The purpose of this series is to explore a supposed rift in how jesus is depicted in the gospels. The most difficult obstacle in understanding john s christology is undoubtedly the word logos, because of his intro verse. Read this essay on high christology in the gospel of john. Indeed, many people have seen in john a christology that finds no parallel in the other gospels. Christology usually refers to the portrayal of jesus human and divine natures o as more. In the midst of these debates, john s gospel is a thorough exploration of jesus himself. John begins his gospel with an affirmation of jesus preexistence and full deity, which climaxes in john 20. The christology of the gospel of mark has been and continues to be a point of debate among biblical scholars and theologians.
Scroggs, christology in paul and john philadelphia. Get the knowledge you need in order to pass your classes and more. I see no simple answer to how many levels or steps of spiritual growth one can use. An investigation of the place of the fourth gospel in the johannine school udo schnelle, linda m. James dunn s christology of the gospel of john it cannot go without saying that the apostle john s lasting influence for the development of christianity was utterly significant, despite his seemingly minor role depicted within the gospel narratives. In addition there are other images and designations for jesus peculiar to john. He enters the world with sole purpose of leaving it. What finally came through was a picture of a divine man supremely confident of all that he is either doing or teaching. Sep 27, 2012 in preparation for a paper on the divinity of christ this post examines christology as presented in the gospel of matthew. For dunn, the gospel of john utilizes traditions which were authentic rather than legendary in character. As many scholars have noted, johns gospel proclaims a majestically high christology. In christology, the logos is a name or title of jesus christ, derived from the prologue to the gospel of john in the beginning was the word, and the word was with god, and the word was god, as well as in the book of revelation, and he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood. Paul, of the catholic epistles, of the fourth gospel, and the synoptics. Jan 14, 2019 johns gospel proclaims a majestically high christology.
The fourth gospel presents a more explicit christology than do the synoptic gospels, with several unique contributions to new testament christology, and, having the background of the historical presentation of jesus, john expounds and furthers theological themes. The christology in theodore of mopsuestias commentary on the. Its unity and disunity in the light of john 6 with a new introduction, outlines, and epilogue anderson, paul n. Sep 27, 2011 christology in the fourth gospel introduction. High christology of the gospels part 4 artios magazine. John s is a profound and deep theology, though expressed in the simplest of terms. Jul 11, 2017 some scholars see johns gospel to be the product of a long period of development, so one might focus in on the christology that emerged in the course of that development. High christology in the gospel of john 1855 words bartleby. Christology literally means the science or study of christ the messiah. It is clear that for john jesus has many complex elements to his personality and without all. The jewishness of john is subsequently argued at length. Even so i will note some passages of johns gospel that seem inconsistent with a low christology. Johns high christology reveals a crucial gospel in graecoroman times, bringing coherence between the philosophies of both internal greek and external jewish logos functions. The term christology from above or high christology refers to approaches that include aspects of divinity, such as lord and son of god, and the idea of the preexistence of christ as the logos the word, as expressed in the prologue to the gospel of john.
Major differences between john and the synoptic gospels. This allows for the human jesus but implies the divine jesus is imperative. While there is substantial agreement regarding six signs, no consensus has yet been achieved regarding possible further. John represents a view of gospel and church in tension and dialogue with the petrine, rather than a sectarian version of christianity that is, so to speak, beyond the. The christological aspects as portrayed in the gospel of st. Oct 01, 2010 the gospel of john was written later than the synoptics, and so its christology is more explicit than theirs, being the product of thejohanninecommunitys struggle to define its beliefs in contrast with those given in the traditional jewish doctrines of the time. Johannine christology and the synoptic gospels the central theme of the gospel of john is. Society for new testament studies monograph series. These different starting points clarify the diverse ways that paul and john understood gods revelation, the human condition, and salvation. The christology of the gospel of mark energion discussion. The gospel of john has perhaps the strongest subordinationist christology in the new testament, and it expresses it within the filial bond of father and son. Recently, new testament scholar michael bird sparked an online debate when he offered his summary of marks christology.
Both the fourth gospel and first john begin with a prologue that establishes the importance of incarnational christology for salvation. John emphasizes the importance of light for believers are people who walk in the light. The incarnational christology of john james parker criswell college, dallas, tx 75201 john leaves no doubt as to the purpose of writing his gospel. Gospel of john now in the explicit christology, the use of the titles is much more evident in john than in the synoptics. Come browse our large digital warehouse of free sample essays.
Both of these passages emphasize the highest, most complete johannine christology. May 23, 2018 in this short book the body of which is 78 pages, kim argues that the gospel of john should be understood not as teaching exclusivism but inclusivism and empowerment through a low christology in which jesus was not god incarnate but the jewish messiah who worked on gods behalf ix, 1. Some scholars see johns gospel to be the product of a long period of development, so one might focus in on the christology that emerged in the course of that development. Temple christology in the gospel of john introduction 8 fuglseths thesis has not yet had a wide impact, and at le ast two further mono graphs on the subject d o not interact with it. Are there other passages that state, implicitly or explicitly, that the believer is indwelt by the father andor the son. The second half of john does contain one text that some scholars have interpreted as expressing this christology. High christology of the gospels part 1 artios magazine. These passages have been important for establishing the doctrine of the divinity of jesus since the earliest days of christianity. Christ enlightens every man that comes into the world, gospel of john 1.
Christology is the part of theology that is concerned with the nature and work of jesus, including such matters as the incarnation, the resurrection, and his human and divine natures and their relationship. The four gospels portray jesus as having had a sense of mission much like the prophets in the hebrew bible, and they declare that jesus saw himself as the decisive revelation of god to his people. Johannine christ, when compared with the synoptic christ, does not belong to this world at all. When a reader completes the gospel, he or she has had a compelling, informed exposure to the person of jesus christ in the context of firstcentury jewish messianism. The importance of logos christology in the gospel of john.
Theodore of mopsuestias syriac commentary on the gospel of john comes out of the most mature period of his life. Christology and other theology, the gospel of john craig s. Christology in the fourth gospel thoughts of a living christian. The development of values, leading to spiritual formation, was begun by krathwold 1961 and kholberg 1981. The key texts for temple christology in john are found primarily in the prologue and the book of signs jn 112. In the fourth gospel christology is asserted as the central of the book. It is full of long dialogues, it speaks of signs rather than exorcisms or miracles, and its narrative differs at. This thesis presents a theological engagement with the christ of the gospel of john. Martyns influential study on history and theology in the fourth gospel, frey will take a reverse perspective. The above quote by kasemann suggests that in the gospel of john jesus divinity is definite and his presence is felt on the entire world through his words and actions.
The first section of the dissertation is a survey of scholarship in which recent approaches to the christology of the fourth gospel are canvassed, significant commentaries are. The divinity of jesus christ is something that is very apparent in the gospel of john. One of the most striking features of the gospel of john is its distinctiveness christology. None of these passages come out and affirm jesus divine messiahship as clearly as many texts in the gospel of john to which we shall turn in a later lecture. Looking for a low christology in the gospel of john. Indeed, we could say this about all four of the canonical gospels. It was already acquiring this meaning in the third gospel, written for gentile readers luke 22. The gospel of john is a gospel dramatically different from the synoptic gospels. And yet all other reasonable creatures, there have seeds of laws. I decided to specifically look into matthews gospel because it was recently charged in an online discussion forum i take part in that the writer of the gospel of matthew did not believe christ. Indeed some have seen in john a christology that finds no parallel in the other gospels. The fourth gospel has a significant and developed christology in the new testament.
Jesus christ history of doctrines early church, ca. This verse alone makes people forget the fact that even in such a high christology gospel, john is still 100% unitarian. Sep 02, 2009 the gospel of john is a gospel dramatically different from the synoptic gospels. The culmination of a lifetime of work on the gospel of john, william loaders jesus in john s gospel explores the fourth gospel with a focus on ways in which attention to the structure of christology in john allows for greater understanding of johannine themes and helps resolve longstanding interpretive impasses. John presents a very different jesus compared to the synoptic gospels. An exploration of christology in the gospel of john and the examination of a supposed dichotomy between john and the synoptics. There is therefore in the nt, especially in the gospel of john, material which led to the classical christological definitions. The historic and glorified jesus in the gospel of john, in israels god and rebeccas children. John, theology of bakers evangelical dictionary of. More to the point is the nature of the process of growth. What evidence exists in the gospel of john to support ernst kasemanns insight that the johannine jesus is like a god striding over the earth. In stoicism of course is very flexible, it can be adapted to other religions.
For instance the title son of god is found 12 times in matthew, six or seven times in mark, eight in luke, but 29 times when we get to john. Indeed, its interesting to note that while the term kingdom is spoken by jesus 47 times in matthew, 18 times in mark, and 37 times in luke it is only mentioned 5 times by jesus in the gospel of john. Kostenberger trinity international university a proper identification of the johannine signs significantly sharpens ones grasp of johns christology. The incarnational christology of john gordon college. These two accounts of the christ are represented as mutually exclusive. That revelation consisted of his teachings, both about himself and about his role. But the very fact that they represent what has been called a more implicit than explicit christology makes them, from the historians point of view, all the more likely to be historical.
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