Gospel of John

Fourth Gospel

Four Parts

• Prologue– Jesus as Logos– John 1: 1-18

• Book of Signs: 7 signs/miracles • Book of Glory: Passion, Death &

Resurrection• Epilogue: post-Resurrection stuff

“Beloved Disciple”

• Apostle John, son of Zebedee was the author– Referring to self in documents selfish– Oblique references

• Corporate Writer– John & John’s own disciples after his death– Written 90-100 AD– John Rylands Greek Papyrus

• Eyewitness at the heart

Audience

• All Gospels have an audience

• John’s: self-identified Christians– Emergence of Christian identity• Jewish Christians booted after Roman Revolt of 66

– Growth of Non-Jewish Christians

Sources

• Written & Oral sources in circulation– John’s own eyewitness

• Some common sources with Mark & Luke

• 3 miracles only in John:– Water into wine– Cure a man born blind– Raising of Lazarus

Purpose

• For Christians as Christians– Encourage faith

• Combat false ideas about Jesus

• Place Jesus above John the Baptist– Mandaean religion an early threat to Christianity

Why separate?

• Synoptic Gospels “seen together” & John separated

• Mysticism: oriented towards communion with God– Mystery: something hidden, fundamentally

unknowable• God’s Plan of Salvation

Christology

• Jesus Christ is God’s plan– Mediates between God & humanity

• Fully Human & Fully Divine in the same person– Huge early debate– Council of Chalcedon, 451 AD– Nestorian – 2 separate persons– Monophysite – 1 divine nature

Different Emphasis

• More in Jerusalem– More Jewish holidays– Mentions several Passover celebrations

• Early Jewish opposition– John 5: Jesus heals on the Sabbath– Authorities wanted to arrest him & stone him at

earlier feasts: John 7-9 & 10

Different emphasis, cont’d

• No demonic possession stories

• Very expressive theology– Clear that Jesus is God’s Revelation– Jesus spells out relationship with God

• More focus on salvation• Less focus on God’s Kingdom