I LOVE the book of John! Mainly because this gospel gives us some great foundational doctrine of Jesus and His relationship with the Father. That is the theme of this John 1 Bible study.
Our world is full of opinions about who Jesus is and what He came to accomplish. As His followers, we must be firmly planted in the Truth regarding the identity and deity of Jesus.
Before diving into your Bible study of John 1, there are some important questions we need to consider.
- What can we learn from John 1
- What is this chapter all about?
- What are the promises in John Chapter 1
Use this free study guide of John 1 to explore these questions and also discover why Jesus is called the Word in John 1.- John 1:14 NASB
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3 Ways to Use this John 1 Bible Study Guide
This Bible study is designed to help you do your own in-depth study of John chapter 1. Study on your own or gather a group of friends to discuss together.
The study is broken up into 10 daily lessons. Please don’t feel pressure to move through these lessons too quickly. It is more important that you make a connection with the Lord each day rather than just getting it done. Don’t rush it. Move at whatever pace is comfortable for you.
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1. John 1 Online Bible Study Questions
The first option is to use the John 1 Bible study questions. You can study online by using the link below.
Go to the John chapter 1 study questions and follow along in the Table of Contents.
2. Get the Free Printable Study of John 1
Download the free printable version of the study guide questions. Download the free John 1 study guide
**Along with the study guide, you will also need a spiral notebook or binder with lined paper to write down your notes. See below for tools you will need.**
3. Get the John 1 Bible Study Journal
For the first two options, you will need a notebook or binder to take down your notes. The journal version provides plenty of space for you to write your notes. There are also some additional goodies you get with it. Click the image below to get your copy.
John 1 Bible Study Tools to Use
Along with the study guide, there are some other Bible study tools you will need.
- A Bible you are willing to mark in. I recommend having a Bible you use just for study and marking.
Or, you can print out the scriptures for John chapter 1. Watch this video where I show you how to print out an observation worksheet. - 4-5 Different colored pencils or colored ball-point pens for marking the scriptures (I’ll explain this more in the study guide).
Optional Resource: download and print the Keyword Key to use during this step. - A spiral notebook or a binder with loose-leaf binder paper. I prefer using a binder because it’s easier to move the pages around. Use this to write down your notes, thoughts, and observations as the study guide instructs you.
- Word study tools. A few times in the study you will be asked to do a word study. My favorite tool for word studies is Blue Letter Bible. Here is a video where I show you how to use this resource.
An Introduction to the Inductive Bible Study Method
Maybe you have already done a bible study of the gospel of John. But, perhaps you are new to the Inductive Bible Study Method? Along with doing an in-depth Bible study of John 1, this study guide is meant to be an introduction to the inductive study process.
This is my favorite method to use for Bible study because it teaches us how to study the Bible for ourselves.
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What is the Meaning of John Chapter 1?
The purpose of the four gospels is to give an account of the life and ministry of Jesus while here on earth. Each one emphasizes the characteristics of Jesus a bit differently. Here is John chapter 1 explained according to Wiersbe.
“The writers of the four gospels have given us “snapshots” of our Lord’s life on earth, for no complete biography could ever be written (John 21:25). Matthew wrote with his fellow Jews in mind and emphasized that Jesus of Nazareth had fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies. Mark wrote for the busy Romans. Whereas Matthew emphasized the King, Mark presented the servant, ministering to needy people. Luke wrote his gospel for the Greeks and introduced them to the sympathetic Son of Man. But it was given to John, the beloved disciple, to write a book for both Jews and Gentiles, presenting Jesus as the Son of God.” – Weirsbe Commentary of the New Testament
John chapter 1 gives us a great introduction into both the life and ministry of Jesus and His existence as the Son of God.
What Lessons Can We Learn from this Bible Study Guide of John 1
Our goal in Bible study is to know God! Knowing and applying His truth to our lives is how we are transformed into the likeness of Christ from glory to glory!
As you work through this chapter, there are some important application questions to ask yourself.
Consider the following:
- What do you learn from observing the different people in this chapter? How do they interact with other people mentioned? What principles can you apply to your own life?
- What is Jesus referred to in this chapter? Pay attention to these. They reveal important characteristics and attributes of Jesus.
John Chapter 1 Summary
Here is a short summary of what the gospel of John chapter 1 is about.
- John 1:1-14 introduces us to two key people in this chapter – Jesus, and John the Baptist. We see a glimpse of the identity of these two men and God’s purposes for them.
- John 1:15-34 gives us an overview of John the Baptist’s testimonies. He testifies not only about who Jesus is, but also about himself.
- John 1:35-50 shows us Jesus calling His disciples. Make sure to notice what role John the Baptist plays here.
When to Use a John 1 Commentary
Commentaries can be a great resource when used at the right time. Please don’t go to your commentaries too early! First, do your own study of the passage and allow the Holy Spirit to teach and reveal God’s truth to you.
There is such an amazing joy that comes when you find truth for yourself. If you look to outside sources prior to your own diligent study, you rob yourself of this joy.
However, commentaries can be a great tool for checking your interpretation of the scriptures. If your understanding of a particular passage has some substantial variances from trusted commentaries, it may be worth re-considering your interpretation.
So, after you finish your study guide, here are a couple of commentaries of John chapter 1 to refer to.
Matthew Henry; Weirsbe Commentary of the New Testament; John 1 commentary Spurgeon
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I remember how exciting it was when I first discovered the inductive study method. I loved being able to dive deep and look at the historical context and origins of words and passages.
Right!?! I love looking at words in the original language. I’ve had so many “a-ha” moments by doing this.
Great tips and tools on using the inductive study method! Really love your free study guide too!
Thanks, Carla. So glad you like it :)
I learned a bit about the inductive Bible study method years ago. However, I have not put it into practice as much as I should. This is a great book of the Bible to get started with!
Yes! I agree! John 1 has so much about Jesus. Great place to start. :)
Thank you for your advice on when to use commentaries. I find myself reaching for them first thing instead of seeing what the Holy Spirit wants to teach me. Very thorough post!
I used to do the same thing. When I first learned this method, the woman who taught me encouraged me to wait. Some of my favorite moments with the Lord are those where I’m sitting by myself with my coffee and Bible open and He reveals His truth to me. It’s always awesome!
Great post Megan! This is my favourite way to study as well and I really love your study guide. It’s not just helpful, but it’s also really pretty! :)
Thanks Jenn, so glad you like it! :)
This is such a beautiful introduction to John! I just recently started rereading this and love this post to remind me of why I love this book! What a beautiful resource for others!!!