Johnnine Tradition

Question 1

1. Beloved Disciple

Answer 1

The Gospel of John identifies an anonymous disciple, the beloved disciple, as the one whom Jesus loved. He is identified as the authoritative witness behind the writing. Some believe this beloved disciple was John, son of Zebedee, but we do not know for sure. The beloved disciple is important because he roots this version of Jesus’ story in an eyewitness account. The readers of the 4th Gospel regarded him as their “founder” and his death was sufficiently unexpected that it created the need for interpretation. (book, 465) The beloved disciple is always not named, but is always described with male pronouns. (class – John power point)

Question 2

2. Metaphors

Answer 2

The Gospel of John is stylistically simple yet symbolically dense…Almost everything in the 4th gospel has symbolic value including names and numbers and oftentimes individuals represent other people. (book, 472-473) The Language of the Johnnine tradition is evangelistic using metaphor to share the gospel. We see this in the various themes of John: Light vs. Dark; Living Water; Eternal life; Jewish traditions; Idea of staying or remaining; “The hour”; Jesus’ signs; Jesus’ glory. Jesus says he is the light of the world. I am the way to life. And in the gospel of John, author uses the metaphor that Jesus “is the way, the truth, and the life. People are used as metaphors throughout the book of John and so moments when the “Jews” are mentioned, it is not speaking to the people group, but rather speaking of all people who understand Jesus a certain way. (Class-John Powerpoint)

Question 3

3. Orthodoxy, Heterodoxy, and heresy

Answer 3

Orthodoxy: of, relating to, or conforming to the approved form of any doctrine, philosophy, ideology, etc.; of, relating to, or conforming to beliefs, attitudes, or modes of conduct that are generally approved; sound or correct in opinion or doctrine, especially theological or religious doctrine.

Heterodoxy: not in accordance with established or accepted doctrines or opinions, especially in theology; unorthodox. Holding unorthodox doctrines or opinions.

Heresy: belief or opinion contrary to orthodox religious (especially Christian) doctrine. Opinion profoundly at odds with what is generally accepted.

1st and 2nd John speak to the audience about conflict within the Christian community itself and the dissension between believers on their beliefs and teachings about Jesus. The terms orthodoxy, heterodoxy, and heresy are appropriate ones in these letters as the content of belief, rather than simply the assent of faith, becomes here a criterion for membership in this community. (book, 496)

Question 4

4. The Prologue

Answer 4

The prologue is John 1:1-18 in the Gospel of John and announces major themes of the story. (book, 473) Here the writer of John is writing as an evangelist proclaiming Jesus. John tells us that the Word of God comes from somewhere. (In book of Revelation this is called, “heaven.”) The Word was sent from God for the redemption of the world, the redemption of creation that we may know the love of God. Though the Word was sent, it was rejected by his own people. This is not speaking to the Jewish people group, this is referring to all people, the world. There is a binary between light and dark. (Class – John power point) (Text on Slide) The Word / Jesus is
•	with God from the beginning
•	of/from God
•	the light of the world vs. darkness
•	possesses God’s glory
•	sent from God
•	rejected by his own people

Question 5

5. Book of signs

Answer 5

Book of Signs is John 1:19-12:50 with John 20:30-31 believed to be the original ending. This book dramatizes the proposition of the prologue: “the light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.” (book, 473) John’s sources are more difficult to discern than synoptic gospels. Scholar, Rudolf Bultmann said John has 3 possible sources: Signs source, Discourse source, & Passion story. (Class –John power point)

Question 6

6. Book of glory

Answer 6

This book is John 13:1-20:31 and shows how “thoses who believe in him [jesus] become the children of God.” It has two subdivisions: 1) the revelation of Jesus’ glory to his disciples through his teaching (13:1-17:26) and 2) the manifestation of Jesus’ glory through his death and resurrection (18:1-20:31). (Book, 473) The Passion Story Source- Called often the book of glory. Jesus seems to have more control over the events here of the events that take place than in the Synoptic gospels. (Class –John power point)

Question 7

7. The lamb:

Answer 7

This is a title used for identifying Jesus in the Gospel of John. This is the first title used or given to Jesus by John the Baptist. Its imagery is repeated at the time of his death. (book, 476).

Question 8

8. Judaism and Christianity

Answer 8

The Gospel of John was written in a Jewish environment with a Hellenistic flare (we see this in the gospel’s Parallels to HB Aramaic phrases; Similarities to Rabbinic Midrash; Prologue similar to Wisdom myth; Influence of LXX; & I AM sayings) The people to whom this gospel was written were Jewish Christians who had been expelled from the Jewish synagogue. This became an apocalyptic gospel as it helped these Jewish Christians who “lived between.” The Jewish tradition of these people comes through in the gospel of John shows the reality of these people trying to survive in the midst of persecution as they are working to presently translate and understand their present persecution in light of their tradition and so they turn to native language and symbols. The Jews” – refers to religious leaders, not all Jewish people at the time and is not meant to be “anti-Jewish” language.

Question 9

9. Resurrected Lamb:

Answer 9

Revelations uses similar metaphor and imagery to the Fourth Gospel of John showing their connection. One of these shared symbols is that of Jesus being represented as the Lamb. However in Revelation, this title for Jesus becomes the central image for the crucified and raised messiah. He is the lamb who was slain but now lives. This image is used in Revelation over 24 times.

Question 10

10. Patient endurance:

Answer 10

“Despite the rich symbolism in the book of Revelation, the message of the letters is straightforward: patiently endure and hold fast to the convictions and practice of the Christian life, being faithful to God in the face of the present trials. Despite their tribulation and poverty, the communities are to continue their witness. Moreover, they are to resist the temptation to idolatry and immorality.” (Book 519)
There are 2 kinds of churches in Book of Revelation (Power point, Revelation):
Church Militant – Represents the church in this world, that is going through trials and tribulations.
Church Triumphant – The church of those who have overcome. The church of those who have exercised patient endurance of suffering and remained faithful.
There is one question in the Book of Revelation: How long oh God…? We will not understand the justice of God, but what we know from the Book of Revelation is that God is not blind to what is happening in the world. “How long” is a question of faith. God says to be patient. It is the type of patience where one says no matter what, I will be faithful to God.

Question 11

11. Eschatological King and Judge

Answer 11

The distinctive thematic element in Johns passion concerns the kingship of Jesus. Jesus is brought before Pilate who ironically declares him as the king of the Jews. But the Jews deny him saying they have no king but Caesar. The irony is that Jesus actually is the King of the Jews and the world. In this ironic narrative we are told that the people have in fact chosen to be ruled by human powers, rejecting the kingship of God. (book, 488) Also, we see Jesus as God’s son in the world implies that Jesus does what the father does in the world. As the father is the judge of the world, so Jesus is the judge of the world.

Question 12

12. Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman

Answer 12

Irony being a key literary device used in this gospel of John, we see that many of the dialogues between Jesus and others are ironic. A statement/deed done by Jesus can be perfectly understandable to the reader, while the character has no idea. The more Jesus explains, the more the character does not get it. We see this in the stories of Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman. While Jesus tells Nicodemus that a person cannot enter the kingdom of God unless he be born “from above”, Nicodemus interprets this in its crudest sense, meaning “born again” of flesh and thus misses the point showing he is from below. The Samaritan woman misunderstands when Jesus says she should ask him for living water again taking it in its crudest sense. These dialogues invite the reader into the process by which the community defines itself against a hostile environment. (book, 472)

Question 13

13. Intercalation:

Answer 13

In the prologue of the Fourth Gospel, John the author uses the literary device of intercalation to bring John the Baptist’s and Jesus’ stories together as John the Baptist was probably an independent and important prophet with a great follow, one that for a time rivaled Jesus’ own. The gospel had to acknowledge he was a man from God, but not greater than Jesus. This intercalation of John’s story with Jesus’ in the prologue makes this clear in stating that John the Baptist was a witness to the light, but was not the light. (book, 475)

Question 14

14. Antichrist

Answer 14

In the letters, 1, 2, 3 John we see they are written to those within the church to those who are divided and struggling against wrong teaching about Jesus. In 2 John, the elder who appears to have written the letter and speaking believes that those who have “gone out into the world” or left the church, partake of the world’s behaviors and values. Thus they collectively become the deceivers and antichrist’s opposing the church.

Question 15

15. Premillennial

Answer 15

Premillennialism teaches that the Second coming will occur before a literal thousand-year reign of Christ from Jerusalem upon the earth. In the early church, premillennialism was called chiliasm, from the Greek term meaning 1,000, a word used six times in Revelation 20:2-7. This view is most often contrasted with Postmillennialism which sees Christ’s return after a golden “millennial age” where Christ rules spiritually from his throne in heaven, and Amillennialism which sees the millennium as a figurative reference to the current church age. (http://www.theopedia.com/Premillennialism)

Question 16

16. Dispensationalism

Answer 16

Dispensationalism is a theological system that teaches biblical history is best understood in light of a number of successive administrations of God’s dealings with mankind, which it calls “dispensations.” It maintains fundamental distinctions between God’s plans for national Israel and for the New Testament Church, and emphasizes prophecy of the end-times and a pre-tribulation rapture of the church prior to Christ’s Second Coming. (http://www.theopedia.com/Dispensationalism)

Question 17

17. Symbolism/Signs/metaphors and Images:

Answer 17

“Revelation written as apocalyptic literature uses a standard range of symbols, with heavy emphasis on numerology, cosmic catastrophes, and fabulous beasts…No particular number, beast, or star is significant in and of itself; it is the cumulative effect that creates the sense of mystery and transcendence essential for the dramatic impact of the revelation. Despite Revelations elaborate symbolism, it presents a rather straightforward interpretation of history.” (Book 509-510)

Question 18

18. Domitian persecution

Answer 18

Revelation was likely written during the reign of Domitian - 95-96 CE who enacted regional persecution of Christians. (class – Rev. power point)

Question 19

19. Imperial cult:

Answer 19

In revelation in the imagery of the Beast and the woman we see resistance to the imperial cult of the Roman Empire. “Just as the Babylon of old waged war on God’s people Israel, so too the new Babylon-The Roman Empire—is devoted to the destruction of God’s people in Christ.” In Revelation there is no “positive evaluation of the governing powers because the state has usurped powers never intended for it, becoming a “beast” that demands ultimate allegiance; making idolatrous claims that cannot be acknowledged by Christians.” (Book, 520)

Question 20

20. Message to the seven churches

Answer 20

Class – Revelation power point) These are not just “7 churches”, they represent seven large, influential churches that these words may be trickled throughout the entire church. These letters are dictated by the son of man, they come from the wisdom of God (this is why there is no author listed) to John to write. These letters fall into a category of “prophetic oracles” Writer admonishes the churches in Asia minor to 1) avoid the sin of assimilation. Do not conform to the ways of the Empire. 2) Not to accommodate sin. 3) Sin of “showing off” or “Boasting in our selves” – living faith in order to be “seen” in the world. Jesus through John admonishes the church in Asia minor against the “Nicolatians.” – This is a metaphor. These churches failed to recognize the non-negotiable items/points of being in Christ and a Christian. The Letters Encourage the Church: 1) These churches are encouraged to be faithful & 2) to listen and be attentive to the Spirit.

Question 21

21. Patmos

Answer 21

John says he writes from the Island of Patmos. Is he simply referring to geography? – Patmos could have represented and still represent to us today, a place of oppression, a place of being persecuted. Patmos represents a crisis situation. (class- revelation power point)

Question 22

22. Revelation 11:15

Answer 22

The Central Concern of the Book of Revelation is found in 11:15: “The kingdom of this world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ” (Rev. 11:15) This speaks to both A) he experience of the Christian community at the end of time and 2) the Lord of the World is not the emperor but Jesus Christ is. Revelation talks about the Christian community in the end times, but also in the present time. John is calling the readers to choose between worshipping God and taking part in the empire. You cannot worship God and partner with empire. There are 3x in the book when John writes that Jesus is coming, so we see that the one who rules the world is not the empire, but is God. (power point, Revelation)

Question 23

23. Apocalyptic/Apocalypticism

Answer 23

Apocalyptic is a term used to describe a vision of history as tending toward a divinely ordered goal, often in two stages, a present age of oppression to be followed by an age of triumph for the righteous, also messianic age/resurrection of the just. The term is also attached to the literature containing such views. (book) It is the literature of an oppressed people trying to understand their current situation and have hope for the future. (Class “John” powerpoint) Revelation is an apocalypse in the sense that it both uses apocalyptic literary motif to convey its message, as well as, it speaks of eschatologically about the world, speaking of an age to come, but that is already realized because of Jesus Christ. (book – Revelation chp.)

Question 24

24. The Cosmic Son of Man

Answer 24

We see this image of Jesus in the Fourth Gospel from the very beginning in the Prologue, which place Jesus’ beginnings with God before the cosmos were made instead of located in a human genealogy. Jesus is with God and Jesus is God. This gives a cosmic understanding of Jesus in the world, the one who is the I Am. (my own thoughts) The title Son of Man in John is used within a pattern of ascent and descent. Jesus is the one who will be lifted up in crucifixion and the one who has descended from heaven. This is an example of Johnnine realized eschatology. Jesus is the man from heaven who is uniquely capable of revealing the things from above. So when the Son of Man is lifted up, he returns to where he was before. (book, 480)

Question 25

25. John 7-8

Answer 25

In Chapters 7 and 8, we see the distinctive way in which the Christology of the Fourth Gospel unfolds in the Book of Signs. 7 & 8 form a single long controversy between Jesus and his opponents. The controversy here is in reality part of the longer running battle between Jesus and the opposition, in which the same points are touch on repeatedly. The fundamental problem of the adversaries in the controversies, the evangelist suggests, is their unwillingness to accept the claims to which Jesus’ deeds themselves attest. Here we meet the Johannine theme that the law revealed by Moses finds its “fullness” in the “grace and truth” revealed in Jesus. In this controversy, the revelation made through Jesus is seen as continuous with that made through Moses.” (book, 483-484)

Question 26

26. John 11:1-25

Answer 26

Cannot find anything specifically on this in book or power point other than book mentions that John’s gospel is the only one that presents Jesus having friends. This is the story of Lazarus dying and being resurrected. This story fore shadows the death and resurrection of Jesus, as well as, presents an irony in the people’s acceptance of Jesus. In this story they praise him for bringing resurrection life and next pericope has him entering Jerusalem being hailed as the Messiah and then by the end of the week the Jews sentence him to death and deny him as the Messiah. (own thoughts)

Question 27

27. John 13

Answer 27

This chapter part of the Last Supper discourse, which interprets Jesus’ ministry as well as the future of the disciples. We find in it the confluence of themes that appeared earlier in the narrative and contains the institution of the ritual of foot washing rather than the institution of the Eucharist. Chapter 13 shows the conflict and judgment within the group of disciples as Judas is revealed as one who will betray Jesus. From the perspective of Fourth Gospel, this unquestionably represents a complete and utter rejection by Judas of who Jesus is and why he came: the choice for darkness against light; the choice for death against the bread of eternal life. (book, 486)

Question 28

28. Revelation 4 and 6:1-8

Answer 28

Presents a scene of heavenly worship and also presents a critique on Rome’s socio-economic power – 4:1-6:17
Heavenly worship is described with following symbols: Throne room – Image of God; 24 elders and 4 living creatures worship constantly; Only Lion/mighty lamb can open scroll; The slain yet living lamb. The church here is being represented here by the 24 elders alluding back to the 12 tribes of Israel. But now all people, all tribes are represented in these tribes. Four creatures represent all of creation.
The Horse and rider specifically are a critique of Rome with each horse & rider representing a different part of Rome: 1st – Rome military might; 2nd – Bloodshed of war; 3rd – Inflation of basic foodstuffs; 4th – Death, famine and disease. These show what the costs of empire are.

Question 29

29. Revelation 21:1-6

Answer 29

Here we see the final and glorious vision in Revelation is that of the heavenly Jerusalem, coming down from above, together with the affirmation from God that God will dwell with God’s people. Here is the final reconciliation of earth and heaven—of God’s life and creation—by which Revelation draws a full circle back to Genesis 1-2. The end of time is a new creation of heaven and earth; a returning but also a transformation of God’s original work. It cannot be completed by human hands, but by God.” (book, 521)