Study Guide:  The Gospel of John


1. "Signs" in the Gospel of John
2. John's Literary Sources
3. John's Christology
4. The History of the Johannine Community
5. Absence of Apocalypticism in John
 

Copyright 2001 by Caroline T. Schroeder
Please read important bibliography, copyright, and intellectual property information


1.  "Signs" in the Gospel of John

One of the most unusual features of the Gospel of John is the complete absence of parables, one of Jesus' favored methods of teaching in the other Gospels.  Instead, John teaches people through miracles.  Jesus performs only seven miracles in the Gospel of John. John often calls them "signs."  The following list is taken from Ehrman, p. 143, and augmented with examples:
  1. Turning water into wine at the wedding at Cana (2:1-11):  Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.  (2:11)
  2. Healing the Capernaum official's son (4:46-54):  Then Jesus said to him, "Unless you see the signs and wonders you will not believe." (4:48)
  3. Healing the paralytic by the pool of Bethzatha (5:2-9)
  4. Feeding the 5000 (6:1-14)
  5. Walking on water (6:16-21)
  6. Healing the man born blind (9:1-12)
  7. Raising Lazarus from the dead (11:1-44)
See also:
[Jesus drives the livestock sellers and moneychangers out of the temple.]  The Jews then said to him, "What sign can you show us for doing this?"  Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."  The Jews then said, "This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?"  But he was speaking of the temple of his body.  After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.  (2:18-22)

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of disciples, which are not written in this book.  But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.  (2:30-31)

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2.  John's Literary Sources

The Gospel of John contains puzzling features that suggest that the author used multiple sources to compose the text.  These features include contradictory views of Jesus (see Christology  below), repetitions (esp. chapters 14 & 16),  and alternating writing styles (esp. 1:1-18).  Some of the most compelling evidence for the multiple-source theory comes from jarring interruptions or contradictions in the narrative of the text, called "literary seams."

Examples of Literary Seams in John (see also Ehrman, p. 151ff)

The author/redactor of the Gospel of John used at least five different sources:
  1. The Signs Source
  2. Discourse Source A
  3. Discourse Source B
  4. the Passion Source
  5. the Christ hymn of 1:1-18
  6. possibly chapter 21 (see Ehrman, p. 153)
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3.  John's Christology

Christology literally means "the science (or study) of Christ (the messiah)".  Christology usually refers to the portrayal of Jesus' human and divine natures ó as more human, more divine, or a mixture of the two.  A text said to contain with a "high Christology" emphasizes the divine aspects of Jesus' identity.  A "low Christology" portrays Jesus as more human than divine.  Passages in the Gospel of John have the "highest" Christology of any in the New Testamen.

Examples of the Gospel of John's high Christology:

Examples of low Christology in the Gospel of John:


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4.  History of the Johannine Community

Stage of the Johannine Community
Theory about Each Stage
Evidence for Each Stage
1.  In the synagogue The Johannine community originally was comprised of Jews who
  • believed Jesus to be the messiah and spoke Aramaic
  • worshipped in a synagogue
  • attempted to convert other Jews to their beliefs
 The "call of the disciples" in 1:35-51 (examples above).

The signs source (see above), especially 20:30-31.

Repeated references to Passover.
2.  Excluded from the synagogue The early Johannine Christians left or were excluded from their synagogue, probably due to:
  • their insistence that Jesus was the messiah (though Jesus did not resemble the Jewish vision of the messiah)
  • their efforts to convert other Jews to their way of believing
 During the story of the healing of a blind man, the Gospel of John reports that believers in Jesus were expelled from the Jewish community during Jesus' own lifetime:
His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. (9:22) 

(See also 12:42 & 16:2 for other examples.)

Yet, no rule prohibiting accepting Jesus, or any other person, as the messiah existed.  Only after the 80s CE were Christian Jews expelled from synagogues.
3.  Against the synagogue The Johannine Christians developed a hostile attitude towards the Jews which culminated in a dualistic view of the their world.  They portrayed themselves as the followers of the good and the right as opposed to outsiders (including other Jews) who lived in evil and error.  Dualistic themes in John include:
  • good vs. evil
  • truth vs. faleshood
  • light vs. dark
  • Jesus' followers vs. "the Jews"
  • earthly vs. divine
 The high Christology in some of John's Gospel, which conflicts with passages with very low Christology, is explained by this stage, in which the "insiders" emphasize their knowledge of Jesus' true and divine nature:
The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks about earthly things.  The one who comes from heaven is above all....(3:31ff.)

Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, before Abraham was, I am."  So they picked up stones to throw at him...(8:58-59)

See also 1:1-18 above, 

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5.  The Absence of Apocalypticism in John

In the Gospel of John, eternal life comes to those who believe in Jesus during their lifetimes, not at an immanent end of time or final resurrection.

"Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life."  (3:36)

"I am the resurrection and the life.  Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die."  (11:25-26)
 


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Bibliography, Copyright, and Intellectual Property Information

This study guide is the intellectual property of Caroline T. Schroeder (adjunct instructor in Religious Studies at Elon University), produced solely for the use of students in Rel 112-C3, Fall 2001.

For permission to otherwise use, reproduce, or distribute this study guide, contact Caroline T. Schroeder

The sale of this study guide is prohibited.

Bibliography
Ehrman, Bart D.  The New Testament:  A Historical Introduction to the Early Christian Writings. 2d ed.  New York:  Oxford University Press, 2000.
Malina, Bruce J.  The New Testament World:  Insights from Cultural Anthropology.  Rev. ed.  Louisville, Ky:  Westminster/John Knox Press, 1993.
Meeks, Wayne A., ed.  The HarperCollins Study Bible, New Revised Standard Version.  New York:  HarperCollins, 1993.

Copyright 2001 by Caroline T. Schroeder

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