Why is John’s Gospel so unique?

Each of our four gospels narrates Jesus’ life, death and resurrection in its own voice. Scholars differentiate between Matthew, Mark, and Luke, and the Fourth Gospel. Mark is believed to be the earliest gospel, probably written just after 70 AD, after Jerusalem was destroyed by the Roman army. Both Matthew and Luke lifted much of their stories from Mark, sometimes word for word, then added their own material. The first three gospels are referred to as the Synoptic gospels, meaning that they share many similarities. John, however, does not fit into the timeline of the Synoptics, including many stories, events, and characters that are unique. While Mark was the earliest of the gospels, John is the latest, written sometime within the final years of the first century, perhaps as late as 115 – 120 AD. Many scholars have nicknamed John the “maverick gospel.”
John’s presents Jesus in “exalted, luminous tones.” (Raymond Brown, The Passion of Jesus in the Gospel of John, 1991) When we read John’s story of Jesus, we get the feeling that Jesus walks about 6 feet above everyone else, is all-knowing, and is much more god-like than human. In John’s gospel, there is no doubt that Jesus is fully and completely in control, and it seems almost as if the crucifixion is just another day in the life and ministry of God’s Son. How different this picture is from Mark’s very human portrayal that reveals Jesus’ pain and anguish at dying completely and utterly alone.
John also presents Jesus giving long-winded, theological speeches throughout the gospel. Biblical scholar Frances Taylor Gench quips that in John’s gospel, instead of proclaiming “Worthy is the lamb,” it’s more like “Wordy is the lamb!” John’s voice is also more poetic and contains images that are found only in the fourth gospel such as Jesus as Good Shepherd, Vine, Bread of Life, Living Water. These are known as the “I am” statements of the fourth gospel where Jesus identifies himself with this imagery. Jesus’ use of “I am” in Greek grammar is quite significant. In Exodus 3:13-15, Moses, when encountered by the burning bush, asked God’s name to which God responded, “I am who I am.” Each of these “I am” statements in John’s gospel uses the same grammatical formula as the Hebrew in Exodus, implying that when Jesus himself says, “I am…” Jesus equates himself with God. While the synoptics present characters who struggle to understand just who Jesus is, In John, there is no question that Jesus is God.
This identification of Jesus with God is also seen in the opening to John’s gospel: “The Word became flesh and lived among us, full of grace and truth.” John has no birth story as we are familiar with in both Matthew and Luke, but instead speaks of Jesus’ origin coming before God even spoke creation into being.
John’s Gospel is divided into two parts: the Book of Signs (chapters 1-12) portraying Jesus’ public ministry – his teaching, healing, and other miracles; and the Book of Glory (chapters 13-21) where Jesus prepares his followers for his death behind closed doors, then marches triumphantly to the cross and resurrection life. In John, Jesus’ death is his glorification by the Father, when Jesus is lifted up on the cross.
When we read John’s gospel, we should be aware of a few things that are unique to John. In the style of first century Greek writing, John draws a great deal on the theme of dualism. For John, life is divided into two’s – light and darkness, good and evil, spirit and flesh, life and death – and the reader stands at a crossroads between the two. One way to approach John is to think of yourself entering a house. We enter on the first floor where we have a basic, but limited view of what is around us. In John, it is as if Jesus is inviting us to come to the second floor, to open ourselves to a new, deeper, fuller understanding of God’s mercy seen in Jesus. Throughout the story it is as if characters find themselves at different places within the house, sometimes firmly planted on the first floor, other times on the stairs leading to a new understanding, and in some cases living in a second floor reality, more fully understanding Jesus’ mission and their own response. We will see this in a number of the characters we will encounter in this study.
Probably the best way to enter John’s world is to simply sit down and read it from beginning to end. To immerse yourself in the characters, the events, the poetry, the drama, and the resurrection hope John shares. This ancient book has brought comfort and healing and promise for almost 2000 years. May it bring that same hope in the midst of our lives here and now.
Blessings on your journey into this Gospel of light, life, and promise!
John’s presents Jesus in “exalted, luminous tones.” (Raymond Brown, The Passion of Jesus in the Gospel of John, 1991) When we read John’s story of Jesus, we get the feeling that Jesus walks about 6 feet above everyone else, is all-knowing, and is much more god-like than human. In John’s gospel, there is no doubt that Jesus is fully and completely in control, and it seems almost as if the crucifixion is just another day in the life and ministry of God’s Son. How different this picture is from Mark’s very human portrayal that reveals Jesus’ pain and anguish at dying completely and utterly alone.
John also presents Jesus giving long-winded, theological speeches throughout the gospel. Biblical scholar Frances Taylor Gench quips that in John’s gospel, instead of proclaiming “Worthy is the lamb,” it’s more like “Wordy is the lamb!” John’s voice is also more poetic and contains images that are found only in the fourth gospel such as Jesus as Good Shepherd, Vine, Bread of Life, Living Water. These are known as the “I am” statements of the fourth gospel where Jesus identifies himself with this imagery. Jesus’ use of “I am” in Greek grammar is quite significant. In Exodus 3:13-15, Moses, when encountered by the burning bush, asked God’s name to which God responded, “I am who I am.” Each of these “I am” statements in John’s gospel uses the same grammatical formula as the Hebrew in Exodus, implying that when Jesus himself says, “I am…” Jesus equates himself with God. While the synoptics present characters who struggle to understand just who Jesus is, In John, there is no question that Jesus is God.
This identification of Jesus with God is also seen in the opening to John’s gospel: “The Word became flesh and lived among us, full of grace and truth.” John has no birth story as we are familiar with in both Matthew and Luke, but instead speaks of Jesus’ origin coming before God even spoke creation into being.
John’s Gospel is divided into two parts: the Book of Signs (chapters 1-12) portraying Jesus’ public ministry – his teaching, healing, and other miracles; and the Book of Glory (chapters 13-21) where Jesus prepares his followers for his death behind closed doors, then marches triumphantly to the cross and resurrection life. In John, Jesus’ death is his glorification by the Father, when Jesus is lifted up on the cross.
When we read John’s gospel, we should be aware of a few things that are unique to John. In the style of first century Greek writing, John draws a great deal on the theme of dualism. For John, life is divided into two’s – light and darkness, good and evil, spirit and flesh, life and death – and the reader stands at a crossroads between the two. One way to approach John is to think of yourself entering a house. We enter on the first floor where we have a basic, but limited view of what is around us. In John, it is as if Jesus is inviting us to come to the second floor, to open ourselves to a new, deeper, fuller understanding of God’s mercy seen in Jesus. Throughout the story it is as if characters find themselves at different places within the house, sometimes firmly planted on the first floor, other times on the stairs leading to a new understanding, and in some cases living in a second floor reality, more fully understanding Jesus’ mission and their own response. We will see this in a number of the characters we will encounter in this study.
Probably the best way to enter John’s world is to simply sit down and read it from beginning to end. To immerse yourself in the characters, the events, the poetry, the drama, and the resurrection hope John shares. This ancient book has brought comfort and healing and promise for almost 2000 years. May it bring that same hope in the midst of our lives here and now.
Blessings on your journey into this Gospel of light, life, and promise!