www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Scripture and Patristic Writings A new look at the gospel of John

It has been a long time since I have written something. Since I last mused. And I am really no prepared � but this was such a stunning revelation to me .. That I must say something.

The gospel of John.

Since I can remember - I have thought of John�s gospel - as biblical scholars tell us. That is - that it was written after the others and that John added to his gospel things which he thought missing to the others. This goes with that a first gospel was written (a fist source now lost) and that first gospel became the proto-type for all the others. So in this way - each gospel is a type of compilation from this first - original (now lost) source.

Of course, thinking this way - makes John�s gospel - just another version of something else. Just given with John�s own particular personality to shade - what we had already read in the first gospels.

Now it has come to me that - having this type of thing in mind - is wrong. It robs John of - what is John. My own study of Genesis blows the compilation and 'sources" theory - right out the window. And so sources and compilation (as if the apostles were idots and needed to copy each other) is easy for me to discard.

It was already proven to me that each preceding gospel - was not a compilation of copy of some �original�. No. Each gospel displays Jesus in a different way.

Matthew - Jesus is the human Son of David - the rightful heir to the throne of Israel. The rightful and only legal - King - and has authority over men.

Mark (Peter) - Jesus is the human prophet - even that particular prophet known as the messiah� and has power over spirits.

Luke - Jesus is that human which is the Son of God - born of Mary.

In each gospel - there is a march toward the humiliation and shame of being crucified - and then the resurrection - overturning - death. This �march� toward the humiliation - and then having that turned around in the humanity of Jesus - is the central focus of each gospel�

Except - for John.

With John � the death and resurrection of Jesus - is almost - a side issue. While the other three gospels devote almost 1/3 to the cross and resurrection - John - mentions it as a historical fact and really does not dwell on it. So - what IS the central focus of John�s gospel?? (answer - in a moment).

John�s theme (Matthew was Son of David, Mark was Messiah, Luke was Son of God) is not to place the humanity of Jesus into historical and legal - place within history� John�s theme is the - glory - of Jesus. His glorification.

�We have seen his glory�.

True to Jewish style - John announces in his prolog - exactly what his book is about - the GLORY - of Jesus.

What does that mean?

In Jewish life at the time - the - glory - of a man - what - what God gave to the man. A man�s glory was his family, his house, how many cattle he had, his �juice� and power, his social position, his property. If a man had health, wealth, property and position - in the Deteronomic mind (formed on the way the Deteronmic reforms which preceded the exile) - the more a man had of these - the more - glory - he had. The more - God was pleased with him. Etc.. Therefore - the blind (as in the gospels) and lame and sick - were that way because of sin.

Now Jesus - overturned this way to see things. The blind man was not born blind because of his own sins or the sins of his parents. But that is not to discard the concept of glory - as a persona.

Now it seems - diametrically opposed - to talk about the glory of Jesus - at the same time we talk of his limited humanity that was subject to mocking and crucifixion. But the glory - was there �Now Father, glorify the son with the glory that I had with you before the world began.�

And in no other gospel - do we see the glory - of Jesus - confront the world - more so that in John. Not - that in John - it is the raising of Lazarus - which causes - his arrest and crucifixion. This display of his - glory - is the final straw that prompts his arrest.

Throughout John - Jesus displays his glory - at the same time that he voluntarily - restrains it. It is restrained to the public - but displayed to his friends. The glory of the raising of Lazarus - is less in the physical fact that Lazarus arose - and much more in the narration of the emotions of those involved. Why did - Jesus raise Lazarus?? To prove that he could? No. Because - the stage was set - to reach deep into the hearts of those involved. And it was upon this (reaching into the hearts) that caused Jesus to command creation in such a way. It is not the rising of Lazarus that moves me - it was how Jesus felt the their heart arch. Jesus was near - tears - not for himself - but at feeling - our emotions. It is not his glory - in its power and authority - it is how he USED his glory - in deep human compassion.

If one frees himself from a habitual reading of John�s gospel - as a further extension of the proceeding gospels� one can note that the central focus of John�s gospel is - CHAPTER 17! The prayer - of Jesus - just before his death.

It is a common thing, in Jewish literature - it is the discourse of the man about to die. Moses spoke his - before his own death. Job - was speaking his (thinking he was about to die).

Like Socrates - as the hemlock worked - this is the discourse of a man about to leave - this world.

As such� what John gives us - is a narration of a very private - discourse. It is a �secret teaching� not given to the public but for the ears of the apostles - only (and ours).

It is a prayer - between Jesus and his father - but it is a prayer that the apostles were allowed to hear.

More than a mere petition - this prayer is - a proclamation!

�I desire�� Jesus tells his father.

�I desire�.� that this be this way or that way.

This is not a prayer asking - this is a prayer - proclumated - �this is the way I desire this to be� - and it is a prayer - immediately - fulfilled.

Now just imagine - Jesus sitting there with you present - and you hear Jesus tell his father �This is how it shall be� and then Jesus explain a bit what will happen to you!

Now THIS - places the gospel of John in a whole - new - light. For Jesus was not giving a last will and testimony - his death - was to be temporary. But he was giving instruction - to the apostles - that they should carry out in his absence. He - was - leaving (their human senses).

In some other post, I might, go deeper into this prayer, but for now I will only mention one item.

�Father - I ask that - they be one - even as you and I are one.�

Not a petition - a proclamation. Immediately granted.

From that - moment on - the apostles were - one in mind and spirit - until death. Not one - turned away. Not one - gave it up. The did not split off and start - two - churches - only one. Even in human disagreements - they never - split. They were - one. One - till death.

This then was - a command - given to creation. Like Lazarus� creation has no choice but to obey. A singular grace - unstoppable. Which does not fail.

This grace - was immediately and directly - for the apostles. As regards us (who came after) it is voluntary - we can chose of free will to be one or not. That �oneness� exists. It is there for us to have - if we want it. While for the apostles (who were the direct object of that proclamation) never would a split - or turning away - come - for it just had never been a thing brought into creation. There was no choice - simply because - there was no alternative. It was not within the human nature of the apostles (that which made them One) it was a grace - to which there was no alternative. No alternative to One was created.

Fascinating.

In short (and far too short here!) the main focus of John�s gospel - IS - this prayer of Christ which is his parting discourse and private teaching. THIS is what John�s gospel is entirely built around. The parting teaching of Christ. In a sense - it is a covenant. �God will do this - and you will do that�. In a sense it says �I have made these arrangements for you - now you - will respond in this way�� but perhaps better said ... it is the apsotles overhearing Jesus as Jesus speaks of his own will - being done.

He who once said (in the prophets) "Behold - I have come to do your will..." and "I have threashed the grapes alone - nonne would help me" - has the right to say "I ... desire..." and have it be - done.

-ray

Interesting thoughts though I dont know if I agree in some areas. For instance, I wouldnt say the crucifixion is a side issue in John at the heart of John's gospel. Correct you are to say John's gospel focusses on glory and glorification but that glory is intricately interwoven with Christ's death. There is hardly an instance in John where Jesus' glory isnt linked with being 'lifted up' and often whenever Jesus alludes to his death in John it is in connection with his glorification e.g Jn 12. However, I would agree that that glory hinges on oneness. How could it not? Since the glory that the Son enjoys is the very unity of the Divine Life that he imparts to humans that they may enter into communion with God. Jesus' glory is in being the revelation of God. He fulfils all the rituals of Judaism in his own person (new temple Jn 2, new waters of purification Jn 4, new manna Jn 6) and goes beyond them. God's glory is revealed in Christ because Christ is revealer of God as He is. Moreover, Christ draws all men to himself in unity of Spirit and Truth and all this He achieves through being lifted up which in the Greek is an ever more striking allusion to crucifixion. Unity is key but unity flows from passion, glory and crucifixion in this gospel are inseperable.

If I get some time - I will explain it better.

-ray

Cool I'm not saying I disagree. Just that I dont think the crucifixion can be discussed seperately from Christ's glorification.

Right. Me neither. But I noticed a shift on what is primary and what is secondary. I will explain that later.

For now - I can only give a short example.

Notice in the three (Matthew, Mark and Luke) when Jesus is brought to Pilate... it is a short section - reported like the news is. That is - an external view. It is cold fact.

Now read John on the same event. Notice that it is a view from - inside. Notice that Pilate takes Jesus aside and John gives the entire conversation - including thoughts and mood - yet - only two were present - Jesus and Pilate! What we are given is - behind the eyes of Jesus!

Q:Now what is primary in the �three�?
A: The fact that Pilate pronounces judgment on Jesus.

The exchange of words is - secondary - to the fact of the - judgment of Pilate. Pilate is in charge - Jesus is the recipient of the action. Just about - helpless humiliated and shamed.

Now�

Q: What is primary in John? (in the same telling of that event)
A: The intimate conversation between Pilate and Jesus.

Jesus (through knowing the heart and mind of Pilate) offers Pilate grace - which Pilate rejects. Notice that Jesus already knows Pilate�s motivation - and offers Pilate a proper way out. Which Pilate rejects. The fact of the march to crucifixion - is - really - secondary to this intimate action - to this display of the glory that is the persona of Jesus.

In John - JESUS is in charge! and Pilate is the recipient (and rejects) the action.

In the �three� - Pilate is in charge and Jesus is helpless but to submit.

This is the difference in perspective.

Now - one must ask - the 64 million dollar question - - - WHY?

In the three - the hinge-pin is the crucifixion and resurrection. It - halts - a screeching halt - to the story (which had seemed like it would take Jesus to the throne if we had not already known the ending). In john - the hinge-pin is - Chapter 17 and the �discourse of the dying man�. THAT is the culmination to which the crucifixion to follow - is not as important in itself (IT is not the 'news') but rather - what grace and glory is happening to all others involved (accepted or rejected grace and glory) - is the real 'news'.

As I may have said (maybe not) the three look at - Jesus on the cross - while in John we are looking with Jesus - from - the cross.

All this makes the most important section of John - Chapter 17. In light of that �setting up� of the rest of the story. The fact of the crucifixion is a given and secondary to how Jesus is fulfilling the prayer of chapter 17.

Give me time and I may explain this better.

But one can see from this that John is not a re-worked copy of Matthew and Mark and Luke. It is not a following of some original 'source' with some added details. While it must follow the same history - it is an entirely different perspective - not a compilation or copy at all. Rather than a focus on the facts leading to the crucifixion and resurrection - that which unfolds according to the 'prayer' of chapter 17.

Look at this...
while some are experiencing the shame and weakness and humiliation of this man in the path of being crucified - others are experiencing this magnificent shower of glory being dispensed - at the same time!

It directly reminds me of Mt Sinai (yes! Yes! YES!!!!) where some hear nothing and others standing right next to them hear trumpets and such. Some hear the voice of God speaking personally to them in the Hebrew language - while others hear just - thunder.

Holy cow! This really seems to be getting solid to me.

It is quiet a wrong thing for scholars to be thinking of John as having, just, amended some of his own details to Matthew�s and Mark�s own template. This assumes them to be idiots or clever men designing effective propaganda. To assume that each just copied (and personally amended) some �missing original� gives them little credit for personal intelligence. If you ask me - theories like this just prove the scholars - to be the idiots. (hehe). And we foolow the blind into the hole.


anyways ... no time right now to research this further.

-ray