4:42b - the Samaritan villagers say, "we have heard for ourselves,and we know that this is truly the Savior of the world" (4:42b).
Rabbi (Gk. rabbi) – used eight times in John, usually by disciples directly addressing Jesus:
1:38 (by two disciples); 1:49 (by Nathanael); 3:2 (by Nicodemus)
4:31; 6:25; 9:2; and 11:8 (by various unnamed disciples)
In only one case is John the Baptizer called "Rabbi" by some of his own disciples (3:26)
Rabbouni (Gk. rabbouni) – used only twice in the whole NT:
Mark 10:51 – Bartimaeus speaking to Jesus
John 20:16 – Mary Magdalene recognizing the risen Jesus
Teacher (Gk. didaskalos) – used eight times in John, mostly of Jesus:
1:38 – the Evangelist explains that "Rabbi" means "Teacher"
3:2 – Nicodemus addresses Jesus
3:10 – Jesus calls Nicodemus a "teacher of Israel"
8:4 – scribes and Pharisees address Jesus
11:28 – Martha tells her sister Mary about Jesus: "the teacher is here and is calling you"
13:13, 14 – Jesus twice refers to himself as "Teacher and Lord"
20:16 – the Evangelist explains that "Rabbouni" means "Teacher"
Son of God (Gk. huios tou theou) - used nine times in John, always referring to Jesus:
1:34 – John the Baptizer testifying about Jesus
1:49 – Nathanael speaking to Jesus
3:18 – the Evangelist speaking about Jesus
5:25 – Jesus speaking of himself
10:36 – Jesus quoting his own previous words
11:4 – Jesus speaking of himself
11:27 – Martha speaking to Jesus
19:7 – the Jews speaking to Pilate about Jesus's claims
20:31 – the Evangelist summarizing the purpose of the Gospel, that the readers should believe in Jesus
The term "Son" alone is also used many more times in John (see below).
Son of Man (Gk. huios tou anthropou) –
used 13 times in John, almost always by Jesus referring to himself:
1:51; 3:13, 14; 5:27; 6:27, 53, 62; 8:28; 9:35; 12:23; 13:31 - Jesus refers to himself
12:34 - some people ask Jesus, "We have heard from the law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?"
Son of David (Gk. huios tou David)
–
not directly used in John; only one reference is closely related:
7:42 – Some people ask, “Has not the scripture said that the Messiah is descended from David and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?”
King of the Jews (Gk. basileus twn Ioudaiwn) – used six times in John, only during the trial of Jesus before Pilate and in reference to the titulus over the cross:
18:33 – Pilate asks Jesus, “Are you the King of the Jews?”
18:39 – Pilate asks the Jews, “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?”
19:3 – Soldiers taunt Jesus, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!”
19:19 – The inscription on the cross with the charges against Jesus says, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.”
19:21 – The chief priests tell Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews.’”
King of Israel (Gk. basileus tou Israel) – used only four times in the entire NT:
Matt 27:42 and Mark 15:32 – people taunting Jesus on the cross
John 1:49 – Nathanael saying, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!"
John 12:13 – crowds shouting as Jesus enters Jerusalem
The Logos or “word” of God (used only twice, both times in the Prologue)
Logos = not just one "w-o-r-d"; it could also refer to a "phrase, sentence, whole speech"; or even "the power of speech and reasoning"
1:1 – "In the beginning was the logos, and the logos was with God, and the logos was God."
1:14 – "And the logos took flesh and tented/tabernacled among us"
The “unique Son” of God (Gk. mono-genes huios)
Many English Bibles mistranslate this phrase as the "only Son" or the "one and only Son" or even the "only-begotten Son"; but it is more accurately translated as the “one-of-a-kind Son” or the “unique Son” or the "only natural Son" (in contrast to “adopted sons”)
In the Prologue:
1:14 – "And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's one-of-a-kind son, full of grace and truth."
1:18 – "No one has ever seen God. It is God the unique Son, who is close to the Father's heart, who has made him known."
In Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus:
3:16 – "For God so loved the world that he gave his one-of-a-kind Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life."
3:18 – "Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the unique Son of God."
The one who “comes from above” or is “sent from the Father”
3:31 – "The one who comes from above is above all... The one who comes from heaven is above all."
5:37-38 – "And the Father who sent me has himself testified on my behalf. You have never heard his voice or seen his form, and you do not have his word abiding in you, because you do not believe him whom he has sent."
8:23 – "You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world."
There are many other similar references.
The Lamb of God, the Passover Lamb
(in John the Baptizer's testimony about Jesus):
1:29 – "Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world"
1:36 – "Look, here is the Lamb of God!"
Note: In the Fourth Gospel, Jesus dies on the afternoon before the Passover Feast, at the very time the Passover lambs were slaughtered in the Jerusalem Temple (cf. 13:1; 18:28; 19:14, 31, 42)
“Equal to God”
5:18 – "For this reason the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because he was not only breaking the sabbath, but was also calling God his own Father, thereby making himself equal to God."
“I AM”
Related to YHWH, the name God revealed to Moses (Exod 3:14):
Cases of several titles used together in passages of John:
1:1-18 (Prologue) – the logos; God; life; light, true light; the Father's only-begotten Son
1:19-36 (John the Baptizer) – one whom you do not know; the one who is coming after me; the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world; the one who ranks ahead of me because he was before me; the one on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain; the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit; the Son of God; the Lamb of God.
1:38-41 (first two disciples of Jesus) – Rabbi (teacher); Messiah (Christ)
1:45 (Philip) – the one about whom Moses and the Prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth"
1:49 (Nathanael) – "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!"
4:7-30 (Samaritan woman) – a Jew; Sir/Master; prophet; Messiah
9:11-30 (man born blind) – man called Jesus; prophet; from God; [Son of Man]; Lord
11:27 (Martha) – "Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world."
20:28 (Thomas) – "My Lord and my God."
20:31 (Evangelist) – "...believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God..."
Jesus' Relationship to the Father in the Fourth Gospel:
Texts which suggest Jesus is EQUAL to God/Father:
1:1 – "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
5:18 – "For this reason the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because he was not only breaking the sabbath, but was also calling God his own Father, thereby making himself equal to God."
10:30 – "The Father and I are one."
14:8-11a – Philip said to him, "Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied."9 Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'?10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works.11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me;" (cf. 10:38)
17:5 – " So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed."
Texts which suggest Jesus is SUBORDINATE to the Father:
13:16 – "Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them."
(Recall that Jesus repeatedly says he is "sent" by the Father: 5:23,36-37; 6:44,57; 8:16,18; 10:36; 12:49; 14:24; 20:21)
14:28 – "You heard me say to you, 'I am going away, and I am coming to you.' If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I."
Introduction: