Parallelomania and the Prologue of John

In this article, the problems revolving around the Prologue and its relationship with the rest of the Gospel are investigated from a theological perspective. The research has tended to focus on such issues as the views of revelation and salvation found in the Prologue and the subsequent narrative and on their respective use of symbolism.

Hts Teologiese Studies-theological Studies, 2016

This article builds on the increasing recognition of divine communication and God's plan as a central concept in the prologue to the Fourth gospel. A philological analysis reveals parallel structures with an emphasis on divine communication in which the Logos takes a central part. These should be understood within the context of this gospel, but have their roots in the Old Testament. The Septuagint offers parallel concepts, particularly in its wisdom literature. Apart from these derivative parallels, the revelatory concepts and terminology involved in John 1:1-18, also find functional parallels in the historical environment of the fourth gospel. They share similarities with the role of Apollo Phoebus in the traditionally assigned geographical context of the region of Ephesus in Asia Minor. This functional parallelism served the reception of John's biblical message in a Greco-Roman cultural setting.

HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies, 2016

This article builds on the increasing recognition of divine communication and God’s plan as a central concept in the prologue to the Fourth gospel. A philological analysis reveals parallel structures with an emphasis on divine communication in which the Logos takes a central part. These should be understood within the context of this gospel, but have their roots in the Old Testament. The Septuagint offers parallel concepts, particularly in its wisdom literature. Apart from these derivative parallels, the revelatory concepts and terminology involved in John 1:1–18, also find functional parallels in the historical environment of the fourth gospel. They share similarities with the role of Apollo Phoebus in the traditionally assigned geographical context of the region of Ephesus in Asia Minor. This functional parallelism served the reception of John’s biblical message in a Greco-Roman cultural setting.Keywords: John's Gospel; Apollo Phoebus; Logos; Revelation; Ephesus

This paper examines the current consensus that the background to the prologue of John is Jewish Wisdom speculation. Analysing the usual texts, it argues that the parallels are weak and that the prologue presents Jesus directly as 'the Word'.

New Testament Studies, 1980

The prospect of writing anything further about the prologue of John reminds one of the verdict quoted by WC van Unnik in a similar context some twenty years ago: ' the new things he said were not true and the true things were not new'.1 The prudent course may, therefore, be ...

For a number of Johannine scholars, the combination of aporias and temporal disjunctions (whether proleptic or analeptic) in John’s gospel point to either the later editing of sources, or to the (perhaps more than one) revision of the gospel story by the final author. I suggest that most or all of these should be more appropriately attributed to John’s narrative interest in developing a well-structured and coherent story. In this paper I would like to explore one fairly narrow aspect of this issue, that is the role that proleptic introductions of, and subsequent rehearsals by, key characters provides in the narrative structure of the Fourth Gospel. In particular I will examine the importance and function of the following narrative linkages: John the Baptist’s interactions with Jesus, the periodic appearances of Nicodemus, the identification of Judas as one who will betray, and the role of Mary and Martha and the anointing of Jesus’ feet. In each of these there are “out of sequence” prior announcements or repeated features that realize or fulfill previous announcements. This pattern of announcing and revisiting certain characters in the gospel story seems integral to the development of the gospel story, and thus should influence how we see John functioning as composer.

2024

This paper is a short (6000 words) introduction to the main lines of argument in my much longer book treatment of the prologue of John. A Socinian-Reacovian treatment is the main alternative to Logos and Wisdom readings of the prologue

Journal of Early Christian Studies, 1995

Bogoslovni vestnik, 2019

By noting the absence of the interaction between historical and literary analysis in the exegesis of the Johannine Son of Man, this study proposes prioritizing synchronic approach. When the methodological weaknesses of the historical-critical analysis in reaching a consistent explanation of the Johannine Son of Man is highlighted, its tendency to seek a common denominator within the complex Son of Man debate is noted. Along those lines, it is suggested that the Gospel narrative should take over that role. After considering the hermeneutical implications of such a move, the example of verse 1,51 is presented as a case study.

Adamantius, 2013