Gospels III - FALL 2011 - It's difficult to render John's language dogmatically. John talks of a person, not an idea.

- Weinrich dates John to around 45 A.D. and from Jerusalem. - See Bayer's presentation on Luther's understanding of the text interpreting the reader. - PATER is used in John more than the N.T. combined. - ho hodos (the way) corresponds to the Hebrew halacha. This was the manner in which Jews lived. Read Psalm 119. So the earliest Christians defined themselves by a manner in which they lived. It was the maththhs who walked in the way of their teacher. To a Jew, halacha is walking in the Torah. Jesus is the Torah. Torah is more than Commandments, but describes who and how God is . This "how" is really what John's Gospel is about. Jesus designates Himself as "The Way". Wein. says that when John the B. turns around and sees Jesus, this means that Jesus is a disciple of John and then begins His own teaching. - So Jesus says "I do not speak of Myself, but of the one who sent Me." The Father sends and Jesus is the LOGOS of God. When you hear the voice of the Father, you hear Jesus. Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch Acts 8.31 - the Eunuch insists that he can't understand Is 53:7 unless someone hodnghsei - see the paraclete section of John 16 - this is what the Spirit is to do. Further, "as they continued on their way." Movement from point A to point B, but also "along the way of the Gospel." Thus when they come to water, the Eunuch says, not, "Let us drink", but "What prevents me from being baptized?" - If one sees the light, one is already in the light. Conversion of Saul Acts 9.17-18 - John 20:30ff - Jesus is the Son of God and the Christ - this is the content of Saul's preaching in Acts 9.20-22 - What is the natural matrix and context of those terms (Christ and Son)? Christ is the one anointed with the Holy Spirit. Son assumes a Father. This is in the baptism of Jesus accounts in the synopts. Christ-talk and Son-talk have their natural matrix in adoption language. cf. Romans 8. Apart from adoption, we cannot call the Father, "Father".

Acts 18 - In relation to the story of the Eunuch and the conversion of Saul. The "way", "the things concerning Jesus", Purpose statement of John - John 20:31 - Who is the "you" here? Jews maybe first. Maybe this text is part of early inter-synogogal debates. - Biblical interpretation often moves on two different levels. - John used less like a polemical tool and more catechetically - XRISTIAVOI - more of a political/social designation used by pagans - HO HODOS - what the Christians called themselves - The Scriptures speak of Christ in functional titles - Christ, God, Messiah, etc. Some of these necessarily entail other titles. Organic imagery. Husband implies wife; shepherd implies sheep; etc. Christ is referred to as shepherd, which immediately implies the church, His sheep. - HUPSOUN - "To raise up" (for the crucifixion) is the exultation of the cross. See Philipians where this is more sequential. John's Gospel more of a kaleidoscope. John's Prologue - The prologue functions as a overture which includes the various themes that will be part of the greater piece. - For example: v. 19 - "This is the witness of John" - hooks back into the prol. (esp. 69). - The prol. introduces sometimes without explanation. - One of these is HO HOLOGOS. This is a title that often becomes an on tic title that doesn't assume function. - In some interesting locations you will see TON LOVON - related to the fact that, as the prol. indicates, that we're talking about the LOGOS. - ENARXH - "The beginning". Similar to Genesis, however, ARXH almost always has a temporal character. In John's gospel, this is not the case. HV comes after ENARXH this is the past. Genesis has action, John has substantial. Often in the patristic literature, this is understood as "eternality". - Step parallelism. - Threefold EIN phraseology - HO LOGOS - "In the beginning", "before God", "was God" - THEOS is not LOGOS, THEON - Relational aspect. - What is the force of the PROS? "With" God? PROS in its original force has an aspect of "towards". A theological thematic feature of John's Gospel is Jesus' "going to the Father". How God works throughout the incarnation of the Word. Does this already speak of the incarnation. - EN ARXH and PROS TON THEON are related. A sort of filial subordination, Weinrich says. - John's Gospel certainly wants to say that the Word from the beginning, whatever that is, is related to the Father in a certain way. - For this reason did I come - exultation of Christ - cross. The majesty of this king is

seen here. - The condescension of the Word into the world is a revelation of God "AS HE IS", then in what sense is this humiliation? - Take a look at John 8.27-8 - I AM He - one of the absolute uses of the terms. The cross shows the deity of Jesus, not necessarily the humanity. This is an acts of His filial obedience. This is how Jesus reveals His Sonship. - The Word is said to be THEOS - this is a statement of quality - as one who is constitutive of the ARXH; one who is subject to the relationship with the Father expressed in PROS TON THEON. - The story of Jesus in John's Gospel is understood in Jesus, not outside of Him. The definition of God is the story of Jesus. See Chemnitz's Loci where he defines God by presenting the Creed. MANUSCRIPTS See N.A. 58 - 59 (note the "!"); Barret 145 - 146 P5 (3-4 c.); P45 (3rd c.) - Chester Beatty Pap. of the Gospels and Acts. P66 (~190 AD-200 AD) - Contains one of the oldest considerable portions of the Greek N.T. is this papyrus codex of the Gospel of John. This remaining text of this manuscript contains John 1:1-6, 6:35b-14:15, and some fragments and scraps (not very substantial) of 14-21. This is a mixed text containing elements which are typically Alexandrian and Western. Several passages present unique readings that previously had not been found in any other manuscript. For example, 13:5 has foot-basin (PODOVIPTHRA) not merely a basin (VIPTHRA). In another case, 7:52 in this text contains the definite article ("Search [the Scriptures] and you will see that the prophet does not rise from Galilee") in a difficult passage.

P75 (200-210 - Weinrich's dates given in class; Metzger cites the editors of the published edition who date them potentially earlier - 175-225) [very early Egyptian papyri] - Earliest known copy of Luke and one of the earliest of John. The text is very similar to Vaticanus. Occasionally it is the only known witness to agree with the Sahidic in support of several interesting readings. For example, John 10:7 in this text has, "I am the shepherd of the sheep" in the place of the more well-known, "door."

Codex Koridethi (THETA). 9th c. Found in the Caucasian Mountains in the church of

Sts. Kerykos and Julitta at Koridethi. Written in a rough, inelegant hand by a scribe "not familiar with Greek." The text of John is similar to that of most Byzantian manuscripts. 4th c. UNCIALS Sinaiticus (ALEPH); 4th c. - London Vaticanus (B); 4th c. - Rome Bezae (D) 5-6th c. - Cambridge Minuscule 33 - 9-10th c. - Paris Latin manuscripts - f1; f`13 (miniscules) - Important especially when cited by their group designation W - Washington (Freer) Codex - 4-5th c. Know the Major sections of John: 1. Prologue 1.1-1.18 2. Narratives, conversations, discourse - 1.19-chapter12 3. Farewell discourse 13-17 4. Passion/Resurrection 18-20 5. Epilogue 21 Basic structural elements of the Prologue: Inclusio - an author begins and ends a section with the same word, phrase, etc. This marks off a section thematically. What is said in the inclusio tends to be important. See 1.1c and 1.18 --> THEOS. THis is never used in John's Gospel except here. MONOGNES HUIOS or THEOS? The selection of THEOS often has to do with this inclusio. The meaning of THEOS in 1.1c is important. 2 ways to go when considering the structor of the prologue. One is to see the prol. as a continuous, sequential continual narrative. In this way, you see 1.14 as climactic to the whole. This is common, but how does one understand the first 5 verses. Where is the first mention of the incarnate Word? v.9? Take a look at the end of v. 3, specifically HO GEGONEN. There is a punctuation problem here. Do these go with the proceeding or following words? This bears directly on how one interprets these phrases. Not until about 300 were these words taken with the words before. "That was made" (ESV) sees it this way. Ambrose notes that these words were taken with the previous phrase first by Alexandrius. This was to counter the Arian argument. To the extent that Ambrose is correct, then HO GEGONEN went with what comes after for the first couple of hundred years. W. sees also structural, stylistic reasons for this as well. OUDE HEN seems to bookend PANTA at the beginning of v.3. see Ridderbos, p. 37, "Nothing is more

natural" Ridderbos then must say (v. 4b, p. 38) still qualitative, cosmological notions. Natural created gifts are only being mentioned, "light", "life", etc. Then even v. 5 has to do with natural light. The first 5 verses are evangelical commentary on creation. Weinrich disagrees and puts HO GEGONEN with what comes after. He sees the prologue as three, independent (more or less) sections: v.1-5 - Step-paralellism - thoroughgoing structure. EGENETA; PANTA doesn't have the definite articleso PANTA with EGENETA may mean "all that has occurred" - the O.T. narrative. cf. John 19:28 - PANTA TETELESTAI: culmination of O.T. story in Jesus? HO GEGENON at the beginning of v.4 suggests a beginning. The terminology comes from Gen. 1, but "life" and "light" are associated with Jesus' life and His work. The language of Gen. provides the imagery, etc., but the referent is the story of Jesus that will follow the new creation that fulfills all things. Then in v. 5 there is a total change in verge tense from aorist and perfect to present tense. This suggests that this refers to the present, namely, John's Gospel: "Indeed, that light, which happened in Him, shines even now in the darkness." The present tense has been prepared by the perfect prior to it. The KAI in 5a is a good example of parataxis. Here maybe it's adversative. The light here is Jesus and the faith in Jesus. Also see Matthew: "Let your light so shine" Note here the Johanniane idea that the glory goes to the Father - He show hears Me hears the Father. v. 5 - KATELABON - "Has not taken it by force and suppressed it." Maybe. Or "Has not comprehended or understood it." Many options. KRISIS - with the coming of Jesus comes judgement. One is either in our out of the light. Use of the word LOGOS in the culture surrounding John's audience. Until the discovery of Qumran, HO LOGOS was understood as the introduction of Stoic or Helenistic philosophy. The reuse of intertestamental material. cf. Sirach 24 - SOPHIA is HO LOGOS. HO NOMOS is HO LOGOS. Sirach 24:1 is the Torah. Torah is light; the light of the world. Torah is God's character embodied in His will. SOPHIA is the will of God as it is organized or arranged. cf. Paul: I preach the cross as the wisdom (SOPHIA) of God. The Jew hears: the cross of Christ is the Torah of God. Psalm 119 is background and key to John and Sirach 24 - totally Jewish For many early Christians, EGENETO = POIEIN. The intermediary was will. If you existed by another's will, you were POIEINED. In the prologue, Jesus is depicted as the eternal Torah and the Son. He Himself is the Person of God's will. You could just as easily say "the wisdom of God was made flesh." Consider how to then understand, "The Word of the Lord came to Isaiah." Consider I Pet. and the prophets having the Spirit of Christ. How does God cause His Torah to find a resting place in Israel? First by bringing His finger to write on the stone tablets and then inscribes His Torah on the flesh of man.

Consider heart of stone and heart of flesh. Adolf Schlatter - b. Switzerland; especially knowledgable about Rabbinic literature Karl Bornhser Strack-Billerbeck J.A.T. Robertson KOSMOS can't mean TA PANTA - this takes on the meaning of the unbelieving Jewish group in John. v.6-13 - One of the things that characterizes John's Gospel is the use of JtBapt. In John, the Baptist is a witness. The importance of this witness is key. This witness is in 6-7 has to do with 19-43. The baptism of Jesus has to do with everything in the whole Gospel. The section ends in 12-13, which are understood as Christian baptism. John comes for one purpose: to witness to the light. Jesus is the light in His baptism. God's Torah has its fulfillment in the baptism of Jesus. See Ezekiel 36 and 37 - Even in 37 we see the New Adam as the New Israel. v.14-18 This dethrones v.14 as a climax and makes it the beginning of the third paragraph. v.1-5 is denoted by the thoroughgoing step-paralellism. Tightly formed structure with v.2 being an exception, which seems to be a tightly formed summary of v.1. Wein. denies that there is any sequential pattern in the prologue. EN ARXH is the matrix source of the coming of the logos is the relationship of the Son to the Father. v.3 in this idea presents problems. One is with PANTA and the other is EGENETA. There is no doubt that these refer to the Genesis creation account, but this should be seen more as a narrative clue to point to Jesus and His beginnings are a new creation. Jesus doesn't merely fulfill, but consummates. This consummation redefines and gives new understanding to what is being consummated. This is why the eschaton is now. The eschaton is not a time, but the time of a person. - Why translate, in v. 3, EGENETA as "was made"? Gen. 1's language is being used, but it is simply more than a Johannian comment on this. Where is Jesus first mentioned? EN ARXH HO LOGOS. - This all effects Christology. See Luther's Christmas sermons --> baby in the manger is the creator of all things. Nicene fathers - the word become flesh so that the flesh would become word. - The question here is "what actually happened?" You cannot read the Gospels as though they are nothing other than historical reportage. Unlike the story of George

Washington, which is over, the story of Christ continues. If you want to know what is going on in John's Gospel, you can see that it is the story of the church told through the life of Jesus. Jesus taking flesh is the ecclesial moment. You cannot talk about the Son of God apart from His Word and His works. We speak about God as He has spoken to us. Even as the preexistent Word, Christ still reveals Himself as He would come. The LOGOS of v.1 is already the Incarnate Word? HmmmCould also be the preexistent Word. - Why should we translated v. 3 as "was made" if we don't elsewhere? - v.3 is a tight summary of the O.T. - Apart from Him no thing occurred. This PANTA could be related to Christ on the cross --> PANTA - Change in v. 4 from imperfect to perfect -- present tense in v. 5 - v. 5 could represent the ongoing mission / apostolic message of the church. KATALAMBANO - "comprehended" or "understood" --> could also be "overcome" (cf. chapter 15 related to persecution). The darkness could speak of Jewish opposition, later in the Gospel this could relate to Gentile opposition. v.6 begins a prose manner of speaking as opposed to the poetic section of 1-5. However, see 8 and 9 also 9 and 10. v.14 is an economic reality to the claim of v.1 v. 6-13 - 6-8 and 15 are often seen as an alien intrusion into a preexisting "wisdom" hymn by modern scholars. John the Baptist is of supreme importance in John's Gospel, specifically the witness of John at Jesus' baptism. John has one purpose in John's Gospel, and that is EIS MARTURIAN. - Torah is the character and will of God. This encompasses all other titles for Jesus in John's Gospel --> Lamb, Christ, Son of God, Light. - v.9 - What does PHOTIZW mean? "To make light" - "to enlighten" or "to cast light upon". This can mean salvation or judgment. Also see KRISIS. - v. 10 - KOSMOS is also a typical johannine word. This very rarely means "the universe". It could correspond to the next verse - "His own". "The world" could be the Jewish hierarchy within this Gospel. - v. 11 - cf. 19:27 - the transition from John the Baptist's baptism to the baptism that Jesus will give is the key of 1- 4. - John's Gospel, Jesus is the only one to receive the title "HUIOS". - v. 12 - What does EXOUSIA. ESV has "right", which is somewhat good because it takes it into a somewhat legal character. It's more "authority". cf. Matt. 28. Here, though, it's more: "He gave to them, by way of His authority, the 'status' or 'position' of child of God." - There is a very old variant reading of v. 13 which has, "Who was born" which refers, then, to the incarnation. The biggest problem is that there is no Greek manuscript. They're Latin. Though, see Tertulian's work on the resurrection, who notes that the singular was changed to the plural by the Gnostics.

v.14-18 - Speaks directly to the incarnate Logos. See Sirach 24 here again. "The wisdom of God was tented in Israel" --> Found a dwelling place, namely, on stone. Now the true Torah finds its place in the flesh. - In John's Gospel, "to see" means to see with the eyes. The question, then, is "do you perceive the truth of that which you see with the eye?" - ESKHVWSEN already marks that there is a new place of God's dwelling, and that is in Jesus Himself. Where there is temple, there is sacrifice"Lamb of God, Who" And in Jesus there is true worship of God. Where the Son is revealed, there the Son is. Read the giving of the Law in Exodus and note the glory filling the tent. - See Sirach 24 - Christ as Logos, Sophia, etc. - "He was 'tented' among us." - Who is the "us" and who are the "we" referents? One doesn't need to always think that they're the same. John is not simply giving an historical account, but is giving the reality of Jesus. So here, the "we" is ecclesial and apostolic. - "We have seen His glory." - Here, too, is the apostolic "we". Christology, apostolicity, and ecclesiology. - Apostolicity - Gal. 6 - Apostolic sufferings of Paul - these sufferings in Paul are Christ's sufferings, and how one approaches Paul's sufferings is how one approaches Christ Himself. Also see II Cor. 4. The life of Jesus is made manifest in the sufferings of Paul's body. - What is the glory of Christ? In John's Gospel, the language of DOXADZW and DOXA Jesus is the new Temple in which God dwells and who, Himself, is the dwelling. Also is implied sacrifice in DOXA and there the cross. "Father, glorify Your name" - Crucifixion. We all want to move beyond the cross to something that is considered "greater" - The glory of God is found where He makes Himself know as He wishes to be know - the Cross. The cross is the MAJESTY of God. The cross is the throne of God. "We have seen His glory" is a statement of the cross of Christ. New Temple - New Sacrifice - v.14 - glory AS - glory "proper to" - MONOGEVHS - this is not GEVVAW - MONOGENHS comes from EGENETO. This means "unique". See The Binding of Isaac or the Akedah. Christ as the sole Son. In certain Septuigental texts, Isaac is referred to as the MONOGENHS. This MONOGENHS implies, already, Father. - Nomnative absolute form - PLHRHS. See the Sept. of Sinai. (Ex. 34:6-7) As a nom. absol., this could refer to any absolute noun here. Wein. sees the referent as LOGOS. This may not be a modifier, but actually the NAME. "The Logos incarnate, Whose Name is GRACE AND TRUTH." - v.15 - John the B. intrudes into the text. This OPISW should be take spatially, not temporally. This is the language of discipleship, and suggests that Jesus, at least for a time, was a disciple of John and so were some of the disciples. - v.16 - From His fullnessHis covenantal fullness, covenantal status. There is a troublesome "we" here. This one demands an ecclesial "we". See John 17. Where have "we" received the "fullness"? And what is the "fullness". THIS IS THE POINT OF THE

GOSPEL OF JOHN. - v.16 - "Grace upon grace" - this is wrong. It cannot be "upon" because ANTI does not mean that. ANTI is a replacement. This is explained in v.17 - v.17 - Torah is GRACE. What is ALHTHIA? This here is "that which is final" - This is light as compared to "shadow" or "not truth" compared to ALHTHEIAthat which is open, no longer hidden, cf. PHWS. This is now in the open to be seen, the veil is removed. Maybe this is "grace and reality". This is the Torah ITSELF, or Himself. - v.18 - HEWRAKAN - Perfect tense. John constantly uses the perfect. Perfect indicates something that happens in the past whose affects still exist in the present. There is an important variant here in the text. Some, or really, a LOT of manuscripts have MONOGENHS HUIOS. This, and THEOS, have attestation into the late 2nd. c. The Arians loved THEOS because MONOGENHS = POIHAIN. Ambrose notes that MONOGENHAIS HUIOS was placed into the manuscripts by Alexandrias. It is this way in (M), the Textus Receptus. THEOS should be considered original. Possibly three titles for the One who has seen God = Son, MONOGENAIS, etc. - Inclusio - v. 18 has the only second appearance of THEOS, which is the inclusion of v. 1. Then you have an inclusio also for v.1 to Thomas saying, "My Lord and my God." The Demonstration of the Father starts with v.19 - Witness of John the Baptist to the light and at the end of 2.3. These two sections are foundational for the whole Gospel. John the Ev. is writing this Gospel so that the reader may be convicted that Christ is the Son of God, and this is what we find in the witness of John the baptist. - v.19 functions almost like a rubric or title even if it cannot necessarily be taken that way. - "Jews" are Levites, priests, and also some from the Pharisees (v.24). The "Jews" are almost always in John are the leaders of the Sannhedrine and the "Torah fanatics". Saducees aren't mentioned in John (also in Acts). Some of the earliest followers of Christ are of the Pharisees (Nicodemus, J. of Aramethia, and possibly Lazarus). Also note the First Council of Jerusalem has a noticeable Pharisaical group. - "Who are you?" Elijah was expected by the Jews to be a forerunner of the last days. "The Prophet" from Deut. 18. - "I baptize" by water - HEN is probably of instrument. - Strictly speaking, the baptism of Jesus is not explicitly told. At this point in John's Gospel, the baptism of Jesus has already happened. Modern commentaries will take this to mean that John's Gospel doesn't take Jesus' baptism isn't serious. This is a weak argument, especially since the water metaphor is pervasive throughout John's Gospel. - John's two "levels" ("literal" and "symbolic" - NOT allegorical) - This is not a Nestorian dualism. These two "levels" interact with one another. - v.15 is "repeated" here. - With regards to the unloosing of the strap, John the Baptist says that he is even lower than a slave.

- v. 23 - Is. 40:3 - This is quoted in all 4 Gospels and was also a crucial passage for the Qumran group. In John's Gospel, there is a distinction. The Synoptics introduce this as a quotation from the Scripture, and in John it is put on the lips of the Baptist. - "Wilderness" is "new exodus" talk. As you move from the OT to the NT, you move from "things" to "a person", namely, Jesus Christ. - Because JtB is a "Christian exegete" of the OT, he is a witness and the bridge. "Prepare the 'way'" = "Prepare for Jesus" - v.29 - TH EPAURION is repeated several times. At the beginning of ch. 2, you have "on the 3rd day". Some commentators want to find 7 days somewhere in here. Wein. says that you can't get seven days out of it. What is going on here is a six day timeframe, which may be important in that on the sixth day, God made man - here is a relation to the incarnation. This "on the next day", etc. combines the baptism of Jesus and the indication of the following of Jesus. This, again, suggests creation. Church is new creation - this is typical baptism talk. - "Behold the Lamb" - NB - "sin" is singular. That Jesus is the lamb is repeated in v.6. This title functions as an inclusion around the event of Jesus' baptism. This indicates that all that is within this inclusion is colored by this title. The early church sees in this title Isaiah 53 where the suffering servant is seen as the lamb. The other image here is the paschal lamb, which is demanded by the "exodus" theme. Consider the "dwelling of the Lord", Moses, the bronze serpent, etc. Another background image here is Abraham and Isaac. - The lamb of God is the lamb that God will provide. - v.30 - "Who has become my superior" - Note the perfect tense here. The OPISO is spatial and PROSTHEN is an adverb of posture or status. - v.31 - JtB is noting that he himself did not know the identity of Jesus, but in order that Jesus may be manifest (made known), John starts baptizing. The purpose of John's baptism is to make known Jesus. It is not so much what is happening in you or I, but what is happening in Jesus at His baptism. - Lamb of God, Christ, and Son of God - Christ and Son of God find a further explanation in the title Lamb of God. - The witness of John is validated in Christ's death. The consummation of John's Gospel is the handing over of the Spirit (crucifixion) and the blood and water from Christ's side. Also see John's first epistle. Water symbolism - Pervasive theme in John. Is it mere symbol or is it also still element. John's baptism is central. Issues surrounding this: who is a child, who is a Jew, who has really been circumcised? The fundamental idea of filial relationships (Son and Father) and adopted son and daughter is in baptism. The very reality of creed grows out of baptism. - In this Gospel, there is a narrative institution of Baptism. - v.35 - Partative use of EK. In v.29-34 something happens, perhaps, that sunders the

relationship b/w Jesus and JtB. Jesus is now, in v.35, Rabbi. It is Jesus as Lamb of God that causes the disciples to follow Him. How do these two "Behold" instances (29 and 35) interact? Is it because Jesus is not Rabbi yet? - Acts 18 - John's baptism and the gift of the spirit.

Chapter 2 -Now possibly in the "sixth day" at the wedding - Sixth day of creation indicated here? -The first action of Jesus is a wedding. -v.11's summary - This is intentional. Consider the ARKHN in v.11 - John doesn't speak of a 3rd, etc. "sign". ARKHN means "beginning" or "source", not necessarily "first" there is a perfectly good word for "first" - PRWTH -This sign gives a clue to all of Jesus' other signs and provides a matrix. -Jesus manifests glory and disciples believe Him. This is a manifestation of DOXA. This is the appearance of the God who is present; consider ch. 1 and the tabernacle. This word is applied most especially to His passion. -Note the mention of the mother of Christ - the only other place she is mentioned is at the foot of the cross in John's Gospel. -In His response here, Jesus mentions His "hour", which is a specific mention of the "hour" of His death. -The mention of the DIAKONOI. Is DOULOI more "appropriate"? -What does it mean that the water is changed into wine? -YHWH is the husband of God to Israel. This happens at the giving of the Law on Sinai. -cf. Hosea 2 especially - Husband for "false" husband. -There is a failure to recognize one's "true" husband. (Ba'al (husband) and Baal (false husband)) -The "Friend of the bridegroom" is the one who checks on the purity of the bride; the one who "hears the voice of the bridegroom" hear the "climax" of the wedding night. -Woman at the well: "Give me that water" - Jesus answers "Go get your husband" - This talks of "true worship", which is place. Who is your husband? -v.2 - Why are Jesus and His disciples invited? No one really knows. It could be that they were friends or relatives, but it doesn't really matter. There is no talk of the bride or the bridegroom here. The marriage itself is not even literally in the story. -Mary says, "They have no wine." Cf. an article by David Duncan Harris on Jewish marital practices. Marriage has a certain theological connotation. It is the humanly reality that especially reflects the heavenly reality. The promise of fidelity intimates the inseparable unity b/w God and His bride in eternity. To have wine at a wedding is to show that you are participating in the final eschatological marriage. "They have no wine" indicates at a deeper level that the marriage will not last. Here there is the wrong bridegroom and the right bride. So, Jesus says "My is not yet." He indicates the place and the time of the new wine, the new celebration, the new marriage. -Mary then says to the servants, "Whatever He should say, you do." The one who does

this is a deacon. There is is only other place this word group is used is in John 12 -John12.20ff. - Verse 22-24 especially. If there is no death, there is no multiplication. "Should anyone serve me, let him follow." -Pay attention to spatial adverbs in this Gospel. -Why "woman" here to Mary? There is nothing depreciating, but there is something distancing. -v. 8 - "Draw now" - VUV in any number of places has the idea of an eschatological moment. II Cor - "Now is the time, the day of redemption" For Paul, here, the time depends on Paul's preaching. For John's Gospel, in ch. 12, VUV clearly has eschatological reference and His being "Lifted up." This also occurs in ch. 4. -ARKITRIKLENOS - Comes from the Latin word meaning three-sided banquet table. The ARKITRIKLENOS, then, is someone very close to the family who oversees the festivities. When the ARKITRIKLENOS tasted the water that had become wine, he did not know the source of it. This water into wine takes on Christological meaning. The deacons know who had drawn the water. -The ARKITRIKLENOS calls the bridegroom and say, "Everyone at first gives the good wine" At the literal level, he is speaking to the bridegroom, but what he is really talking about is the unknown bridegroom, namely, Jesus. Wine is often a picture of the kingdom to come. -v. 11 - "This He made to be the "beginning" (ARKH) of His signs." This signs isn't simply the first in a sequence, but which posseses prototypical value. All should be seen in light of this. Consider this context, wedding. - Abstractions aren't helpful, such as "Jesus 'reveals'." Well, reveals what? and where? Symbolism much by symbolic of something concrete. - Understanding of history - It can't be just "one damn thing of another." Events have present meaning in people's lives TODAY. So as we go into the future, even the cross recedes into the past, but it still has effect today in our life. Paul calls this the "fullness of times." Consider Luther in Councils and Churches - "if Christ had died 1,000 times, it would have done us no good. It is preaching, preaching, preaching." We do not go back in history to experience the cross, the cross, God in Christ comes to us in this way. The moment in time that is the fullness of time has no future; it is constantly present. The last day is not time-bound - It is in the cross of Christ. - The iustus has no more "moments in time", but exists in eternality. This is how John is speaking of us. - SHMEIA is not only a miracle - it is that which begins to reveal that which it is a sign ofhere that is the cross. Weinrich doesn't see this euchristically. The Cleansing of the Temple - 2.13ff - So, who is right in the placement of this event? This is like Cana and is an event that colors everything that happens after it. It is not, in John's Gospel, in the last week of Jesus' life. - First, the synoptic accounts depict Jesus by way of a one-year cycle, so that anything

that happens in Jerusalem must necessarily happen in Jesus' last week. - We know from John's Gospel, however, that Jesus was in Jerusalem multiple times. Jerusalem, in fact, is the center of Jesus' activities. There are hints in the Synoptics of this too. Note the "as was His habit" in Matthew. - See Malachi 3 - sending of the messenger and then going into the Temple. - Symbolic action that transfers the temple and its functions to the sacrifice of Jesus and the Temple His body will become (cf. 1:15). This is the thematic action. - Any interpretation that wants to emphasize the anger of Jesus because the money changers were corrupt is all beside the point. These actions were required for the temple cultus. It was not odd that they were there. To buy from those selling animals, etc. required a "Temple shekel", hence the money-changers. - Rome gave the jewish officials the rite to coin monies for this purpose, but to make sure the Jews didn't see this as an approval of authority, pagan gods were depicted on the coins. - Jesus has a whip. There is a violent character to this action of Jesus. This action will bring to a halt the necessary functions of the Temple. This is not a reform, but an action that stops the cultus. That Temple with those methods have come to an end. "Get these things out of here." Jesus said to the ones selling doves. - This is the first place the name "Father" occurs on the lips of Jesus. - Here the times and places coalesce and divide at the same time. At one level you have the Temple as the house of the Father, but on another level, you have the Son as the one who revels the Father. Where the true sacrifice is, there the true Temple. cf. Zach. 14.21. This comes at the end of Zach. 14, which is one of the major texts for the Festival of Booths. - v. 17 - "remembered" also bears two meanings: 1. To recall in your mind. 2. One of the most important words for the future work of the Paraclete, who will cause the disciples to remember what Jesus has said and done. Wein. sees the second option as the more correct. See 14:26. - "Zeal of your house" - THis is from one of the most important Psalms (Ps. 69) for early Christological reflection along with Ps. 110. The verb in the Hebrew and Sept. is in the aorist --> Has consumed me. The zeal has brought him into disarray. In the NT, though, it's in the future. - The sign Jesus gives to the Jews that will justify Him doing what He's doing is His death, not the cleansing of the Temple. So what He has done points to a new Temple and cultus. - When Jesus says, "this Temple", He's obviously speaking of His body. - When the Evangelist "takes the mic" (v.21), you should pay attention. Is this Jesus' body only, or the body that is the church. Christology in John's Gospel is ecclesiology. - Pay attention to instances of POTHEV and OTE. - "When" - There is something new, which is the recollecting activity of the Paraclete. - v. 22 - Which scriptures? Ps. 69. This is one of the most important passages that leads to the beginning of Christian preaching, namely, the preaching and teaching of Jesus. When Jesus is whipping them out of the Temple, they weren't thinking of Ps. 69. After

the Resurrection, though, the Paraclete causes the disciples to remember Ps. 69 as a central text. All that early Christian teaching is nothing other than christological readings of the O.T. The Gospel text as we know it, is nothing other than early apostolic preaching on the O.T. - The New Testament is not a book, but Jesus Himself. - This text is much more important for the understanding of the inspiration of Scripture. The Seven Seals in Revelation are the Old Testament. - v. 23 - This sort of begins chapter 3. - John is not as interested in the shear facticity of what happens, but more with the OT background. - v. 24 - "entrust Himself" - Augustine may be right when he sees these comments in terms of "they had not yet been baptized." HmmmWein. says that maybe he's going in the right direction. - v. 25 - there is a literary hook between "man" here and in 3.1. Chapter 3 - Is nighttime important? Nicodemus is of the Sannhedrine, perhaps of the ben Gurian family. - Wein. suspects that the notation of darkness here really plays into the theme of darkness and light in the Gospel. He is confounded by Jesus. - Nicodemus calls Jesus "Rabbi" - Here, at least, this is a sign of respect. "Come from God" - signs - God with him. - Jesus as Torah teacher. - The "signs" here may refer to v.23. - Jesus answers is such a strange manner. The story of John the Baptist lies in the background. - v.3 - Double "Amen" - GEVVHTHH ANWTHEN - GEVVHW can mean "to beget" or "to be born"; ANWTHEN can mean "a second time" or "from above". - "Beget" vs. "to be Born" - One is begotten from the Father/father while one is born from the mother. We will take "to beget" with the understanding that EK THEO lies behind it. - Jesus' baptism is "from above" (heavens open, Spirit descends) - this is what is in view with Jesus. - "Begotten from above" - In Nicodemus' mouth, GEVVHTHH ANWTHEN = born a second time - In Jesus' mouth, GEVVHTHH ANWTHEN = begotten from above - Jesus' baptism is the entry point to the kingdom of God - For us, the cross is in play. - Jesus begins with water and spirit, and ends in passion. - What is the kingdom of God? This is the only place in John's Gospel where this

occurs. Jesus' kingship is affirmed at His crucifixion by Pilate. - Kingdom of God is not primarily that which you enter into in eternity. This is the "reigning", not a geographic region. - "I tell you, truly, unless one be begotten from above, he shall not recognize that the kingdom is found in my death, and if you be not begotten from above, you cannot enter my death." See Rom. 6 - Creation, new Israel, children of God - v. 6 - "That which is born from the flesh is flesh, that which is begotten of the Spirit is spirit." - if you are born, your father is Abraham; if you are begotten, your father is the Father. - John is filled with the record of festivals that can only happen in or at the Temple John is early. - What is the destiny of your original identity? The grave. What is the destiny of your spiritual/second identity? Eternal life, either in hell or heaven with Christ. - "The only stock account you have is the gold and silver of Jesus' blood." - Weinrich - Baptism was deeply socially destructive - it give you a NEW FAMILY. - Jacob Neusner's discussion with Pope Benedict in Benedict's book on Jesus. - See Luther's disputation on man - "Who is man?" Man is the one to be justified. Luther talks of origin and destiny. God is both source and destiny of man by way of justification. Luther lists the historical, philosophical definitions of man, and then says, "That man dies." Then he discusses justification. - v. 7 - there is always a negative connotation to "be amazed/marvel". Note the plural here.