Distinctiveness of the Prologue: Gospel of John

Distinctiveness of the Prologue religious doctrine of JohnIntroduction This paper is going to address the uniqueness of the prologue, and will further explore how it connects with the heartsease of the gospel truth of John. The prologue previews most of the themes that the author will explain throughout the gospel. There argon 8 listed themes the pre-existence of the word, easygoing of world, light and darkness, witness or testimony, glory, life, world, perplex and son human relationship.1 However, for the purpose of this essay, only three themes will be covered. Namely the theme of the pre-existence, father and son relationship and glory.Scholars believes that the church doctrine of John was written between 70AD and 90AD.2 The author is identified as John the son of Zebedee, who was unitary of deliveryman twelve apostles and the beloved one.3 However, the authorship is debatable among scholars, both(prenominal) suggest that Prologue was originally a poem from some other religious traditions perhaps gnostic.4 fit to the gospel, it is maintained that the author was a Palestinian Jew, familiar with the religion, priming coat and rituals of his people. All throughout the gospel, the author suggests that he was an eyewitness to the scenes that he was unravelling.The Gospel of John however is a unique book among the four Gospels. The true agency of deliveryman lies at the heart of all that is unique in this Gospel. The Gospels are recognised as the Synoptics because of their close resemblances to each other. messiah is get arounded in diverse ways in these four Gospels. The Gospel of Matthew reveals Jesus as the king of the Jews. Mark presents Him as the suffering servant. In Lukes version, Jesus is seen as a faultless man. Whereas in Lukes Gospel, Jesus is humanity whereas Johns emphasizes his deity.The Fourth Gospel, also known as the spiritual gospel,5 begins by immediately presenting Christ not as the password of David, nor the Son of man, precisely begins with a prologue in which Jesus deity is openly declared.6 Maurice Casey propounds that the Christology of the after part Gospel is one of its most remarkable features, and one which distinguishes it sharply from the other three Synoptic.7 Its authenticity is sometimes questionable among scholars because many of the major themes and events of the first three Gospels are missing in the ordinal Gospel.8 While on the one fall it includes many significant episodes not mentioned by Matthew, Mark and Luke.9 It is further argued that if the Synoptics present a pinch picture of Jesus, then Johns portrayal can only be accepted.10 D.A. Carson identifies differences between the fourth Gospel and the Synoptics. He observes that there are no narratives parables, no account of the transfiguration, no record of the institution of the Lords supper, no circulate of Jesus casting out a demon and no mention of Jesus temptations.11The first eighteen verses from the first chapter o ne of the Gospel of John are referred to as the prologue.12 This can be seen as an ancient Christian hymn.13 The prologue has an important bearing upon a focused interpretation of the rest of the Johannine Gospel. It also prepares the reader for what follows. The Gospel and Prologue work hand in hand, as Richard Bauckham states that the Gospel needs the prologue, the prologue also needs the Gospel, either without the other is incomplete.14 The relation of the prologue to the rest of the gospel is questionable among scholars. Their unfavourable arguments are mainly based on the source analysis which focuses on identifying the original independent hymn, Christian and non-Christians.15 They have argued that several theological concepts and basis in the prologue, for example, the incarnation of the word, the tent dwelling of the so, in the contrast with the dwelling in the temple the concepts of, and the unique literary style are scarcely reflected in the rest of the Gospel.16 They al so suggests that prologue it is a wisdom hymn stitched by the author to the front of the Gospel to make it more acceptable to Hellenistic readers and was judged to have teentsy relationship to the rest of the gospel.17 While those in support of the prologue argues that it was written as an introduction to the body of the Gospel, well(p) like the writing of the Johannine Epistle with similar symbolic terms appearing in 1 John 11-2 with the list of the themes which are shared in the prologue and the rest of the gospel.18 al-Qaidas divinity of the SonThe divinity of the Son Jesus is established in the Prologue and developed in the rest of the Gospel. The author begins this Gospel with a splendid declaration to his audience by say, in the beginning was the formulate, and the watchword was with God and the Word was God (11). The writer is expressing that Word watchword pre-existent, He was not after or from or created, but He was in the beginning. The fourth Evangelist John reminds his readers of the Old Testament verse, the beginning of creation (Genesis 11) that Jesus is a timeless figure who existed in the past before creation.19 The set aside of Genesis begins with creation so is the Gospel of John refers to creation. The similar words are also found in chapter 17, and now, mystify glorify me in your front line with the glory that I had with you before the world existed (175). The concept of Logos is tell to have an extensive background in the Greek religious and philosophical cognition. The Greeks regarded logos as the principle of reason or order in the world.20 Heraclitus logos was understood to be unifying principle of all things.21 It is suggested that the Heraclitus had no concept of a transcendent God, but saw the logos as a law or reason that underlies the universe because they believed that the logos was common to all men, that it was a world-wide law which regulated all the events that took place within mankind, and that it had its own inde pendent existence.22 In Plato writing holds the words of Heraclitus that a person could not step into the same river twice.23The get and Son relationshipThe Fourth Gospel presents a unique relationship between God the Father and His son Jesus. This unique relationship between the father and son can be seen also in the Synoptic Gospels. Daniel J. Scholz suggested that, the voice from heaven (Mk 111) and the clouds at the baptism (Mk 97) and the transfiguration speak of Jesus as my beloved Son Lk 935, signifies the unity between the father and son24 Johns Gospel comprehensively develops the Father and Son relationship. It is said that Johns gospel uses the term Father in the mouth of Jesus as the son, 120 times more often than all the other Gospels combined.25 The author records the close, loving and unified relationship between the Father and the Son. The logos was in face to face relationship with God. No one has seen God the word has been sent by the father to reveal God the world . The word took on flesh to reveal the glory of God. The unique relationship was described by the author in various ways. For example, firstly, as the father worked, so is the Son worked (517-18).26 Secondly, as the father raises the dead and confronts life, so the son gives life (521-23,26).27 The words that the father gives, the son gives to others (717-17).28 The son speaks the things He sees the Father doing (828, 38, 1249-50).29 As the father knows the Son, so the Son knows the father (1015).30 If you have seen the Son you have seen the father (149). To not honour the Son is to not honour the Father (1518-19, 23).31 All that belongs to the Father belongs also to the Son (1615, 1710).32 Jesus farewell prayer for his disciples said I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one as you are in me Father and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me (Jn 1721).33 Johannine sees Jesus forthcoming suffering and death (the cross) on how the father and Son both glorified.Theme of GloryThe theme of glory is also reviewed in the prologue and it runs throughout the rest of the gospel. The most obvious way the glory is revealed in Jesuss ministry is in the signs. According to Maurice Casey, the fourth evangelist uses the term signs used to reveals Christ glory.34 The first sign is recorded in chapter 211. Another indication appeared when the evangelist explained that Jesus was speaking more or less the spirit that had yet been given because Jesus was not yet glorified (739).35 From the resurrection of Lazarus forward the Johannine understanding of glory becomes increasingly clear. In chapter 11 points ahead to the resurrection of Jesus as a revelation of Gods glory. Jesus announces, that the hour has come for the son of Man to be glorified (123). Father glorify your name (1228). John 1331 says now the Son of man has been glorified and God has glorified in him echoes Jesus prayer father glorify your name in (1228). How ever, Herman Ridderbos minute scholars states that in Gospel of John Jesus glory received so much stress, including in the passion story, that the Gospel can hardly be said to be free of a kind of Docetism, that is, that Jesus suffering is not real suffering in John, that the cross is not Jesus humiliation but only his exaltation, and that therefore his going out of this world consisted merely in a triumphal departure to where he was before.36 As Colver summaries that John also shows in his gospel that the way to the cross is the greatest expression of glory of God.37ConclusionIn conclusion one could say that it is how the author introduces the divinity of Christ in the prologue to his readers that makes it unique and distinct than Synoptic Gospels writers. It could be observed that the Synoptic Gospel writers traced Christ from a human point of view, while John give the account of Christ from his pre-existence that is before creation. John presented his work in a way that all the themes mentioned in prologue visible throughout the rest of his writing. On the hand one can also state that failing to understand the prologue may result in failing to understand the rest of the Gospel of John. In a nutshell, it evident that the prologue is not a wisdom hymn but deep divine revelation given to the John for a purpose. that is to give a clear explanation and understanding of Word and been Jesus Christ.BibliographyBauckham, Richard, The Testimony of the Beloved disciple Narrative, History and Theology in Gospel of John, (Grand Rapids Published by Academic, 2007)Carson, D. A., The Gospel According to John, (Michigan Wm. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1991)Casey, Maurice, Is Johns Gospel True, (New York Thompson Company, 1996)Colver, Randy, Themes in the Gospel of John, (Michigan Zondervan, 2016)Edwards, Ruth B., Discovering John, Content, Interpretation, Reception, (Grand Rapids Wm B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2003)Gagne Jr, Armand J., The Testimony of the Fourth Evangelist to the Johannine Community WE Know His Witness is True, (Victoria Trafford Publishing, 2004)Hale, Thomas, The Applied New Testament Commentary, (Eastbourne Kingway Publications, 1996)Longman III, Tremper, The Expositors sacred scripture Commentary Revised Edition 10, (Michigan Zondervan, 2010)Ridderbos, Herman, The Gospel of John, A Theological Commentary, (Cambridge Wm B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1991)Scholz, Daniel J., Jesus in the Gospels and Acts, Introducing the New Testament, (Winona Saint Marys Press, 2009)Thompson, Marianne Meye, The God of The Gospel of John, (Michigan William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2001)Maurice F. 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Wiles, Spiritual Gospel, Interpretation of the Fourth Gospel in Early Church, (Cambridge University Press, 2006)6 Maurice Casey, Is Johns Gospel True, (New York Thompson Company, 1996) p.317 Casey, Is Johns Gospel True, p.308 Tremper Longman III, The Expositors Bible Commentary Revised Edition 10, (Michigan Zondervan, 2010) p.3609 Longman, The Expositors Bible Commentary, p.36010 Longman, The Expositors Bible Commentary, p.36011 Carson, The gospel According to John, p.2112 Longman, The Expositors Bible Commentary, p.36713 Gary M, Burge, John The NIV Application Commentary to Contemporary Life, (Michigan Zondervan, 200) p.5214 Bauckham, The gospel of John and Christian Theology, p. 32915 Robert H. Gundry, Jesus the word According to John the Sectarian, (Cambridge William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2001) p. 23016 Gundr y, Jesus the Word to John The Sectarian, p. 23017 Jerome H. Neyrey, The Gospel of John, The New Cambridge Bible Commentary, (New York Cambridge University Pres, 2007) p.4118 Gundry, Jesus the Word to John The Sectarian, p. 23019 Neyrey, The New Cambridge Bible Commentary, p.6020 Longman, The Expositors Bible Commentary, p. 36721 Longman, The Expositors Bible Commentary, p. 36722 Armand J. Gagne Jr, The Testimony of the Fourth Evangelist to the Johannine Community We Know His Witness is True, (Victoria Trafford Publishing, 2004) p. 5723 Gagne, The Testimony of the Evangelist to the Johannine Community, p. 5724 Daniel J, Scholz, Jesus in the Gospels and Acts, Introducing the New Testament, (Winona Saint Marys Press, 2009) p. 17625 Marianne Meye Thompson, The God of The Gospel of John, (Michigan William B. 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