These traditions are very much alive in the Church today, even though scholars wrestle with questions about who wrote the Gospel and who the Beloved Disciple is. As far back as the third century, Origen of Alexandria was convinced of this tradition. John, however, did not depend on these other Evangelists for his point of view and for the content he handed down to us. Rather, his has been named a maverick Gospel. In John, we find only one section that may be similar to the parables in the New Testament—namely in chapter , where two pictorial discourses are blended into the theme of the Gate of the Sheepfold and the Good Shepherd.
John calls these discourses paroimia and uses that Greek term for various figures of speech that formulate the words of Jesus and speak of his person throughout the 21 chapters of this Gospel. In fact, John is the only Evangelist who does not use the word parable parabole ; rather, he prefers paroimia and uses it four out of the five times it is mentioned in the New Testament. I think this word paroimia will help us better understand the words and images that Jesus uses in a lofty manner of speaking in this more theological Gospel.
The corresponding word for paroimia in the Old Testament Hebrew Scriptures is mashal, which is an overarching classification of the following figures of speech: proverbs, pictorial discourses, hidden sayings, aphorisms, ethical teachings, practical wisdom, parables, and allegories.
Reading through the Gospel while remembering these different figures of speech will help readers see the difference between John and the Synoptics in expressing the teachings and words of Jesus. Moreover, the sayings of Jesus that are common to both Matthew and Luke are not found in John. The first part, or Book One, consists of the Signs of Jesus that are meant to lead to faith in his person; hence, it is called the Book of Signs chapters 1 through The second part, or Book Two, is given the name the Book of Glory.
It easily could be called the Book of Love agape because of its frequent use of this word for all the embracing, transcendent, total self-giving love on the part of Jesus for his disciples and they for him—as we see especially in chapter John does not use the word miracle for these signs because the disciples of Jesus are to look beyond the sign to its purpose, which is to lead them to believe in the reality of Jesus present in their midst and to experience Jesus as a totally human person as well as the Divine Word of God.
In addressing those who gather to hear him, Jesus uses a unique expression that includes many symbols that tell people who he really is. Chapter 8 is especially important for the Ego eimi statements revealing who Jesus is.
The Ego eimi statements are the important words that identify Jesus with universal symbols like life, light, truth, bread of life, way, gate, shepherd, etc. They help us identify who Jesus is in the life of his disciples. The sayings are part of the purpose of this Gospel, which is to lead us to experience the person of Jesus in our own lives.
John does have two pictorial discourses that are similar to parables, but he does not choose to call them parables. Rather, he uses the multivalent word paroimia , which helps the Evangelist to illustrate who Jesus is and how he speaks. All of the figures of speech are meant to focus exclusively on the person of Jesus—both in his humanness and in his divinity.
We are to believe in Jesus who is the Word of God become flesh human among us. John has only one objective: to bring us into the very presence of Jesus through a decisive act of faith in his person.
Jesus is equal to God in this Gospel, and those who do not agree with his saying this condemn him with blasphemy. The first phrase is actually the word hour which, in this Gospel, means the mystery of his passion, death, and Resurrection. The second phrase is used for the crucifixion of Jesus: being lifted up. I say only what the Father has taught me.
The spiral thinking of John and the symbolic words of Jesus always lead us to believe in the very person of Jesus. No matter what the image or discourse may be, we are always led to focus directly on Jesus through our decisive act of trust and faith in him.
All actions and words, signs and discourses, and aphorisms and metaphors are part of the literary make-up of the Fourth Gospel. These different forms, however, are all directed to the perspective and point of view of leading readers to trust and believe in Jesus. He is the Apostle sent from God to bring us the saving revelatory words found in the Gospel of John. Father Bertrand Buby was ordained in Expanded Study Guide and Additional Reading.
John presents only one section that may be a parable, but he does not describe it as such. Actions and words, signs and discourses, and aphorisms and metaphors are part of the literary make-up of the Fourth Gospel.
The first sign, turning water into wine at Cana of Galilee John —12 , illustrates their purpose. The miracle, occurring as it does at a wedding celebration, carries symbolic significance. Rev The seventh and climactic sign is the raising of Lazarus from the dead ch. This sign has two important functions in the Gospel. First, it is the precipitating event that provokes the religious leaders to act against Jesus.
Second, the miracle serves as a preview and foreshadowing of the greatest sign of all—the resurrection of Jesus. Its purpose is to tie up loose ends. Since James died at an early date Acts , John remains the most likely candidate.
Church tradition tells us John went to Ephesus where he ministered for a number of years and it was there he wrote his Gospel and the letters that bear his name 1—3 John. As the last of the surviving apostle, he viewed his role as standing firm for the truth against those who would deny it see 1 John —3, — Mark L.
How to Read the Bible. Word Studies. Old Testament Overviews. New Testament Overviews. Book Collections. Visual Commentaries. All Podcasts. Bible Reader. Croatian Hrvatski. Dutch Nederlands. Finnish Suomi. German Deutsch. Hungarian Magyar. Indonesian Bahasa Indonesia. Italian Italiano. Norwegian Norsk. Polish Polski. Swahili Kiswahili. Swedish Svenska. Back to Blog. Strauss 4 years ago. Table of Contents. No one comes to the Father except through me. John John — Jesus, who is fully human and fully divine, makes known the invisible God.
The Epilogue ch. Keep Exploring. Video Category. Mark: The Gospel of the Servant-Messiah.
0コメント