John's Apologetic Christology: Legitimation and Development in Johannine Christology

by James F. McGrath

• ISBN13: 9780521609470
• ISBN10: 052160947X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-12-23
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Summary

James McGrath offers a convincing explanation of how and why John arrived at a christological portrait of Jesus that is so different from that of other New Testament authors, and yet at the same time clearly has its roots in earlier tradition. McGrath suggests that as the author of the Fourth Gospel sought to defend his beliefs about Jesus against the objections brought by opponents, he developed and drew out further implications from the beliefs he inherited. The book studies this process using insights from the field of sociology.

Table of Contents

Preface	xi
Part 1 Introduction	1	(68)
1 Introduction: the development of Johannine Christology	3	(45)
Previous approaches	4	(30)
The approach to be taken in this study	34	(10)
Summary and aims	44	(4)
2 A conflict setting and a distinctive Christology: setting the stage	48	(21)
The conflict setting	48	(3)
The distinctive features of Johannine Christology	51	(16)
Conclusion	67	(2)
Part 2 Jesus and God	69	(80)
3 Are there 'two powers' in John?	71	(9)
4 God's equal or God's agent? (John 5)	80	(23)
The subject of the conflict	81	(8)
The Johannine response	89	(12)
Summary	101	(2)
5 'I obey, therefore "I am"' (John 8.12-59)	103	(14)
The point at issue in the controversy	104	(5)
The Johannine response	109	(6)
Summary	115	(2)
6 'You are gods' - but who are 'you'? (John 10.22-39)	117	(14)
The subject of the conflict and its relationship to earlier christological beliefs	117	(4)
The Johannine response	121	(7)
Summary	128	(3)
7 In the bosom of the Father (John 1.1-18)	131	(14)
A point of controversy and its relation to earlier Christology	132	(4)
The Johannine response	136	(7)
Summary	143	(2)
8 Conclusion to part 2	145	(4)
Part 3 Jesus, Moses and Torah	149	(48)
9 The Word and the glory (John 1.1-18)	151	(6)
The focus of the conflict and its relation to earlier tradition	151	(2)
The Johannine response	153	(3)
Summary	156	(1)
10 Descent and ascent (John 3.1-21)	157	(15)
The point at issue in the conflict	157	(9)
The Johannine response	166	(4)
Summary	170	(2)
11 Bread from heaven (John 6)	172	(11)
The focus of the conflict	172	(4)
The Johannine response	176	(3)
John 6 and inner-Christian conflict	179	(2)
Summary	181	(2)
12 Legitimating signs (John 9)	183	(10)
The point at issue in the conflict	183	(4)
The Johannine response	187	(4)
Summary	191	(2)
13 Conclusion to part 3	193	(4)
Part 4 Other issues and conclusion	197	(39)
14 Other possible issues	199	(18)
The rejection of Jesus	199	(3)
Jesus and John the Baptist	202	(2)
Jesus and other figures	204	(8)
A crucified Messiah	212	(3)
A contrived Messiah?	215	(1)
Summary	216	(1)
15 Putting the pieces together	217	(13)
The coherence of John's portrait	217	(1)
Son of Man and Logos	218	(4)
The Son who is sent and pre-existence	222	(2)
The commissioning: descending Logos and/or ascending seer?	224	(2)
The human Jesus and the divine Logos	226	(2)
Conclusion	228	(2)
16 Conclusion	230	(6)
Summary	230	(2)
Implications for Johannine studies	232	(1)
Johannine Christology, Trinitarianism and monotheism	233	(1)
John's approach to his task and ours	234	(1)
And finally...	235	(1)
Bibliography	236	(25)
Index of biblical references	261	(6)
Index of authors	267	(1)
Index of subjects	268