Durham E-Theses John's apologetic christology : legitimation and development in Johannine ...

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Durham E-Theses
John’s apologetic christology : legitimation and
development in Johannine christology.
McGrath, James Frank
How to cite:
McGrath, James Frank (1998) John’s apologetic christology : legitimation and development in Johannine
christology., Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online:
http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/1287/
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ABSTRACT
James Frank McGrath
"John's Apologetic Christology:
Legitimation and Development in Jobannine Christology"
PhD 1998
The present work is a study ofthe origins and development ofthe christology ofthe Fourth
Gospel. It begins by assessing previous explanations of the reasons why Johannine
christology developed along the lines that it did. These previous approaches are classified in
four categories: syncretistic, organic, individual creativity and sociological. The present
work adopts a sociological approach and, making use of Berger and Luckmann's work on
"legitimation', suggests that it was in attempting to defend the christological beliefs which
he inherited that the Fourth Evangelist developed early christological tradition in the
distinctive way that he did.
Rather than adopt a source-critical approach, which would by definition be highly
speculative, we attempt to trace John's development ofearlier ideas and motifs, such as Son
of Man, Wisdom and agency. The two main sections deal with the issue ofthe relationship
between Jesus and God and the relationship between Jesus and Moses (and their respective
revelations). In each chapter, we seek to show (i) that there is evidence in the passage under
consideration that John is engaging in legitimation, (ii) that the issue in the debate is an
element of christology which is pre-Johannine and (iii) that in responding to the objections
which had been raised by his opponents, the Evangelist develops earlier christological
motifs, so that the controversies in which he was engaged can explain the lines along which
Johannine christology developed. We then go on to consider whether the various
developments made by the Evangelist were then unified into a coherent portrait of Jesus,
and finally to consider the implications which our study may have for future research on
John and for the use ofJohn in contemporary theology.
JOHN'S APOLOGETIC CHRISTOLOGY:
LEGITIMATION AND DEVELOPMENT
IN JOHANNINE CHRISTOLOGY
by
JAMES FRANK McGRATH
Thesis Submitted in Fulfilment ofthe Requirements ofthe Degree of
Doctor ofPhilosophy
University ofDurham
Department ofTheology
1998
The copyright of this thesis rests
with the author. No quotation
from it should be published
without the written consent of the
author and information derived
from it should be acknowledged.
12AUG l~~lj
3
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Abstract 1
Title Page 2
Table ofContents 3-5
Declaration 6
Statement ofCopyright 7
Preface 8
PART 1 INTRODUCTION 9
Chapter 1 Introduction: The Development ofJohannine Christology 10-71
1.1 Previous Approaches 10
1.1.1 Syncretistic Approaches 12
1.1.1.1 Gentile Influence on Johannine Christology 17
1.1.1.2 Samaritan Influence on Johannine Christology 27
1.1.1.3 'Heterodox' Jewish Influence on Johannine Christology 31
1.1.1.4 Summary 32
1.1.2 Organic Development 33
1.1.3 Individual Creativity 41
I.IA Sociological Approaches 43
I.IA.I Synchronic Sociological Approaches 46
I.IA.2 Diachronic Sociological Approaches 47
1.1.4.3 Possible Objections 48
1.2 The Approach to be Taken in this Study 53
1.2.1 An Outline ofthe Proposed Sociological Model 55
1.2.2 Historical Example: The Early Church 59
1.2.3 Applying the Model to the Fourth Gospel 62
1.3 Summary and Aims 68
Chapter 2 A Conflict Setting and a Distinctive Christology: 72-97
Setting the Stage
2.1 The Conflict Setting 72
2.1.1 Conflict Passages inthe Fourth Gospel 72
2.1.2 Issues inthe Conflict with the Synagogue 75
2.2 The Distinctive Features ofJohannine Christology 77
2.2.1 Jesus and Wisdom/Logos/Spirit 78
2.2.2 Jesus the Son ofMan 82
2.2.3 Jesus the Prophet (like Moses) 85
2.2.4 Jesus God's Son and Agent 86
2.2.5 Jesus as the Son who Reveals the Father 90
2.2.6 Jesus the Bearer ofthe Divine Name 91
2.2.7 Jesus as God 93
2.3 Conclusions 96
98
PART 2 JESUS AND GOD
Chapter 3 "Those Who Say 'There are Two Powers in John'..." 99-109
Chapter 4 God's Equal or God's Agent? (John 5)
110-144
4.1 Evidence ofLegitimation 110
4.2 The Subject ofthe Conflict III
4.2.1 Relationship to Earlier Tradition III
4.2.2 The Focus ofthe Conflict 118
4.2.3 The Accusation of'the Jews' 120
4.3 The Johannine Response 126
4.3.1 The Obedient Son!Agent 126
4.3.2 The Son ofMan as Judge (5:27) 134
4.3.3 Witnesses to Jesus as God's Agent 142
4
Summary 143
Chapter 5 "'I Obey, Therefore 'I AM'" (John 8:12-59) 145-163
5.1 Evidence ofLegitimation 145
5.2 The Point at Issue inthe Controversy 146
5.2.1 The Focus ofthe Conflict 146
5.2.2 Relation to Earlier Christology 150
5.3 The Johannine Response 153
5.4 Summary 161
Chapter 6 "You Are Gods" - But Who Are 'You'? (John 10:22-39)
164-184
6.1 Evidence ofLegitimation 164
6.2 The Subject ofthe Conflict and itsRelationship 164
to Earlier Christological Beliefs
6.3 The Johannine Response 171
6.4 Summary 180
Chapter 7 In the Bosom ofthe Father (John 1:1-18) 185-204
7.1 Evidence ofLegitimation 185
7.2 A Point ofControversy and Its 186
Relation to Earlier Christology
7.3 The Johannine Response 192
7.3.1 The Wisdom that Sits beside God's Throne 192
7.3.2 Jesus and the Spirit 197
7.3.3 Jesus as 'God'? 200
7.4 Summary 202
Chapter 8 Conclusion to Part 2 205-209
PART 3 JESUS, MOSES AND TORAH 210
Chapter 9 The Word and the Glory (John 1:1-18) 212-220
9.1 Evidence ofLegitimation 212
9.2 The Focus ofthe Conflict and its Relation to Earlier Tradition 212
9.3 The Johannine Response 215
9.4 Summary 219
Chapter 10 Descent and Ascent (John 3:1-21) 221-246
10.1 Evidence ofLegitimation 221
10.2 The Point at Issue inthe Conflict 221
10.3 The Johannine Response 238
10.4 Summary 245
Chapter 11 Bread From Heaven (John 6) 247-262
11.1 Evidence ofLegitimation 247
11.2 The Focus ofthe Conflict 248
11.2.1 The Key Concerns 248
11.2.2 Relation to Earlier Tradition 250
11.3 The Johannine Response 253
11.4 John and Inner-Christian Conflict 258
11.5 Summary 262
Chapter 12 Legitimating Signs (John 9) 263-277
12.1 Evidence ofLegitimation 263
12.2 The Point at Issue inthe Conflict 264
12.2.1 The Focus ofthe Conflict 264
12.2.2 Relationship to Earlier Tradition 265
12.3 The Johannine Response 269
12.3.1 The Signs ofMoses 269
5
12.3.2 Beliefin the Son ofMan 273
12.4 Summary 276
Chapter 13 Conclusion to Part 3 278-281
PART 4 OTHER ISSUES AND CONCLUSION 282
Chapter 14 Other Possible Issues 283-307
14.1 The Rejection ofJesus 283
14.1.1 The Rejection ofMoses 284
14.1.2 The Rejection ofWisdom 285
14.1.3 Disobedience to God and Scripture 285
14.2 Jesus and John the Baptist 288
14.3 Jesus and Other Figures 290
14.3.1 Jesus and Abraham 291
14.3.2 Jesus and Jacob-Israel 292
14.4 The Death ofthe Messiah 302
14.5 A Contrived Messiah? 306
14.6 Summary 307
Chapter 15 Putting the Pieces Together 308-327
15.1 The Coherence ofJohn's Portrait 308
15.2 Son ofMan and Logos 310
15.3 The Son Who Is Sent and Pre-Existence 316
15.4 The Commissioning: Descending Logos 319
and/or Ascending Seer?
15.5 The Human Jesus and the Divine Logos 321
15.6 Conclusion 323
Chapter 16 Conclusion 328-336
16.1 Summary 328
16.2 The Use ofJohn in Contemporary Theology 331
16.2.1 Implications for Johannine Studies 331
16.2.2 Johannine Christology, Trinitarianism and Monotheism 333
16.2.3 John's Approach to His Task and Ours 334
16.3 And Finally... 335
BIBLIOGRAPHY 337-363
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Declaration
The material contained in this thesis has not been previously submitted for a degree in this or any
university.
Statement ofCopyright
The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. No quotation from it should
be published without their prior written consent and information derived from
it should be acknowledged.
PREFACE
While a PhD thesis is the work of a single individual student,
I doubt whether any student has ever successfully completed
such a course of study without the support of many people, the
endless list of 'without whoms'. Here I have attempted to
thank in particular some of the key friends, encouragers and
supporters who have made the completion of this work possible;
I am certain that, were I to attempt to name everyone who at
some point offered a word of advice or encouragement, the main
body of this thesis would be dwarfed by a preface twice its
size.
In relation to the academic side of this work, I wish to thank
above all Prof. James Dunn for his supervision, providing
helpful guidance and insightful criticisms throughout my
period of research; the members of the Durham New Testament
Seminar from 1995-1998, and In particular Jerry Truex, a
colleague and friend, for encouragement, conversations and
feedback above and beyond the call of duty; the members of the
JOHN-LITR and IOUDAIOS-L discussion groups for feedback and
countless useful pieces of information; Ray Porter and Eryl
Rowlands for teaching me about the Gospel of John and helping
me to fall in love with it; and Dr. Alan Ford for help with
overcoming 'printing obstacles' .
For financial assistance, I wish to thank in particular the
Miss Elizabeth Drummond's Trust, the Mylne Trust, the
Gilchrist Educational Trust and the De Bury Scholarship for
their help with the cost of undertaking and completing this
course of study. Many others are to be thanked for their help
in times of crisis, with the cost of books and/or attending
conferences, and for various other forms of financial support,
among whom especially the Dean's Fund, Ted and Mary Baines,
the Romanian Missionary Society, Trinity Tabernacle of
Gravesend, the Listeners Trust, the New Durlston Trust and the
Butterworth and Bayley Charity.
For providing the music to which I most often studied, I wish
to thank in particular: Anton Bruckner, Gustav Mahler, Sergei
Rachmaninov, Dmitri Shostakovich, Vangelis and Mike Oldfield;
plus many others too numerous to name.
Lastly, but most of all rather than least, my wife Elena, for
providing encouragement and support from before the beginning
of this project until its completion.
Finally, I may mention that I have adhered for the most part
to JBL abbreviations, and in references to Philo to the
standard abbreviations listed in Yonge's edition.
James F. McGrath
March 1998