Tim Ledford
NT Theology
October 31, 2002
Dr. Cranford
Gospel of St. John, Johannie Theology
1. John the son of Zebedee was one of the twelve apostles whom Jesus called into. His ministry. Matthew writes in his Gospel, Chapter 4:21, “Jesus walked on until he saw James and John, the sons of Zebedee. They were in a boat with their father, mending their nets. Jesus asked them to come with him too. Right away they left the boat and their father and went with Jesus.[1]
2.There is a wide variety of theological debate among scholars as to who wrote the Fourth Gospel. Irenaesus (AD 115 – AD 200) in his “Against Heresies” states the author of the Fourth Gospel was John, published at Ephesus and that John remained at Ephesus until the time of Trajan. Eusebius, who reported this, says that Irenaesus’ authority for these statements was Polycarp, who learned truth from apostles. Many scholars have discounted Irenaesus testimony; chiefly because they have concluded on the grounds the John the Apostle could not have written the Gospel. They simply claim his memory failed. Other scholars have a variety of opinions as to who wrote the Fourth Gospel. (1) John of Jerusalem by H. Delff (1889), (2) the Fourth gospel is a pseudepigraphal work, (3) John Mark by Wellhausen, (4) John the Elder by Papias, and (5) Lazarus by Floyd Filson based on the one who Jesus loved was Lararus. B.F. Westcott’s internal evidence in his “concentric circles of proof”, the author of the Fourth Gospel was a Jew. The writer is familiar with current Jewish opinions, Jewish observations, customs, etc. The writer’s use of Greek works but the spirit by which they live is Hebrew, the Old Testament is a source of religious life. The writer uses Old Testament quotes, not dependent on the LXX. His use of Logos is Palestinian and not Alexandrian. The writer was an eyewitness to Nicodemus, Lazarus, and Simon.[2]
3. There are also a wide variety of opinions by scholars as to the dating of the Fourth Gospel. Tobingen School dates the document (ca. AD 175), Kummel dates it before (ca. 80-90), Bultmann dates the document around (ca. 80) and the Catholics/Protestants date it between (90-100).[3]
4. (A) In order to explain why the Fourth Gospel was written, I must first explain. The Prologue (1:1-18), everything written after The Prologue refers back to the Prologue itself. The function of the Prologue is directions on how the gospel should be read and understood. Bultmann asserted, “That it is more a mystery than a key to the Gospel and is comprehensible lies in the profundities which inhere in the terms and concepts used in the prologue (word, life, light, glory, grace, truth, revelation), and which gain their fullest significance in the light of the story of the incarnate Logos that follows.” The prologue is broken down into strophes, (1:1-2) The word of God, (3-5) The word and creation, (10-12b) The word in the world, (14,16) The community’s share in the word.[4]
B. The Public Ministry of Jesus is covered in (1:19 – 12:50), The Passion and Resurrection of Jesus (13:1 – 20:31), and finally the Epilogue (21:1-25).[5] John’s purpose is showing the way for person to come to know Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. My simplest form of John’s theology is Jesus loves you and you should love Him back. John points and steers his readers to relationship with the risen Christ.[6]
5. The difference between the Fourth Gospel on the synoptic gospels is this; the relationship between John’s Gospel and the Synoptics has been described in terms of mutual independence or varying degrees of literary interdependence. Unlike the Synoptics, John has no birth narrative, the Sermon on the Mount or Lord’s Prayer (But nether has Mark), no accounts of Jesus’ transfiguration or the Lord’s Supper, no narrative parables, and no eschatological discourse. Clearly, John has written his own book. John frequently transposes elements of the Gospel tradition into a different key. The synoptic teaching on the kingdom of God corresponds to the Johannie theme of “eternal life”; narrative parables are replaced by extended discourses on the symbolism of Jesus’ signs. Moreover, all four Gospels present Jesus as the Messiah fulfilling OT predictions and typology. Thus the differences between the Synoptics and John must not be exaggerated.[7]
6. Word occurrences, Son of Man (11X), Love (39X), Word (26X), Sent (51X), Go (35X), Lamb of God (11X) only used by John, Eternal Life (17X), Bread of Life (4X).[8]
Bibliography
Alexander, Desmond T. ed. The Dictionary of Biblical Theology. “John” by Kostenberger, A. J. Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 2000. 280-285.
Brown, Raymond E., S.S. The Anchor Bible, The Gospel According to John. New York, Doubleday and Company, Inc. 1966
Cranford, Lorin. “Gospel of John, Historical Outline, Jesus, the Word of Faith” http://www.cranfordville.com/Jn-otl-h.htm: last revised 4/12/00
Crosswalk.com. Bible Tools, Translations. NIV, NRSV, NKJV, CEV. www.crosswalk.com hyperlink to Bible Translations and Commentaries.
Filson, Floyd V. The Layman’s Bible Commentary, The Gospel According to John. Richmond, Virginia, John Knox Press. 1967
Harris, W. Hall, Ph.D. “Background
to the Study of the Gospel of John” www.bible.org/docs/nt/books/joh/harris/toc.htm