1. The Gospel according to John Christology & Discipleship
Felix Just, S.J., Ph.D.
Loyola Institute for Spirituality, Orange, CA

2. Major Gospel Themes Trinitarian Theology: Christology: Discipleship:
Who is God?
Christology:
Who is Jesus?
Discipleship:
How do we live?
Pneumatology:
Role of Holy Spirit?
Eschatology:
What's in the future?

3. Christology in the Four Gospels
Mark:
Son of God (powerful)
Son of Man (crucified)
Matthew:
King (Son of David)
Teacher (like Moses)
Luke:
Lord (of ALL nations)
Savior (esp. the needy)
John:
Logos/Word (revealer)
Only-begotten Son (sent from the Father)

5. Christology & Discipleship: Mark
Powerful Son of God
Trust; have faith; be not afraid
Crucified Son of Man
“Take up your cross and follow me”

6. Christology & Discipleship: Matt
King, like David
Be loyal subjects; obey his commands
Teacher, like Moses
Be good students; learn; put into action

7. Christology & Discipleship: Luke
Lord of ALL nations
Welcome strangers/enemies; no us/them
Savior of ALL, esp. the needy
Help the poor, sick, old, weak, children…

8. Portrait of Jesus, acc. to John?
What painting might best capture how John’s Gospel portrays Jesus?

9. John’ s Christology Titles attributed to Jesus How Jesus is portrayed
Titles already in the Synoptics
Titles new/unique to John
How Jesus is portrayed
His Words / Teachings
His Works / Signs
His Passion & Resurrection

10. Christological Titles in John
Titles for Jesus also in the Synoptics:
Christ (19x) / Messiah (2x)
Son of David
King of the Jews; King of Israel
Son of God
Son of Man
Prophet, Savior, Lord, Teacher, etc.
Titles in the Synoptics, not in John
Emmanuel – [only in Matthew]

11. Christological Titles in John
Titles for Jesus unique to John:
Logos/Word
Only-begotten Son
Lamb of God
Revealer/Worker
Sent from the Father
Paraclete
Equal to God
I AM

12. The Divine Word / Logos Greek Logos OT: God’s attributes personified
Word, phrase, sentence, speech
Reason, communication, thinking/logic
OT: God’s attributes personified
Face of God
Hand of God
Voice of God
Wisdom of God
Law/Torah of God
Word/Speech of God

13. The Divine Word / Logos Ref. to Jesus only in John’s Prologue:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (1:1)
And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only[-begotten] son (monogenes hios), full of grace and truth. (1:14)
No one has ever seen God. It is God the only-begotten Son (monogenes hios), who is close to the Father's heart, who has made him known. (1:18)

14. The Only-Begotten Son of God
Greek: monogenes hios
"For God so loved the world that he gave his only [-begotten] Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Those who believe in him are not con-demned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only [-begotten] Son of God." (John 3:16-18)
"God sent his only [-begotten] Son into the world so that we might live through him." (1 John 4:9)
Luke 7:12 (Nain); 8:42 (Jairus); 9:38 (Anon.); Heb 11:17 (Isaac)

15. Other Christological Titles in John
The Lamb of God
John 1:29, 36 (cf. 1 Cor 5:7; Acts 8:32; 1 Pet 1:19)
The One Sent from the Father
John 4:34; 5:36-38; 7:28-29; 17:3-25
“Equal to God”
John 5:18
“Paraclete”
Implied in John 14:16
“I Am” (fifty-four times; see HO)

16. Passages with Multiple Titles
1:1-18 (Prologue)
logos; God; life; light, true light;
the Father's only-begotten Son
1:19-36 (John the Baptizer)
the one whom you don’t know; the one coming after me;
the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world;
the one who ranks ahead of me because he was before me;
the one on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain;
the one who baptizes with Holy Spirit;
the Son of God;
the Lamb of God.

17. Passages with Multiple Titles (cont.)
1:38-41 (first two disciples)
Rabbi (teacher); Messiah (Christ)
1:45 (Philip)
one about whom Moses and Prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth”
1:49 (Nathanael)
“Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”

18. Passages with Multiple Titles (cont.)
4:7-30 (Samaritan woman)
a Jew; Sir/Master; prophet; Messiah
9:11-30 (man born blind)
Jesus; prophet; from God; [Son of Man]; Lord
11:27 (Martha)
“Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world.”
20:28 (Thomas)
“My Lord and my God.”
20:31 (Evangelist)
“... so that you may [come to] believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God...”

19. Christology & Discipleship: John
Word/Logos; Only-Begotten Son
Revealer; Sent-One; Equal to God; I Am
Discipleship = Enter Relationship
See and/or hear Jesus’ words & actions
Come to believe/trust in him
Become children of God
Receive eternal life
Remain/live/abide/dwell in Him
Have His/God’s Spirit dwelling within
Love one another as Jesus has loved us
Bear good fruit, that will last

20. Expectations for Disciples in John
“Do what I command you!”
Only commandment in this Gospel: “Love one another as I have loved you”
Repeated in 13:34-35; 15:12, 17
Also in 1 John 3:11,14,23; 4:7,11-12,20-21
Expectations:
Main requirement: BELIEVE
Remain / dwell / live / abide
Love one another
Bear fruit

21. Disciples within John’s Gospel
No “apostles” in John (in 13:16 = messenger)
Instead, “disciples, brothers/sisters, friends”
First five disciples (1:19-51; and later refs.)
Andrew & ??; Simon; Philip & Nathanael
Jesus often dialogues with them (Q & A)
“The Twelve”
Not individually named; ref. in 6:67-71; 20:24
The “Disciple Whom Jesus Loved (BD)”
From Last Supper to Resurrection (also earlier?)
Other named & anonymous disciples
(See handout – add Nicodemus & Joseph of Arimathea)

22. Named & Anonymous Disciples
Jesus’ mother (2:1-12; 6:42; 19:25-27)
Judas Iscariot (6:70-71; 12:4-8; 13:2, 21-30; 18:2-5)
Man Born Blind (9:1-41, esp. v. 28)
Martha, Mary, Lazarus of Bethany (11:1-45; 12:1-8)
Thomas Didymus/Twin (11:16; 14:5; 20:24-28; 21:2)
Another Judas (14:22)
Mary of Magdala (19:25; 20:1-2; 20:11-18)
“his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas” (19:25)
Joseph of Arimathea (19:38-42)
Sons of Zebedee (21:2)

23. Women in the Fourth Gospel
2:1-12 Mother of Jesus at Cana Wedding
4:1-42 Samaritan Woman at the Well
11:1-45 Martha & Mary intercede with Jesus for their brother Lazarus
12:1-8 Mary of Bethany anoints Jesus
19:25b-27 Mother of Jesus & other Women at Foot of Cross (incl. “Mary of Clopas”)
20:1-2 Mary Magdalene discovers Tomb Empty
20:11-18 Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene
[8:1-11] Adulterous Woman [not originally in John]
Q: Which inspires you most as a model of faith?