Section 3: The Johannine

WritingsThe New Testament

Part 1: The Gospel of John• The Gospel of John is NOT one of the Synoptic

Gospels, yet it is still part of the Catholic Bible.• The Gospel of John was written approximately

90- 100 A.D.• John was writing to a Jewish Christian

community that may have included Gentiles and Samaritans.• John describes Jesus at the start of his Gospel as

the preexistent Word of God.• The symbol for the Gospel of John is an eagle,

who by legend flies high enough to look directly at the sun, as Jesus, the Word of God, sees the face of the Father.

Part 1: The Gospel of John• From the opening of John’s Gospel, one can see the

differences between John and the other Gospel writers.• John does not begin his Gospel with Jesus’ public ministry (like

Mark), nor does he begin his Gospel with Infancy Narratives (like Matthew and Luke).• Instead, John begins his Gospel just as the Book of Genesis

begins: “In the beginning…”• John speaks of how even BEFORE Creation, Jesus existed as

the “Word of God.”

Part 1: The Gospel of John• John tells us that Jesus, as the “Word of God,”• Existed before Creation• Was with God• Was God Himself• Became flesh and dwelt among us

• John also portrays the level of understanding by Jesus’ disciples very differently than that of the Synoptic Gospels.• In the Synoptic Gospels, the narrator and reader know Jesus’ identity all

along, while the disciples struggle with it from time to time. • In John’s Gospel, the disciples are more knowledgeable of Jesus’ true identity.

Part 1: The Gospel of John• John makes the disciples of Jesus more knowledgeable about

who Jesus is to put a complete focus on Jesus’ divine nature (since Jesus is obviously human).• John is also different than the Synoptic Gospels since Jesus, in

John’s Gospel, does not tell parables once.• Instead, Jesus teaches in the way of having a dialogue with

someone, who usually misunderstands what Jesus says, and then Jesus goes into a monologue where He explains how His teachings are meant to be METAPHORICAL rather than literal.

Part 1: The Gospel of John• An example of this is when Jesus is speaking to a man named Nicodemus.

• Jesus says that a person must be born again of water and the Spirit.

• Nicodemus takes Jesus’ words literally and says to Jesus, “Surely he cannot reenter his mother’s womb and be born again, can he?”

• Jesus is METAPHORICALLY teaching not about a physical birth, but a spiritual birth that takes place at the time of Baptism.

Part 1: The Gospel of John• A Metaphor then, is a figure of speech in which a word or

phrase that designates one thing is actually being used to designate something else, making an implied comparison.• John repeats this pattern of people misunderstanding Jesus’

words and teachings so that way his audience can understand to think metaphorically rather than literally when reading His Gospel.• John, by using such metaphors, is being allegorical, or

challenging his audience to look for the deeper meaning of Jesus’ words.

Part 1: The Gospel of John• Another example of metaphorical

language in John’s Gospel is when John the Baptist calls Jesus the Lamb of God.

• This expression of Jesus as the Lamb of God refers to:• The lamb in Exodus who blood is

put on the doorposts of the Israelites’ home so the angel of death passes over their homes.

• The lamb in Isaiah who goes silently to the slaughter without a fight

Part 1: The Gospel of John• John’s Gospel also varies from the Synoptic Gospels in the way John portrays

Jesus’ miracles.• In Mark’s Gospel, we saw the Greek word dynameis being used to describe

Jesus’ miracles.• However, in John’s Gospel, the Greek word semeion is used to describe Jesus’

miracles, which in English means “signs.”• There are only 7 miracles performed in John’s Gospel, 5 of which have much

in common with the miracles in the Synoptic Gospels.• The remaining 2 miracles in John’s Gospel are specific to him alone, which

are:• The Wedding Feast at Cana• The Raising of Lazarus

Part 1: The Gospel of John• John’s Gospel miracles focus not only on Jesus’ actions, but also

contain a symbolic, deeper meaning as well that tells us something about Jesus.• Wedding Feast of Cana: changing water to wine foreshadows Jesus giving His

blood (wine) at the Last Supper• Healing Officer’s Son: faith in Jesus leads to health and wholeness• Feeding 5,000 People: Jesus satisfies all our spiritual hungers• Walking on Water: Jesus has the power to calm our every fear if we trust Him• Healing Blind Man: spiritual insight of who Jesus truly is; to see Jesus as “the

Light”• Raising Lazarus from the Dead: Christ’s power over death and life; Jesus is

the pathway to eternal life; foreshadows Jesus’ own death and Resurrection

Part 1: The Gospel of John• Why is John’s Gospel so different?• John is addressing the needs of his audience. It is 90 A.D. and Jesus’

expected return is overdue (in the mind of His followers).• John’s audience is asking, “Where is the Risen Christ?”• John’s answer to this question is that Jesus is here with us now. Jesus is

present to us in the Sacraments, in the Church, and in one another.• John’s Gospel is not just about following Jesus’ public ministry; John’s

Gospel is also about how Jesus is present in the lives of his audience and in our lives today too.

Part 1: The Gospel of John

Part 1: The Gospel of John• The Gospel of John is traditionally understood to consist of the

following sections:• Prologue (Chapter 1:1-18)• Book of Signs (Chapters 1:19- 12:50)• Book of Glory (Chapters 13- 20)• Epilogue (Chapter 21)

• The Book of Signs focuses on the seven mighty acts (miracles) by Jesus.• We said these signs, or miracles, were allegorical, meaning

they have both a literal meaning and a symbolic meaning.

Part 1: The Gospel of John• John, in his symbolic meaning of

the seven signs of Jesus, is telling his audience about the presence of the Risen Christ in their lives.• We have already gone over

allegorical analysis of Gospel stories, primarily when we studied Mark’s Gospel with the Parable of the Sower and the Seed.

• It is not always easy understanding the allegorical meaning of John’s seven signs, so we will do a case study of John’s first sign, that of the Wedding Feast at Cana.

Part 1: The Gospel of John• In the Old and New Testament a wedding feast stood for an image

of God’s relationship with His people.• At the wedding, Jesus’ mother (who represents the Church) tells

Jesus that there is no more wine.• Jesus responds to His mother, “Woman, how does your concern

affect me? My hour has not yet come.”• Sounds a little rude of Jesus to say “woman” to His mother, doesn’t it? Why

is it written as such then?• John wants us to look for an allegorical meaning here, so he writes

something at the literal level that makes us search for an explanation as to why Jesus is speaking as such.

Part 1: The Gospel of John

• The fact that Jesus uses the term “woman” for His mother is an allusion to the Book of Genesis.• John alludes to the Book of Genesis by starting his Gospel like the

Book of Genesis by both using the phrase, “In the beginning…”• The Book of Genesis’ Creation is a story about physical creation;

John opening to his Gospel mentions Creation, then moves toward an account of spiritual re-creation through God coming into the world.

Part 1: The Gospel of John

• In the Book of Genesis, Eve is called Eve because she is the mother of all the living.• In John’s Gospel then, Mary is the New

Eve because she is the mother of all the living in the new spiritual re-creation of the world through her Son.• This is why Mary, when portrayed in

statue form, is scene as standing on top of a snake, who represents the downfall of Eve in the Garden of Eden by the Devil.• Through Mary’s Son, the Devil is

conquered and sin reigns no more.

Part 1: The Gospel of John• Jesus’ reference that His “hour has not yet come” means that

Jesus’ time for His Passion, death, Resurrection, and Ascension has not yet come.• Even, so Jesus is there to help us in our time of need when we

call upon Him.• Jesus tells the servants to fill empty jars with water that He

changes to wine.• The empty jars represent the old way of being in right relationship with

God – through the Law.• The now filled jars of wine show us the new way of being in right

relationship with God – through the blood of Christ on the cross.

Part 1: The Gospel of John• Water also is a symbol of Baptism;

Wine of the Eucharist, which are both Sacraments of Initiation.• This was Jesus’ first miracle in

John’s Gospel, initiating His ministry on Earth.• John is teaching his audience that

the Risen Christ is present in His Church and in the Sacraments through this account of the Wedding Feast at Cana.

Part 1: The Gospel of John

• The next section of John’s Gospel is the Book of Glory, which focuses on Jesus’ suffering, death, and Resurrection.• John never loses sight of Jesus’ divinity, emphasizing it in his

Prologue, displaying it in his Book of Signs, and continues to focus on it in Jesus’ sufferings.• Jesus’ glory shines forth greatly in His Passion since Jesus

comes from the Father and will return to His Father through these events.

Part 1: The Gospel of John

• John’s Last Supper meal is very different from those of the Synoptic Gospels. • John’s Last Supper is NOT a Passover Meal and does NOT

contain the Institution of the Eucharist.• John focuses on the Eucharist instead in the sign of the multiplication

of the loaves and how Jesus speaks of Himself as the “Bread of Life” in the “Bread of Life Discourse.”

• John’s Last Supper is focused on Jesus washing the feet of His Apostles.

Part 1: The Gospel of John

• John’s Last Supper meal is actually 24 hours BEFORE the Passover, which is supposed to happen on Good Friday night.• This means that the lambs the Jewish people eat at the

Passover meal Friday night were being killed Friday afternoon, the same time Jesus dies on the cross.• Hence why Jesus is known as the “Lamb of God.”

Part 1: The Gospel of John

Jesus celebrates the Last Supper with His Apostles (Thursday Night).

Jesus is crucified (Friday Morning)

Lambs being slaughtered in the Temple for the Passover Meal (Friday Afternoon)

Jesus dies on the cross (Friday Afternoon)

Jewish people celebrate the Passover meal (Friday night)

Part 1: The Gospel of John• John, by focusing on Jesus washing the feet of His Apostles, as

opposed to focusing on the Institution of the Eucharist, is teaching his audience what it means to be a “Eucharistic” people, or followers of Christ.• John is telling his audience that if you receive the Eucharist

and Christ’s Body, then you are called to serve, not to be served.• Jesus then goes to pray in the Garden, but does not pray for

the suffering to pass Him by, but rather prays in anticipation of the coming Passion.

Part 1: The Gospel of John• Jesus’ divine nature is also evident

when Jesus is arrested by the soldiers.• Jesus asks the soldiers “Whom are

you looking for?”• They answer, “Jesus the

Nazorean.”• Jesus replies and says “I AM,”

leading the temple soldiers to turn away and fall to the ground. ‘• Why do the temple guards fall to

the ground at Jesus’ answer?

Part 1: The Gospel of John• Jesus’ saying “I AM” is an allusion to God revealing His name to

Moses in the burning bush.• God, when Moses asks what God’s name is, tells Moses “I AM.”

• John is showing Jesus divine nature, as God shows Moses His divine nature, which leads to the soldiers to fall to their knees and see Jesus’ divine nature in those words, “I AM.”• Jesus is then put on trial, as we know, and crucified.• Jesus’ mother and John, the beloved disciple, are with Jesus as

He dies on the cross.

Part 1: The Gospel of John• Mary, once again, goes unnamed and Jesus even calls her

“woman” again when He speaks to her. • Mary is a symbol of the Church here.

• John, the beloved disciple, also goes unnamed as well and is a symbol for all the followers of Christ.• When Jesus then turns to His mother, He says, “Woman,

behold your son.” And when He turns to the disciple Jesus says, “Behold your mother.”• Jesus is revealing here that the Church (symbolized by Mary)

is the mother of all Jesus’ followers (symbolized by John).

Part 1: The Gospel of John• Jesus’ last words on the cross are “It is finished.”• To make death come quicker, the soldiers broke the legs of the

men crucified with Jesus.• When they get to Jesus, however, they do not break His legs. Why?• John is making another allusion to how in Exodus, the Passover lamb’s legs

were not to be broken, just as Jesus, OUR Passover Lamb, did not have His legs broken.

• To check if Jesus is dead, the soldiers pierce Jesus’ side and immediately blood and water flow from Jesus side, a symbol obviously of the Eucharist and Baptism.

Part 1: The Gospel of John• John is showing here

that:• The Church is born

from the Body of Christ (from the Sacraments Christ gives us)• The Church is

nourished by the Body and Blood of Christ (The Eucharist)• The Church is the Body

of Christ

Part 1: The Gospel of John

• In John’s Post- Resurrection accounts, John describes how person after person saw the Risen Lord.• John was showing his audience, who was asking “Why hasn’t

He come back yet?” that Jesus did already come back through the Resurrection and is now with His Church always.• Jesus, at the Last Supper, tells His Apostles that He will leave

them for a period of time (Crucifixion) but will return to them soon (Resurrection).

Part 1: The Gospel of John• Also in the Post-Resurrection stories, John, the beloved

disciple, who stood at the foot of the cross, makes an appearance.• The beloved disciple goes with Peter to see the empty tomb

of Jesus.• Peter goes in first and does not know what to think. The beloved

disciple then goes in after Peter and believes immediately Jesus is risen from the dead.

• The beloved disciple is a symbol of love in this story, showing us that love will always help us find Christ in our world today.

Part 1: The Gospel of John• John emphasizes this

need to love others at the end of his Gospel when Jesus asks Peter three times, “Peter, do you love me?”• Authority is a good thing

and a necessary thing (Peter as the leader of the Church), but love, in this life, is always essential in following Christ.

Part 1: The Gospel of John

• John also includes the story of the disciple Thomas, who doubts the other Apostles when they say they saw the Resurrected Lord.• Thomas can be compared to John’s audience, who have not

seen the Risen Christ themselves.• Thomas tells the Apostles that he will not believe Jesus is

resurrected unless he can actually touch Jesus’ wounds; then he would come to believe.

Part 1: The Gospel of John• Jesus then appears to the Apostles, as well as to Thomas, and

tells Thomas to touch his hands and pierced side.• The interesting message here is that Jesus WAS with Thomas

when Thomas was saying he wouldn’t believe unless He saw Jesus; Jesus hears what Thomas says, appears, and offers Thomas the opportunity to do what he said he needed to do to believe.• Thomas touches Jesus’ wounds and exclaims, “My Lord and

my God!”

Part 1: The Gospel of John• John is saying to his audience Jesus

is with us always, even if we cannot physically see Him, just as He was with Thomas when Thomas doubted.• Jesus then says “Blessed are those

who have not seen and have believed.”• Jesus’ words to Thomas are John’s

departing words to his audience:• Jesus is amongst you always; you may

not see Him physically, but blessed are those who do not see, yet still have faith in God. (Video)

Part 2:The Book of Revelation

• The Book of Revelation, the last book in the Bible, was a book written in code meant to be understood by persecuted Christians of the time.• Apocalyptic Literature was a literary form that has been

misunderstood as predicting events that will occur at the end of the world; however, this is not so.• Some people think that since the world is still here, the Book of

Revelation tells of events that will occur in our own time; once again, this is a misconception.

Part 2:The Book of Revelation• One reason why the Book of

Revelation is misunderstood so much is that it is written in a literary form uncommon to our culture.

• Apocalyptic Literature was well known from the 2nd century B.C. to the 2nd Century A.D.

• The Book of Revelation was written when Christians suffered persecution under the Roman Emperor Domitian (81-96 A.D).

Part 2:The Book of Revelation• Apocalyptic Literature was

not written to predict events that would occur at the end of the world; rather, it was written to offer people hope to those suffering persecution.• The hope offered was that

the end of their present persecution was near, not the end of the world.

Part 2:The Book of Revelation

• Apocalyptic Literature usually begins by claiming the writing contains a hidden revelation that was only know by God and that God then revealed to a chosen person.• The word apocalypse literally means “revelation.”• The Book of Revelation begins this way by saying:

“The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to Him, to show His servants what must happen soon. He made it known by sending His angel to His servant John, who gives witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ by reporting what he saw.”

Part 2:The Book of Revelation• Another convention of Apocalyptic

Literature is that an angel usually instructs the writer of the text to put the writing in a sealed book until the end times does come.• However, John, the writer of the Book

of Revelation, is told by an angel NOT to seal the writing since “the appointed time is near.”• That means the Book of Revelation’s

“end-time” already occurred since we are still here; it is not an end of the world book, it is an end of Christian persecution book.

Part 2:The Book of Revelation

• The Book of Revelation is written in a symbolic code that persecuted Christians could only understand; their persecutors could not.• An example of this is

Revelation 7:13; martyrs washing their robes white in the blood of the Lamb.

Part 2:The Book of Revelation• Another example of this

Revelation 5:3; a lamb with 7 horns and 7 eyes.• The number 7 stands for

perfection• Horns stand for strength• Eyes stand for knowledge

• John is teaching that the Lamb is all knowing and all powerful; since God is the only one who is all knowing and powerful, the Lamb then is God.

Part 2:The Book of Revelation

• John also uses allusions in the Book of Revelation to another apocalyptic writing, the Book of Daniel.• If we look at Daniel 7 and

compare it with Revelation 1: 13-14, we will see the allusion clearly as both passages describe the author’s vision of God.

Part 2:The Book of Revelation

• John even warns in the Book of Revelation not to be marked with the sign of the beast (worshipping the Roman Emperor as God).• Rather, the Christians should be marked with the mark of the

Lamb (Baptism), so as to avoid the “second death,” or eternal punishment after this life.• John could not explicitly say “do not worship the Roman

Emperor,” or the persecutions would become worse; hence why Revelation is written in symbolic languages to encode the true message of Revelation.

Part 2:The Book of Revelation• Other symbols in the Book of Revelation involve numbers,

such as 666 and 144,000.• In the case of the number 666, it was a number that

symbolized a most evil person and has become a universal symbol of evil.• Why? Well the number 6 was:• One less than 7 (7 was a symbol of perfection) • 6 was half of 12 (12 was a symbol of being complete)

• The Hebrews and Greeks assigned numerical values to letters as well.

Part 2:The Book of Revelation• If you add up the numerical

value of the letters in the name Nero Caesar, it added up to 666.• Nero Caesar was the Roman

Emperor, a most evil man, who persecuted and killed Christians.• John says there will be a

succession of “beasts,” which were Roman Emperors, so when you calculated the numerical value of Nero’s name, you found the number 666.

Part 2:The Book of Revelation• Another symbolic number is 144,000.• Revelation says “144,000 people are marked with the seal of

the living God.”• Some people thinks this means only 144,000 people will be

saved; this however, is not true and overlooks the symbolic numerical meaning.• The number 144,00 comes from:• 12 tribes of Israel• 12 Apostles• 1,000 stands for an incalculable number in the ancient world

Part 2:The Book of Revelation

• Multiple those numbers (12 x 12) =144 x 1,000 = 144,000• 144,000 is a number that

stands for the “New Israel,” the Church of God’s chosen people; it is not the number of how many people will be saved.