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Chapter 1: An Overview of the Fourth Gospel
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9 1 an overview of the Fourth Gospel I n posing an overview of the Fourth Gospel, discerning the lay of the land will help. As the most distinctive among the four canonical Gospels, noting John’s particular characteristics helps us focus on its contents in their own right. Therefore , the outline and flow of John’s narrative, its material’s distinctive features, and its intended purpose provides a fitting place to begin. Outlining John’s Narrative ■ John’s Gospel may be divided into four unequal parts: a shorter Prologue (1:1-18) and an Epilogue (21:1-25) and, between them, a more substantive “Book of Signs” (chaps. 1–12) and “Book of Glory” (chaps. 13–20). (These terms will be explained below.) In contrast to the Gospel of Mark, which begins with the ministry of John the Baptist, or to Matthew and Luke, which begin with different wondrous birth narratives , John’s Prologue features a worship hymn to the cosmic Word of God made flesh. Similar to other christological hymns (Phil. 2:5-11; Col. 1:15-20; Heb. 1:1-4), the Prologue of the Fourth Gospel exalts Jesus as the preexistent Logos, who was with God and was God from the beginning of time. God has now spoken through God’s Son Jesus Christ, and the narrative tells how that came about. The “Book of Signs,” so called because it features the seven signs of Jesus,1 then leads off with the witness of John the Baptist to Jesus and the calling of four disciples and Nathanael (1:19-51). The next eleven chapters (2–12) feature seven signs of Jesus (see Box 1.2, below), only two of which are also found in the Synoptics. 10 The Riddles of the Fourth Gospel John’s Jesus travels to and from Jerusalem at least four times. His prophetic sign in the Temple is presented at the beginning of his ministry, not at the end (as in the Synoptics), and he becomes involved in long, drawn-out debates with Jerusalem leaders in chapters 5 and 7–10. His culminative sign, the raising of Lazarus from the dead, becomes the occasion for Jewish leaders to seek to put him to death and to do away with Lazarus as well. The public ministry of Jesus closes with his prophecyfulfilling entry to Jerusalem on a donkey’s colt, Greeks coming to see Jesus, an affirming voice from heaven, Jesus’ prediction about his death, and a final summary of his mission (12:12-50). The “Book of Glory” (13:1—20:31), so called because it features the glorification of Jesus during the last week of his ministry (Brown 1970, 541–42), begins with the fulfillment of Jesus’ “hour” and his imparting his last will and testament to his followers. In this section, the focus of the book changes radically from an apologetic endeavor to convince audiences to believe that Jesus is the Messiah/ Christ to affirming their solidarity within community. Jesus washes his disciples’ feet, beginning with Peter, and calls for them to follow his example and to serve one another. Jesus predicts both his denial by Peter and his betrayal by Judas. By contrast, “the disciple whom Jesus loved” is presented as leaning against the breast of Jesus, modeling the ideal relationship to the Lord (13:23-24). Jesus’ commandment to love one another becomes the measure by which his followers will be known in the world, and his promise to send the Holy Spirit to be with and in his followers is declared with emphasis. The striking I-am sayings featured in the Book of Signs continue in the Book of Glory, as Jesus presents himself as the Way, the Truth, and the Life (14:6) and invites his followers to abide in him as the living branch abides in the true Vine (15:1-8). After his programmatic prayer, Jesus is arrested, tried, and crucified (chaps. 18–19). On the first day of the week, he appears to Mary Magdalene and other disciples (20:1-25). Jesus then appears to Thomas, who, despite not believing earlier, now climactically believes, confessing Jesus as “My Lord and my God!” (20:28). The closing words of this section actually seem like the closing words of the Gospel narrative, and they may originally have played such a role: Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so...