the time before Jesus’ appearance, was this man whom had been sent by God ahead of his Son, with the intent of telling everyone the Son was in fact coming. The Son would be right around the corner. The message was for people to get ready, to get ready by repenting of their sins. Thus, the writer of this Gospel was originally a follower of this man—this man John the Baptist. When Jesus appears on the scene, John the Baptist in effect tells his disciples to follow Jesus, and that’s what they do. Once the disciple John learns Jesus is the Messiah, he leaves John the Baptist and becomes a disciple of Jesus. In reading the account, we understand that this was with his older brother who was named James. There was also a close friend involved named Peter.

Jesus Presented as the Jewish Messiah, Part 2 (TMF:2951)

Monday, August 31, 2026
Peace to Live By: Jesus Presented as the Jewish Messiah, Part 2 (TMF:2951) - Daniel Litton
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       And the beautiful thing he goes on to show, is that this Jewish Messiah is actually the Messiah for the whole world, saving anyone from anywhere of their sins against themselves, others, and the Creator himself. And ironically and interestingly, if that wasn't enough already, he actually is also telling us that this Messiah, this Person come to the earth, is truly God himself. God himself. God comes to his own people. Specifically, he is God the Son, the Son who is equal to the Father. It's a noteworthy, startling, and incredible conclusion. Thus, in summation, this Jesus who appeared on the earth scene for a little while was God in human flesh, God incarnate. Coming back in a bit, we can next move to the question of what actually qualifies this man named John, this disciple of Jesus, to have written this account, that which we are about to dive in to, in the first place. Why this man named John? Why should it be thought that what is written out is true?