Jesus is the Christ: Studies in the Theology of John

by Leon L. Morris

More than simply a series of chapters on the theology of John's Gospel, Jesus Is the Christ relates each of John's teachings to his declared aim, expressed in John 20: 30-31: "Jesus did many other signs before his disciples, which have not been written in this book; but these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name." Indeed, each chapter in Morris's book takes up some facet or aspect of John's expressed aim.

For an age still asking the question "Who is Jesus?" Leon Morris argues convincingly that John's entire Gospel was written to show that the human Jesus is the Christ, or Messiah, as well as the Son of God. But it is Morris's firm conviction that John's purpose was evangelical as well as theological -- that is, John wrote his book so that readers might believe in Christ and as a result have eternal life.

Genres: Theology, Biblical Studies, Religion, Christianity

232 pages, Paperback

First published June 7, 1989

Reviews

[Glenn Crouch · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always enjoyed Morris as an Author (and as a speaker), and this book is no different. It is easy to read, and a good look at the Christology of John's Gospel. Morris takes us on a journey through relatively independent chapters, covering quite a depth of topics given that this book is only around 200 pages. These include the Humanity of Jesus, the Divinity of Jesus, the Signs of Jesus, the "I AM" statements, as well as a good coverage of Jesus' relationship to the Father, and Jesus' relationship to the Holy Spirit - so a nice dose of Trinity in there as well.

Whilst not overly scholarly, Morris does introduce many scholarly arguments and thoughts - and is quite gracious with those he disagrees with. I find this makes a good foundation to go onto "heavier" works, if you so desire.

Nicely indexed and reasonable footnotes - the one thing missing was a nice conclusion.

Good book for anyone interested in delving further into the theology of the Gospel of John.

[Julie Winkler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good study!

[Jennifer · Rating 1 out of 5]

Textbook for school. This was just a waste of paper and time. Boring-er than boring. Wrong information.

[Robert Justice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible theological work from one of the leading minds on John. Rather than going through John sequentially, Morris tackles the teachings in John subject by subject. In one chapter, for instance, he'll tackle the signs given by John to prove Jesus' deity. In another, he tackles the "I Am" statements that put Jesus on par with Yahweh of the Old Testament. In yet another, he tackles the combined teachings on God the Father. And again, he tackles the combined teachings in John on the Holy Spirit.
This is a great resource for a Bible student. It's packed with theological exegesis, and yet slim enough to read through within a week or so depending on how much free time you have.

[Doug · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very conversational book about the broad themes of the Gospel of John. Chapter 3, Jesus the Man, is a bit dicey in that I don't think the author understands Ernst Kasemann and thus his interaction with Dr. Kasemann is poor. However, I would recommend this book.