III.

Treatment of the Gospel

The Gospel of John falls into four distinct sections. The first (1:1-18) is a brief prologue on the nature of Jesus Christ as the incarnation of “the Word” (1:1-2, 14), or Logos, a word signifying reason, which in some ancient Greek philosophy is the governing principle in the universe. Largely on the basis of its use in John's Gospel, Logos also came to designate a Christian doctrine explaining how the divine agent is manifested in the creation, ordering, and salvation of the world. The second section (1:19-11:57 or, according to some scholars, 1:19-12:50) presents testimony that Jesus is the true Christ, or Messiah—that he is, in other words, the manifestation of the incarnate Logos. This testimony is provided partly by John the Baptist and the first disciples, but chiefly by the miracles, or “signs” (20:30), done by Jesus, which “manifested his glory” (2:11). These miracles are the changing of water into wine at Cana (2:1-11); the healing of an official's son (4:46-54); the healing of a man who had been lame for 38 years (5:1-9); the feeding of the 5000 (6:1-15), the only miracle recorded in each of the four Gospels; the healing of a man who had been blind from birth (9:1-7); and the raising of Jesus' friend Lazarus from the dead (11:1-46). The sight of Jesus walking on the sea (6:16-21) also is considered a miracle, or sign, by some scholars. Other scholars, uncertain whether this act should be regarded as a miracle, consider as additional miracles his death (19:30) and appearances as the risen Christ (20:1-29).

The third section of John is said by some scholars to begin with Christ's final trips to Bethany and Jerusalem, which marked the end of his public ministry (chapter 12), and according to them, the section comprises the passion and resurrection of Jesus (chapters 12-20). Others, favoring a thematic outline and following the doctrine of the Logos set forth in the prologue, see as the main theme of this section the return of the incarnate Son to the Father. According to these scholars, the third section thus begins with chapter 13 after Christ's public ministry and continues through chapter 20. Divided either way, the section includes an account of the Last Supper (see Eucharist); Christ's last discourse and prayer, the so-called High Priestly Prayer; largely narrative passages treating dramatically the betrayal, arrest, trial, crucifixion, and burial of Jesus; and dramatic and inspirational personal testimony to the empty sepulchre and the appearances of the risen Christ to Mary Magdalene, the disciples, and the doubting disciple Thomas. The fourth section of John (chapter 21) is an appendix, or postscript. In it the risen Christ, appearing a third time to his disciples, commands Peter to “Feed my lambs” and “my sheep,” foretells Peter's death, and speaks about a disciple whom he loves. This disciple is identified as the author of the Gospel (21:24).

The author of John wrote when the beliefs of mystery cults and Gnosticism were circulating in the early church along with the first doctrines of Christianity. He seems to have intended his Gospel to serve primarily as a theological reinterpretation of Jesus' person and mission. He presented his message in terms influenced by the philosophical milieu of his time, in a form perhaps more accessible both to Christians of the later church and to Hellenistic Gentiles than to his contemporaries. The author's main purpose apparently was to counteract a teaching of docetic Gnosticism that Christ was a divine being who appeared in human form but was incapable of mortal feeling or of dying (see Docetism). The express purpose of the Gospel is revealed in 20:30-31.