The Gospel according to John Christology Disciplesh

The Gospel according to John Christology & Disciplesh Felix Just, S. J. , Ph. D. Loyola Institute for Spirituality, Orange, CA http: //catholic-resources. org

Major Gospel Themes p Trinitarian n Theology: Who is God? p Christology: n Who is Jesus? p Discipleship: n How do we live? p Pneumatology: n Role of Holy Spirit? p Eschatology: n What's in the future?

Christology in the Four Gospels p Mark: n n p Son of God (powerful) Son of Man (crucified) Matthew: n n King (Son of David) Teacher (like Moses) p Luke: n Lord (of ALL nations) n Savior (esp. the needy) p John: n n Logos/Word (revealer) Only-begotten Son (sent from the Father)

Christology & Discipleship: Mark p Powerful n Trust; have faith; be not afraid p Crucified n Son of God Son of Man “Take up your cross and follow me”

Christology & Discipleship: Matt p King, n like David Be loyal subjects; obey his commands p Teacher, n like Moses Be good students; learn; put into action

Christology & Discipleship: Luke p Lord n of ALL nations Welcome strangers/enemies; no us/them p Savior n of ALL, esp. the needy Help the poor, sick, old, weak, children…

Portrait of Jesus, acc. to John? What painting might best capture how John’s Gospel portrays Jesus?

John’ s Christology p Titles attributed to Jesus Titles already in the Synoptics n Titles new/unique to John n p How Jesus is portrayed His Words / Teachings n His Works / Signs n His Passion & Resurrection n

Christological Titles in John p Titles for Jesus also in the Synoptics: Christ (19 x) / Messiah (2 x) n Son of David n King of the Jews; King of Israel n Son of God n Son of Man n Prophet, Savior, Lord, Teacher, etc. n p Titles n in the Synoptics, not in John Emmanuel – [only in Matthew]

Christological Titles in John p Titles for Jesus unique to John: Logos/Word n Only-begotten Son n Lamb of God n Revealer/Worker n Sent from the Father n Paraclete n Equal to God n I AM n

The Divine Word / Logos p Greek Logos Word, phrase, sentence, speech n Reason, communication, thinking/logic n p OT: God’s attributes personified Face of God n Hand of God n Voice of God n Wisdom of God n Law/Torah of God n Word/Speech of God n

The Divine Word / Logos p Ref. to Jesus only in John’s Prologue: n In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (1: 1) n And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only[-begotten] son (monogenes hios), full of grace and truth. (1: 14) n No one has ever seen God. It is God the

The Only-Begotten Son of God p Greek: n monogenes hios "For God so loved the world that he gave his only [-begotten] Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Those who believe in him are not con -demned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only [-begotten] Son of God. " (John 3: 16 -18)

Other Christological Titles in John p The Lamb of God n John 1: 29, 36 (cf. 1 Cor 5: 7; Acts 8: 32; 1 Pet 1: 19) p The One Sent from the Father n John 4: 34; 5: 36 -38; 7: 28 -29; 17: 3 -25 p “Equal to God” n John 5: 18 p “Paraclete” n Implied in John 14: 16 p “I Am” (fifty-four times; see HO)

“I AM” Hebrew YHWH; Greek EGW EIMI

“I AM” in the HB/OT p Hebrew YHWH; Greek EGW EIMI God’s Proper Name: “I Am Who Am” n Pronunciation: Yahweh? (not Jehovah) n p Exod 3: 14 – God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. ” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel, I AM has sent me to you. ’“ p Exod 6: 2 – And God said to Moses, “I am the LORD. ” p Deut 6: 4 -5 – “Hear, O Israel: The LORD is our God, the LORD alone. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. ” p Deut 32: 39 a – “See now that I, even I, am he, and

“I AM” Sayings in John I. Absolute Emphatic Claims: “I Am. ” n n n 4: 26 6: 20 8: 24, 28, 58 13: 19 18: 5 -8 II. Predicate Am…” n n Emphatic Images: “I Familiar biblical images Bread, Light, Life, etc.

Passages with Multiple Titles p 1: 1 -18 (Prologue) n n p logos; God; life; light, true light; the Father's only-begotten Son 1: 19 -36 (John the Baptizer) n the one whom you don’t know; the one coming after me; n the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world; n the one who ranks ahead of me because he was before me; n the on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain;

Passages with Multiple Titles (cont. ) p 1: 38 -41 (first two disciples) n p 1: 45 (Philip) n p Rabbi (teacher); Messiah (Christ) one about whom Moses and Prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth” 1: 49 (Nathanael) n “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”

Passages with Multiple Titles (cont. ) p 4: 7 -30 (Samaritan woman) n p 9: 11 -30 (man born blind) n p “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world. ” 20: 28 (Thomas) n p Jesus; prophet; from God; [Son of Man]; Lord 11: 27 (Martha) n p a Jew; Sir/Master; prophet; Messiah “My Lord and my God. ” 20: 31 (Evangelist) n “. . . so that you may [come to] believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God. . . ”

Christology & Discipleship: John p Word/Logos; n Only-Begotten Son Revealer; Sent-One; Equal to God; I Am p Discipleship = Enter Relationship See and/or hear Jesus’ words & actions n Come to believe/trust in him n Become children of God n Receive eternal life n Remain/live/abide/dwell in Him n Have His/God’s Spirit dwelling within n Love one another as Jesus has loved us n Bear good fruit, that will last n

Expectations for Disciples in John p “Do what I command you!” n Only commandment in this Gospel: “Love one another as I have loved you” n Repeated in 13: 34 -35; 15: 12, 17 Also in 1 John 3: 11, 14, 23; 4: 7, 11 -12, 20 -21 n p Expectations: Main requirement: BELIEVE n Remain / dwell / live / abide n Love one another n Bear fruit n

Disciples within John’s Gospel p No “apostles” in John n p n Not individually named; ref. in 6: 67 -71; 20: 24 The “Disciple Whom Jesus Loved (BD)” p n Andrew & ? ? ; Simon; Philip & Nathanael Jesus often dialogues with them (Q & A) “The Twelve” p n Instead, “disciples, brothers/sisters, friends” First five disciples (1: 19 -51; and later refs. ) n n (in 13: 16 = messenger) From Last Supper to Resurrection (also earlier? ) Other named & anonymous disciples p (See handout – add Nicodemus & Joseph of Arimathea)

Named & Anonymous Disciples p Jesus’ mother (2: 1 -12; 6: 42; 19: 25 -27) p Judas Iscariot (6: 70 -71; 12: 4 -8; 13: 2, 21 -30; 18: 2 -5) p Man Born Blind (9: 1 -41, esp. v. 28) p Martha, Mary, Lazarus of Bethany (11: 1 -45; 12: 1 -8) p Thomas Didymus/Twin (11: 16; 14: 5; 20: 24 - 28; 21: 2) p Another Judas (14: 22) p Mary of Magdala (19: 25; 20: 1 -2; 20: 11 -18) p “his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of

Women in the Fourth Gospel p Mother of Jesus at Cana Wedding Samaritan Woman at the Well Martha & Mary intercede with Jesus for their brother Lazarus 12: 1 -8 Mary of Bethany anoints Jesus 19: 25 b-27 Mother of Jesus & other Women at Foot of Cross (incl. “Mary of Clopas”) 20: 1 -2 Mary Magdalene discovers Tomb Empty 20: 11 -18 Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene p [8: 1 -11] p p p 2: 1 -12 4: 1 -42 11: 1 -45 Adulterous Woman [not originally in John] Q: Which inspires you most as a model of faith?