The Gospel according to John

Christology & Discipleship

Felix Just, S.J., Ph.D.Loyola Institute for Spirituality, Orange, CA

http://catholic-resources.org

Major Gospel ThemesTrinitarian Theology:

Who is God? Christology:

Who is Jesus?Discipleship:

How do we live?Pneumatology:

Role of Holy Spirit?Eschatology:

What's in the future?

Christology in the Four Gospels Mark:

Son of God (powerful) Son of Man (crucified)

Matthew: King (Son of David) Teacher (like Moses)

Luke: Lord (of ALL nations) Savior (esp. the needy)

John: Logos/Word (revealer) Only-begotten Son (sent from the Father)

Christology & Discipleship: MarkPowerful Son of God

Trust; have faith; be not afraidCrucified Son of Man

“Take up your cross and follow me”

Christology & Discipleship: MattKing, like David

Be loyal subjects; obey his commandsTeacher, like Moses

Be good students; learn; put into action

Christology & Discipleship: LukeLord of ALL nations

Welcome strangers/enemies; no us/themSavior of ALL, esp. the needy

Help the poor, sick, old, weak, children…

Portrait of Jesus, acc. to John?What painting might best capture how John’s Gospel portrays Jesus?

John’ s Christology Titles attributed to Jesus

Titles already in the Synoptics Titles new/unique to John

How Jesus is portrayed His Words / Teachings His Works / Signs His Passion & Resurrection

Christological Titles in John Titles for Jesus also in the Synoptics:

Christ (19x) / Messiah (2x) Son of David King of the Jews; King of Israel Son of God Son of Man Prophet, Savior, Lord, Teacher, etc.

Titles in the Synoptics, not in John Emmanuel – [only in Matthew]

Christological Titles in John Titles for Jesus unique to John:

Logos/Word Only-begotten Son Lamb of God Revealer/Worker Sent from the Father Paraclete Equal to God I AM

The Divine Word / Logos Greek Logos

Word, phrase, sentence, speech Reason, communication, thinking/logic

OT: God’s attributes personified Face of God Hand of God Voice of God Wisdom of God Law/Torah of God Word/Speech of God

The Divine Word / Logos Ref. to Jesus only in John’s Prologue:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (1:1)

And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only[-begotten] son (monogenes hios), full of grace and truth. (1:14)

No one has ever seen God. It is God the only-begotten Son (monogenes hios), who is close to the Father's heart, who has made him known. (1:18)

The Only-Begotten Son of God Greek: monogenes hios

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only [-begotten] Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might

be saved through him. Those who believe in him are not con-demned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only [-begotten] Son of God." (John 3:16-18)

"God sent his only [-begotten] Son into the world so that we might live through him." (1 John 4:9)

Luke 7:12 (Nain); 8:42 (Jairus); 9:38 (Anon.); Heb 11:17 (Isaac)

Other Christological Titles in John The Lamb of God

John 1:29, 36 (cf. 1 Cor 5:7; Acts 8:32; 1 Pet 1:19)

The One Sent from the Father John 4:34; 5:36-38; 7:28-29; 17:3-25

“Equal to God” John 5:18

“Paraclete” Implied in John 14:16

“I Am” (fifty-four times; see HO)

“I AM”Hebrew YHWH; Greek

“I AM” in the HB/OTHebrew YHWH; Greek

God’s Proper Name: “I Am Who Am” Pronunciation: Yahweh? (not Jehovah)

Exod 3:14 – God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel, I AM has sent me to you.’“

Exod 6:2 – And God said to Moses, “I am the LORD.” Deut 6:4-5 – “Hear, O Israel: The LORD is our God, the LORD

alone. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.”

Deut 32:39a – “See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god beside me;”

Most of these are translated in the LXX.

“I AM” Sayings in JohnI. Absolute Emphatic Claims: “I Am.”

4:26 6:20 8:24, 28, 58 13:19 18:5-8

II. Predicate Emphatic Images: “I Am…” Familiar biblical images Bread, Light, Life, etc.

Passages with Multiple Titles 1:1-18 (Prologue)

logos; God; life; light, true light; the Father's only-begotten Son

1:19-36 (John the Baptizer) the one whom you don’t know; the one coming after me; the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world; the one who ranks ahead of me because he was before me; the one on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain; the one who baptizes with Holy Spirit; the Son of God; the Lamb of God.

Passages with Multiple Titles (cont.) 1:38-41 (first two disciples)

Rabbi (teacher); Messiah (Christ) 1:45 (Philip)

one about whom Moses and Prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth”

1:49 (Nathanael) “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the

King of Israel!”

Passages with Multiple Titles (cont.) 4:7-30 (Samaritan woman)

a Jew; Sir/Master; prophet; Messiah 9:11-30 (man born blind)

Jesus; prophet; from God; [Son of Man]; Lord 11:27 (Martha)

“Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world.”

20:28 (Thomas) “My Lord and my God.”

20:31 (Evangelist) “... so that you may [come to] believe that Jesus

is the Messiah, the Son of God...”

Christology & Discipleship: JohnWord/Logos; Only-Begotten Son

Revealer; Sent-One; Equal to God; I AmDiscipleship = Enter Relationship

See and/or hear Jesus’ words & actions Come to believe/trust in him Become children of God Receive eternal life Remain/live/abide/dwell in Him Have His/God’s Spirit dwelling within Love one another as Jesus has loved us Bear good fruit, that will last

Expectations for Disciples in John “Do what I command you!”

Only commandment in this Gospel: “Love one another as I have loved you”

Repeated in 13:34-35; 15:12, 17 Also in 1 John 3:11,14,23; 4:7,11-12,20-21

Expectations: Main requirement: BELIEVE Remain / dwell / live / abide Love one another Bear fruit

Disciples within John’s Gospel No “apostles” in John (in 13:16 = messenger)

Instead, “disciples, brothers/sisters, friends” First five disciples (1:19-51; and later refs.)

Andrew & ??; Simon; Philip & Nathanael Jesus often dialogues with them (Q & A) “The Twelve” Not individually named; ref. in 6:67-71; 20:24 The “Disciple Whom Jesus Loved (BD)” From Last Supper to Resurrection (also earlier?) Other named & anonymous disciples (See handout – add Nicodemus & Joseph of Arimathea)

Named & Anonymous Disciples Jesus’ mother (2:1-12; 6:42; 19:25-27) Judas Iscariot (6:70-71; 12:4-8; 13:2, 21-30; 18:2-5) Man Born Blind (9:1-41, esp. v. 28) Martha, Mary, Lazarus of Bethany (11:1-45; 12:1-8) Thomas Didymus/Twin (11:16; 14:5; 20:24-28; 21:2) Another Judas (14:22) Mary of Magdala (19:25; 20:1-2; 20:11-18) “his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas” (19:25) Joseph of Arimathea (19:38-42) Sons of Zebedee (21:2)

Women in the Fourth Gospel 2:1-12 Mother of Jesus at Cana Wedding 4:1-42 Samaritan Woman at the Well 11:1-45 Martha & Mary intercede with Jesus

for their brother Lazarus 12:1-8 Mary of Bethany anoints Jesus 19:25b-27 Mother of Jesus & other Women

at Foot of Cross (incl. “Mary of Clopas”) 20:1-2 Mary Magdalene discovers Tomb

Empty 20:11-18 Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene [8:1-11] Adulterous Woman [not originally in John]

Q: Which inspires you most as a model of faith?