Follow Me

In this book, Mark Zhakevich investigates the rewards of following Jesus alongside the call toward continuous discipleship. He argues that John’s bouquet of benefits is held together with three primary promises—adoption, friendship, and abiding—which function as motivations toward faithful commitment to Jesus.

The Gospel of John heralds a unique call to discipleship. Unlike any other Gospel, the Fourth Gospel offers a multitude of benefits for following Jesus. John promises that discipleship is rewarded with adoption by the Father, royal friendship with the Son, and abiding with the Father and the Son through the Spirit. Nearly two dozen additional benefits fall under these three main categories as John persuades his readers to continuous belief in Jesus. Follow Me: The Benefits of Discipleship in the Gospel of John traces these rewards as incentives for disciples to remain loyal to Jesus in the context of hostility and opposition, in all times and all places, no matter the cost.

Chapter 1: Membership in the Family of God—Divine Initiative and Corollary Benefits

Chapter 2: Membership in the Divine Family—Participation in Eternal Life

Chapter 3: Abiding with the Father, Son, and Spirit

Chapter 4: Royal Friendship with Jesus—The Politics of Friendship in the Ancient World

Chapter 5: Royal Friendship with Jesus—The King and his Subjects in the Gospel of John

Chapter 6: Answering the Question Why? The Gospel of John in Context