Jesus and His Prophetic Speech in John: A Prophetic Think Tank

This is my chart of the prophetic speech of Jesus in the Book of John

Chapters of the Book of John span the top row, verse numbers the left row.

J. Barton Payne’s Dictionary of Biblical Prophecy is considered the standard on the subject, but I think we need to considerably expand our conception of what prophetic speech. Without this, it will be impossible to appreciate the prevalence, theological significance and power of Messianic Prophecy in the New Testament

The assumption underlying the chart is that prophetic speech goes beyond quoting old testament passages or making explicit prophecies. It also includes allusions to prophetic literature, prophets, and the scriptural phenomena of prophecy, among others.

In John, there are 879 verses. Jesus speaks in 423 verses. Jesus cites OT prophetic scripture 33 verses. He states or implies a fulfilled prophecy in 120 verses.  In other verses, he speaks eschatologically or speaks of prophecy yet to be fulfilled. This is 209 verses of the 423. The total is 362 of the 423 or 85.5%.

The missing collation is in the verses where he expounds on a prophetic theme, explains how it works to faith, speaks of its importance, or generally where it is the root topic of discussion. Into this category, all can fall since all are essentially about Christ, His Word, its/His fulfillment, its application to faith the prophesied future.  Speaking conservatively, these verses alone are at least 345.

Most of these verses combine one category with another, making every verse in the service of the prophetic subject.  For example, in John 6:44, Jesus says: “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.” This combines the M category with the F category, since it speaks of the future resurrection and also that no one will take part in it but those who believe the PW/Person of Christ, The next verse, 45, we have: “It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man, therefore, that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.” Jesus cites OT prophecy and states that this faith in the word of the prophets is the way to Him, meaning that it is in the M-S category. To this could easily be added the F category as well, since he still speaks of future fulfillment by future believers. John 3:14 combines all four categories:  It refers to Numbers 21:8 (s), cites it as prophetic and fulfilled by Christ (e), speaks of the supreme present and future importance of the PW and faith requirement in the PW (M and F).

I must point out that this is a collation only of the words of Christ. It is remarkable in the gospels how closely the evangelist’s narration follows this pattern as well.

The codes used are as follows:

S =  explicit or implicit reference to scripture.
E = explicitly states or implies fulfilled prophecy.
M = mechanics, how the PW pertains to the believer and God.
F  = future prophetic.

blue boxes indicate verses in which Jesus does not speak.
white boxes are verses in which Jesus speaks.
green boxes indicate boxes that are not verses (terminating boxes).

Destined to be least understood or agreed upon are the “M” codes. These verses pertain to how a relationship with the person of Jesus is secured and sustained. They are not, in Christian culture, about how the Prophetic Word about him stands in place of Jesus’s person toward this end. But transposed is Jesus with his Prophetic Word not by force, but by the Scriptures (John 1:1, et al.). Therefore any instance of Jesus speaking is also an instance of the Prophetic Word speaking. The Prophetic word came to give Truth. This Prophetic Word speaks, one is in a relationship with it, one learns from it, one asks it questions and receives answers. This Word performs miracles. This Word is crucified, is killed, and resurrects the third day. There is no conception of “Person” that does not fit perfectly the conception of “Prophetic Word” in the case of Jesus.

“E” codes

In 2:4, when Jesus tells Mary, “my hour has not yet come,” this is marked “F,” for future prophetic. One could argue that this also falls under the category of “E” since he is also making the offhanded statement that he is the Messiah by alluding to His scriptural destiny. However, reserved is this category for statements of Jesus that give some clear message that He is Messiah by the prophets or by prediction, or are clearly meant to do so under a cryptic strategy.

2:19 is assigned “E” as his statement that in three days, his body will resurrect under the symbol of the destruction of the Temple is clearly intended to state His scriptural, prophetic mission, though not understood so by the Jews. 3:13 follows suit, alluding to Himself as the present fulfillment of Proverbs 30:4, and Devine. In v. 14 and 16, He calls Himself by the prophetic name of Messiah, “Son of Man” and “only begotten Son,” respectively, while in v. 15, still maintaining focus on himself as Savior, refers to the previous verse where he sets himself as  Son of Man, and therefore removed from the “E.” This passage could easily have an “E,” but it is not to highlight the undulating themes of the passage, where the subject (that which is to be primarily communicated) and the object (that which communicates) shift priority.  V. 17 and 28 shift again to an emphasis on Messiah, then on His faith, marked again with “E.”

Vss. 3:6-12 have the “M” code exclusively. They represent general theological statements about some central truth or manner by which messianic prophecy works in salvation. “That which is born of the flesh is flesh” refers to the vital substance of the person, but that substance is itself symbolic of that knowledge, which makes it a moral and acceptable one before God, which is the PW. The sprit is reborn from the application of this essential spiritual and informational “substance,” which Jesus elaborates on in parabolic fashion following. “Ye must be born again” again is assigned “M,” as it declares that rebirth by it is necessary to transform a naturally aligned spirit to a heavenly one.

The results here are meant only to express a particular person’s manner of reading the scriptures with the PW in the forefront and do not represent some dogmatic results. Neither are the codes and categories meant to be definitive, but only to show the predominance of the prophetic theme. 3:13 breaks from this, shifting the subject to Messiah specifically as the source and primary fulfillment of this knowledge. V.14 combines a scriptural reference, a reference to the Person of Messiah, and a statement on a truth about salvation by Messiah. It also contains a future prediction of Jesus’s crucifixion. Therefore it bears the code “SEFM.”

[1] A figure of an ill-intended search for the Messiah, that of, religiously, seeking to go about pursuing enemies when they are unwittingly fulfilling Jesus’ prophecy that their enemy, whom they seek to kill, is God Himself. V. 5 Jesus replies by freely disclosing his identity, so that the prophecy of His death and the preservation of his disciples (v. 9) may be fulfilled.

[2] In this Jesus identifies himself as the embodiment of the True vine of Israel (as opposed to the present false vine), such as in Isaiah 5:1-7, Psa 80:7-8, Jer 2;21 and Hosea 10:1-2.

[3] The seemingly innocuous phrase is an “M” as it refers to Jesus’s heart for those in darkness, to give them life and light, exemplified by his intention to raise Lazarus from the dead.

[4] This does not contain the “E” since, although Christ refers to himself, which usually calls attention to his fulfillment of scripture, its future reference to the “poor” is less attested scripturally than the death and crucifixion, alluded to in the previous verse.

[5] This and the next verse disclose that the “way, the truth and the life” are not only the Person of Christ but his “words” and “works.” In v. 11, this is in parallel with it: the Father in him and Him in the Father represents His “words” of God’s prophetic commandments, which Jesus fulfills, and the “works” are the demonstration of the Power of God, which Jesus also has demonstrated with his miracles.
[6] References to Judas is a scriptural allusion to Psalms 41:9

[7] Symbolic of all people who are dead in sin, or destined for the second death, which applies to all who do not believe in Him.

[8] Allusion to Isaiah 45:19, 48:16, et. al.

[9] Allusion to Psalms 77:16

[10] The brining of all things Christ has said to them to remembrance is none other than those things teachings of Christ which pertain to Him in the OT scriptures and how he has fulfilled them, of which the Holy Spirit is its teacher. The NT presents no other option as to the content of this information of remembrance. V. 28 reinforces this, that of the confidence and joy they must have that since Christ has promised, so must it assuredly be fulfilled: “And now I have told you before it comes to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe.”

[11] This does not merely mean that they are not now appointed to die as Jesus does, but they will go into a period of confusion and despair over not understanding how this is all prophetic of the promised Messiah.

[12] This represented God’s voluntary self-limitation in order to engage human participation in His salvation plan. This is equivalent to asking the faithful “where will we go to find those you love which are struggling in a darkness of understanding?”

[13] “The works,” and the disbelief in these works, is given an “S” as it alludes to the hard-heartedness and rebellion of the Children of Israel in Sinai who saw the works of God.

[14] Remove any sensual, earthly impediments to understanding and faith.”

[15] Vss. 43 and 44 are the same phrase, symbolic of a salvation event through messianic knowledge in tow stages: the first is the prophetic command, the second the fulfillment. The first demonstrates God’s prescience, command of the future and love for mankind, and therefore His sovereignty and righteousness, in calling forth His people to life who believe it, the second granting them freedom through the love of God in the Kingdom.

Christ and the Norming of Transcendence: Passing by Nehushtan
Prophesying, Preaching, and the Prophetic: Passing by Nehushtan
Matthew 5 and the Adultery of the Heart: Passing by Nehushtan
Acts 10: What Cornelius Knew: Passing by Nehushtan.