Table Of ContentTHE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN
The Gospel
according to John
A Theological Commentary
Herman N. Ridderbos
Translated by
John Vriend
WILLIAM B.B. Eerdmans PUBLISHING COMPANY
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAM / CAMBRIDGE, U.K.
Dedicated to the
UNIVERSITY OF STELLENBOSCH
in gratitude for the
Graad D. Th. honoris causa,
bestowed on the author December 12, 1991
Originally published in two volumes as
Het Evangelie naar Johannes. Proeve van een theologische Exegese,
© 1987, 1992 Uitgeversmaatschappij J. H. Kok,
Kampen, the Netherlands
English translation © 1997
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
255 Jefferson Ave. S.E., Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503 /
P.O. Box 163, Cambridge CB3 9PU U.K.
All rights reserved
Printed in the United States of America
02 7 6 5 4 3
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Ridderbos, Herman N.
[Evangelie naar Johannes. English] The Gospel according to John :
a theological exegesis / Herman N. Ridderbos.
p. cm.
Originally published: Kampen, Netherlands :
Uitgeversmaatschappij J.H. Kok, 1987
Includes bibliographical references and indexes.
ISBN 0-8028-0453-5 (pbk. : alk. paper)
1. Bible. N.t. John — Commentaries. I. Title.
BS2615.3.R4913 1997
226.5Ό7 —dc21 96-53632
CIP
Contents
Preface
INTRODUCTION
The Peculiar Character of the Fourth Gospel
The Evidence of the Gospel Itself
The Evangelist as Tradent
Tradition and Interpretation
The Point of This Focus
History and Revelation
The Witness of the Spirit
1:1-18
The Prologue 17
1:1-5 "The Word in the Beginning"
The History of Religions Approach
The Logos and "Wisdom"
1:6-13 The Coming of the Word as the Light of the World
1:14-18 "The Word Became Flesh"
1:19-51
Preparation for Jesus' Public Ministry
1:19-28 The Forerunner
" The Jews" in the Gospel of John
1:29-34 "Behold, God's Lamb!"
1:35-51 Jesus' First Disciples: "Come and See"
2-4
From Cana to Cana: The Revelation of Jesus' Glory
2:1-11 The Wedding in Cana
2:12-22 Jesus at Jerusalem, the Cleansing of the Temple
2:23-3:10 Jesus' Knowledge of Humankind, the Diologue with Nicodemus
Flesh and Spirit
3:11-21 The Descent of the Son of Man
3:22-30 John the Baptist's Final Testimony
3:31-36 Epilogue
4:1-26 The Woman of Samaria: The Well and the Mountain
4:27-42 Fields White for Harvest
4:43-54 Back to Cana: The Healing of the
Royal Official's Son; Faith and Miracles
5-6
Jesus' Self-Revelation as Son of God
and Bread of Life, Resistance from "the Jews"
5:1-18 The Healing of a Paralytic at Bethesda, conflict over the Sabbath
5:19-30 The Self-Witness of God's Son
5:31-47 Jesus' "Witnesses," the Unbelief of "the Jews"
6:1-25 The Feeding of the Five Thousand, Jesus Walks on the Sea
6:26-59 Bread from Heaven, the Synagogue at Capernaum
6:26-35 "I Am the Bread of Life "
6:36-47 God's Saving Will Is Realized in People Coming to Jesus
6:48-59 "The Bread That I Will Give Is My Flesh "
6:60-71 Division among the Disciples
7-10
Who Is Jesus?
7:1-13 Jesus' Delayed Departure for Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles
7:14-24 Jesus Teaches in the Temple: Who Fulfills the Law?
7:25-39 Jesus among the Pilgrims: "Whence" and "Whither"
7:40-52 Division among the Jews, Nicodemus's Judgment
Nicodemus
7:53-8:11 Jesus and the Adulterous Woman
8:12-20 Jesus' Self-Witness Again under Attack
8:21-29 "I Am He"
8:30-47 The Seed of Abraham and the Identity of the Father
8:48-59 "Before Abraham Was, I Am"
Reflections on Chapter 8
9:1-41 The Healing of a Man Born Blind
9:1-7 The Miracle and Its Background
9:8-23 Preliminary Hearings
9:24-34 Interrogation and Expulsion of the Man 344
9:35-41 The Man's Confession, "Those Who See" and "Those Who Are Blind"
10:1-21 The Good Shepherd
10:1-6 A Misunderstood Comparison
10:7-10 "I Am the Door"
10:11-21 "1 Am the Good Shepherd"
10:22-39 Final Dialogues with "the Jews"
10:40-42 Back to the Beginning
11—12
Prelude to the Passion Narrative
11:1-44 The Raising of Lazarus
11:1-16 Lazarus's Illness Reported
11:17-2 7 Jesus ' Journey to Bethany and Conversation with Martha
11:28-44 The Raising
11:45-54 The Sanhedrin Takes Counsel, Jesus Withdraws to Ephraim
11:55-12:8 Jesus' Journey to the Passover Feast and the Anointing at Bethany
12:9-19 Jesus Enters Jerusalem
12:20-36 Jesus' Glorification Announced, the Son of Man
12:37-50 A Retrospective: Israel's Unbelief and Jesus' Self-Revelation
12:37-43 Israel's Unbelief
12:44-50 The Nature of Jesus' Self-Revelation
13
The Last Supper Conversations with the Disciples
13:1 Transition
13:2-38 The Final Meal
13:2-11 The Footwashing
13:12-17 Jesus' Interpretation of the Footwashing
The Unity of the Footwashing Story
13:18-30 The Betrayal Predicted, Judas Dismissed
13:31-38 The Approaching Farewell, Peter's Denial Foretold
14-17
The Farewell Discourses
14:1-31 Jesus' Departure: A Reason for Joy, Not Sadness
14:1-3 No Final Farewell
14:4-11 "You Know the Way"
14:12-24 The Continuation of Jesus' Work and Continuing Fellowship with His Own, the Assistance
of the Spirit
The (Other) Paraclete
14:25-31 A Provisional Ending
15:1-8 "I Am the True Vine"
15:9-17 "Remain in My Love"
15:18-16:15 The Hostility of the World and the Witness of the Paraclete
16:16-33 "You Will See Me Again," "Sorrow Will Become Joy"
17:1-26 The Farewell Prayer
17:1-5 Jesus ' Petition for His Glorification on the Basis of His Completed Work
17:6-10 Jesus' Intercession for Those Given to Him by the Father
17:11-19 Jesus' Petition for the Preservation and Sanctification of His Own in the World
17:20-23 "That They May Be One, Even As We Are One "
17:24-26 Prayer for the Future Union of His Own with Himself
18-19
Jesus' Suffering and Death
18:1-12 The Arrest
18:13-27 Jesus before Annas, Peter's Denial
18:28—19:16a Jesus before Pilate
18:28-32 Jesus Handed Over to Pilate
18:33-38 The First Interrogation: Jesus' Kingship
18:39-40 Jesus or Barabbas?
19:1-5 "Here Is the Man!"
19:6-11 The Second Interrogation: The Heart of the Issue
19:12-16a Jesus Condemned
19:16b-27 "Crucified . . ."
19:28-37 ". . . Died . . ."
19:38-42 ". . . and Was Buried"
20
The Empty Tomb and the
Appearances of the Risen One
20:1-10 Two Disciples Visit the Tomb
20:11-18 Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene
20:19-23 Jesus Appears to the Disciples
20:24-29 Jesus Appears Again to the Disciples, This Time with Thomas among Them
20:30, 31 Epilogue
21
Jesus' Appearance at the Sea of
Tiberias and the Conclusion of the Gospel
21:1-14 The Miraculous Catch of Fish
21:15-23 Jesus' Farewell to Peter and to the Disciple That He Loved
21:24-25 Conclusion
