Smith's Bible Dictionary.pdf - Online Christian Library

Smith's Bible Dictionary
was working in Judea. Nothing but the death of the Baptist would satisfy the resentment of Herodias.
A court festival was kept at Machaerus in honor of the king’s birthday. After supper the daughter
of Herodias came in and danced the king by her grace that he promised with an oath to give her
whatsoever she should ask. Salome, prompted by her abandoned mother, demanded the head of
John the Baptist. Herod gave instructions to an officer of his guard, who went and executed John
in the prison, and his head was brought to feast the eyes of the adulteress whose sins he had
denounced. His death is supposed to have occurred just before the third passover, in the course of
the Lord’s ministry. (March, A.D. 29.)
John, Gospel Of
This Gospel was probably written at Ephesus about A.D. 78. (Canon Cook places it toward the
close of John’s life, A.D. 90-100.—ED.) The Gospel was obviously addressed primarily to Christians,
not to heathen. There can be little doubt that the main object of St. John, who wrote after the other
evangelists, is to supplement their narratives, which were almost confined to our Lord’s life in
Galilee. (It was the Gospel for the Church, to cultivate and cherish the spiritual life of Christians,
and bring them into the closest relations to the divine Saviour. It gives the inner life and teachings
of Christ as revealed to his disciples. Nearly two-thirds of the whole book belong to the last six
months of our Lord’s life, and one-third is the record of the last week.—ED.) The following is an
abridgment of its contents: A. The Prologue. ch. (John 1:1-18) B. The History, ch. (John 1:19; John
20:29) (a) Various events relating to our Lord’s ministry, narrated in connection with seven journeys,
ch. (John 1:19; John 12:50)
•First journey, into Judea, and beginning of his ministry, ch. (John 1:19; John 2:12)
•Second journey, at the passover in the first year of his ministry, ch. (John 2:13; John 4:1)
•Third journey, in the second year of his ministry, about the passover, ch. (5:1).
•Fourth journey, about the passover, in the third year of his ministry, beyond Jordan, ch. (John 6:1)
•Fifth journey, six months before his death, begun at the feast of tabernacles, chs. (John 7:1; John
10:21)
•Sixth journey, about the feast of dedication, ch. (John 10:22-42)
•Seventh journey, in Judea towards Bethany, ch. (John 11:1-54)
•Eighth journey, before his last passover, chs. (John 11:55; John 12:1) (b) History of the death of
Christ, chs. (John 12:1; John 20:29)
•Preparation for his passion, chs. John 13:1 ... John 17:1
•The circumstances of his passion and death, chs. (John 18:1; 19:1)
•His resurrection, and the proofs of it, ch. (John 20:1-29) C. The Conclusion, ch. (John 20:30; John
21:1)
•Scope of the foregoing history, ch. (John 20:30,31)
•Confirmation of the authority of the evangelist by additional historical facts, and by the testimony
of the elders of the Church, ch. (John 21:1-24)
•Reason of the termination of the history, ch. (John 21:25)
John, The First Epistle General Of
There can be no doubt that the apostle John was the author of this epistle. It was probably written
from Ephesus, and most likely at the close of the first century. In the introduction, ch. (1 John 1:1-4)
the apostle states the purpose of his epistle: it is to declare the word of life to those whom he is
addressing, in order that he and they might be united in true communion with each other, and with
God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ. His lesson throughout is that the means of union with God
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William Smith