This Gospel is also of the same contents with the foregoing books; only John relates also some sermons and prayers of CHRIST, as also some miracles, which the other evangelists had not written about. The ancient ecclesiastical writers testify that he wrote this Gospel after the other evangelists at the request of the churches of Asia, when amongst them arose the heresies of Ebion and Cerinthus, who denied the Godhead of JESUS CHRIST; wherefore also he has begun his Gospel with the proof of the same. The evangelist John therefore describes the Person first and afterwards the office of CHRIST. Concerning His Person, in the first place, His Divine nature, this he proves by His works, and afterwards His incarnation. Concerning His office, he sets forth first His office of teaching; that John the Baptist prepared Him the way thereto, openly testifying and proving that not he, but JESUS was the Lamb of God and the promised Messiah, whereby Andrew and Simon Peter, his brother, and Philip believe in CHRIST, and Nathanael also is brought unto Him and has believed, chapter 1. That CHRIST does His first miracle, changing water into wine at a wedding in Cana of Galilee; that He, coming to Jerusalem at the feast of the passover, purges the temple of buyers and sellers, and proves against the Jews that He had the authority to do so, chapter 2. That He instructed Nicodemus, a Pharisee, in the main points of true religion, especially of the necessity and nature of the spiritual regeneration of men, and of His lifting up on the cross, whereof the brazen serpent was a type, and of the necessity and fruit of faith in Him; that John the Baptist, when JESUS was come into Judæa again, testified before the Jews that not he, but JESUS was the true Messiah, and that we must believe in Him to be saved, chapter 3. That CHRIST, traveling again towards Galilee and coming near Sychar, has treated at the well with a woman of Samaria about the living water, which He gives to believers, as also of the place and manner of worship; and that she and many Samaritans believed in Him; that the Galileans received Him kindly, and that at Capernaum He heals the son of the king’s servant, chapter 4. That on the sabbath He healed with words a man who had lain sick thirty-eight years in Jerusalem at the pool Bethesda; wherefore the Jews sought to kill Him, against whom CHRIST defends Himself, proving not only by the testimonies of John, but also by His works and by the Scripture, especially the writings of Moses, that He was the Son of God, chapter 5. That He fed five thousand men with five loaves; walked on the sea; reproves the multitudes that they followed Him for loaves, exhorting them to seek after the Bread of life That comes down from heaven, of which manna was a type; and teaches that He was that Bread, and that we must eat His flesh and drink His blood; when the people of Capernaum misunderstood this, He expounds more plainly to them that His words are to be understood spiritually, namely, that we must believe in Him; wherefore some disciples departed from Him, yet the twelve abode with Him, to whom He says that one of them was a devil, chapter 6. That His kinsmen exhorted Him to go up to the feast of tabernacles, whom He permits to go before; what the people said of Him at the feast; that He taught the people both in the middle of the feast as also in the end; that His doctrine was the Father’s doctrine, which many believed and the Pharisees opposed; and that they who believed in Him would receive the Holy Spirit; that contention arose about it among the people, and the Pharisees sought to take Him, but He was upheld by Nicodemus, chapter 7. That He would not condemn a woman taken in adultery; and teaches the people that He is the Light of the world, and that He bears not witness of Himself, but the Father Who sent Him; convinces the Pharisees that they were no true children of Abraham, but children and servants of the devil, and that He was before Abraham; for which they would have stoned Him, chapter 8. That He restored one to his sight who was born blind; which being become known to the Pharisees, they examine him, and he boldly acknowledging the truth, they revile him and cast him out; to whom the Lord reveals Himself more clearly, and upbraids the Pharisees about their spiritual blindness, chapter 9. And teaches that the true shepherds must enter in by the door; that He is the good Shepherd and no hireling; that He has other sheep yet whom He must bring in; that He willingly lays down His life for the sheep; that at the feast of the dedication He proves by His work that He was the promised Messiah, and that many believed in Him, chapter 10. That He raised from the dead Lazarus of Bethany, having been now dead for four days; about which the rulers of the Pharisees took counsel to put Him to death, for fear that the people would believe in Him; of which the high priest Caiaphas, prophesying unknowingly, approves, and that the chief priests gave order that He should be taken, when He would be coming to the feast, chapter 11. That He was invited by Lazarus and his sisters to supper at Bethany; where Mary anoints His feet, which Judas reproves and He defends; that the Jews sought to put Lazarus to death; that He made His royal entrance into Jerusalem, riding upon an ass; foretells His death to His disciples; prays to His Father, Who answers Him with a great voice; admonishes the multitudes to walk in His light; that Isaiah had prophesied already of the Jews’ stubbornness; that many rulers believed in Him, but did not dare not to confess it; exhorts to believe in Him, forasmuch as He received His doctrine from the Father, chapter 12. That He washed His disciples’ feet, and thereby exhorts them after His example to humility, and mutual obligingness; complains that one of them would betray Him, whom He makes known and reproves; foretells His disciples that He would speedily be glorified, and exhorts them to love; and foretells Peter his fall, chapter 13. That He instructs His disciples where He shall go, namely, into His Father’s house, and He teaches Philip Who was His Father; promises that the Father would give them for whatsoever they would pray to the Father in His Name; and that He would send them the Holy Spirit; and exhorts them to love Him and His Word, chapter 14. That He compares Himself to a vine and they to the branches, and thereby exhorts them to bring forth fruits in Him; and especially to love one another; comforts them against the hatred and persecution of the world, and promises them the Spirit of truth, chapter 15. Foretells what evil would come upon them from the Jews, and comforts them about His departure with the promise of the Holy Spirit and the power of the Same, as also that their suffering would not endure long, but be turned into joy; and that the Father would always hear their prayer; foretells them also of their dispersion, chapter 16. Afterwards He describes His Priestly office; what an excellent prayer He made to His Father, first for Himself, that the Father would glorify Him, afterwards for His eleven apostles, that He would keep them from evil, and also for all who would believe in Him through their word, that they may abide in unity, and be partakers of His glory, chapter 17. And furthermore he describes His suffering, as well what He suffered in the garden, where He is betrayed by Judas, taken by the soldiers whom He first casts on the ground, as in the house of Caiaphas the high priest where Peter denies Him thrice and He is examined by the high priest; and in the judgment hall before Pilate the governor, who, having also inquired first of the Jews and afterward CHRIST, finds no fault in Him, and therefore seeks to release Him by the means that one malefactor was released at the feast of the passover; however, that the people desired not to have Him released but Barabbas, chapter 18. That Pilate caused Him to be scourged, and mocked by the soldiers, and so would have released Him; but that the chief priests cried out that He should be crucified, to which Pilate finally yielded, and delivered Him over to the soldiers who crucified Him, setting His accusation over His head, and parted His garments by lots; that His mother stood by, whom He commends unto John; and having given Him vinegar to drink, He gave up the ghost, wherefore His bones were not broken; and that He was buried by Joseph of Arimathæa, and by Nicodemus, chapter 19. That on the third day He arose again from the dead, which was made known first to Mary Magdalene by two angels, and presently thereafter by CHRIST Himself, addressing her, as also at evening to the other disciples where Thomas was not present, who could not believe it, and eight days after to the same and to Thomas, who touches His side and believes, chapter 20. That He reveals Himself once more to His disciples who were fishing on the sea of Tiberias, where He reinstates Peter in his office, and foretells him the manner of his latter end; and therewithal John concludes his evangelical history, chapter 21.