Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    John
    John
    John
    Ebook1,124 pages16 hours

    John

    By Gary M. Burge

    4/5

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    The NIV Application Commentary helps you communicate and apply biblical text effectively in today's context.

    The Gospel of John tells us the story that is the foundation of the distinctive teaching of Christianity. It provides all the elements necessary to see the full picture of the person and work of Jesus: a human Christ to redeem us, a divine Christ to reveal God's nature, and a powerful, Spirit-filled Christ to help us lead holy lives. This commentary unveils, in today's terminology, the deeply satisfying portrait of Christ painted in the Gospel of John.

     

    To bring the ancient messages of the Bible into today's context, each passage is treated in three sections:

    • Original Meaning. Concise exegesis to help readers understand the original meaning of the biblical text in its historical, literary, and cultural context.
    • Bridging Contexts. A bridge between the world of the Bible and the world of today, built by discerning what is timeless in the timely pages of the Bible.
    • Contemporary Significance. This section identifies comparable situations to those faced in the Bible and explores relevant application of the biblical messages. The author alerts the readers of problems they may encounter when seeking to apply the passage and helps them think through the issues involved.

    This unique, award-winning commentary is the ideal resource for today's preachers, teachers, and serious students of the Bible, giving them the tools, ideas, and insights they need to communicate God's Word with the same powerful impact it had when it was first written.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherZondervan
    Release dateAug 22, 2009
    ISBN9780310559023
    John
    Author

    Gary M. Burge

    Gary M. Burge (Ph.D., University of Aderbeen) is professor of New Testament at Wheaton College, Wheaton, Illinois. Among his many published books are The Evangelical One Volume Commentary on the Bible (general editor with A. Hill), John: The Gospel of Life and the award-winning Whose Land? Whose Promise?.

    Read more from Gary M. Burge

    Related to John

    Titles in the series (100)

    View More
    View More

    Related ebooks

    Christianity For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      How Well Do You Actually Know Your Bible?

      Aug 7, 2020

      The Bible is the handbook for Christianity. It includes every single instruction that we need d in in this this w world to survive. It is the only book that we have directly from God. You would think that as Christians ians who who have have spent ye

      1 min read

    • Article

      From The EDITOR Let God’s Word Sustain And Direct You!

      Jul 21, 2023

      JOY! Magazine seeks to glorify God by educating and informing Christians of a biblical worldview and applying the Lordship of Jesus Christ to all areas of life. Strive for excellence and integrity in all things • Provide interesting, accurate, and

      1 min read

    • Article

      How To Read A Book

      Apr 2, 2020

      How To Read A Book
      3 min read

    • Article

      Letters To The EDITOR

      Apr 22, 2022

      Dear readers, we love to hear your thoughts on the stories that we publish, what is going on around the world, and what the Lord has placed on your heart! Email your letter through to editor@joymag.co.za for a chance to be featured – please try to ke

      7 min read

    • Article

      Reference Material

      Mar 3, 2022

      Reference works are vital for busy writers as they allow you to find information easily. Their strength lies in offering synthesised information, giving definitions and subject overviews, providing facts and statistics, listing addresses and outlinin

      3 min read

    • Article

      Words Matter

      Apr 14, 2021

      Words Matter
      9 min read

    • Article

      200 Years And Counting

      Apr 13, 2020

      200 Years And Counting
      2 min read

    • Article

      Acknowledgments

      Aug 13, 2022

      Copyright © 2022 by Guideposts. All rights reserved. This publication, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, wi

      1 min read

    • Article

      Worldview?

      Dec 30, 2022

      Worldview?
      3 min read

    • Article

      Translating Chinese Literature: Cross-Cultural Communication

      Jun 16, 2022

      Chinese literary works have become an important window for foreigners to understand Chinese culture. In bridging the gap, translators, as messengers of cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries, play an important role. A senior translato

      5 min read

    • Article

      Acknowledgments

      Jun 15, 2021

      Copyright © 2021 by Guideposts. All rights reserved. This publication, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, wi

      1 min read

    • Article

      Acknowledgments

      Sep 16, 2021

      Copyright © 2021 by Guideposts. All rights reserved. This publication, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced, stored in retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, with

      1 min read

    • Article

      From the EDITOR

      Dec 29, 2023

      JOY! Magazine seeks to glorify God by educating and informing Christians of a biblical worldview and applying the Lordship of Jesus Christ to all areas of life. Strive for excellence and integrity in all things• Provide interesting, accurate, and ho

      1 min read

    • Article

      Acknowledgments

      Oct 14, 2023

      Copyright © 2023 by Guideposts. All rights reserved. This publication, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, w

      1 min read

    • Article

      Global Non-fiction Market

      Oct 7, 2021

      With a mission to publish works of ‘enduring scholarly and cultural value’ for readers around the world Illinois based Northwestern University Press publishes approximately seventy books a year. When submitting a book proposal include a cover letter,

      1 min read

    • Article

      Letters To The EDITOR

      Apr 5, 2024

      D ear readers, we love to hear your thoughts on the stories that we publish, what is going on around the world, and what the Lord has placed on your heart! Email your letter through to editor@joymag.co.za for a chance to be featured – please try to k

      10 min read

    • Article

      From the EDITOR

      Oct 27, 2023

      There are many accounts starting from Genesis going right through to the New Testament of people building memorials to honour what God had done for and through people. In biblical times, this often referred to a statue, structure, or built-up stones.

      1 min read

    • Article

      Young Evangelists Are Answering The Call

      Jul 22, 2022

      Many years ago, Evangelist Reinhard Bonnke spoke of a vision that the Lord had given him of young people preaching the Gospel on the streets of Europe. That vision has taken another step forward with the introduction of Fire Camps – retreats for youn

      3 min read

    • Article

      Ask The Teachers

      Feb 11, 2020

      BHANTE SUJATO: In 2014 I coauthored, with Bhikkhu Brahmali, a book called The Authenticity of the Early Buddhist Texts. The “early Buddhist texts” are essentially the main parts of the Pali suttas and vinaya, as well as the cognate texts in Chinese a

      5 min read

    • Article

      A Burden On The Heart Of The Believer “I Charge You Therefore, Preach The Word!”

      Oct 21, 2019

      Most of us would recognise that the last words of a great and godly man or woman before their death would likely be words of great value. Words to consider and ponder. Jesus’ seven statements from the Cross are of that category and are thus recorded

      5 min read

    • Article

      The Bible Is Not Open To Personal Interpretation

      Sep 23, 2022

      What a beautiful scripture above – this is a solid motivation to meditate on God’s Word. Yet, believe it or not, there are some Christians who deem this Scripture to be an ‘arrogant’ or ‘self-righteous’ declaration. I am so grateful that I’ve had str

      1 min read

    • Article

      3 Points To Ponder On Being Righteous In 2024

      Dec 29, 2023

      I can’t believe that it is a new year already. As we take time to reflect on the previous year, we should ask ourselves: Have I made the right choices? Have I stayed true to my New Year’s resolutions? And what improvements can I make in 2024? As I po

      2 min read

    • Article

      Acknowledgments

      Oct 15, 2021

      Copyright © 2021 by Guideposts. All rights reserved. This publication, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, wi

      1 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for John

    4/5

    17 ratings0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      John - Gary M. Burge

      JOHN

      THE NIV APPLICATION COMMENTARY

      From biblical text . . . to contemporary life

      GARY M. BURGE

      ZONDERVAN

      The NIV Application Commentary: John

      Copyright © 2000 by Gary M. Burge

      Requests for information should be addressed to:

      Zondervan, 3900 Sparks Dr. SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546

      Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

      Burge, Gary M.

      John / Gary M. Burge.

      p. cm.—(NIV application commentary)

      Includes bibliographical references and indexes.

      ePub edition November 2014: ISBN 978-0-310-55902-3

      ISBN-10: 0-310-49750-7

      ISBN-13: 978-0-310-49750-9

      1. Bible. N.T. John—Commentaries. I. Title. II. Series.

      BS2615.3.B79 2000

      226.5’077–dc21 00-033383

      All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

      All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other—except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without prior permission of the publisher.

      To my daughters

      Ashley and Grace

      "I could have no greater joy than to hear

      that my children walk in the truth." 3 John 1:4

      Contents

      How to Use This Commentary

      Series Introduction

      General Editor’s Preface

      Author’s Preface

      Abbreviations

      Introduction

      The Structure of John’s Gospel

      Bibliography

      Text and Commentary on John

      John 1:1–18

      John 1:19–51

      John 2:1–25

      John 3:1–36

      John 4:1–54

      John 5:1–47

      John 6:1–71

      John 7:1–52

      John 7:53–8:11

      John 8:12–59

      John 9:1–41

      John 10:1–42

      John 11:1–57

      John 12:1–50

      John 13:1–38

      John 14:1–31

      John 15:1–16:4a

      John 16:4b–33

      John 17:1–26

      John 18:1–19:16a

      John 19:16b–42

      John 20:1–31

      John 21:1–25

      Scripture Index

      Subject Index

      Notes

      How to Use This Commentary

      Thank you for purchasing the HarperCollins Christian Publishing eBook version of The NIV Application Commentary.

      What is the difference between an eBook and a print book?

      eBook versions contain all of the content and supplementary materials found in the original print versions and are optimized for navigation in the various apps and devices used for display. eReaders recognize text as one fluid string and are formatted in a single column. eReaders currently do not support the more complex layout seen in print version books. Therefore, some content may not appear in the same place as in the original print version, but it is structured consistently and uses hyperlinks to navigate between related content.

      How do I use the eBook Table of Contents?

      *Important Note: Be sure to consult your device manufacturer’s User’s Guide for device-specific navigation instructions.*

      The Table of Contents is the primary navigation anchor to quickly access various parts of the eBook. It is generally formatted in the same order as the original print version and is hyperlinked as follows:

      • Introductory Materials

      • Commentary

      • Indexes

      Selecting an entry in the Table of Contents takes you to that location in the eBook. Selecting the title of that specific entry or using your device’s Back button or function takes you back to the main Table of Contents.

      How do I navigate the content?

      The eBook version of The NIV Application Commentary includes introductory materials, commentary, footnotes, scripture index, and subject index. Hyperlinks to the materials appear in the Table of Contents as well as the main book text.

      Introductory materials are hyperlinked directly to the content-specific location in the main text.

      • Select the hyperlinked entry in the article or list to go to its location in the main text.

      • Select the hyperlinked entry in the main text to go back to the article or list in the Table of Contents or use the device’s Back button or function to go back to the last selection.

      Footnotes in the Commentary are marked with small, hyperlinked numbers ¹ to access comments and citations.

      • Select the hyperlinked number in the main text to the corresponding footnote.

      • Select the hyperlinked number to the left of the footnote to go back to the main text or use the device’s Back button or function to go back to the last selection.

      Scripture Index includes hyperlinks directly to the Bible Verse citations in the main text.

      • Select the Scripture Index from the Table of Contents.

      • Select the hyperlinked page number 1 to go directly to the citation in the main text.

      • Use the device’s Next Page/Previous Page button or function to scroll through the pages.

      • Use the device’s Back button or function to go back to the last selection

      Subject and Author Indexes are hyperlinked directly to the content-specific location in the main text.

      • Select an Index from the Table of Contents.

      • Select the hyperlinked letter of the alphabet A to go to a corresponding list of entries.

      • Use the device’s Next Page/Previous Page button or function to scroll through the entries.

      • Select the hyperlinked page number 1 to go to the main text.

      • Select the footnote entry marked with n1 to the corresponding footnote.

      • Use the device’s Back button or function to go back to the last selection.

      NOTES:

      • The Bible Translation quoted by the authors in the main Commentary, unless otherwise indicated, is taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

      NIV Application Commentary

      Series Introduction

      THE NIV APPLICATION COMMENTARY SERIES is unique. Most commentaries help us make the journey from our world back to the world of the Bible. They enable us to cross the barriers of time, culture, language, and geography that separate us from the biblical world. Yet they only offer a one-way ticket to the past and assume that we can somehow make the return journey on our own. Once they have explained the original meaning of a book or passage, these commentaries give us little or no help in exploring its contemporary significance. The information they offer is valuable, but the job is only half done.

      Recently, a few commentaries have included some contemporary application as one of their goals. Yet that application is often sketchy or moralistic, and some volumes sound more like printed sermons than commentaries.

      The primary goal of the NIV Application Commentary Series is to help you with the difficult but vital task of bringing an ancient message into a modern context. The series not only focuses on application as a finished product but also helps you think through the process of moving from the original meaning of a passage to its contemporary significance. These are commentaries, not popular expositions. They are works of reference, not devotional literature.

      The format of the series is designed to achieve the goals of the series. Each passage is treated in three sections: Original Meaning, Bridging Contexts, and Contemporary Significance.

      Original Meaning

      THIS SECTION HELPS you understand the meaning of the biblical text in its original context. All of the elements of traditional exegesis—in concise form—are discussed here. These include the historical, literary, and cultural context of the passage. The authors discuss matters related to grammar and syntax and the meaning of biblical words.¹ They also seek to explore the main ideas of the passage and how the biblical author develops those ideas.

      After reading this section, you will understand the problems, questions, and concerns of the original audience and how the biblical author addressed those issues. This understanding is foundational to any legitimate application of the text today.

      Bridging Contexts

      THIS SECTION BUILDS a bridge between the world of the Bible and the world of today, between the original context and the contemporary context, by focusing on both the timely and timeless aspects of the text.

      God’s Word is timely. The authors of Scripture spoke to specific situations, problems, and questions. The author of Joshua encouraged the faith of his original readers by narrating the destruction of Jericho, a seemingly impregnable city, at the hands of an angry warrior God (Josh. 6). Paul warned the Galatians about the consequences of circumcision and the dangers of trying to be justified by law (Gal. 5:2–5). The author of Hebrews tried to convince his readers that Christ is superior to Moses, the Aaronic priests, and the Old Testament sacrifices. John urged his readers to test the spirits of those who taught a form of incipient Gnosticism (1 John 4:1–6). In each of these cases, the timely nature of Scripture enables us to hear God’s Word in situations that were concrete rather than abstract.

      Yet the timely nature of Scripture also creates problems. Our situations, difficulties, and questions are not always directly related to those faced by the people in the Bible. Therefore, God’s word to them does not always seem relevant to us. For example, when was the last time someone urged you to be circumcised, claiming that it was a necessary part of justification? How many people today care whether Christ is superior to the Aaronic priests? And how can a test designed to expose incipient Gnosticism be of any value in a modern culture?

      Fortunately, Scripture is not only timely but timeless. Just as God spoke to the original audience, so he still speaks to us through the pages of Scripture. Because we share a common humanity with the people of the Bible, we discover a universal dimension in the problems they faced and the solutions God gave them. The timeless nature of Scripture enables it to speak with power in every time and in every culture.

      Those who fail to recognize that Scripture is both timely and timeless run into a host of problems. For example, those who are intimidated by timely books such as Hebrews, Galatians, or Deuteronomy might avoid reading them because they seem meaningless today. At the other extreme, those who are convinced of the timeless nature of Scripture, but who fail to discern its timely element, may wax eloquent about the Melchizedekian priesthood to a sleeping congregation, or worse still, try to apply the holy wars of the Old Testament in a physical way to God’s enemies today.

      The purpose of this section, therefore, is to help you discern what is timeless in the timely pages of the Bible—and what is not. For example, how do the holy wars of the Old Testament relate to the spiritual warfare of the New? If Paul’s primary concern is not circumcision (as he tells us in Gal. 5:6), what is he concerned about? If discussions about the Aaronic priesthood or Melchizedek seem irrelevant today, what is of abiding value in these passages? If people try to test the spirits today with a test designed for a specific first-century heresy, what other biblical test might be more appropriate?

      Yet this section does not merely uncover that which is timeless in a passage but also helps you to see how it is uncovered. The authors of the commentaries seek to take what is implicit in the text and make it explicit, to take a process that normally is intuitive and explain it in a logical, orderly fashion. How do we know that circumcision is not Paul’s primary concern? What clues in the text or its context help us realize that Paul’s real concern is at a deeper level?

      Of course, those passages in which the historical distance between us and the original readers is greatest require a longer treatment. Conversely, those passages in which the historical distance is smaller or seemingly nonexistent require less attention.

      One final clarification. Because this section prepares the way for discussing the contemporary significance of the passage, there is not always a sharp distinction or a clear break between this section and the one that follows. Yet when both sections are read together, you should have a strong sense of moving from the world of the Bible to the world of today.

      Contemporary Significance

      THIS SECTION ALLOWS the biblical message to speak with as much power today as it did when it was first written. How can you apply what you learned about Jerusalem, Ephesus, or Corinth to our present-day needs in Chicago, Los Angeles, or London? How can you take a message originally spoken in Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic and communicate it clearly in our own language? How can you take the eternal truths originally spoken in a different time and culture and apply them to the similar-yet-different needs of our culture?

      In order to achieve these goals, this section gives you help in several key areas.

      (1) It helps you identify contemporary situations, problems, or questions that are truly comparable to those faced by the original audience. Because contemporary situations are seldom identical to those faced by the original audience, you must seek situations that are analogous if your applications are to be relevant.

      (2) This section explores a variety of contexts in which the passage might be applied today. You will look at personal applications, but you will also be encouraged to think beyond private concerns to the society and culture at large.

      (3) This section will alert you to any problems or difficulties you might encounter in seeking to apply the passage. And if there are several legitimate ways to apply a passage (areas in which Christians disagree), the author will bring these to your attention and help you think through the issues involved.

      In seeking to achieve these goals, the contributors to this series attempt to avoid two extremes. They avoid making such specific applications that the commentary might quickly become dated. They also avoid discussing the significance of the passage in such a general way that it fails to engage contemporary life and culture.

      Above all, contributors to this series have made a diligent effort not to sound moralistic or preachy. The NIV Application Commentary Series does not seek to provide ready-made sermon materials but rather tools, ideas, and insights that will help you communicate God’s Word with power. If we help you to achieve that goal, then we have fulfilled the purpose for this series.

      The Editors

      General Editor’s Preface

      IN SOME WAYS John’s Gospel functions as both a gospel and a letter. As a gospel it tells the story of Jesus, of his role as revealer of God the Father and provider of redemption to all humanity. As a letter it encouraged first-century Christians in the life they had chosen (and it encourages us today), showing how life in Christ differed from Judaism and Gnosticism. It corrected some followers of John the Baptist who didn’t quite get who the Baptizer was in relation to Jesus. As Gary Burge shows in this fine commentary, the Gospel of John narrates the life of Jesus and teaches what that life meant to those who knew him or had heard about him.

      This dual purpose lends itself particularly well to one of the principle emphases of the book of John—Christology. Christology is the doctrine that studies the person and work of Christ. Needless to say, Christology was not a doctrine in John’s day. Jesus had come among them. He had done signs that revealed God’s plan of redemption to them in public settings around Galilee and Jerusalem. He taught those who chose to follow him, and they were with him when he encountered resistance and was crucified. He was raised from the dead. Yet in spite of the miraculous signs, pointed teachings, and resurrection (the raw data out of which Christology was shaped), it took hundreds of years for the church to come to some agreement about Jesus’ incarnation—his humanity and divinity. The Gospel of John is in many ways the first reflection on his incarnated nature.

      Little wonder, then, that the Gospel of John has been used to support the misplaced emphases that such a difficult teaching can fall prey to—and that it is still used to support mistaken impressions of who Jesus was. The present book is valuable today because in talking about who Jesus was, it resonates so clearly with spiritual needs common to our twenty-first century world.

      For example, one of those needs is to be assured that Jesus was indeed the Son of God. Our faith rests on it. Although some suggest that we could better identify with a purely human Jesus, such a teaching would result in a much different religion—call it Jesusianity—that would do little to meet our needs for God. True, Christ’s divinity can be overemphasized if it ignores his humanity. Some early Christians did precisely that, saying that Christ was only divine and that his fleshly body was an illusion. That position (often called adoptionism), however, overlooks a second, balancing teaching in John regarding Christ’s humanity. We need a human Jesus with whom to identify. But such a Jesus can only help us if he also has the power of God as part of his make-up. Jesus Christ needs to be both human and divine.

      Jesus’ power to help us comes through another teaching of the book, the power of the Holy Spirit. The author makes clear that Jesus was filled with Holy Spirit power and that when he left the earth, the power of that Holy Spirit remained with us, accessible to us all to enable us to reach out to God.

      An adequate Christology needs all of these elements today: a human Christ to redeem us, a divine Christ to reveal God’s nature, and a powerful, Spirit-filled Christ to help us lead holy lives. The Gospel/letter of John provides all three—and it does so in a mysterious, literate way that beguiles and reveals as it pulls us deeper and deeper into the mystery of who God is.

      Arguably the best-known passage in this book is the prologue, the first eighteen verses of John 1, where the author invites us to join in a poetic witness of intellectual praise to who Jesus was. The prologue tells us that Jesus was God, the logos or Word [that] was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. But the Word was more than God: The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.

      That’s a summation of Christology. It tells us who Jesus was. It is the distinctive teaching of our faith, and the world has never needed it more than now. The Gospel of John tells us the story.

      Terry C. Muck

      Author’s Preface

      THE GOSPEL OF JOHN has always been the beloved Gospel of the church. Every pastor knows that a series of sermons from John—or an adult education course on John—will be greeted with enthusiasm. I have asked audiences to tell me their favorite verses from the Gospels, and they will always recite a dozen or more from John’s Gospel. For God so loved the world. . . . I am the resurrection and the life. . . . In my Father’s house are many rooms. . . . John is the beloved Gospel because John probes the depth of Christ’s character with a simplicity and majesty that cannot be forgotten. This is why, perhaps, this Gospel gained a reputation (thanks to Clement of Alexandria) for being the spiritual Gospel. And why medieval scribes symbolized the Gospel with an eagle. Profundity is matched with clarity in a manner not found elsewhere in the New Testament. When the earliest theological councils in the fourth and fifth centuries worked to define Christian beliefs about the Trinity and the Incarnation, it was John’s Gospel that gave critical guidance.

      My initial interest in the writings of John came almost twenty years ago when I began a doctoral program in Scotland under the mentorship of Prof. I. Howard Marshall. I now realize that my present instincts for the wedding of history and theology in this Gospel were shaped under Dr. Marshall’s wise leadership. I will always be in his debt. That early study on John’s view of the Spirit (published in 1987) launched a fascination with the Gospel that has not ended. A variety of articles, a seminary primer on John (1992, 1998²), and a commentary on John’s three letters in the present NIV Application Commentary series (1996) have each permitted me to pursue these interests further. The present commentary is written for the pastor/teacher laboring in the church. I have always kept in mind the man or woman who works week after week feeding the flock of Christ from pulpit and lectern. If this book brings some gift of insight or inspiration, I will be deeply gratified.

      While every commentary should provide solid exegesis to get at John’s original meaning, this series posed a new challenge. Each chapter explains how John’s ancient text can be bridged to the present modern context. Then specific examples are given that show how these passages can be applied in preaching and teaching. Most commentaries give cursory attention to modern application, but in this series writers have been challenged not only to show examples of application but to explain the interpretive (or hermeneutical) method at work. This task was the most difficult—and the most exhilarating aspect of writing. Like never before, I became aware of the power and relevance of this Gospel for our present age.

      It remains to thank many who have rendered remarkable support over the course of two years of writing. Marianne Meye Thompson and Terry Muck read the manuscript with great care, providing countless corrections and advice. They improved the commentary immeasurably. At Zondervan Publishing Jack Kuhatschek wins the award for the most patient editor. And Verlyn Verbrugge’s expert editorial skill has helped the manuscript on every page. Finally, special thanks are due to Ashley Burge, who compiled the Scripture index with care and accuracy—a difficult task indeed.

      Much of my research was completed during a sabbatical in 1998, when I worked at Tyndale Library in Cambridge, England. To be surrounded by one of Europe’s best theological libraries with its tremendously helpful staff has to be every writer’s dream. Special thanks belong to Tyndale’s administrative staff: Bruce Winter (Warden), Fiona Craig, Denise Jillions, and Bruce Longenecker; to Lyn Winter, for her cheerful hospitality and advice about British cooking and ironmongers; and in the library to David Instone Brewer and Kirsty Corrigall, who were never too busy to help track down obscure articles or rabbinic texts. Above all, I owe my greatest debt to my wife, Carol, whose unending support has always sustained and encouraged me.

      Most of my students know that J. B. Lightfoot will always remain one of my personal heroes. Born in 1828, Lightfoot’s gifts of intellect were quickly recognized at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he was tutored in classics by B. F. Westcott. From 1859 till 1879 he taught at Cambridge, defending the historicity of the New Testament against new historical criticism coming from Tübingen, Germany.¹ In 1879 Lightfoot became Bishop of Durham, which meant leaving the academy and ministering in the church. From 1879 till his death in 1889 he lived at Auckland Castle and over the years discipled eighty-six young men who lived at the castle with him and became sons of Auckland—or perhaps more accurately, sons of the Bishop.²

      John’s Gospel was deeply important to Lightfoot. He recognized its theological value for the theology of the church and defended its historicity when many other voices gave John limited serious attention. But above all, John’s Gospel fed this great scholar’s soul. Lightfoot summed up its value in a lecture given in 1871, and his words are a fitting reminder of the treasure this Gospel offers to any who study it:

      I believe from my heart that the truth which [St. John’s] Gospel more especially enshrines—the truth that Jesus Christ is the very Word incarnate, the manifestation of the Father to mankind—is the one lesson which duly apprehended will do more than all our feeble efforts to purify and elevate human life here by imparting to it hope and light and strength; the one study which alone can fitly prepare us for a joyful immortality hereafter.³

      Gary M. Burge

      Epiphany, 2000

      Wheaton, Illinois

      Abbreviations

      AB Anchor Bible

      ABD Anchor Bible Dictionary

      ABR Australian Biblical Review

      ASV American Standard Version

      b. Babylonian Talmud

      BA Biblical Archaeologist

      BAGD Bauer, Arndt, Gingrich, Danker, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament

      BAR Biblical Archaeology Review

      BBC Broadman Bible Commentaries

      BBR Bulletin for Biblical Research

      BDF Blass, Debrunner, Funk, A Greek Grammar of the New Testament

      Bib Biblica

      BSac Bibliotheca sacra

      BSC The Bible Speaks Today

      BTB Biblical Theology Bulletin

      BZ Biblische Zeitschrift

      CBQ Catholic Biblical Quarterly

      EBC Expositor’s Bible Commentary

      EGNT Expositor’s Greek New Testament

      ETL Ephemerides theologicae lovanienses

      EvQ Evangelical Quarterly

      ExpTim Expository Times

      IBS Irish Biblical Studies

      ICC International Critical Commentary

      IEJ Israel Exploration Journal

      Int Interpretation

      IRM International Review of Missions

      ISBE International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

      IVPNTC InterVarsity Press New Testament Commentary

      JBL Journal of Biblical Literature

      JETS Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society

      JQR Jewish Quarterly Review

      JSNT Journal for the Study of the New Testament

      JSNTSup Journal for the Study of the New Testament Supplement Series

      JTS Journal of Theological Studies

      KJV King James Version

      LXX The Septuagint (Greek translation of the Old Testament)

      m. Mishnah

      NAC New American Commentary

      NCS New Century Series

      NEB New English Bible

      NIBC New International Biblical Commentary

      NICNT New International Commentary on the New Testament

      NIV New International Version

      NIVAC NIV Application Commentary

      NLT New Living Translation

      NovT Novum Testamentum

      NRSV New Revised Standard Version

      NTS New Testament Studies

      RB Revue biblique

      REB Revised English Bible

      RSV Revised Standard Version

      SBLDS Society of Biblical Literature Dissertation Series

      SJT Scottish Journal of Theology

      SVTQ St. Vladimir’s Theological Quarterly

      TDNT Theological Dictionary of the New Testament

      TLZ Theologische Literaturzeitung

      TNTC Tyndale New Testament Commentaries

      TR Theological Review

      TS Theological Studies

      TT Theology Today

      UBS United Bible Societies

      VE Vox Evangelica

      WBC Word Biblical Commentary

      ZNW Zeitschrift für die neutestamentliche Wissenschaft

      Introduction

      IMAGINE A SCENE in the renowned city of ancient Ephesus. Ships heavy with cargo ply the Aegean Sea bringing commercial goods from as far away as Rome. Marble quays protrude into the water waiting to receive the ships’ cargo and passengers while wagons filled with products from eastern provinces such as Galatia, Cappadocia, and Bithynia stand idle, waiting for their trip west. Ephesus thrives on its celebrated status. Visitors can see any number of famous temples dedicated to the Greek gods. Some consider the Temple of Artemis one of the wonders of the ancient world. Ephesus’ great theater, built into the shoulder of Mount Pion, seats twenty-five thousand guests. From the harbor travelers walk into the city along a column-lined road over thirty feet wide, which reminds them of the grandeur of the city they are about to enter.¹

      And yet on this day, few visitors see the small circle of Greeks gathered at a graveside beyond the columned thoroughfare. They are no different than the usual citizens of the city, with the exception that a few seem to have the characteristic dress and head coverings of Jews. They are poor; one can see this at once. But together they are burying a person of such significance, of such importance, that his marble tomb suggests a costliness far beyond the reach of any one person in the circle. These are Christians. And they have come to bury their beloved pastor and leader, John.²

      Christianity had begun in this cosmopolitan city through the efforts of the apostle Paul in about A.D. 52 (see Acts 18). It was anchored within the large, influential Jewish community there,³ and its earliest leadership consisted of Priscilla and Aquila (whom Paul left behind on his earliest trip, 18:19), Paul himself (who spent more than two years there later in his ministry, 19:10; 20:3), and Timothy (1 Tim. 1:3). However, the community also enjoyed a large group of Greeks with no Jewish heritage, who became influential as well. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians and his two letters to Timothy give a glimpse of what life must have been like. These were average citizens of the city, people like any today, with names such as Epaenetus, Mary, Andronicus, Junia, Ampliatus, Urbanus, Stachys, Apelles, Aristobulus, Herodion, Narcissus, Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, Philologus, Julia, Nereus, Rufus, and Olympas.⁴

      John too became a leader. Ephesus may have been his base of ministry if he had jurisdiction over the seven leading churches of Asia (Rev. 1–3). He no doubt traveled to places such as Pergamum, Sardis, and Thyatira. For these churches, John was the historian and theologian who brought to them the story of Jesus. He was a valued eyewitness to the life of Jesus (John 19:35), the source of their many stories from faraway Galilee and Judea. He could write with authority:

      That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. (1 John 1:1–3)

      John had been there. He had heard and seen and touched the Word of life himself. He was the one who told about Nicodemus and rebirth, who described Jesus’ miracle at Cana and many other episodes in his life. Other stories were circulating about Jesus, but John had his own recollection, his own insights into the thoughts of Jesus. Surely, they thought, John was Jesus’ beloved disciple. In the final years of John’s life, he knew that he would not be with his followers forever, so he began to organize his stories into writing, providing an early edition of his beloved Fourth Gospel.

      John also stood by the church in times of terrible persecution and conflict. When it seemed as if the fledgling community’s struggle with the prestigious synagogue community would overwhelm them, John stood fast, holding to a courageous witness to Jesus Christ. When struggles later came to the church, struggles of internal controversy and conflict, John again was the community’s strength. Writing letters to encourage and exhort (see 1–3 John), he became known as the heroic pastor-theologian of Asia Minor, a spiritual giant whose Gospel would be known as the spiritual Gospel. When later medieval scribes copied this Gospel into sacred collections of scriptures, this gift of the Beloved Disciple would be decorated with an eagle—a majestic eagle—to indicate the heights attained by the Gospel’s thought.

      The Fourth Gospel Today

      TODAY, THE FOURTH Gospel is the legacy of John’s ministry—and it is no less beloved today than it was in the earliest years among his disciples. Few books of the Bible have influenced the life and thought of Christendom as has the Gospel of John. Its profundity and literary energy have always been noted. Here Christians have discovered a portrait of Christ that has been deeply satisfying. We are intrigued to witness how John joins intimacy of expression with penetrating insight. Scholars have poured so much energy into unraveling the Gospel’s many enigmas that the flood of academic articles and books published regularly shows no sign of abating. The Gospel seems to evade our grasp and as a result has become an inexhaustible subject of interest.

      In the New Testament there is a considerable body of literature traditionally attributed to John: a Gospel, three letters, and the book of Revelation. In addition there are extrabiblical writings that make some claim on his name: The legendary Acts of John was written almost two hundred years later and provides a fictional biography of the apostle. The Syriac History of John shows the apostle to be a magic-working evangelist. Gnostic sources⁵ such as the Gospel of Philip show fragments of Johannine-style sayings while others provide accounts of his contact with Jesus, his mission, and his martyrdom.⁶ But while this apocryphal literature may be set aside with ease, the significance of the biblical Johannine material has aroused considerable academic debate.

      The Early Period

      IN THE EARLY church, the Fourth Gospel was given the highest place of honor. Since it was thought to originate with the apostle (the Beloved Disciple) who was one of the closest to Jesus, it was esteemed as the most valuable Gospel. John offered a depth of insight that was unparalleled in the Synoptics. But unfortunately even the heretics loved it. A second-century gnostic writer in Egypt penned the Gospel of Truth, which shows surprising Johannine parallels. Even the earliest commentaries on John were gnostic (see Heracleon, a disciple of Valentinus). Themes in the Gospel were so popular that one charismatic leader (Montanus) claimed he was the coming Paraclete or Comforter described in John 14–16! Because of this gnostic interest, many orthodox leaders were reluctant to promote the Gospel; in fact, they were openly opposed to it. But on the whole where it was accepted, John was deeply revered.⁷

      Early fathers such as Irenaeus (c. A.D. 175) also learned that John’s incarnational theology was an important resource against the sort of heresies being spawned in Christian-gnostic circles. Later in the fourth century, when the Arians were depicting Jesus as fully subordinate to the Father—a creature along with us—Athanasius and the leaders of Nicea looked to the Fourth Gospel’s incarnational theology and doctrine of Christ as an uncompromising affirmation of Jesus’ divinity.⁸

      Medieval Christendom gave the Gospel this same respect. From Augustine to Aquinas, John provided the portrait of a Jesus who directly revealed the Father. Mysticism and sacramentalism likewise found in John the language and symbolic images they enjoyed. Therefore commentaries from this period abound.

      Until the eighteenth century, the Fourth Gospel was held to be the most accurate and valuable Gospel of all. But with the rise of technical biblical criticism, John’s prominence went into eclipse. Critics noted its differences with the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke). Lengthy discourses had replaced parables and pithy sayings. John’s language and theology seemed to indicate that here the story of Jesus had been refashioned for the Greek world. The result was that the Fourth Gospel was no longer viewed as contributing reliably to the history of Jesus’ life. Its early apostolic origin was regarded with grave doubt.

      A New Look on John

      TODAY SCHOLARS HOLD a tremendous variety of opinions concerning John’s Gospel. Textual, grammatical, historical, and theological issues are constantly being weighed. There are few agreed results. This alone should caution us when yet another interpretative theory is ushered into view. But at least one trend can be charted in this mass of literature. Since the 1950s a fresh appreciation for John has almost become universal. J. A. T. Robinson of Cambridge University has even dubbed it a new look altogether. While John does diverge from the Synoptic Gospels, still, its independent narratives are to be valued. For instance, only John records Jesus’ dialogue with Nicodemus, but this single witness in no way implies that the story never happened.

      More important, John’s cultural orientation is now viewed as heavily dependent on the Palestinian Judaism of Jesus’ day. John’s thought world, in other words, does not have to be Greek. For example, important Jewish scrolls discovered near Israel’s Dead Sea (Qumran) have proven that Judaism in Jesus’ day was using language similar to that of the Fourth Gospel. Even archaeological finds have substantiated some of the specific narratives of the Gospel that formerly had weathered heavy criticism (such as the pool with five porticoes in John 5:2).

      This new look has reopened a number of old questions. If John’s frame of reference is Jewish, then the Gospel’s date may be early. And if it is early, it may have originated with the circle of apostles—even John son of Zebedee. Now the possibility of apostolic authority behind the Gospel is a legitimate defensible alternative. Johannine study has indeed come full circle.

      Above all, this new outlook on John demands that the exegete seriously use the Old Testament and all available Jewish materials. No longer will it do to interpret, say, the miracle at Cana (2:1–11) in terms of the Hellenistic god Dionysus, who also supposedly changed water into wine. On the contrary, John’s primary reference is to Jesus’ messianic announcement (using Old Testament and synoptic imagery). This will be the approach used in our commentary. The message of the Fourth Gospel is clothed with allusions and metaphors that spring from first-century Judaism. Granted, this Judaism was complex and well-acquainted with Greek influences, but still, the Gospel’s text is elucidated best when seen as firmly rooted in the Old Testament and Palestinian Judaism.

      Authorship

      THE FOURTH GOSPEL provides no explicit internal evidence concerning its author. John is nowhere identified as such. But this silence is not unusual and is a feature found in the Synoptics as well. The Fourth Gospel may, however, provide us with clues concealed in the enigmatic figure of the Beloved Disciple (NIV, the disciple whom Jesus loved). This title occurs in five passages (13:23; 19:26; 20:2; 21:7, 20). John 21:24 describes the Beloved Disciple (cf. 21:20) as the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. Therefore the origin of the Gospel must in some way be connected to this person. The Gospel of John may be a record of his eyewitness account of Jesus’ life.

      But who is this disciple? (1) Initially, some have suggested that he is an idealized literary figure: the ideal Christian disciple. To a degree this is true (he is faithful and intimate in his knowledge of Jesus). But this hardly excludes the possibility of a genuine historical person.

      (2) Lazarus has sometimes been nominated. Lazarus is the only figure of whom it is said that Jesus loved him (11:3, 36). Further, the Beloved Disciple texts occur only after Lazarus is introduced in chapter 11. But this solution is unlikely. Why would Lazarus’s name be mentioned in chapters 11–12 but then left shrouded in subsequent accounts?

      (3) A man named John Mark was a part of the early church (Acts 12:12), and he was associated with Peter. This may explain the rivalry between Peter and our disciple in John (cf. 20:2–8; 21:7–14). Furthermore, if Mark was related to the Levite Barnabas (Col. 4:10), this may also explain how the Beloved Disciple knows the high priest in 18:15. Nevertheless, there is a strong patristic tradition that Mark authored the Second Gospel; besides, the Beloved Disciple was certainly one of the twelve apostles (13:23), and John Mark was not.

      (4) The most recent suggestion points to Thomas as the Beloved Disciple. Throughout the Gospel Thomas is presented as a person of leadership (11:16). His story with Jesus even concludes the Gospel (assuming that chapter 20 originally ended the book) and parallels the resurrection story of the apostles. Above all, Thomas asks to see the wound in Jesus’ side, and the Beloved Disciple was the only one who would have known about this (19:35). Added to this is evidence for a school or community of Thomas with its own literature (Gospel of Thomas, Acts of Thomas, Infancy Gospel of Thomas, etc.) and its interest in the Fourth Gospel.⁹

      (5) The best solution is the traditional one: John son of Zebedee (Mark 3:17; Acts 1:13). This man was one of the Twelve and along with James and Peter formed an inner circle around Jesus. This is the origin of his eyewitness testimony and penetrating insight. In the Synoptics John appears with Peter more than with any other, and in Acts they are companions in Jerusalem (Acts 3–4) as well as in Samaria (8:14). This dovetails with the Peter/John connection in the Fourth Gospel. Raymond Brown has offered a novel theory to buttress this.¹⁰ He suggests evidence that John and Jesus may have been cousins (through their mothers). This would explain why Jesus entrusts Mary to John (19:25)—a natural family relation (she may have been John’s aunt)—and John was known by the high priest through Mary’s priestly relatives (18:15–16; cf. Luke 1:5, 36).

      Patristic evidence seems to confirm this conclusion. Irenaeus, writing at about A.D. 200, says that the Beloved Disciple was John, the disciple of Jesus, and that John originated the Gospel at Ephesus. Irenaeus even writes that when he himself was young, he knew another teacher, Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna (c. A.D. 69–155), who claimed to have been tutored by John. The church historian Eusebius (c. A.D. 300) records this John/Polycarp/Irenaeus connection in the same way. Further, Polycrates, Bishop of Ephesus (A.D. 189–198), refers to John’s association with the Gospel in his letter to Victor the Bishop of Rome. It is also confirmed by Clement of Alexandria (c. A.D. 200) and the Latin Muratorian Canon (A.D. 180–200).

      Criticisms of this conclusion are commonplace, and we would do well to consider the most important ones. (1) Earlier in the 1900s critics regularly pointed to John’s inaccuracies on geographical details. This, it was affirmed, could hardly come from an eyewitness writer. But subsequent historical and archaeological study have, if anything, shown John’s reliability.

      (2) Could a fisherman-turned-apostle have penned a work of such subtlety and insight? Could a Galilean such as this be acquainted with Greek thought? Of course. Recent study of Palestinian Judaism has shown a remarkable degree of Greek cultural penetration at all levels of society. While the New Testament does affirm that John the apostle was a commoner (Acts 4:13), we still are unwise to predict what John could or could not accomplish. Furthermore, this criticism fails to consider that the final edition of the Gospel may have been edited by John’s disciples, an amanuensis (professional scribe), or John’s community.

      (3) Finally, some lodge the complaint that this Gospel was not readily accepted in the early church. This is true. But we have to reckon with two facts. (a) Our evidence for John’s neglect is not as weighty as it seems. Important early writers may not quote John or allude to him, but to note what a patristic writer fails to say is an argument from silence. (b) John found wide acceptance in heretical, gnostic circles. This has been confirmed recently by the gnostic documents found at Nag Hammadi, where in The Gospel of Truth Johannine themes abound. The unorthodox on the fringes of the Greek church embraced John and provided the earliest widely known commentaries (Valentinus, Heracleon). Therefore the church was cautious in its use of the gospel because of its dangerous abuse elsewhere.

      Date and Origin

      ALL THAT WE have been saying about the new appreciation for the Jewishness of the Fourth Gospel and the fact that John son of Zebedee stands behind the Gospel’s authority infers some conclusion about its date. The sources of John must be early and have their roots in first-generation Christianity. But fixing a certain date for the publication of the Gospel is difficult because objective data is slim. The latest possible date is A.D. 125. Not only do patristic references, allusions in apocryphal gospels (Gospel of Peter), and Nag Hammadi point to this, but recently in Egypt two papyrus fragments of John (Rylands Papyrus 457 and Egerton Papyrus 2) have been dated to the first half of the second century. Allowing time for John to circulate, we may wish to say that John could not have been completed long after 110.

      The earliest possible date for the Gospel is more difficult. If John knows and employs the Synoptics (and this is disputed), then A.D. 70 or 80 is appropriate. In John 9:22, 12:42, and 16:2 we read about Jewish believers being excommunicated from the synagogues. In A.D. 85 the rabbis of Palestine instituted such expulsions for Christians (Rabbi Gamaliel II). Therefore we find a remarkable consensus of scholarly opinion that John was published somewhere between A.D. 80 and 100. Irenaeus says that the apostle lived to a great age—until the reign of Trajan (A.D. 98–117). And Jerome, writing much later (ca. 375), argued that John died in the 68th year after Jesus’ death: hence, about A.D. 98.

      Nevertheless, an earlier date may be within reach. Current research has challenged John’s dependence on the Synoptics (esp. Mark and Luke). If anything, John may know pre-Synoptic traditions. Above all, the way in which John describes the topography of Jerusalem, his knowledge of the geographical and political divisions in Judaism, and his use of metaphors all point to a date approximating that of the Synoptic writers. The great watershed date of A.D. 70 (when Jerusalem was destroyed by Rome) is critical: John presupposes a Judaism before this war. And with his critical disposition toward the temple (2:13ff.; 4:21ff.) and severe conflicts with Jewish leadership (cf. chs. 5, 8, 10), we are surprised to find no mention of this catastrophic event. To paraphrase C. H. Dodd, much in John is barely intelligible outside of the context of pre–70 Judaism.

      To sum up, the traditions about Jesus that John preserves most likely stem from the earliest apostolic period—perhaps A.D. 60–65. But the final edition of the Gospel may have been published later. John and/or his disciples may have edited the work, making additions and sharpening its message for later Christianity (see more on this below). Tradition tells us that the place of writing was Ephesus, and no decisive reasons have been raised against it. There may even be biblical support for it. The Fourth Gospel entertains a polemic aimed at followers of John the Baptist (see 1:19–28, 35–42; 3:22–36; 10:40–42). Elsewhere in the book of Acts we learn about Paul’s encountering followers of John the Baptist with deficient beliefs. Surprisingly, they too are located in Ephesus.

      John’s Theological Interests

      THE INTERPRETATION OF any Biblical book is strengthened when we understand the deeper motives and concerns that have led the author to write. John’s vigor and concentration reveal a remarkable intensity of purpose. It is as if a powerful truth had broken upon him and he was compelled to express it. To a greater extent than the Synoptics, each section of the Fourth Gospel contributes to a central theme: the appearance of the Son of God in human history. John explores two facets of this appearing: its revelation and its redemption.

      Revelation and Redemption

      THE LIGHT SHINES in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it (1:5). Dualistic language describes this remarkable invasion of the world by God. Offending every modern sensibility, John writes that in Christ we behold the glory of God—even though he appeared in flesh. But this offense is an ancient one, too. The darkness assails the light but cannot vanquish it. The world is in permanent enmity with the Son. But even though Jesus is persecuted, tried, and crucified, John still affirms that the light is not extinguished.

      But the gift of Christ is not simply his revelation of the Father (14:9). John’s second message concerns redemption. In him was life, and that life was the light of all people (1:4). There is hope for us in the world. The message of history’s invasion is also a message of sacrifice and redemption. Those who embrace this revelation, who identify with the light and have faith, will gain eternal life. The life of the Son is poured out in sacrifice, thereby creating the community of the redeemed (17:6ff., 20–26). They bear Christ’s Spirit, which sustains them because the hatred once extended toward the Son is now extended to them (15:12ff.).

      Thus John’s purpose in writing is to explain this revelation and redemption and to explicate its possibilities. In 20:31 the author makes clear this aim: But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. Here all of our major themes converge: belief, acknowledgment of Jesus’ sonship, and the promise of life.

      But even here the mystery of John confronts us. A textual variant (see comments on 20:30–31) in the word believe (pisteuēte [pres. subjunctive] vs. pisteusēte [aorist subjunctive]) places the meaning of the verse in doubt. One reading implies that John is evangelistic (the aorist: that you may come to believe); the other implies encouragement (the present: that you may continue believing). This latter reading has the best manuscript support and more helpfully explains the character of John. It is written for Christians who, already knowing the rudiments of Christ’s life and Christian truth, now wish to go further. Not only is there an uncompromising maturity of thought in this Gospel, but also its narratives imply that it was written to address certain practical circumstances in the church. Some would say that John is engaged in a polemic: asserting Christian truth amidst unsympathetic forces. Yet John’s purpose also includes the clarification of Christian doctrines at an early stage of church development.

      Jewish Concerns

      THE CONFLICT BETWEEN Jesus and the Pharisees that we meet in the Synoptics is given marked attention in John. A brief reading of 8:31–59 or 10:19–39 makes it clear. There is a sustained attack on the religious position of Judaism. For instance, the Jews virtually becomes a technical term in John (used seventy times) for those who reject Jesus. In 9:22, for example, the parents of the blind man (who are Jewish) fear the Jews. But this is not all. The messiahship of Jesus and his relationship to the festivals and institutions of Judaism are both emphasized.

      What does this mean? Each Gospel was written not only to record the history of Jesus, but also to address particular circumstances in the life of its first readers. This saying or story was recorded and not that one for a reason. Here the Christians of John’s church may have needed encouragement because of persecution and hostilities. John buttresses Christian claims against Jewish unbelief. The historic fact of Jewish unbelief in Jesus’ day is joined with Jewish opposition in John’s day.

      Christian Concerns

      AT THE TIME the Gospel was published, the early Christian church had grown and diversified considerably. Therefore it comes as no surprise to find that John has included historic materials relevant to Christian needs in his generation. It would be a mistake, however, to think that any of these needs became the controlling force in John’s literary design. On the contrary, they serve as subthemes that run through the Gospel and clarify John’s situation. Scholars have identified an incredible list of topics, but we will note in passing only five prominent motifs:

      The significance of John the Baptist. Did the Baptist have followers (perhaps even a sect) who failed or refused to follow Jesus? Luke 3:15 and Acts 19:1–7 imply this while later writings confirm it.¹¹ The Fourth Gospel takes pains to affirm that the Baptist was not the Messiah (1:20; 3:28), that he was not the light (1:8–9), and that Jesus is superior (1:30; 3:29–30; 10:41). We even witness disciples of John the Baptist becoming Jesus’ first converts (1:35–42). Matthew, Mark, and Luke have no parallel motif.

      The place of sacramentalism. John has a sacramental view of history inasmuch as the incarnation of Christ for him means the genuine appearance of God in history. Worship can affirm such genuine appearances when worship symbols (baptism, the Lord’s Supper) take on the real properties of that which they depict. Hence they are called sacraments. Scholars have identified a unique Johannine interest in the sacraments of Christian worship, but there is little agreement over John’s intention. Some note an absence of interest (e.g., the Lord’s Supper is omitted) while others see allusions everywhere (baptism: chs. 3, 5, 9: Eucharist: chs. 2, 6; both: 19:34). It seems best to conclude that John’s principal message about each (found in 3:1–21 and 6:52–65) is corrective: Without the Spirit these expressions of worship become powerless rituals void of their original purpose.

      Christology. The second-century church father, Irenaeus, wrote that the Gospel of John was penned to refute the gnostic heretic Cerinthus. While this is not likely, nevertheless, Irenaeus correctly observed that John’s presentation of Christ was carefully considered. Questions about Jesus’ nature, origin, and relation to the Father are examined in a fashion unparalleled by the Synoptics. For instance, John affirms the oneness of Jesus and the Father (10:30; 14:9–10), their distinction from each other (14:28; 17:1–5), and their unity of purpose (5:17–18; 8:42). It comes as no surprise that in the formation of Trinitarian doctrine, John played a notable role (cf. Tertullian, Against Praxeas). This was particularly true at the council of Nicea (325), when Arius denied the eternal nature of the Son. In later Arian debates, Athanasius was heavily dependent on the Fourth Gospel and found in the Johannine prologue’s title Logos a most serviceable tool depicting the person of Christ.¹²

      John asserts the divinity for Christ. If anyone were inclined toward adoptionism (i.e., that Jesus was a divinely inspired man), this Gospel gives an unrelenting argument to the contrary. On the other hand, the Greek world was comfortable with divinities and, if anything, hesitated to affirm Jesus’ full humanity (Docetism). John contends that Jesus is truly human, truly of flesh (1:14; cf. 20:27). The brilliance and abiding value of this Gospel is that it embraces both positions. Jesus was eternally divine and fully incarnate—fully God and fully man.

      But scholars have been quick to point out that this balanced Christology seems artificial. If one removes the prologue (1:1–18), the balance is tipped and, in the words of some, John becomes a naive docetist.¹³ But this seems unfairly harsh.¹⁴ One solution has been to view John having stages of development. That is, the prologue may have been added to the Gospel at a later stage, when the letters of John were published. The battle cry of 1 John is certainly against Docetism (1 John 4:1–3), and if the high Christology of the Fourth Gospel had been fueling heretical docetic beliefs, then the addition of the hymn would give the needed balance.

      Nevertheless, it is vital to say that the humanity of Christ is intrinsic to the whole of the gospel of John. John portrays Jesus in a two-fold light without reflection or speculation. He is equal to God; he is indeed God in the flesh; yet he is fully human.¹⁵ This affirmation alone has given John an inestimable value to the church and its creeds.

      The Holy Spirit. John provides us with a wealth of information concerning the Spirit and in many cases places unique emphases on theological features of the Spirit that are not found in the Synoptic Gospels. His treatment moves in two directions. (1) Christologically, John underscores how the Spirit is an integral feature of Jesus’ experience of God. During Jesus’ baptism, for instance, John narrates the story but adds that the Spirit remained on Jesus (1:32–33), underscoring the permanence of God’s indwelling in him. Jesus stands out from John the Baptist because God has given him the Spirit without measure (3:34). The Spirit is described metaphorically as a source of living water (4:10), which later we learn is a source flowing from within Jesus himself (7:37–39). In fact, the release of the Spirit is dependent on Jesus’ death (7:39), and he remarks in the Upper Room, It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you (16:7). As we will see in the commentary, this imagery that joins Spirit and Christ may be at work in the cross when Jesus is wounded and water (along with blood) flows from him (19:34).

      (2) John also talks about the promise of the Spirit for believers. He alone provides us with the Nicodemus dialogue, in which Jesus challenges the rabbi to be born again (3:1–10). This is a work not of intellectual or moral conversion, but of supernatural activity. The same is true for the Samaritan woman, a character who stands theologically and socially opposite Nicodemus. The living water she seeks (4:15) is later defined as the Spirit (7:37–38), and Jesus takes advantage of Samaria’s cultural rift with Judaism to talk about true worship that engages the Spirit (4:24). More hints of the Spirit abound in the Gospel (see 6:63); they culminate in Jesus’ lengthy farewell discourse (chs. 14–16), where the Spirit is described and promised for all believers. Unlike the Synoptics, John even records Jesus’ giving the Spirit to his disciples on Easter Sunday as a final gift that hallmarks his departure (20:22).

      All of this is to say that for John’s outlook, the Holy Spirit is no incidental feature of Jesus’ life and identity, nor is the Spirit an optional dimension to Christian discipleship. To be united with Jesus is to experience his Spirit, which is set free for the world at the cross.¹⁶

      Our future hope: eschatology. Many of the early Christians longed for the second coming of Christ and anticipated an imminent end to history. This explains the cherished sayings of Jesus about his second coming in the Synoptics (see Matt. 24; Mark 13; Luke 21). How did they cope when this hope was frustrated (cf. 2 Peter 3:1–12)? John does not record anything like Jesus’ Synoptic eschatological discourses. He still maintains the future hope (John 5:25ff.; 1 John 2:28) but introduces a fresh emphasis: The longed-for presence of Jesus is mediated to us now in the Spirit. In the Upper Room Jesus’ announcement of the Spirit takes on eschatological tones (see John 14:18–23). That is, in one vital way that we often overlook, Jesus has come back and is with us already in the Spirit. In technical terms, John emphasizes a realized eschatology in contrast to the apocalyptic hope of the Synoptics.

      How John’s Gospel Was Built

      EXEGESIS MUST BEGIN with a thorough knowledge of the text as we have it. It will not do to study a passage in isolation from its context. Nor will it do to neglect the wider theological framework of John and think that we can accurately discern the meaning of a particular narrative. This is an ancient text, a story that is almost two thousand years removed from us. It bears no copyright, no editorial history; we don’t even possess an original first edition. Scribes hand-copied this Gospel for centuries—some of whom were scrupulous and scholarly; others were, frankly, sloppy. Therefore, what is the shape or condition of this story as it now sits in our hands? What is the literary phenomenon of the Fourth Gospel?

      The literary phenomenon of the text of John is nothing less than a daunting mystery. In fact, there is a voluminous scholarly literature that has tried just to solve this Johannine mystery.¹⁷ This is perhaps why Raymond Brown once remarked that Johannine scholars often enjoy detective stories in their leisure time.

      We have a couple of assignments as we open up this task. First, can we learn something about how this Gospel was built? Does it betray any sources? What if the Fourth Gospel is really made up of a variety of editorial layers; perhaps collections of stories about Jesus and his miracles were combined with lengthy accounts of his teachings. If this is true and based on good evidence, then we will learn a great deal more about our text. Second, we need to stand back and look at the Gospel as a whole. In its present canonical form,¹⁸ can we discern a logic and symmetry that is useful? Does the Fourth Gospel possess an organizational structure that explains its unity and theological message?

      Literary Layers in John

      THE PUZZLE OF John’s literary history was the first critical issue recognized in the Gospel. As early as the second century, Tatian’s Diatessaron rearranged major portions of John to fit the synoptics. But the process of textual dislocation must have been widespread. The Sinaitic Syriac version found in 1892 at St. Catherine’s monastery in the Sinai desert of Egypt rearranged John 18 (the order of the Caiaphas/Annas interrogation) in order to improve the narrative.

      What we seem to have are internal clues—perhaps we might label them literary seams—that betray a history of composition in this Gospel. Unfortunately the solution to this problem is unlike that in the Synoptics, where

      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1