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Describe, in your own words, ways in which John’s gospel is different from the Synoptic Gospels. Why are these differences important? How would our view of the Christ’s life and work be different without the gospel of John?
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It covers different time span than the others, it tells much of Jesus’ ministry in Judea, and it portrays Jesus discouraging on theological matters. John adds interpretive comments of his own to clarify Jesus’ motives. The Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John all tell the story of Jesus but from different view points. John makes his easier for everyone to understand. It may be not as easier to understand some of the stories.
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John wants us to fully understand that Jesus is more than the Messiah that the Jews were looking for as a conqueror over the Roman oppression. He wants us to see Jesus as fully deity and God Himself thereby allowing us to understand the greatest gift ever offered a fallen humanity, salvation and eternal life.
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John does not repeat similar events as represented in the Synoptic Gospels but focuses on sermons and “I Ams”. He did not want to show that the time involved was short but to elaborate on added events to show that Jesus showed his power for 3 years while on earth. We would read the other gospels and believe that the time Jesus spent going about His father’s business to be less, however Jesus had a 3 year ministry.