Category: Soteriology

The Gospel of John mentioned “zōē-life” in about fifteen (15) verses. We call it “zōē-life” to distinguish it, due to it’s spirituality and eternality, from psuchē-life which is temporal and earthly.

The following “ten things” John wrote about zōē-life is summary of his teachings:

1. The evangelistic purpose of John’s Gospel is stated this way: He wrote it,

“so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:31).

2. It presents two types of resurrections: one  for those who have done good, the Resurrection of Zōē-life; and, another for those who have done evil, the Resurrection of Damnation (John 5:29).

3. It speaks of Jesus having zōē-life in himself granted by the Father (John 5:26).

4. It presents Jesus as THE zōē-life, the only way to the Father (John 14:6).

5. It presents zōē-life in Jesus as the Light of Men that shines which darkness hasn’t overcome (John 1:4-5).

6. It  presents Jesus as the Light of the World that men should follow and never again walk in darkness (John 8:12).

7. It also presents Jesus, as the Bread from Heaven, the giver of ever satisfying, abundant zōē-life (John 6:33, 35, 48, 51; 10:10).

8. It metaphorically speaks of believing the words Jesus as partaking his own flesh and blood, so that they will live forever (John 6:51, 53, 63).

9. It assures anyone who dies believing in Jesus, the Resurrection and Zōē-life, shall live again (John 11:25) and those who lives and believes in shall never die (John 11:26).

10. It has issued a verdict that the people who loved darkness rather than light does wicked things and will not come to the light (John 3:19; 5:40).

Suggested reading: Ten Things John Said About Eternal Life.

The Gospel of John mentioned “eternal life” for about seventeen (17) times and with about fifteen (15) verses he mentioned zōē-life, that is, “zōē” in Greek translated as “life” in English.

Here are the summary of eternal life teachings in the Gospel of John:

1. God sent the Son so that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life (John 3:15, 16; 6:40, 47).

2. Eternal life is to know the only true God and Jesus Christ whom he has sent (John 17:3).

3. Whoever hears the word of the Son and believes the Father who sent him has eternal life; he does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life (John 5:24).

4. The Son has the authority over all, to give eternal life to all the Father has given him (John 17:2).

5. The Son has the words of eternal life, the commandments of the Father, and the Scriptures testify about him (John 5:39; 6:68; 12:50).

6. Work for the food that endures to eternal life that the Son gives, his own flesh and blood (John 4:36; 6:27, 54).

7. Drink the water that the Son gives, it will become a spring of water welling up to eternal life (John 4:14).

8. Those who have eternal life will never perish, they can neither be snatched out from the Son’s hand nor the Father’s hand (John 10:28).

9. Those who have eternal life will see life, they will be raised up by the Son at the Last Day (John 3:36; 6:54).

10. Whoever hates their life [psuchē, Gk.] or those who have done good in this world will keep it for eternal life (John 5:29; 12:25).

Assured of eternal life are only those who hear and believe the words of Christ Jesus, the Son that God has sent into the world whom he has given all authority to save it. They have passed from judgment, they will never perish, and they will be resurrected at the last day.

Further readings: Ten Things John Said About Zoe-Life | What does it mean to be Born Again?