Give a complete picture of Jesus Christ depicted in the Gospel according to John.

 (6): Give a complete picture of Jesus Christ depicted in the Gospel according to John. Describe the linguistic style, structure and theology of John's Gospel. Why and how is John's Gospel a ‘Gospel of Signs’? How can the author of John's epistles and Apocalypse be identified from the texts? As per the main messages, how would you connect John's Gospel to the John's epistles? If hope and salvation are two major themes of the Book of Revelation, how would you reconcile the issue of the immediate hope for 'salvation' for the suffering faithful to the hope of salvation at the 'end time'? Explain why the Book of Revelation is heavily weighed and rich with symbols, images and visions? 

 

Picture of Jesus Christ depicted in the Gospel according to John:  John in his Gospel used the phrase “I AM” which is the center of John Christology. His intention is to draw attention to Jesus’ divinity. John depicted Jesus Christ in different pictures such as-

1.      Jesus as the bread of life (living bread): Jesus is depicted as the living bread. Jesus says, “I am the bread of life” (6:35, 51).

2.      Jesus as the light of the world: He is light of the world. He says, “I am the light of the world” (8:12; 9:5).

3.      Jesus as the sheep gate: He is the only sheep gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture (10:7, 9).

4.      Jesus as the good shepherd: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the shepherd” (10:11).

5.      Jesus the resurrection and the life: “I am the resurrection and the life” (11:25).

6.      Jesus as the way, the truth and the life: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (14:6).

7.      Jesus as the true vine: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. I am the vine, you are the branches” (15:1, 5).

8.      Jesus as the testimony: I am the one who gives testimony on my behalf (8:18).

9.      Jesus as the one from above (heaven): I am of what is above (8:23).

 

The linguistic style, structure and theology of John's Gospel:

1. Linguistic style: a) Poetic format: Jesus speaks very solemnly (4:35). B) Misunderstanding: Jesus often speaks of himself in figurative language (15:1, 5) e.g Nicodemus. C) Double meaning: there are always several layers of meaning (3:3, 8, 13, 17; 7:8; 15:21; 19:30). D) Irony: Incongruity (a great difference) between what is said and what is meant (3:2; 4:12; 11:48; 19:3; 14:22). E) Inclusions: In often mentions a detail. At the end of a section which matches a similar detail at the beginning of s section (2:11with 4:54; 11:4 with 11:40). F) Transitions: In 4:50, Jesus’ power to give life prepares for 5:1-10:42, where Jesus’ authority over life will be challenged. G) Parentheses or footnotes: is used to explain meanings especially of Semitic terms and names (1:41; 42), to offer background (3:23-24; 4:8; 6:71), to supply theological perspective 2:21-22; 7:39), to protect Jesus’ divinity (6:6, 64). H) Chiasm: the first verse of I corresponds to last verse of II, the second verse of I corresponds to the next to the last verse of II (6:36-40;18:28-19:16).

2. Structure: a) Prologue (1:1-18): It says about on the “word of God”. B) Book of Signs (1:19-12:50): Jesus’ public ministry in which he reveals himself to the world at large. C) Book of glory (13:1-20:31): The passion-resurrection story in which Jesus reveals himself in a new way to his followers. D) Epilogue (21:1-25):

3. Theology: a) Christology: The use of “I Am” is the center of John’s Christology (13:19). B) Dualism: two meanings e.g. light/darkness, above/below, truth/false, life/death, heaven/earth, true Israel/Jews, God/Satan, spirit/flesh, belief/unbelief. C) Signs (miracles): for deeper faith (20:29). D) Eschatology: associated with the future (5:28-29; 6:39-40). E) Spirit: the special term is paraclete meaning advocate, intercessor. F) Church: John is not interested in organizational institutional church. G) Sacraments: no emphasis on sacraments, but there some glimpses of sacramental language in 3:5 and 6:51-58.

 

Why and how is John's Gospel a ‘Gospel of Signs’: The Gospel of Signs starts with the overturning of tables in the temple (2:13-22), Jesus provokes the crisis that forces people to take sides in a battle they may have been unaware was raging in their midst between “the light” and “the darkness”. The book of signs contains 7 (the number 7 gives a sense of completeness) miracles stories (signs or symbols). These miracles are generally on a grander and more elaborate scale than those in the synoptic. In John, they are meant to lead to faith (2:11). In 3:19 the people loved darkness rather than light because their works were evil. People love human glory more than the glory that comes from God (12;43). This is crux of the matter. To follow Jesus is to choose God’s glory over the glory people offer to each other.

 

How can the author of John's epistles and Apocalypse be identified from the texts?: The author of John’s epistles and Apocalypse can be identified from the texts that the author is one person. The texts are in revelation “John, to the seven churches that are in Asia” (1:4), “I, John, your brother who shares with you in Jesus...” (1:5). “After this I looked...(4:1), then I saw...(5:1; 6:1; 7:1; 8:2; 9:1; 10:1, 13:1; 14:1; 15:1; 16:1).   In the 1John the texts are “I am writing...” (2:1, 7, 12); “I love in the truth” (2 Jn 1, 12) and “I love in truth” (3 Jn 1, 9, 13). All these texts indicate that the author of John’s epistles and Apocalypse is John.

As per the main messages, how would you connect John's Gospel to the John's epistles?: There is similarities between John’s Gospel and Epistles.

1. Both emphasis on the testimony to the word (message) of life which was seen, heard and felt-the human career of Jesus.

2. Features which the Gospel attributes to Jesus are assigned in First John to God e.g. in 1:5 God is light (Jn 8:12); in 4:21 and 2 John 4 God gives the commandment to love one another (Jn 13:34)

3. Both emphasis on the Spirit (1 Jn 2;1; Jn 4:1, 6).

4. Both emphases on the final eschatology (1 Jn 2:28-3:3; Jn 5:28-29).

5.  Vocabularies are closer both of them.

 

If hope and salvation are two major themes of the Book of Revelation, how would you reconcile the issue of the immediate hope for 'salvation' for the suffering faithful to the hope of salvation at the 'end time'?:

Explain why the Book of Revelation is heavily weighed and rich with symbols, images and visions?: The apocalyptic style was prevalent in Judaism during the New Testament period and also in apocalyptic writing in ancient time. It was generated by persecution from without and the threat of apostasy from within, this “literature of the oppressed” quickly gained certain standard features: revelations about the future are experienced in dreams or visions and the insights are communicated through a complex symbolism involving numbers, animals and cosmic phenomena. The element of prediction is actually fiction. The seer interprets events of his own age, using a figure of the past or an angelic being as spokesperson.  

 

 

 

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