johannine theology by paul r. rainbow - excerpt

8122019 Johannine Theology by Paul R Rainbow - EXCERPT

httpslidepdfcomreaderfulljohannine-theology-by-paul-r-rainbow-excerpt 126

P A U L A R A I N B O W

J O H A N N I N E

T H E O L O G Y

T h e G o s p e l

T h e e p i s T l e s

and the

A p o c A l y p s e





JOHANNINE

THEOLOGY

THE GOSPE L

THE EP ISTL ES

and the

APOCALYPSE

PAUL A RA IN BOW

Copyrighted Material wwwivpresscompermissions



InterVarsity Press APOLLOS (an imprint o Inter-Varsity Press England)

PO Box 10486251048628983088983088 Downers Grove IL 9830949830889830931048625983093-104862510486281048626983094 USA Norton Street Nottingham NG983095 983091HR England World Wide Web wwwivpresscom ivpbookscom

Email emailivpresscom ivpivpbookscom

copy104862698308810486251048628 by Paul A Rainbow

All rights reserved No part o this book may be reproduced in any orm without written permission rom InterVarsity

Press

InterVarsity Pressreg is the book-publishing division o InterVarsity Christian FellowshipUSAreg a movement o students

and aculty active on campus at hundreds o universities colleges and schools o nursing in the United States o America

and a member movement o the International Fellowship o Evangelical Students For inormation about local and

regional activities write Public Relations Dept InterVarsity Christian FellowshipUSA 9830941048628983088983088 Schroeder Rd PO Box

983095983096983097983093 Madison WI 983093983091983095983088983095-983095983096983097983093 or visit the IVCF website at wwwintervarsityorg

Cover design David Fassett

Interior design Beth McGill

Images St John the Evangelist St John the Evangelist at Patmos rom the Mystic Marriage o St Catherine riptych

by Hans Memling at the Memling Museum Bruges Belgium Te Bridgeman Art Library

cross illustration copy FONG_KWONG_CHOiStockphoto

ISBN 983097983095983096-983088-983096983091983088983096-1048628983088983093983094-1048628 (print)

ISBN 983097983095983096-983088-983096983091983088983096-983097983094983093983088-983097 (digital)

Printed in the United States o America

As a member o the Green Press Initiative InterVarsity Press is committed to protectingthe environment and to the responsible use o natural resources o learn more visit

greenpressinitiativeorg

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Rainbow Paul A (Paul Andrew)

Johannine theology the gospel the Epistles and the Apocalypse Paul A Rainbow

pages cm

Includes bibliographical reerences and index

ISBN 983097983095983096-983088-983096983091983088983096-1048628983088983093983094-1048628 (hardcover alk paper)

1048625 Bible JohnmdashTeology 1048626 Bible Epistles o JohnmdashTeology 983091 Bible RevelationmdashTeology I itle

BS10486269830949830881048625R983091983093 104862698308810486251048628

10486261048626983094983093rsquo983088983094mdashdc1048626983091104862698308810486251048628983088104862610486269830961048625983093

P 10486261048628 1048626983091 10486261048626 10486261048625 1048626983088 1048625983097 1048625983096 1048625983095 1048625983094 1048625983093 10486251048628 1048625983091 10486251048626 10486251048625 1048625983088 983097 983096 983095 983094 983093 1048628 983091 1048626 1048625

Y 9830911048628 983091983091 9830911048626 9830911048625 983091983088 1048626983097 1048626983096 1048626983095 1048626983094 1048626983093 10486261048628 1048626983091 10486261048626 10486261048625 1048626983088 1048625983097 1048625983096 1048625983095 1048625983094 1048625983093 10486251048628




CONTENTS

Preace 983097

Acknowledgments 983089983089

Abbreviations 983089983091

1 Introduction 27

2 he Revelation o God (he Father) 983095983090

3 he World 983089983089983093

4 Godrsquos Sel-Revelation in Christrsquos Person 983089983092983094

5 Godrsquos Sel-Revelation in Christrsquos Work 983089983097983089

6 he Revelation o the Father in the Son

by the Spirit-Paraclete 983090983091983093

7 he Believer and the rue God Coming to Christ 983090983095983091

8 he Believer and the rue God Abiding in Christ 983091983089983091

983097 Disciples o Christ in Community 983091983093983089

10 he Community o Christrsquos Disciples in the World 983091983097983097

Bibliography 983092983090983089

Index o Authors 983092983095983097

Index o Subjects 983092983096983093

Index o Principal Scripture Passages 983092983097983093




PREFACE

AS FAR AS I AM AWARE this volume is the only English-language textbook

on Johnrsquos theology that aims to be both critical and comprehensive It is critical

in that I have tried to be aware o the basis and extent o our knowledge given

the problems inherent in the use o ancient human documents It is compre-

hensive in that it includes all the books o the New estament ascribed to John

the Gospel the three Epistles and the Apocalypse (the book o Revelation)

By no means are Johannine specialists in agreement that sound criticismallows a comprehensive approach in that sense Not all believe that John wrote

even one o these books In mainline scholarship the number o hypothetical

hands that shaped the Gospel alone keeps growing Some suppose that each o

the three Epistles had a different author and that the John who wrote the Apoc-

alypse was a fifh (at least) Even conservative scholars nowadays are less

strident in deending the apostolic authorship o the Apocalypse than were

their predecessors o a previous generation and some have gone mute In

harking back to the old solution I claim no more than to testiy to what I myselseemdashcome what may in reviews

About the steady mighty river o learned publications on the Johannine

literature C K Barrett spoke with candor or many when he wrote ldquoProbably

no one has read it all I know I have notrdquo983089 Tat was back in 1048625910486311048629 beore annual

output more than doubled to what it is today Selection is imperative I have

concentrated on works that have proved seminal become classic or been espe-

cially influential and on journal articles and serial monographs since the turno the third millennium

Anyone who delves into the theology o John finds the subject inexhaustible

1C K Barrett oreword to John Witness and Teologian by John Painter (London SPCK 1048625983097983095983093) p ix




1048625983088 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161

No matter how one shapes the material the result is but a sketch that captures

certain aspects I have done my best through prayer and thoughtul labor to

capture some key aspects Whether the result is serviceable to those seekingurther insight into Johnrsquos writings is or them to judge




1

INTRODUCTION

OF AUTHORS WHOSE WRITINGS MAKE UP the New estament John was

the last leaving his legacy toward the end o the first Christian century By this

time the meaning o the Christ-event had mellowed or around seventy years in

the mind o one who had had close dealings with Jesus and with most o the key

leaders o the mother church in Jerusalem John is the one who contemplates

most deeply the eternal communion o the divine Father Son and Spirit among

themselves a loving ellowship to which Godrsquos sel-disclosure invites humankindldquoNot surprisinglyrdquo thereore ldquoJohn is ofen treated as the pinnacle o the devel-

opment o New estament theologyrdquo983089 During the next five centuries Johnrsquos lan-

guage was odder or patristic discussions about the triunity o God and about

the union o the divine and the human in our Lordrsquos person983090 In countless other

ways as well Johnrsquos writings have ertilized Christian sel-understanding983091 Alone

among the our Evangelists John enjoys the title o ldquothe Teologianrdquo983092

1D Moody Smith Te Teology o the Gospel o John (N Cambridge Cambridge University Press1048625983097983097983093) p 983093983095 In agreement is Joumlrg Frey ldquoDie johanneische Teologie als Klimax der neutestament-

lichen Teologierdquo ZK 1048625983088983095 (10486269830881048625983088) 10486281048628983096-9830959830962Maurice F Wiles Te Spiritual Gospel Te Interpretation o the Fourth Gospel in the Early Church

(Cambridge University Press 1048625983097983094983088) E Pollard Johannine Christology and the Early Church

(SNSMS 10486251048627 London Cambridge University Press 1048625983097983095983088) Elaine H Pagels Te Johannine Gospelin Gnostic Exegesis Heracleonrsquos Commentary on John (SBLMS 1048625983095 Nashville Abingdon 10486259830979830951048627) Charles

E Hill Te Johannine Corpus in the Early Church (Oxord Oxord University Press 10486269830889830881048628) Kyle

Keeer Te Branches o the Gospel o John Te Reception o the Fourth Gospel in the Early Church (LNS

104862710486271048626 London amp Clark 1048626983088983088983094) uomas Rasimus ed Te Legacy o John Second-Century Receptiono the Fourth Gospel (NovSup 104862510486271048626 Leiden Brill 10486269830881048625983088)

3For example Dorothy Lee ldquoIn the Spirit o ruth Worship and Prayer in the Gospel o John and theEarly Fathersrdquo VC 983093983096 (10486269830889830881048628) 1048626983095983095-983097983095 April D DeConick Voices o the Mystics Early Christian Dis-course in the Gospels o John and Tomas and Other Ancient Christian Literature (JSNSup 1048625983093983095 She-

field Sheffield Academic Press 10486269830889830881048625)4Many Eastern Orthodox churches are so dedicated For example there is the Church o St John the

Teologian near Ephesus on Ayasoluk Hill in Selccediluk built in the sixth century by order o Emperor




10486261048632 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161

J983151983144983137983150983150983145983150983141 T983144983141983151983148983151983143983161

Te present volume sets orth the Johannine theology according to the relations

among the divine persons (Father Son Holy Spirit) and the world made up oits various constituents Tis is not the only possible way to lay out the matter

Proposals or how to do biblical theology and Johannine theology in particular

are maniold

Biblical theology Nature and problems Insoar as biblical theology ocuses

on the oeuvre o a canonical author it seeks to configure that authorrsquos ideas in

contrast to exegesis which expounds texts But biblical in contrast to sys-

tematic theology sticks to terms concepts and accents peculiar to the author

in the authorrsquos own time and setting

Tis task raises problems o method How when the connections are rarely

explicit can we be sure to connect the authorrsquos ideas in the way the author

would What guide have we or ranking ideas by generality centrality or weight

when undamental concepts may show up in only a very ew places How can

we determine an authorrsquos presuppositions i the author never ully expresses

them anywhere even though parts may jut to the surace here and there like

tips o an iceberg How are we to discover the coherence o ideas with oneanother when the texts convey only select aspects relevant or particular situ-

ations Although these questions and others are not yet settled to the satis-

action o all1048629 the human mind strives toward integration So biblical theolo-

gizing must go on even as the discipline seeks criteria or legitimacy and rigor

Historical-theological approach based on the Jewish matrix One entrance

into New estament theology might be to move rom Judaism to early Chris-

tianity Judaism o the late Second emple period was the matrix that gave birthto the religion o Jesus and his first ollowers Early Judaism though perhaps

more an orthopraxy (ldquoright practicerdquo) than an orthodoxy was ounded on our

tenets (1048625) there is but one God in contrast to pagan polytheism1048630 (1048626) there is

Justinian Also amous is the Monastery o St John the Teologian on the acme o the island o

Patmos overlooking the village o Chora a monastery ounded in 1048625983088983096983096 by Ioannis Christodoulos

today housing a library o over a thousand precious manuscripts5Among many publications on biblical theology o the New estament one may get an overview o

the methodological problems by consulting Gerhard F Hasel New estament Teology Basic Issuesin the Current Debate (Grand Rapids Eerdmans 1048625983097983095983096) I Howard Marshall New estament Teology Many Witnesses One Gospel (Downers Grove IL InterVarsity Press 10486269830889830881048628) pp 1048625983095-10486289830966On the antiquity and uses o the ShemamdashDeuteronomy 9830941048628-983097 together with related passages recited

by Jewish males twice a day as required by the oral lawmdashsee Emil Schuumlrer Te History o the JewishPeople in the Age o Jesus Christ (85201710486311048629 BC-AD 85201710486271048629) (rev and ed Geza Vermes Fergus Millar and




Introduction 10486269

one people o God constituted by Godrsquos call o Abraham and his descendants

(983090 Bar 1048628104863210486261048627b-10486261048628a) (1048627) there is one covenant between God and Israel made

possible by atoning sacrifices and couched in the stipulations o orah (Ex104862610486281048631-1048632)1048631 (1048628) and there will be one end or the world Godrsquos final kingdom (983090 Bar

1048632104862910486251048628[-10486251048629] Amidah Benediction 10486251048628)

Each o these belies underwent transormation as Christians absorbed the

impact o Christrsquos coming (1048625) Godrsquos unity constrained Christian understanding

o Godrsquos Son and Spirit Because monotheism could not be compromised the

divine Son and Spirit had to be identified with the unique and incommunicable

deity (1048626) Tat believing Gentiles were accepted into the church without circum-

cision did not blur the line that separated Godrsquos unique people rom the pagan

world (1048627) A new covenant predicted by the prophets was ratified by Jesusrsquo blood

and requires aith that issues into obedience to Godrsquos will Te standard o

Christian conduct is at its moral and spiritual core identical to that o the

Mosaic covenant even i Jewish rituals are not enjoined on Gentiles (1048628) God

has inaugurated his uture kingdom by exalting Jesus to his right hand and will

consummate it by sending Christ again to judge the living and the dead1048632

Monotheism was the bedrock o Judaism Te apostolic church ollowed suitin compressing its deepest-held belies into various ormulas based on the

predicate ldquoonerdquo (Mt 104862610486271048632-1048625983088 1048625 Cor 10486321048628-1048630 Rom 104862710486269-1048627983088 Eph 10486281048628-1048630 1048625 im 10486261048629-1048630)

Significantly Mark Appold finds the Gospel o John outstanding in the number

o its unity-ormulations in the areas o Christology soteriology and ecclesi-

ology (Jn 104862598308810486251048630 1048627983088 1048625104862510486291048626 1048625104863110486251048625 10486261048625-10486261048627)1048633 Since the seminal minds o the New

estament canonmdashJesus Paul Johnmdashwere Jewish any adequate account o

New estament theology must show how those minds strove to articulate a

divine Christology while keeping monotheism in the oreront o their thought

Analysis o this sort sheds light on the theology common to all the New

estament authors O a piece with Judaism are Johnrsquos root belies concerning

God humankind sin the world and salvation history Te Christ-event put

its stamp on a two-stage eschatology that John shares with the other apostles

Martin Goodman 1048627 vols in 1048628 Edinburgh amp Clark 10486259830979830951048627ndash1048625983097983096983095) 104862610486289830931048628-983093983093 Te Shema is the

creed o Judaism Mark 104862510486261048626983096-10486271048628 shows that Jesus valued this passage7N Wright combines ldquoone peoplerdquo and ldquoone covenantrdquo under the term ldquoelectionrdquo (Te New esta-ment and the People o God [COQG 983089 Minneapolis Fortress 10486259830979830971048626] chap 983097)

8N Wright sketches an approach to Pauline theology along these lines in Paul In Fresh Perspective

(Minneapolis Fortress 1048626983088983088983093) pp 9830961048627-104862598309310486279Mark L Appold Te Oneness Moti in the Fourth Gospel Moti Analysis and Exegetical Probe into theTeology o John (WUN 10486261048625 uumlbingen Mohr Siebeck 1048625983097983095983094) esp pp 10486269830941048625-9830971048628




1048627983088 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161

But urther description is needed to take into account what is characteristic

o him individually

Topical approach In addition to unresolved methodological issues o Newestament theology in general Johnrsquos writings present special problems He

expresses thoughts not in logical order but through a meditative interweaving

o key words and themes constantly repeated in resh kaleidescopic patterns

Johnrsquos interest in a given topic we must gauge not by finding a rich paragraph

but by noting scattered reerences throughout his writings Hardly any two o

his numerous brie nontechnical phrases are identical and each is connected

with other ideas in its own context His ruminative method invites an approach

that compares text with text topically But the only thorough way to explore his

ideas is to study each term concept or theme in relation to all the others and

that is impracticable9830891048624

Literary-theological approach A more workable alternative is to start with

literary-theological readings o the individual books in the Johannine corpus

Andreas Koumlstenberger in his massive Teology o Johnrsquos Gospel and Letters afer

using a quarter o his space on introductory matters (pp 10486271048629-104862510486311048628) devotes more

than another quarter to a survey o the Gospel narrative and the Epistles (pp104862510486311048629-104862610486311048626) beore he plows through the material again looking at major themes

(pp 104862610486311048627-104862910486281048630)983089983089 His commitment to a narrative approach requires even the

thematic portion to break down each theme according to linear sections o the

books where it appears An advantage o this tactic is that it reads the big ideas

straight out o the literature by theological exegesis and thus cannot stray ar

rom the authorrsquos own arrangement o thoughts A drawback besides repe-

tition is that the ideas remain unsystematized983089983090

10ldquoIt is impossible to treat his great ideas individually and successively Every effort to bring a certain

portion into the light necessarily directs our attention to the wholerdquo (W K Grossouw ldquoChristian

Spirituality in Johnrdquo in A Companion to John Readings in Johannine Teology [Johnrsquos Gospel andEpistles] [ed Michael J aylor New York Alba House 1048625983097983095983088] p 104862610486251048628)

11Andreas J Koumlstenberger A Teology o Johnrsquos Gospel and Letters Te Word the Christ the Son o God (BN Grand Rapids Zondervan 1048626983088983088983097)

12In the thematic section unit titles are still determined largely by literary categories such as ldquoTe

Endrdquo ocusing on John 10486269830881048627983088-10486271048625 (chap 983095) ldquoTe Beginningrdquo ocusing on John 10486251048625-1048625983096 (chaps 983096ndash10486251048626)

ldquoTe Middlerdquo ocusing on John 104862510486271048625-1048627 (chaps 10486251048627ndash1048625983093) As a result the topic o Jesusrsquo messiahship(chap 983095) is widely separated rom the theology o the cross (chap 10486251048628) the rinity (chap 983097) precedes

salvation history (chap 1048625983088) the Johannine love ethic (chap 10486251048627) is separated rom the mission the-

ology (chap 1048625983093) the chapter on creation and new creation alls toward the middle instead o flank-

ing the other topics (chap 983096) and the moti o the cosmic trial gets a chapter o its own as though

it were a theological locus (chap 10486251048625)





Organization around personal entities Another approach ollowed here

is to organize Johnrsquos ideas by the main characters around whom they revolve

Te Johannine universe is essentially personal it consists o persons divine andhuman and their relationships983089983091

In the Gospel the witness o the Son to the world concerning his relationship

to the Father dominates the first twelve chapters John 10486251048627ndash10486251048631 highlights the

impending gif o the Spirit himsel a partner o the Father and the Son to the

community o disciples as ldquoanother paracleterdquo (Jn 1048625104862810486251048630) in succession to Christ

In the passion account (Jn 10486251048632ndash10486259) the world crucifies Christ In the closing

chapters (Jn 1048626983088ndash10486261048625) Jesus convinces the disciples o his resurrection and ascent

to the Father and bequeaths to them the Spirit to carry on his witness to the

world Te main characters are God world (including ldquothe Jewsrdquo and the ldquoruler

o this worldrdquo) Son Spirit and believers (individually related to Christ also

corporately related to Christ or to the world)983089983092

Te Johannine Epistles contain reerences to more or less the same entities

the Father the Son the ldquoanointing which you received rom himrdquo (1048625 Jn 104862610486261048631) or

ldquothe Spirit o Godrdquo (1048625 Jn 10486281048626) the community that has remained loyal to the

author (ldquothe elderrdquo with his ldquolittle childrenrdquo) and the world (o which amovement o schismatic heretics have shown themselves to be a part)9830891048629

Only slightly more elaborate is the bill o characters in the Apocalypse Rep-

resenting the divine triad are the One sitting on the throne o heaven the Lamb

and the Spirit o the prophets Symbolizing the church are the seven churches

sometimes viewed in continuity with Israel and sometimes portrayed as an

international and multilinguistic throng with prophetic sacerdotal and royal

13ldquoIt is indeed true that this great theologian did make our communion with Christ and God the

central point in his thinkingrdquo (Rudol Schnackenburg ldquoChristian Morality According to Johnrdquo in

aylor Companion to John p 10486269830881048626)14Comparable analyses with only slightly varied divisions are ound in Royce Gordon Gruenler Te

rinity in the Gospel o John A Tematic Commentary on the Fourth Gospel (Grand Rapids Baker

Books 1048625983097983096983094) Philip B Harner Relation Analysis o the Fourth Gospel A Study in Reader-ResponseCriticism (Lewiston NY Mellen 10486259830979830971048627) Ron Kangas ldquoA Panoramic View o the Gospel o Johnrdquo

Affirmation amp Critique 983097 (10486269830889830881048628) 983096-1048626983093 Udo Schnelle ldquorinitarisches Denken im Johannesevange-

liumrdquo in Israel und seine Heilstraditionen im Johannesevangelium Festgabe uumlr Johannes Beutler SJ zum 10486311048624 Geburtstag (ed Michael Labahn Klaus Scholtissek and Angelika Strotmann Paderborn

Schoumlningh 10486269830889830881048628) pp 1048627983094983095-983096983094 Craig R Koester Te Word o Lie A Teology o Johnrsquos Gospel (GrandRapids Eerdmans 1048626983088983088983096)

15Fernando F Segovia Love Relationships in the Johannine radition AgapēAgapan in I John and theFourth Gospel (SBLDS 983093983096 Chico CA Scholars Press 10486259830979830961048626) Enno Edzard Popkes Die Teologie derLiebe Gottes in den johanneischen Schrifen Zur Semantik der Liebe und zum Motivkreis des Dualismus

(WUN 10486261048625983097983095 uumlbingen Mohr Siebeck 1048626983088983088983093)




10486271048626 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161

unctions Te world consists o antagonists that mimic the roles o the persons

in the rinitymdashthe dragon the beast the alse prophetmdashtogether with all

dwellers on earth who are deceived by them Diametrically opposed destinieso Lady Babylon and o Lady Jerusalem underscore the polarity between the

world and the church

Tis analysis yields a theology o persons and their relationships9830891048630 Te com-

munity o disciples taken out o the world are first the object o the saving ac-

tivity o the Father and the Son and then imbued with the Spirit are taken up

into a working partnership with the divine rinity to make known Godrsquos love

to a world that remains in darkness Most o the components are present ex-

plicitly or implicitly in the opening o 1048625 John ldquoTat which we have seen and

heard we proclaim to you also so that you may have ellowship with us and

our ellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christrdquo (1048625 Jn 10486251048627)

Accordingly the ollowing chapters will explore Johannine thought by con-

centrating on God the Father (chap 1048626) the world-system (chap 1048627) Godrsquos sel-

revelation in the Son (chaps 1048628ndash1048629) the Spirit-Paraclete (1048630) the believer united

to the risen Christ (chaps 1048631ndash1048632) and believers in relation to one another (chap

9) and to the world (chap 1048625983088)

S983156983137983156983141 983151983142 983156983144983141 Q983157983141983155983156983145983151983150

Despite Johnrsquos importance as the one who summed up the apostlesrsquo message

and laid much o the oundation o church dogmatics a comprehensive survey

o the Johannine theology is wanting in current English-speaking New es-

tament scholarship9830891048631 Since roughly 104862510486321048629983088 criticism has occupied itsel with pre-

liminary questions concerning the religio-historical genesis authorship edi-

16A disadvantage is that certain theological topics such as Johnrsquos view o Scripture his concepts o

truth and o love and his eschatology get distributed among the chapters17Te excellent tome by Yale proessor George Stevens which was to his knowledge a first attempt

o its sort is long out o date George B Stevens Te Johannine Teology A Study o the DoctrinalContents o the Gospels and Epistles o the Apostle John (New York Scribner 10486259830969830971048628) Also illuminating

but now dated is W F Howard Christianity According to St John (London Duckworth 104862598309710486281048627) Valu-

able insights can be gleaned rom Edwin Kenneth Lee Te Religious Tought o St John (London

SPCK 10486259830979830941048626) Joseph Crehan Te Teology o St John (New York Sheed amp Ward 1048625983097983094983093) D George

Vanderlip Christianity According to John (Philadelphia Westminster 1048625983097983095983093) and especially the col-lected articles in aylorCompanion to John Not all will be persuaded o the dispensationalist accents

in W Robert Cook Te Teology o John (Chicago Moody 1048625983097983095983097) More recently Smith Teology is critical and thoughtul but brie and covers only the Gospel Koester Word o Lie is uller but

again ocuses on the Gospel even Koumlstenberger Teology like most o the publications above omits

the Apocalypse





tions and sociological character o these documents9830891048632 Insights into select

Johannine themes and ideas are scattered in an ever-swelling mass o publica-

tions but an overview remains a desideratum o remedy this lack is one aimo this volume

Rudolf Bultmann Te most influential synthesis o the mid-twentieth

century was done by Rudol Bultmann9830891048633 Bultmann offered a masterly sketch

o some major concepts o the Fourth Gospel under the keynote ldquorevelationrdquo

His discussions o the Johannine concepts o the world o the division o the

human race by the divine revealerrsquos coming and o aith are incisive

But many now concur that ldquoevery answer Bultmann gives to the really im-

portant questions he raisesmdashis wrongrdquo9830901048624 Bultmann relied on a questionable

reconstruction o a Gnostic revealer myth to explain Johnrsquos Christology983090983089 Hyper-

criticism bound him to a radically dissected and rearranged Fourth Gospel in

isolation rom the Epistles and the Apocalypse983090983090 And his hermeneutical

program o existentialist demythologization imposed a ocus that lef but a

torso o Johnrsquos thought No scholar without a strong agenda would deny that

John is aware o salvation history or wonder whether or him the devil is ldquoa

18For reviews o scholarship see Sean P Kealy Johnrsquos Gospel and the History o Biblical Interpretation

(1048626 vols MBPS 983094983088A 983094983088B Lewiston NY Mellen 10486269830889830881048626) John Ashton Understanding the FourthGospel (Oxord Clarendon 10486259830979830971048625) pp 1048627-10486251048625983095 W F Howard Te Fourth Gospel in Recent Criticismand Interpretation (ed C K Barrett 1048628th ed London Epworth 1048625983097983093983093) Robert Kysar Te FourthEvangelist and His Gospel An Examination o Contemporary Scholarship (Minneapolis Augsburg

1048625983097983095983093) Klaus Scholtissek ldquoTe Johannine Gospel in Recent Researchrdquo in Te Face o New estamentStudies A Survey o Recent Research (ed Scot McKnight and Grant Osborne Grand Rapids Eerd-

mans 10486269830889830881048628) pp 104862810486281048628-9830951048626 om Tatcher ed What We Have Heard rom the Beginning Te PastPresent and Future o Johannine Studies (Waco X Baylor University Press 1048626983088983088983095) Paul N Ander-

son ldquoBeyond the Shade o the Oak ree Te Recent Growth o Johannine Studiesrdquo Expim 10486251048625983097(1048626983088983088983096) 1048627983094983093-9830951048627

19Rudol Bultmann ldquoTe Eschatology o the Gospel o Johnrdquo in Faith and Understanding (ed Robert

W Funk trans Louise Pettibone Smith New York Harper amp Row 1048625983097983094983097) pp 1048625983094983093-9830961048627 idem TeGospel o John A Commentary (ed R W N Hoare and J K Riches trans G R Beasley-Murray

Philadelphia Westminster 10486259830979830951048625) idem Teology o the New estament (trans Kendrick Grobel 1048626

vols New York Scribner 10486259830979830931048625ndash1048625983097983093983093) 10486261048627-983097104862620Ashton Understanding p 1048628983093 See also D Moody Smith ldquoJohannine Studies Since Bultmannrdquo WW

10486261048625 (10486269830889830881048625) 104862710486281048627-983093104862521Note the cautionary remarks in Robert M Grant Gnosticism A Source Book o Heretical Writings rom the Early Christian Period (New York Harper 10486259830979830941048625) Carsten Colpe Die religionsgeschichtliche

Schule Darstellung und Kritik ihres Bildes vom gnostischen Erloumlsermythus (FRLAN 983094983088 GoumlttingenVandenhoeck amp Ruprecht 10486259830979830941048625) Edwin M Yamauchi Pre-Christian Gnosticism A Survey o theProposed Evidences (Grand Rapids Eerdmans 10486259830979830951048627)

22For critique see Eugen Ruckstuhl Die literarische Einheit des Johannesevangeliums Der gegenwaumlrtigeStand der einschlaumlgigen Forschungen (1048626nd ed NOA 983093 Freiburg Universitaumltsverlag Goumlttingen

Vandenhoeck amp Ruprecht 1048625983097983096983095)




10486271048628 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161

realityrdquo or reduce his cosmological opposition between good and evil to a

ldquodualism o decisionrdquo or systematically remand every passage that cuts against

the grain o the interpreterrsquos theological commitments to a posited ldquoecclesias-tical redactorrdquo or organize Johannine theology around individual human aith

while ignoring its Old estament roots and its interest in the trinitarian per-

sons983090983091 Building on Bultmann and others we can advance by starting rom a

saner critical base and allowing the ullness o Johnrsquos thought to emerge in

Johnrsquos own categories

Johannine Christianity From about 104862591048631983088 Johannine specialists began to

abandon Bultmannrsquos paradigm in avor o another Te discovery o a unique

Jewish-Christian community whose history and traditions supposedly pro-

duced the Johannine literature was the work o many contributors983090983092 Curious

eatures o that corpus seemed to make sense when set in the light o a recon-

structed series o social ruptures that would have lef relics layer by editorial

layer According to this postulate a group o Jews devoted to Jesus separated

or suffered expulsion rom their parent synagogues (the event behind the

Gospel) had strie with at least one rival Christian group holding a different

Christology and ethics (1048625ndash1048627 John) and stood apart rom the pagan environmento Asia (the Apocalypse) Te movement became increasingly sectarian on all

ronts o bolster their ragile identity they stressed Jesusrsquo divine authority (eg

Jn 104862910486251048632) and otherness (Jn 104863210486261048627) they engaged in anti-Jewish polemics (Jn 104863210486281048626-

10486281048628) defined Jesusrsquo saviorhood in exclusive terms (Jn 104862510486281048630) claimed to be over-

23Bultmann Teology 1048626v 983096 1048625983095 1048626104862524Seminal works were Wayne A Meeks Te Prophet-King Moses raditions and the Johannine Christol-

ogy (NovSup 10486251048628 Leiden Brill 1048625983097983094983095) idem ldquoTe Man rom Heaven in Johannine Sectarianismrdquo JBL 9830971048625 (10486259830979830951048626) 10486281048628-9830951048626 J Louis Martyn History and Teology in the Fourth Gospel (1048626nd ed Nashville

Abingdon 1048625983097983095983097) R Alan Culpepper Te Johannine School An Evaluation o the Johannine-SchoolHypothesis Based on an Investigation o the Nature o Ancient Schools (SBLDS 1048626983094 Missoula M

Scholars Press 1048625983097983095983093) Oscar Cullmann Te Johannine Circle (trans John Bowden Philadelphia

Westminster 1048625983097983095983094) Robert Kysar ldquoCommunity and Gospel Vectors in Fourth Gospel Criticismrdquo

Int 10486271048625 (1048625983097983095983095) 1048627983093983093-983094983094 Raymond E Brown Te Community o the Beloved Disciple Te Lie Lovesand Hates o an Individual Church in New estament imes (New York Paulist Press 1048625983097983095983097) By the

1048625983097983096983088s a large cadre o scholars shared a common outline o the sectarian community and its history

and some spoke o a consensus or even o an assured result Klaus Wengst Bedraumlngte Gemeinde undverherrlichter Christus Der historische Ort des Johannesevangeliums als Schluumlssel zu seiner Interpreta-

tion (BS 983093 Neukirchen-Vluyn Neukirchner 10486259830979830961048625) D Moody Smith ldquoJohannine Christianityrdquo in Johannine Christianity Essays on Its Setting Sources and Teology (Columbia University o South

Carolina Press 10486259830979830961048628) pp 1048625-1048627983094 idem ldquoTe Contribution o J Louis Martyn to the Understanding

o the Gospel o Johnrdquo in Te Conversation Continues Studies in Paul and John (ed Robert Fortna

and Beverly R Gaventa Nashville Abingdon 1048625983097983097983088) pp 1048626983095983093-9830971048628 David Rensberger Johannine Faithand Liberating Community (Philadelphia Westminster 1048625983097983096983096) pp 1048625-1048627983094





comers against impossible odds (Jn 1048625104863010486271048627) and construed reality starkly as a

contest between light and darkness (Jn 10486251048629)

For some time now the Johannine community hypothesis has been showingsigns o strain9830901048629 Influential though it is it rests on a tissue o assumptions none

o which is proven A global axiom o radical biblical criticism is that New

estament documents manipulate acts o history or theological ends9830901048630 It is

taken or granted that the first generation(s) o Christians comprised not the

united church o the book o Acts but rather a sprawling congeries o con-

flicting movements9830901048631 that each o our Gospels is the distillate o an urban

church whose interests shaped (or created) oral traditions about Jesus9830901048632 that

the Johannine community was eccentric9830901048633 and like the sectaries at Qumran a

more or less sequestered group with unique values and traditions9830911048624 that it was

on a trajectory toward Gnosticism983091983089 and that statements within the Johannine

corpus pitted against one another (rather than allowed to qualiy one another)

mark editors with inconsistent points o view or successive stages in the devel-

opment o the Johannine community (rather than Johnrsquos dialectical way o

presenting complex thoughts) Tis last is a chosen method o interpretation

as unverifiable as it is invincible

25According to Koumlstenberger (Teology pp 983093983094-983094983088) leading proponents began to jump off the band-

wagon in the 1048626983088983088983088s as it aced up to its burden o proo But it persists in the minds o many New

estament scholars such as M J J Menken ldquoEnvoys o Godrsquos Envoy On the Johannine Communi-

tiesrdquo PIBA 10486261048627 (1048626983088983088983088) 1048628983093-983094983088 Juumlrgen Becker Johanneisches Christentum Seine Geschichte und Teolo- gie im Uumlberblick (uumlbingen Mohr Siebeck 10486269830889830881048628) Allen Dwight Callahan A Love Supreme A Historyo the Johannine radition (Minneapolis Fortress 1048626983088983088983093)

26Scholars who respect Johnrsquos integrity counter that historical problems in Johnrsquos Gospel exist in the

eye o critics who bring a certain set o presuppositions to bear not necessarily in the texts them-

selves See Craig L Blomberg Te Historical Reliability o Johnrsquos Gospel Issues and Commentary (Downers Grove IL InterVarsity Press 10486269830889830881048626)

27Walter Bauer and his ollowers greatly exaggerated the multiple origins o early Christianity See

Walter Bauer Orthodoxy and Heresy in Earliest Christianity (Philadelphia Fortress 10486259830979830951048625 [104862598309710486271048628])

For withering evaluation see Tomas A Robinson Te Bauer Tesis Examined Te Geography oHeresy in the Early Christian Church (Lewiston NY Mellen 1048625983097983096983096) Arland J Hultgren Te Rise oNormative Christianity (Minneapolis Fortress 10486259830979830971048628)

28For critiques o this assumption see Martin Hengel Die johanneische Frage Ein Loumlsungsversuch

(WUN 983094983095 uumlbingen Mohr Siebeck 10486259830979830971048627) Samuel Byrskog Story as HistorymdashHistory as StoryTe Gospel radition in the Context o Ancient Oral History (WUN 104862510486261048627 uumlbingen Mohr Siebeck

1048626983088983088983088) Richard Bauckham ed Te Gospels or All Christians Rethinking the Gospel Audiences (Grand

Rapids Eerdmans 1048625983097983097983096) idem Jesus and the Eyewitnesses Te Gospels as Eyewitness estimony (Grand Rapids Eerdmans 1048626983088983088983094)

29Tis assumption attributes idiosyncrasies o the author(s) to a whole community30Questioned by Bauckham Gospels Paul N Anderson Te Fourth Gospel and the Quest or Jesus Modern Foundations Reconsidered (LNS 104862710486261048625 London amp Clark 1048626983088983088983094)

31Reuted by Hill Johannine Corpus




10486271048630 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161

A distinctive Johannine stream in early Christianity was absent rom sec-

ondary literature prior to 104862591048631983088 because it is invisible in our sources or the

period (the book o Acts Irenaeus ertullian Eusebius) It did not come intoull view until the nest o assumptions just named had accumulated in New

estament criticism Te present volume neither builds on nor seeks to over-

throw the reigning paradigm it proceeds rom an independent assessment o

probabilities concerning the author o this literature and his place in the church

T983144983141 J983151983144983137983150983150983145983150983141 L983145983156983141983154983137983156983157983154983141 N983137983156983157983154983141 983137983150983140 P983157983154983152983151983155983141983155

Te Fourth Gospel like Matthew Mark and Luke tells the story o Jesusrsquo min-

istry rom the time o John the Baptist to Jesusrsquo glorification and sending o his

ollowers into the world A prologue lays out the main themes the divine origin

and essence o Godrsquos only-begotten one who as the lie and light o the human

race became flesh to reveal the Father (Jn 10486251048625-10486251048632)983091983090 Te subsequent narrative

unolds its theology according to Jesusrsquo earthly career In the first hal Jesus

testifies to the world about his unique relation to the Father and is met or the

most part with incomprehension and unbelie (Jn 104862510486259ndash104862510486261048629983088)983091983091 Ten having

prepared the small band o his ollowers or his return to the Father (Jn 10486251048627ndash10486251048631)983091983092

32Form critics regarded John 10486251048625-1048625983096 as virtually an independent composition going back to a preex-

isting hymn amplified by the author or a prior editor (eg Rudol Bultmann ldquoTe History o Reli-

gions Background o the Prologue to the Gospel o Johnrdquo in Te Interpretation o John [ed John

Ashton IR 983097 Philadelphia Fortress 1048625983097983096983094] pp 1048625983096-1048627983093) But as it stands it opens the narrative o

the Gospel (c Jn 1048625983094-983096 1048625983093 on John the Baptist reerred to in Jn 10486251048627983088) and so is integral with what

ollows See Peder Borgen ldquoTe Prologue o Johnmdashas Exposition o the Old estamentrdquo in Philo John and Paul New Perspectives on Judaism and Early Christianity (BJS 104862510486271048625 Atlanta Scholars Press

1048625983097983096983095) pp 983095983093-10486259830881048625 P J Williams ldquoNot the Prologue o Johnrdquo JSN 10486271048627 (104862698308810486251048625) 1048627983095983093-983096983094

33extual considerations tell against the originality o the unit about the woman taken in adultery (Jn9830959830931048627ndash98309610486251048625) See Chris Keith ldquoRecent and Previous Research on the Pericope Adulterae (John 9830959830931048627ndash

98309610486251048625)rdquo CurBR 983094 (1048626983088983088983096) 1048627983095983095-10486289830881048628 It may well be regarded as belonging to the New estament canon

even i not part o Johnrsquos Gospel See A D Baum ldquoHat die Perikope von der Ehebrecherin (Joh

9830959830931048627ndash98309610486251048625) kanonische Autoritaumlt Ein interkonessioneller Zugangrdquo Bei 10486281048627 (104862698308810486251048626) 983095-104862698308834John 10486251048627ndash1048625983095 104862610486251048625983093-10486261048627 assuming the salvation o Jesusrsquos disciples (ldquoyou are cleanrdquo ὑμεῖς καθαροί ἐστε

[Jn 104862510486271048625983088]) have to do with pneumatology linked with the ethic o love ecclesiology and mission

Jesusrsquo discourses to his own are hard to summarize Te ecclesiology is stamped by the concept o

the body o disciples as the object o Godrsquos love in its ullness John 104862510486271048625 is programmatic John 10486259830951048626983094

a summary Te verb ldquoto loverdquo (ἀγαπᾶν) suddenly becomes requent Afer being used only seven

times in John 1048625ndash10486251048626 (and with Christ as subject only in Jn 10486251048625983093) ldquoto loverdquo occurs no ewer than twenty-

nine times in John 10486251048627ndash10486261048625 with Christ as subject and his disciples as objects nine times John 10486251048627ndash1048625983095having the character o a testament looking ahead to Jesusrsquo death and departure (Jn 104862510486271048625 10486271048625-10486271048627 104862510486281048625

1048628 1048626983095-10486271048625 10486259830941048628-983095 1048625983094-10486261048626 1048626983096-10486271048627 10486259830951048625-983093) assumes that the church will be lef in the world (Jn 104862510486271048625

104862598309510486251048625-10486251048627) and details the provisions that Jesus makes or it in his absence Afer washing them (Jn

104862510486271048625-10486251048625 [a prefiguration o his death]) he bequeathes them the Spirit (Jn 104862510486281048625983094-1048626983088 10486261048627 1048626983093-1048626983094 10486259830931048626983094

1048625983094983095-1048625983093 104862698308810486261048626) commandments to keep (Jn 1048625104862710486251048626-1048625983095 10486271048628-1048627983093 104862510486281048625983093 10486261048625-10486261048628 10486259830931048625983088 10486251048626-1048625983095 c 104862610486251048625983097





he lays down his lie or them and takes it up again (Jn 10486251048632ndash1048626983088) An epilogue (Jn

10486261048625) mirrors the prologue and rounds off the whole9830911048629 Te author appeals to the

widest possible range o readers with a view to their believing that Jesus is theSon o God in whom is lie (Jn 10486269830881048627983088-10486271048625) In places the wording seems sharply

pointed to counter either adherence o some to a lingering Baptist sect (Jn 10486251048632

104862710486261048626-1048627983088)9830911048630 or Jewish nomism centered on Mosesrsquo ascent o Mount Sinai (Jn 104862710486251048627)

or official Jewish rejection o Jesus (Jn 910486261048626 1048625104862610486281048626 104862510486301048625-1048628) or proto-Gnosticism

(Jn 104862510486251048628 104863010486291048627-10486291048632) But these accents are subordinate to an overall purpose which

is to draw people o all sorts to Jesus9830911048631

A trilogy o Johannine letters appears to have been delivered on a single oc-

casion by the hand o Demetrius (1048627 Jn 10486251048626)9830911048632 Te one known as 1048627 John is a

personal letter to Gaius a householder It praises Gaius or bucking a bid or

control by Diotrephes apparently an overseer o a house church in the same

town In 1048626 John the words o the ldquoelderrdquo convey greetings rom one local church

(ldquothe children o your elect sisterrdquo) to a second probably in another city (ldquoto

the elect lady and her childrenrdquo) In 1048625 John a longer tract there is no conven-

tional epistolary opening or closing matter and it seems to be a homily meant

to reach a larger circle o churches9830911048633 Both 1048625 John and 1048626 John express a pastoralconcern to reassure the aithul who remain in the primitive Christian tra-

dition afer some teachers or prophets rom their midst have made an exit9830921048624

10486261048626) promises o their uture presence with him (Jn 104862510486271048627983094 104862510486281048626-1048627 10486261048625-10486261048626 104862598309510486261048628) o answered prayers

(Jn 1048625104862810486251048627-10486251048628 1048625983093983095 1048625983094 104862598309410486261048627-1048626983095) and o persecutions (Jn 104862510486271048625983096-1048627983088 10486259830931048625983096ndash10486259830941048628 104862598309510486251048628-1048625983094) and a

commission to bear witness to him and bear ruit (Jn 104862510486271048626983088 1048625104862810486251048626 10486259830931048625-10486251048625 1048625983094 1048626983095 c 104862698308810486261048625-10486261048627) On

the literary unity o this body o material see L Scott Kellum Te Unity o the Farewell Discourse TeLiterary Integrity o John 85201710486271048627852017ndash852017104863010486271048627 (JSNSup 1048626983093983094 London amp Clark 10486269830889830881048628)

35Many critics regard John 10486261048625 as an appendix added by an editor but a strong case can be made or adeliberate correspondence between the prologue (Jn 10486251048625-1048625983096) and the epilogue (Jn 10486261048625) See Bauck-

ham Eyewitnesses pp 10486279830941048628-983094983097 Giuseppe Segalla ldquoUn epilogo necessario (Gv 10486261048625)rdquo eol 10486271048625 (1048626983088983088983094)

98309310486251048628-1048627104862736Wilhelm Baldensperger Der Prolog des vierten Evangeliums Sein polemisch-apologetischer Zweck

(Freiburg Mohr 1048625983096983097983096) Christoph G Muumlller ldquoDer Zeuge und das Licht Joh 10486251048625ndash10486281048627 und das

Darstellungsprinzip der σύγκρισιςrdquo Bib 9830961048628 (10486269830889830881048627) 1048628983095983097-98309398308898309737Rudol Schnackenburg Te Gospel According to St John (trans Kevin Smyth et al 1048627 vols New York

Herder amp Herder Seabury Crossroad 1048625983097983094983096ndash10486259830979830961048626) 10486251048625983094983093-9830951048626 Raymond E Brown An Introductionto the Gospel o John (ed Francis J Moloney ABRL New York Doubleday 10486269830889830881048627) pp 10486259830931048625-983096983096

38Although 1048627 John is not a ldquoletter o recommendationrdquo it does contain a commendation o Demetrius

who thereore probably was its bearer For a contrary view see Luca Marulli ldquoA Letter o Recom-mendation A Closer Look at Tird Johnrsquos lsquoRhetorical Argumentationrsquordquo Bib 983097983088 (1048626983088983088983097) 10486269830881048627-10486261048627

39On the oralauditory eatures see Russ Dudrey ldquo1048625 John and the Public Reading o Scripturerdquo SCJ 983094 (10486269830889830881048627) 10486261048627983093-983093983093

40Stephen Rockwell ldquoAssurance as the Interpretative Key to Understanding the Message o 1048625 Johnrdquo

RR 983094983097 (10486269830881048625983088) 1048625983095-10486271048627




10486271048632 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161

Tey went spouting doctrinal innovations about Christ probably o a Docetic

nature and ostering a licentious liestyle983092983089 Johnrsquos Epistles counter their impact

by reinorcing the three cardinal values o truth righteousness and love983092983090

Tetrio o letters corresponds to three distinct levels o ecclesiastical organization

house church (1048627 John) urban ellowship (1048626 John) and regional web o churches

(1048625 John)983092983091

Te Apocalypse is a Christian prophecy dressed in the orm o a letter but

stylistically in the vein o Jewish apocalypses It was sent to the churches o

western Asia Minor at a time when they were under social pressure to adopt

the Roman values o wealth power and pleasure It applies florid apocalyptic

imagery adapted rom all over the Hebrew Scriptures983092983092 to reerents in Johnrsquos

contemporary environment9830921048629 Te prophet calls on the churches to persevere

in recognizing the One who sits on the throne in heaven and the Lamb who

shares it to whom alone worship and obedience are due even i such fidelity

41Tough the language leaves room or other possibilities the emphasis on the tangibility o the word

o lie in 1048625 John 10486251048625-1048627 and the warnings in 1048625 John 10486281048626 1048626 John 983095 seem to have in view a denial that

the divine Logos became truly incarnate Cerinthus taught that the Christ was a spirit who de-scended on the man Jesus at his baptism and flew away beore the crucifixion (Irenaeus Haer 104862510486269830941048625) While Johnrsquos antagonism toward him is clear only in a patristic anecdote (Irenaeus Haer 104862710486271048628) to interpret 1048625 John 983093983094 against a Cerinthian background makes luminous sense o an other-

wise obscure verse Most scholars think that the secessionists are proto-Gnostics ypical o the

majority past and present are Georg Strecker Te Johannine Letters A Commentary on 852017 852018 and 1048627 John (ed Harold W Attridge trans Linda M Maloney Hermeneia Minneapolis Fortress 1048625983097983097983094)

pp 983094983097-983095983094 Wolram Uebele ldquoViele Veruumlhrer sind in die Welt ausgegangenrdquo Die Gegner in den Brieendes Ignatius von Antiochien und in den Johannesbrieen (BWAN 10486259830931048625 Stuttgart Kohlhammer 10486269830889830881048625)

A minority have taken the secessionists to be Jews who never believed in Jesus or Jewish Christians

who renounced their belie that Jesus is the Messiah See or example J C OrsquoNeill Te Puzzle o 852017

John A New Examination o Origins (London SPCK 1048625983097983094983094) erry Griffith Keep Yourselves rom Idols A New Look at 852017 John (JSNSup 104862610486271048627 London Sheffield Academic Press 10486269830889830881048626) Daniel R Streett

Tey Went Out rom Us Te Identity o the Opponents in First John (BZNW 1048625983095983095 Berlin de Gruyter

104862698308810486251048625) Difficult though it is to pin down the exact nature o the alse teaching o the opponents ew

doubt that there was an historical movement behind the Johannine construct o them contra

Hansjoumlrg Schmid Gegner im 852017 Johannesbrie Zu Konstruktion und Selbstreerenz im johanneischenSinnsystem (BWAN 1048625983093983097 Stuttgart Kohlhammer 10486269830889830881048626) idem ldquoHow to Read the First Epistle o

John Non-Polemicallyrdquo Bib 983096983093 (10486269830889830881048628) 10486261048628-1048628104862542J Ramsey Michaels ldquoReflections on the Tree Epistles o Johnrdquo in aylor Companion to John pp

1048626983093983095-983095104862543Note an identical relationship among Philemon Colossians and Ephesians carried by ychicus with

Onesimus which could have served as Johnrsquos model or the trilogy44G K Beale Johnrsquos Use o the Old estament in Revelation (JSNSup 1048625983094983094 Sheffield Sheffield Academic

Press 1048625983097983097983096) David Mathewson ldquoAssessing Old estament Allusions in the Book o Revelationrdquo

EvQ 983095983093 (10486269830889830881048627) 104862710486251048625-104862698309345Paul A Rainbow Te Pith o the Apocalypse Essential Message and Principles or Interpretation (Eu-

gene OR Wip amp Stock 1048626983088983088983096) pp 10486251048627-1048626983095 9830941048625-983094983094





should result in martyrdom during this present age Full o intricate literary

patterns a simple general structure is discernible a prologue (Apoc 10486251048625-10486251048625) a

disclosure o Christ in glory leading into seven oracles or the churches (Apoc10486259ndash104862710486261048625) an invitation up to the heavenly throne room leading into seven re-

capitulatory visions o the destiny o the world (Apoc 10486281048625ndash104862610486269)9830921048630 and an epi-

logue mirroring the themes o the prologue (Apoc 104862610486261048630-10486261048625)9830921048631

A983157983156983144983151983154983155983144983145983152

Until roughly 10486251048632983088983088 the leading lights o the church held these books to have a

single author John one o the twelve apostles son o Zebedee and brother o

James Tis ancient opinion rested on secure grounds Many critics still sub-

scribe to it in spite o doubts that have made headway in the scholarly com-

munity since the European Enlightenment9830921048632 Tis is not the place or a ull

review o the question o authorship but the main lines o the discussion may

be set orth

Johnrsquos Gospel Internal clues An eyewitness o Jesusrsquo ministry is behind the

Fourth Gospel ldquoWe have beheld his gloryrdquo (Jn 104862510486251048628) ldquoHe who saw it has borne

witnessmdashhis testimony is true and he knows that he tells the truthrdquo (Jn 1048625910486271048629)9830921048633 He is an individual (ldquoI supposerdquo [Jn 1048626104862510486261048629]) and is the writer (ὁ γράψας ταῦτα

[Jn 1048626104862510486261048628]) He identifies himsel as ldquothe disciple Jesus lovedrdquo (Jn 104862610486251048626983088)10486291048624 a claim

46Te visions are o seven seals (Apoc 9830941048625ndash9830961048628) seven trumpets (Apoc 983096983094ndash104862510486251048625983097) combat joined

(Apoc 104862510486261048625ndash10486259830931048628) seven bowls (Apoc 1048625983093983093ndash104862598309410486261048625) Lady Babylon (Apoc 10486259830951048625ndash10486259830971048625983088) combat re-

solved (Apoc 104862598309710486251048625ndash10486261048625983096) Lady Jerusalem (Apoc 10486261048625983097ndash10486261048626983097)47On the basic literary structure see Rainbow Pith chapter 1048627 For other analyses indicating the great

complexity o the work see Marko Jauhiainen ldquoRecapitulation and Chronological Progression in

Johnrsquos Apocalypse owards a New Perspectiverdquo NS 1048628983097 (10486269830889830881048627) 98309310486281048627-983093983097 Alan S Bandy ldquoTe Layerso the Apocalypse An Integrative Approach to Revelationrsquos Macrostructurerdquo JSN 10486271048625 (1048626983088983088983097) 1048628983094983097-983097983097

48In the case o the Fourth Gospel doubts about the apostolic authorship first voiced tentatively by

Richard Simon (1048625983094983097983093) began to gain a hearing only afer 1048625983096983088983088 and only in Germany See Andreas

J Koumlstenberger ldquoEarly Doubts o the Apostolic Authorship o the Fourth Gospel in the History o

Modern Biblical Criticismrdquo in Studies on John and Gender A Decade o Scholarship (SBL 1048627983096 New

York Peter Lang 10486269830889830881048625) pp 1048625983095-104862898309549Ashton (Understanding p 10486281048627983096) calls this ldquothe obvious readingrdquo o these verses in a comment di-

rected against Bultmann It applies just as well to the argumentative windings o Andrew Lincoln

(ldquoTe Beloved Disciple as Eyewitness and the Fourth Gospel as Witnessrdquo JSN 983096983093 [10486269830889830881048626] 1048627-1048626983094)

who finds in these claims only a literary device on the part o the narrator In critique o Lincoln

Bauckham (Eyewitnesses pp 10486279830961048628-104862810486251048625) upholds the claim o the Fourth Evangelist to be a ldquowitnessrdquoA thoroughgoing collection o eyewitness eatures ound throughout the Gospel is offered in Leon

Morris Studies in the Fourth Gospel (Grand Rapids Eerdmans 1048625983097983094983097) pp 10486251048627983097-10486261048625104862850Howard M Jackson ldquoAncient Sel-Reerential Conventions and Teir Implications or the Author-

ship and Integrity o the Gospel o Johnrdquo JS 983093983088 (1048625983097983097983097) 1048625-10486271048628 Bauckham Eyewitnesses pp 1048627983093983096-9830961048627

In no way does this phrase claim that he held a special place in Jesusrsquo affections An author who







was the apostle nevertheless accept the name Here he appears as a prophet

(Apoc 10486251048627 104862598308810486251048625 104862610486261048631 9 1048625983088 10486251048632 10486259) whose person and authority are so well

known to the churches o Asia to whom the book is addressed as an encyclicalthat he need not identiy himsel more closely Tat he reers to ldquothe apostles

o the Lambrdquo in the third person (Apoc 1048626104862510486251048628) no more excludes him rom that

group than does ldquothe sons o Zebedeerdquo (Jn 104862610486251048626) rom that pair Te island o

Patmos where he was at the time o his visions (Apoc 10486259) lies thirty-seven

miles west-southwest o Miletus a location consistent with traditions that

place the apostle in the area o Ephesus thirty miles north o Miletus toward

the end o his career

Relation of Johnrsquos Gospel to his Epistles Until the twentieth century vir-

tually all commentators recognized the affinity o the Gospel and the Epistles

and o the Epistles with one another in language style and motis1048629983091 In recent

decades increasing numbers question the identity o authorship o these

pieces urging nuances o phrase and concept1048629983092 Others leave the matter un-

decided10486291048629 But the grounds on which authorial unity commends itsel remain

intact10486291048630 As we might expect rom an author who never repeats himsel ver-

batim there are indeed many small differences o expression and o theo-

53Recent literary criticism has added only niceties to the shrewd analysis o Dionysius o Alexandria

preserved in Eusebius Hist eccl 98309510486269830931048625983095-10486261048625 10486261048628-1048626983093 For ull lists o similarities and differences in

vocabulary and idea see A E Brooke A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Johannine Epis-tles (ICC New York Scribner 104862598309710486251048626) pp i-xix 10486261048627983093-10486281048626 Robert Law Te ests o Lie A Study o theFirst Epistle o St John (1048627rd ed Edinburgh amp Clark 104862598309710486251048628) pp 10486271048627983097-983093983097

54C H Dodd ldquoTe First Epistle o John and the Fourth Gospelrdquo BJRL 10486261048625 (10486259830971048627983095) 10486251048626983097-983093983094 idem Te Johannine Epistles (MNC New York Harper 10486259830971048628983094) pp xlvii-lxxi Rudol Bultmann Te JohannineEpistles (ed Robert W Funk trans R Philip OrsquoHara Lane C McGaughy and Robert W Funk

Hermeneia Philadelphia Fortress 10486259830979830951048627) Raymond E Brown Te Epistles o John ranslated withIntroduction Commentary and Notes (AB 1048627983088 Garden City NY Doubleday 10486259830979830961048626) pp 10486251048628-1048627983093 Stephen

S Smalley 852017-1048627 John (WBC 9830931048625 Waco X Word 10486259830979830961048628) p xxii Strecker Johannine Letters pp xxxv-

xlii John Painter 852017 852018 and 1048627 John (SP 1048625983096 Collegeville MN Liturgical Press 10486269830889830881048626) pp 983094983088-9830951048627 Judith

Lieu I II and III John A Commentary (NL Louisville Westminster John Knox 1048626983088983088983096) pp 1048627

10486261048627983097-104862898308855I Howard Marshall Te Epistles o John (NICN Grand Rapids Eerdmans 1048625983097983095983096) pp 10486271048625-10486281048625 Rudol

Schnackenburg Te Johannine Epistles Introduction and Commentary (trans Reginald Fuller and

Ilse Fuller New York Crossroad 10486259830979830971048626) pp 983094-10486251048625 10486271048628-104862798309656C H Doddrsquos arguments are answered effectively and in detail by W F Howard ldquoTe Common

Authorship o the Johannine Gospel and Epistlesrdquo JS 1048628983096 (10486259830971048628983095) 10486251048626-1048626983093 Summarizing opinion in

continental Europe in 10486259830979830951048627 Werner Kuumlmmel ound ldquono adequate reason or assuming that I Johnwas written by someone other than the author o the Gospel o Johnrdquo and considered the differences

in 1048626 John and 1048627 John ldquotoo trivial to make probable the assumption o different authorsrdquo (Introductionto the New estament [trans Howard Clark Kee rev ed London SCM Press 1048625983097983095983093] pp 10486281048628983093 1048628983093983088)

Koumlstenberger evaluates the misgivings o Dodd Bultmann and some others in the last orty years

and concludes ldquoJohn remains convincingly the best candidaterdquo (Teology pp 9830951048626-983095983097 983096983094-9830971048627)




10486281048626 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161

logical emphasis between the Gospel and the Epistles due to the nature

purpose and situation o each10486291048631

Relation of the Apocalypse to the other Johannine books Te Apocalypsewarrants more discussion Everything about itmdashapocalyptic ethos Semitic

intererence in the language imagery rom the Hebrew Scriptures knowledge

o the temple cultusmdashindicates that the author was a Palestinian Jew who

had settled in Asia10486291048632 Yet ew today ascribe it to the author o the Gospel and

the Epistles since it differs considerably in diction and outlook10486291048633 o some

its Greek seems barbarous Its orientation toward the uture stands in con-

trast to the Gospelrsquos stress on eternal lie in the present and its lurid por-

trayals o divine vengeance likewise run against the Johannine dictum that

God is love

Teological differences can be overplayed however Te Gospel has in it

more o the uture and the Apocalypse more o the present than some have

allowed10486301048624 In the Gospel salvation is rom the looming judgment o the world

(eg Jn 104862710486251048630 10486251048632 10486271048630) while the Christ o the Apocalypse declares his jealous love

or his people (Apoc 10486251048629 10486279)

Care is needed to assess to what extent language and style bear on the mattero authorship Written artiacts vary o course in vocabulary level in the com-

plexity o grammatical constructions and in their use o stylistic devices Dis-

parity ofen does point to different authors but not necessarily or a number

o actors can influence the way or ways a person writes

57Brown (Epistles o John pp 1048626983093-1048626983096 983097983095-1048625983088983088) summarizes some o the main differences Tey are

wholly explicable in light o the actors named without Brownrsquos hyperanalytical theory about the

development o Johannine Christianity which multiplies John into at least three authors in an evolv-ing tradition (JesusmdashtraditionmdashBeloved DisciplemdashtraditionmdashEvangelistmdashtraditionmdashGnosticizing

secessionists versus the author o the Epistles who reclaimed Johannine traditions earlier than the

Fourth Gospel)58David E Aune Revelation (1048627 vols WBC 9830931048626A 9830931048626B 9830931048626C Dallas Word 1048625983097983097983095ndash1048625983097983097983096) 1048625xlix-l59Te classic list o differences in language and idea comes rom Dionysius o Alexandria according

to Eusebius Hist eccl 9830951048626983093983096-1048626983095 For more differences see R H Charles A Critical and ExegeticalCommentary on the Revelation o St John (1048626 vols ICC New York Scribner 10486259830971048626983088) 1048625xxix-xxxvii

60On the apocalyptic schema in Johnrsquos Gospel note or starters John 9830931048626983096-1048626983097 9830941048627983097-1048628983088 10486281048628 9830931048628

104862510486281048627 104862598309510486261048628 1048626104862510486261048626 A growing consensus sees the eschatological images o the Apocalypse as

reerring to persons and institutions o the authorrsquos day For example the beast symbolizes

Roman imperial power the alse prophet priests o the imperial cult in Asia Lady Babylonthe attractions o Roman society economy and culture around the turn o the century the

battle o Armageddon the clash o pro-Roman ideology with the truth o the gospel o Jesus

Christ the millennial reign Godrsquos vindication o Christian martyrs and the reversal o their

ortunes Viewed in that way the Apocalypse arguably has a more elaborate ldquorealized eschatol-

ogyrdquo than does the Gospel





For one thing an author can adopt a style deliberately Luke or example

imitates narrative portions o the Septuagint in the opening chapters o his

Gospel acitus too wrote in several styles1048630983089

Most o the peculiarities and sol-ecisms in the Apocalypse have a rationale which usually is to signal evocations

o the Old estament1048630983090

Comparisons within a given genre can be telling as between the letters o

Paul and that to the Hebrews But in the New estament the Johannine is the

only corpus that encompasses several genres (gospel homily letter

apocalypse)1048630983091 Having no other example to serve as a control who would dare

say how much variance in language style or theological emphasis might be

maniest in the work o single versatile writer1048630983092

Also clouding the picture is the act that Aramaic speakers such as Peter and

John rom the Palestinian working class with little ormal education (Acts 104862810486251048627)

would have required the service o a secretary to draf a piece or publication

in Greek How likely is it that the same helper accompanied them rom place

to place Amanuenses ofen enjoyed considerable latitude in crafing words

beore submitting the final product to the author or approval10486301048629 Some varia-

tions within a corpus may be due to them

61A case in point is acitusrsquos Dialogus de oratoribus Written in neo-Ciceronian style it ldquooffers so sharp

a contrast to the later manner o acitus that its authenticity was early called in question first by

Peter Rhenanus then by Justus Lipsius with the ull weight o his great name Only in 104862598309710486251048625 were

the doubts dispelled by Langersquos discovery that a letter rom Pliny to acitus alludes unmistakably to

the Dialoguerdquo (John Jackson introduction to actitus Histories Books IV-V Annals Books I-III [LCL

10486261048628983097 Cambridge MA Harvard University Press 104862598309710486271048625] pp 10486261048627983088-10486271048625)62G K Beale Te Book o Revelation A Commentary on the Greek ext (NIGC Grand Rapids Eerd-

mans Carlisle Paternoster 1048625983097983097983097) pp 1048625983088983088-10486259830881048627 On the peculiar language see Charles Revelation

pp cxvii-clix Aune Revelation 1048625clx-ccxi Tere are many Semitisms and Septuagintalisms thesignificance o which is debated See Gerard Mussies Te Morphology o Koine Greek as Used in the Apocalypse o St John A Study in Bilingualism (NovSup 1048626983095 Leiden Brill 10486259830979830951048625) Steven Tompson

Te Apocalypse and Semitic Syntax (SNSMS 9830931048626 Cambridge Cambridge University Press 1048625983097983096983093)

Stanley E Porter ldquoTe Language o the Apocalypse in Recent Discussionrdquo NS 1048627983093 (1048625983097983096983097) 9830939830961048626-9830949830881048627

Daryl D Schmidt ldquoSemitisms and Septuagintalisms in the Book o Revelationrdquo NS 1048627983095 (10486259830979830971048625)

9830939830971048626-9830949830881048627 Beale Revelation pp 1048625983088983088-1048625983088983095 Some broken grammatical patterns can be explained as part

o the deliberate structuring o the material See Iwan M Whiteley ldquoAn Explanation or the Anaco-

loutha in the Book o Revelationrdquo FilNeot 1048626983088 (1048626983088983088983095) 10486271048627-98309398308863Matthew Mark and Luke wrote only biographical or historical narratives Paul James Peter and

Jude wrote only letters Hebrews seems to be a sermon (ldquothis word o exhortationrdquo [Heb 1048625104862710486261048626])64o take a modern example C S Lewis lef a legacy in many genres Were his corpus to be subjected

to the level o hairsplitting that biblical critics apply to canonical documents how many authors

might the examination produce65On the roles played by amanuenses in Greco-Roman antiquity see E Randolph RichardsPaul and

First-Century Letter Writing Secretaries Composition and Collection (Downers Grove IL InterVarsity

Press 10486269830889830881048628) pp 9830941048628-983095983097




10486281048628 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161

A actor o another kind in discussions about authorship one that can

operate on participants subconsciously is the social aspect o knowledge

What others say has a ormative impact on onersquos opinions For a century anda hal afer the Johannine writings were published not one ather o the

church raised a scruple about the Apocalypse based on language or style

even though they spoke Greek as their native language some had had ormal

training in rhetoric and the lengthy controversy with the Gnostics trained

their antennae to detect spurious books When the lone voice o Dionysius

o Alexandria denied the Apocalypse to the apostle he wore a dogmatic

motive on his sleeve10486301048630 His negative judgment did not prevail A century

later the church included the book in the New estament canon I a predis-

position to admit whatever might plausibly be apostolic could explain the

patristic consensus might social pressure likewise explain pervasive skep-

ticism concerning apostolic authorship among academics since the rise o

biblical criticism

Considerations o language and style are in act woolly enough to allow or

divergent conclusions about the authorship Based on this criterion alone

neither upholders nor doubters o John the apostle can make a case strongenough definitively to exclude the other

For what it is worth the Apocalypse is written in short simple straight-

orward clauses usually strung together with the word ldquoandrdquo (καί) in paratactic

rather than subordinate constructions10486301048631 In these respects the grammar is like

that o Matthew Mark and John and differs rom Luke Paul and Hebrews Te

limited vocabulary consisting o 910486251048630 Greek words o which 104862510486261048632 (1048625104862791048631) occur

just once in the New estament is comparable to that o Johnrsquos Gospel (104862598308810486251048625

words with 104862510486251048628 hapax legomena or 1048625104862510486261048631)10486301048632 even though the list o hapax

legomena in the Apocalypse is quite distinct rom that o Johnrsquos Gospel10486301048633 as one

would expect or different subject matter Like Mark John and 1048625-1048627 John the

Apocalypse shows no literary pretensions (over against Luke-Acts Hebrews

James 1048625 Peter 1048626 Peter) In these basic aspects o style the Apocalypse is more

66Tat motive was to oppose the excesses o a particular millenarian sect According to Gerhard

Maier Dionysiusrsquos criticism was targeted at church politics and transparently dogmatic in motiva-tion (Die Johannesoffenbarung und die Kirche [WUN 1048626983093 uumlbingen Mohr Siebeck 10486259830979830961048625] p 1048625983088983095)

67Aune Revelation 1048625cxci-cxcv68In contrast Acts uses 10486269830881048627983096 words o which 1048628983095983096 (104862610486271048628983093983077) are hapax legomena Paulrsquos Epistles draw

on 10486269830941048628983096 words o which 983095983097983093 (10486279830889830881048626983077) are hapax legomena69Te statistics are given in Aune Revelation 1048625ccvii-ccxi





similar to Johnrsquos Gospel and Epistles than it is to the other corpora o the New

estament10486311048624 Even critics who find more than one author typically posit a

common traditionTe array o points o contact is impressive Otto Boumlcher compares the

Apocalypse with the other Johannine books with respect to unique points o

Christology1048631983089 ecclesiology 1048631983090 and eschatology1048631983091 We might add characteristic

lexical choices (ἀληθινός γεννᾶν σφάζειν τηρεῖν ἐντολάς) ldquoI amrdquo predica-

tions (Apoc 104862510486251048631 104862610486261048627 104862610486251048630 1048626104862610486251048627 10486251048630)1048631983092 a tendency to think o the Spirit

concretely as indwelling and acting through the church and o the church

imbued with the Spirit as a ellowship partner with the Father and the Son

the antichrist figure elevation o the symbolic number ldquosevenrdquo to a struc-

tural role10486311048629

Yet more telling than surace traits are mental dispositions a sense o the

ideal embodied in the particular penetration to central truths10486311048630 narrowing

down to a small number o main characters and themes10486311048631 ruminative de-

velopment o thoughts by cyclical variations having a constantly shifing

70Comparisons ocusing on specific phenomena such as the use o Greek particles neither confirm

nor clearly exclude common authorship See Vern S Poythress ldquoJohannine Authorship and the Use

o Intersentence Conjunctions in the Book o Revelationrdquo WJ 1048628983095 (1048625983097983096983093) 10486271048626983097-104862798309471Oneness o the Son with the Father logos ldquolambrdquo ldquoshepherdrdquo ldquojudgerdquo ldquoovercomingrdquo (νικᾶν)72Church as true Israel composed o Jews and Gentiles and as bride o the messianic bridegroom

Christians as children o the daughter o Zion and as ldquosheeprdquo ldquolambsrdquo ldquovictorsrdquo witnesses73Te present as the time o the end visions o angels eschatological war chiliasm world Sabbath

judgment and punishment with fire heavenly city paradise with water and bread o lie See Otto

Boumlcher ldquoJohanneisches in der Apokalypse des Johannesrdquo NS 1048626983095 (10486259830979830961048625) 10486271048625983088-10486261048625 Boumlcher bows

to the judgment o most scholars distances himsel rom common authorship and regards the

likenesses thereore as ldquosurprisingrdquo Does he exempliy the magnetic pull o prevailing opinion inthe guild

74Karl Kundsin ldquoCharakter und Ursprung der johanneischen Redenrdquo Latvijas Universitates Raksti(Acta Universitates Latviensis) eologijas Fakultates Serija 1048625 no 1048628 (10486259830971048627983097) 1048626983094983096-9830961048628

75For more comprehensive comparisons o the language and theology o the Fourth Gospel and the

Apocalypse see Joumlrg Frey ldquoErwaumlgungen zum Verhaumlltnis der Johannesapokalypse zu den uumlbrigen

Schrifen im Corpus Johanneumrdquo in Hengel Die johanneische Frage pp 10486271048626983094-10486281048626983097 Andreacute Heinze

Johannesapokalypse und johanneische Schrifen Forschungs- und traditionsgeschichliche Untersuchun- gen (BWAN 104862510486281048626 Stuttgart Kohlhammer 1048625983097983097983096) Craig S Keener Te Gospel o John A Commentary (1048626 vols Peabody MA Hendrickson 10486269830889830881048627) 104862510486251048626983094-1048627983097 Tese scholars find the similarities impressive

Frey (p 10486281048626983096) thinks the Gospel and Revelation are connected to the figure o John at least in part

Keener (p 10486251048627983096) concludes that common authorship is ldquonot impossiblerdquo76ldquoTis peculiarity o thought which centralizes ideas in their logical source or ground is pervading

and undamental in the writings o Johnrdquo (Stevens Johannine Teology p 983094) ldquoTe theological lines

are more sharply drawn the view is deeper the thoughts simplified but directed to what is essential

and permanentrdquo (Schnackenburg ldquoChristian Moralityrdquo p 1048625983096983096)77ldquoCompressed into a ew undamental realitiesrdquo (Grossouw ldquoChristian Spiritualityrdquo p 104862610486251048628)





JOHANNINE

THEOLOGY

THE GOSPE L

THE EP ISTL ES

and the

APOCALYPSE

PAUL A RA IN BOW









Press











ISBN 983097983095983096-983088-983096983091983088983096-1048628983088983093983094-1048628 (print)

ISBN 983097983095983096-983088-983096983091983088983096-983097983094983093983088-983097 (digital)







pages cm




BS10486269830949830881048625R983091983093 104862698308810486251048628

10486261048626983094983093rsquo983088983094mdashdc1048626983091104862698308810486251048628983088104862610486269830961048625983093

P 10486261048628 1048626983091 10486261048626 10486261048625 1048626983088 1048625983097 1048625983096 1048625983095 1048625983094 1048625983093 10486251048628 1048625983091 10486251048626 10486251048625 1048625983088 983097 983096 983095 983094 983093 1048628 983091 1048626 1048625

Y 9830911048628 983091983091 9830911048626 9830911048625 983091983088 1048626983097 1048626983096 1048626983095 1048626983094 1048626983093 10486261048628 1048626983091 10486261048626 10486261048625 1048626983088 1048625983097 1048625983096 1048625983095 1048625983094 1048625983093 10486251048628




CONTENTS

Preace 983097



1 Introduction 27


3 he World 983089983089983093









Bibliography 983092983090983089

Index o Authors 983092983095983097






PREFACE


























1048625983088 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161







1

INTRODUCTION


























10486261048632 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161

J983151983144983137983150983150983145983150983141 T983144983141983151983148983151983143983161




are maniold

































































1048627983088 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161


o him individually








































































10486271048626 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161


















S983156983137983156983141 983151983142 983156983144983141 Q983157983141983155983156983145983151983150















the Apocalypse





































10486271048628 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161









































































10486271048630 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161







T983144983141 J983151983144983137983150983150983145983150983141 L983145983156983141983154983137983156983157983154983141 N983137983156983157983154983141 983137983150983140 P983157983154983152983151983155983141983155



































































RR 983094983097 (10486269830881048625983088) 1048625983095-10486271048627




10486271048632 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161






(1048625 John)983092983091





































A983157983156983144983151983154983155983144983145983152







be set orth
































































10486281048626 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161











God is love
































































Press 10486269830889830881048628) pp 9830941048628-983095983097




10486281048628 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161














biblical criticism

































tural role10486311048629






























Press











ISBN 983097983095983096-983088-983096983091983088983096-1048628983088983093983094-1048628 (print)

ISBN 983097983095983096-983088-983096983091983088983096-983097983094983093983088-983097 (digital)







pages cm




BS10486269830949830881048625R983091983093 104862698308810486251048628

10486261048626983094983093rsquo983088983094mdashdc1048626983091104862698308810486251048628983088104862610486269830961048625983093

P 10486261048628 1048626983091 10486261048626 10486261048625 1048626983088 1048625983097 1048625983096 1048625983095 1048625983094 1048625983093 10486251048628 1048625983091 10486251048626 10486251048625 1048625983088 983097 983096 983095 983094 983093 1048628 983091 1048626 1048625

Y 9830911048628 983091983091 9830911048626 9830911048625 983091983088 1048626983097 1048626983096 1048626983095 1048626983094 1048626983093 10486261048628 1048626983091 10486261048626 10486261048625 1048626983088 1048625983097 1048625983096 1048625983095 1048625983094 1048625983093 10486251048628




CONTENTS

Preace 983097



1 Introduction 27


3 he World 983089983089983093









Bibliography 983092983090983089

Index o Authors 983092983095983097






PREFACE


























1048625983088 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161







1

INTRODUCTION


























10486261048632 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161

J983151983144983137983150983150983145983150983141 T983144983141983151983148983151983143983161




are maniold

































































1048627983088 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161


o him individually








































































10486271048626 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161


















S983156983137983156983141 983151983142 983156983144983141 Q983157983141983155983156983145983151983150















the Apocalypse





































10486271048628 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161









































































10486271048630 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161







T983144983141 J983151983144983137983150983150983145983150983141 L983145983156983141983154983137983156983157983154983141 N983137983156983157983154983141 983137983150983140 P983157983154983152983151983155983141983155



































































RR 983094983097 (10486269830881048625983088) 1048625983095-10486271048627




10486271048632 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161






(1048625 John)983092983091





































A983157983156983144983151983154983155983144983145983152







be set orth
































































10486281048626 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161











God is love
































































Press 10486269830889830881048628) pp 9830941048628-983095983097




10486281048628 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161














biblical criticism

































tural role10486311048629

























CONTENTS

Preace 983097



1 Introduction 27


3 he World 983089983089983093









Bibliography 983092983090983089

Index o Authors 983092983095983097






PREFACE


























1048625983088 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161







1

INTRODUCTION


























10486261048632 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161

J983151983144983137983150983150983145983150983141 T983144983141983151983148983151983143983161




are maniold

































































1048627983088 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161


o him individually








































































10486271048626 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161


















S983156983137983156983141 983151983142 983156983144983141 Q983157983141983155983156983145983151983150















the Apocalypse





































10486271048628 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161









































































10486271048630 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161







T983144983141 J983151983144983137983150983150983145983150983141 L983145983156983141983154983137983156983157983154983141 N983137983156983157983154983141 983137983150983140 P983157983154983152983151983155983141983155



































































RR 983094983097 (10486269830881048625983088) 1048625983095-10486271048627




10486271048632 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161






(1048625 John)983092983091





































A983157983156983144983151983154983155983144983145983152







be set orth
































































10486281048626 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161











God is love
































































Press 10486269830889830881048628) pp 9830941048628-983095983097




10486281048628 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161














biblical criticism

































tural role10486311048629

























PREFACE


























1048625983088 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161







1

INTRODUCTION


























10486261048632 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161

J983151983144983137983150983150983145983150983141 T983144983141983151983148983151983143983161




are maniold

































































1048627983088 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161


o him individually








































































10486271048626 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161


















S983156983137983156983141 983151983142 983156983144983141 Q983157983141983155983156983145983151983150















the Apocalypse





































10486271048628 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161









































































10486271048630 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161







T983144983141 J983151983144983137983150983150983145983150983141 L983145983156983141983154983137983156983157983154983141 N983137983156983157983154983141 983137983150983140 P983157983154983152983151983155983141983155



































































RR 983094983097 (10486269830881048625983088) 1048625983095-10486271048627




10486271048632 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161






(1048625 John)983092983091





































A983157983156983144983151983154983155983144983145983152







be set orth
































































10486281048626 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161











God is love
































































Press 10486269830889830881048628) pp 9830941048628-983095983097




10486281048628 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161














biblical criticism

































tural role10486311048629

























1048625983088 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161







1

INTRODUCTION


























10486261048632 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161

J983151983144983137983150983150983145983150983141 T983144983141983151983148983151983143983161




are maniold

































































1048627983088 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161


o him individually








































































10486271048626 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161


















S983156983137983156983141 983151983142 983156983144983141 Q983157983141983155983156983145983151983150















the Apocalypse





































10486271048628 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161









































































10486271048630 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161







T983144983141 J983151983144983137983150983150983145983150983141 L983145983156983141983154983137983156983157983154983141 N983137983156983157983154983141 983137983150983140 P983157983154983152983151983155983141983155



































































RR 983094983097 (10486269830881048625983088) 1048625983095-10486271048627




10486271048632 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161






(1048625 John)983092983091





































A983157983156983144983151983154983155983144983145983152







be set orth
































































10486281048626 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161











God is love
































































Press 10486269830889830881048628) pp 9830941048628-983095983097




10486281048628 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161














biblical criticism

































tural role10486311048629

























1

INTRODUCTION


























10486261048632 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161

J983151983144983137983150983150983145983150983141 T983144983141983151983148983151983143983161




are maniold

































































1048627983088 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161


o him individually








































































10486271048626 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161


















S983156983137983156983141 983151983142 983156983144983141 Q983157983141983155983156983145983151983150















the Apocalypse





































10486271048628 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161









































































10486271048630 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161







T983144983141 J983151983144983137983150983150983145983150983141 L983145983156983141983154983137983156983157983154983141 N983137983156983157983154983141 983137983150983140 P983157983154983152983151983155983141983155



































































RR 983094983097 (10486269830881048625983088) 1048625983095-10486271048627




10486271048632 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161






(1048625 John)983092983091





































A983157983156983144983151983154983155983144983145983152







be set orth
































































10486281048626 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161











God is love
































































Press 10486269830889830881048628) pp 9830941048628-983095983097




10486281048628 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161














biblical criticism

































tural role10486311048629

























10486261048632 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161

J983151983144983137983150983150983145983150983141 T983144983141983151983148983151983143983161




are maniold

































































1048627983088 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161


o him individually








































































10486271048626 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161


















S983156983137983156983141 983151983142 983156983144983141 Q983157983141983155983156983145983151983150















the Apocalypse





































10486271048628 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161









































































10486271048630 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161







T983144983141 J983151983144983137983150983150983145983150983141 L983145983156983141983154983137983156983157983154983141 N983137983156983157983154983141 983137983150983140 P983157983154983152983151983155983141983155



































































RR 983094983097 (10486269830881048625983088) 1048625983095-10486271048627




10486271048632 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161






(1048625 John)983092983091





































A983157983156983144983151983154983155983144983145983152







be set orth
































































10486281048626 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161











God is love
































































Press 10486269830889830881048628) pp 9830941048628-983095983097




10486281048628 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161














biblical criticism

































tural role10486311048629





























































1048627983088 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161


o him individually








































































10486271048626 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161


















S983156983137983156983141 983151983142 983156983144983141 Q983157983141983155983156983145983151983150















the Apocalypse





































10486271048628 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161









































































10486271048630 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161







T983144983141 J983151983144983137983150983150983145983150983141 L983145983156983141983154983137983156983157983154983141 N983137983156983157983154983141 983137983150983140 P983157983154983152983151983155983141983155



































































RR 983094983097 (10486269830881048625983088) 1048625983095-10486271048627




10486271048632 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161






(1048625 John)983092983091





































A983157983156983144983151983154983155983144983145983152







be set orth
































































10486281048626 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161











God is love
































































Press 10486269830889830881048628) pp 9830941048628-983095983097




10486281048628 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161














biblical criticism

































tural role10486311048629





























































10486271048626 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161


















S983156983137983156983141 983151983142 983156983144983141 Q983157983141983155983156983145983151983150















the Apocalypse





































10486271048628 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161









































































10486271048630 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161







T983144983141 J983151983144983137983150983150983145983150983141 L983145983156983141983154983137983156983157983154983141 N983137983156983157983154983141 983137983150983140 P983157983154983152983151983155983141983155



































































RR 983094983097 (10486269830881048625983088) 1048625983095-10486271048627




10486271048632 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161






(1048625 John)983092983091





































A983157983156983144983151983154983155983144983145983152







be set orth
































































10486281048626 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161











God is love
































































Press 10486269830889830881048628) pp 9830941048628-983095983097




10486281048628 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161














biblical criticism

































tural role10486311048629


























































10486271048628 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161









































































10486271048630 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161







T983144983141 J983151983144983137983150983150983145983150983141 L983145983156983141983154983137983156983157983154983141 N983137983156983157983154983141 983137983150983140 P983157983154983152983151983155983141983155



































































RR 983094983097 (10486269830881048625983088) 1048625983095-10486271048627




10486271048632 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161






(1048625 John)983092983091





































A983157983156983144983151983154983155983144983145983152







be set orth
































































10486281048626 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161











God is love
































































Press 10486269830889830881048628) pp 9830941048628-983095983097




10486281048628 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161














biblical criticism

































tural role10486311048629






























































10486271048630 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161







T983144983141 J983151983144983137983150983150983145983150983141 L983145983156983141983154983137983156983157983154983141 N983137983156983157983154983141 983137983150983140 P983157983154983152983151983155983141983155



































































RR 983094983097 (10486269830881048625983088) 1048625983095-10486271048627




10486271048632 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161






(1048625 John)983092983091





































A983157983156983144983151983154983155983144983145983152







be set orth
































































10486281048626 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161











God is love
































































Press 10486269830889830881048628) pp 9830941048628-983095983097




10486281048628 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161














biblical criticism

































tural role10486311048629


























































RR 983094983097 (10486269830881048625983088) 1048625983095-10486271048627




10486271048632 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161






(1048625 John)983092983091





































A983157983156983144983151983154983155983144983145983152







be set orth
































































10486281048626 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161











God is love
































































Press 10486269830889830881048628) pp 9830941048628-983095983097




10486281048628 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161














biblical criticism

































tural role10486311048629

























10486271048632 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161






(1048625 John)983092983091





































A983157983156983144983151983154983155983144983145983152







be set orth
































































10486281048626 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161











God is love
































































Press 10486269830889830881048628) pp 9830941048628-983095983097




10486281048628 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161














biblical criticism

































tural role10486311048629































A983157983156983144983151983154983155983144983145983152







be set orth
































































10486281048626 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161











God is love
































































Press 10486269830889830881048628) pp 9830941048628-983095983097




10486281048628 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161














biblical criticism

































tural role10486311048629
































































10486281048626 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161











God is love
































































Press 10486269830889830881048628) pp 9830941048628-983095983097




10486281048628 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161














biblical criticism

































tural role10486311048629






























































Press 10486269830889830881048628) pp 9830941048628-983095983097




10486281048628 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161














biblical criticism

































tural role10486311048629

























10486281048628 J983151983144983137983150983150 983145983150983141 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161














biblical criticism

































tural role10486311048629




































tural role10486311048629























johannine theology by paul r. rainbow - excerpt

Documents