Gospel of John
We have recently started a study of the Gospel of John.
There seem to be many reasons that this book is often urged on new believers or those exploring an interest in the Christian faith. The most compelling of these is probably the book's stated purpose:
These things are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name. John 20:31
Regarding the authorship of John, different scholars have suggested that it was written anywhere from 60 to 100 and is the product of at least a community that had connections with John who was a disciple of Jesus, if not a product of John himself. Many believe the book of I John is by the same author, and I John comments on many of the themes found in the gospel.
The Gospel of John begins with a prologue that functions like the overture to a drama in that it presents many of the main themes to be encountered within the body of the work. The prologue also gives us privileged information of which the participants in the story that follows are unaware.
John lacks an emphasis on the endtimes that is pominent in other gospels. Instead, John indicates that the Heavenly Kingdom has broken into the earthly realm of the present. Also, John features miraculous signs, but no exorcisms. These signs are accompanied by theological discourses, but no parables.
There seem to be many reasons that this book is often urged on new believers or those exploring an interest in the Christian faith. The most compelling of these is probably the book's stated purpose:
These things are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name. John 20:31
Regarding the authorship of John, different scholars have suggested that it was written anywhere from 60 to 100 and is the product of at least a community that had connections with John who was a disciple of Jesus, if not a product of John himself. Many believe the book of I John is by the same author, and I John comments on many of the themes found in the gospel.
The Gospel of John begins with a prologue that functions like the overture to a drama in that it presents many of the main themes to be encountered within the body of the work. The prologue also gives us privileged information of which the participants in the story that follows are unaware.
John lacks an emphasis on the endtimes that is pominent in other gospels. Instead, John indicates that the Heavenly Kingdom has broken into the earthly realm of the present. Also, John features miraculous signs, but no exorcisms. These signs are accompanied by theological discourses, but no parables.
posted by Charles Hulin at 10:54 AM
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