Name ________________________________________

Period # __________________
Encountering Jesus in the New Testament
Directed Reading Worksheet
Chapter Seven: The Gospel of John: Jesus the Word of God
Directions: As you are reading through the chapter, fill in the missing information.
Pages 207-211 Background on the Gospel of John
1. The Gospel of John was written for _____________________________________
who were ______________________________________ after the Roman
Revolt.
2. This persecution caused some of the Christians from the local Church to leave
_________________________ and emigrate to ___________________________.
________________________ converts to Christianity were also in this
community as well as ______________________________________.
3. Why was the Gospel written? List the two goals.
a.
b.
4. Unlike Mark the ________________________________, Matthew the
________________________, or Luke the ___________________________, the
evangelist of Johns Gospel is much more interested in
____________________________
5. John stresses three things about Jesus identity. List them.
a.
b.
c.
6. Scholars detect two other purposes the evangelist had in mind when writing his
Gospel. What are they?
a.
b.
7. When was Johns Gospel composed? ____________________

8. T or F. (If false, explain why) Johns Gospel contains a small fragment that is the
earliest section of the New Testament.
9. Johns Gospel differs in many ways from the synoptic Gospels. Give five
examples.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
10. There were two major sources for the Gospel of John. The first was a
__________________________________________, called a
____________________________. Some of the seven signs the Gospel records
are found in the synoptics, but unique to John are three miracles. List them.
a.
b.
c.
11. The second major source for the Gospel was a version of the
__________________ and ____________________________ narratives.
12. As to the identity of the author, in approximately ________________, the Church
____________________________ attributed the fourth gospel to John, the
___________________________ of the Lord.
13. Church tradition identifies this John as __________________________________.
His brother _________________ was also an ______________________; their
father was a man by the name of ___________________________.
14. What do today scholars believe about John?

15. T or F. (If false, explain why) In the ancient world, authorship was attributed to
the one who actually wrote it.
16. A solid tradition places John in ___________________ where he likely gathered
around him a community of ______________________. These disciples took
Johns testimony, the story goes, ____________________________________,
and later produced in stages a Gospel that addressed the
_______________________________________________________.

17. T or F. (If false, explain why) All scholars believe the Gospel of John was written
in Ephesus.
18. List the four part outline of John.
a.
b.
c.
d.
19. Identify the key themes of Johns Gospel:
a. ________________________________. look to the signs Jesus performs
and believe.
b. ______________________________. This is the basic fact of Christian
faith.
c. ______________________________. Jesus promised another Paraclete
who would guide, comfort, and counsel Christians.
d. ______________________________. He is the revealer and the revealed.
As Gods unique son, both fully God and fully man, only he can reveal the
father fully.
e. ______________________________. This shows it through service and
his Paschal mystery.
Pages 212-215 The Word of God
20. ____________________________ is the study of Jesus Christ; that is, trying to
understand ____________________________
21. Johns Gospel strongly stresses what three aspects of Jesus identity
a.
b.
c.
22. Scholars term this emphasis in John as a
_____________________________________ or
________________________________________.

23. In contrast to Johns approach to Jesus, the synoptic Gospels stress a

______________________________________
(____________________________________)
24. Contrast these two approaches.

25. By using the expression ________________________, the evangelist was

drawing on a concept that appealed to both _______________________ and
_________________________ Christians.
26. Explain the meaning of logos in the Old Testament.

27. _______________________________________ also symbolized

_____________________________, a personification for one of Gods important
attributes.
28. Word of God also meant something to Gentiles immersed in Greek philosophy.
What did it mean to:
Stoic philosophers
Gnostics
29. What is the climax of the prologue? Write out the verse.

30. The prologue introduces some of the major conflicts that are developed later in
the Gospel. List three.
a.
b.
c.
31. What two things does the prologue reveal about John the Baptist.
a.
b.

32. For John, __________________________ is not simply a title of a mere human

being like all others. It is a title to describe a
___________________________________, a ____________________________
33. Which title for Jesus is a direct connection to the name Yahweh?
___________________________
Match the title to its meaning
34. ________ Bread of Life

A. Jesus is the source of life; we must

remain attached to him.

35. ________ Light of the Word

B. Jesus is the beacon of truth who points us

to his Father.

36. ________ Sheepgate

C. Jesus is the way to Gods kingdom,

heaven.

37. ________ Good Shepherd

D. Jesus has power over death. Belief in him

leads to eternal life.
38. ________ The Resurrection and the Life E. Jesus loves each of us and has
surrendered his life for us.
39. ________ Way, Truth, Life
40. ________ Vine

F. Jesus gives true life, eternal life. By

receiving him in the Eucharist, he lives in
us.
G. This summarizes the Words purpose for
joining us; he is the way to God; he
proclaims the truth of salvation; he bestows
on us eternal life.

Pages 216-221 The Book of Signs

41. This portion of Johns Gospel is called the __________________________
because it is organized around _______________________________. In contrast
to the synoptic Gospels which describe miracles as _______________________
(_________________in Greek) that help establish _________________________
John uses either the word _______________ (______________) or
______________________ (____________) to describe Jesus miracles.
42. The Old Testament refers to the words of God and the signs of God. Explain the
meaning of each of these terms
WorkSign-

43. These discourses constantly remind us that __________________ in Jesus helps

us gain _______________________________
44. This nature miracle, performed at the beginning of Jesus public ministry at
____________________________________, is the first public event where Jesus
reveals _______________________, leading his disciples to
_________________________________
45. What two things do weddings symbolize?
a.
b.
46. Mary has a unique role in this miracle. What did this miracle reveal about Marys
role?

47. On another level, Jesus providing wine for the wedding represents the
____________________________________________ he brings from God, thus
fulfilling Old Testament prophecies of ___________________________.
48. Catholics interpreted water in this miracles as a symbol
of___________________________________ that purifies us while the wine can
signify the ______________________________ which brings us
______________________________ - ________________________ with Jesus,
the Lord.
49. What is the second sign? _______________________________________
50. This sign teaches that faith in Jesus can
___________________________________________. Is also teaches the power
of ___________________________________________.
51. What is the third sign? ________________________________________
52. The point of this third sign is that
_______________________________________________.
53. What does Jn 5:17 reveal about Jesus and his relationship to the Father?

54. For the evangelist, the term Jews represents those who persist in
_________________________________________________ and who are

_________________________________________________. The term Jews

also symbolizes anyone who _________________________________________
_________________and who engages in ________________________________
55. In no way should we extend responsibility for ____________________________
to all Jews of Jesus time or Jews of different times and places.
56. What two miracles parallel the Exodus miracles of manna in the desert and the
parting of the Red Sea?
a.
b.
57. Explain how the Old Testament events parallel the miracles.
58. What is the sixth sign? ________________________________________
59. This sign contrasts a _______________________ who was given his sight and
those who had sight yet were
________________________________________________.
60. What important lesson would the early community have learned from the example
of the blind man?
61. What theme from the prologue is recalled?
62. What is the most important miracle in Johns Gospel?
___________________________________
63. Caiaphas, the high priest, utters one of the great ironical statements in Johns
Gospel. Write out his statement.
64. This seventh sign sums up all the other four signs and pulls together many
theological themes in the Gospel of John: List 4
a.
b.
c.
d.

Pages 222-228 The Book of Glory

65. In Johns Gospel, identify the day he reports the Last Supper to have taken place.
Why is this day significant?

66. The _______________________ teaches that sacrifice of Christ and the sacrifice
of the Eucharist are ________________________________________________.
67. Jesus began the meal with a profound act of humility. He, the Master,
________________________
__________________________________________, a task a slave was not
required to perform. Why did Jesus do this?
68. After _______________________________ left the meal to go into the night
(_________________________________________________________), Jesus
gives a new
commandment:_____________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________
69. What two promises does Jesus make to his disciples?
a.
b.
70. What is the heart of the Good News?
71. Write out the priestly prayer of Jesus.
72. Nothing exemplifies the glory of Jesus and his Father as does the
__________________________, the central event of our
_______________________________.
73. T or F. (If false, explain why) All four Gospels claim that there were eyewitnesses
to the resurrection.
74. Identify the aspect each of the Gospels emphasizes.
Mark
MatthewLuke-

John75. T or F. (If false, explain why) For John, the empty tomb brings about faith.
76. The lesson of this resurrection appearance is this: ___________________ and
________________ are the keys to discipleship
77. What event symbolized the leadership role of Peter
__________________________________________________________________
78. It is not until Jesus __________________________________________________
of the resurrection that the disciples would know for themselves that the Lord was
risen.
79. Jesus _________________________________________, signifying the giving of
the Holy Spirit, and instructed them to __________________________________
in his name.
80. When Thomas saw Jesus, he acknowledged his divinity,
___________________________________________________ the highest
proclamation of faith in Jesus made in any of the Gospels.
81. Chapter 21 of John contains three events. What does each of the following events
symbolize?
a. Jesus helps the disciples catch fish
b. Jesus prepared a breakfast for them
c. Jesus re-commissions Peter
82. The resurrection stories agree on six essential points. List them.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
83. There are accompanying essential beliefs about the resurrection, including the
following four points.
a.

b.
c.
d.