The Missions of Jesus and the Disciples According to the Fourth Gospel: With Implications for the Fourth Gospel's Purpose and the Mission of the Contemporary Church

by Kostenberger, Andreas J.

• ISBN13: 9780802842558
• ISBN10: 0802842550
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1998-01-01
• Publisher: Lightning Source Inc

Summary

This important new work explores in depth the relationship between the mission of Jesus and of the disciples as presented in the Gospel of John and goes on to develop the implications of these findings for the contemporary church. The first study to integrate biblical research, theology, and missiology into one unified approach, this exploration of mission in John's Gospel results in striking new insights not only for students of the New Testament but also for those concerned to build a biblically sound model of missions today.

Table of Contents

Abbreviations	xi	(3)
Lists of Figures and Excursuses	xiv	(1)
Preface	xv
Introduction	1	(4)
CHAPTER 1 THE SUBJECT IN RECENT SCHOLARSHIP	5	(12)
I. The Period from 1964 to 1974	6	(4)
II. The Period from 1975 to 1984	10	(2)
III. The Period from 1985 to 1994	12	(3)
IV. Summary	15	(2)
CHAPTER 2 FOUNDATIONS	17	(28)
I. Linguistic Foundations	18	(19)
A. Rationale for a Semantic Field Approach	18	(9)
1. The Role of Terminology	18	(1)
2. Words and Context	19	(1)
3. Words and Concepts	20	(2)
4. Definition of Concept	22	(2)
5. Lexical and Discourse Concept	24	(1)
6. A Recent Study Supporting the Approach Taken Here	24	(1)
7. The Advantages of a Semantic Field Approach: Conclusion	25	(2)
B. Implementation of the Chosen Methodology	27	(10)
1. Semantic Field Study of Mission in the Fourth Gospel	27	(4)
2. Identification of Semantic Clusters	31	(6)
II. Definitional Foundations	37	(5)
A. Lessons from the Relevant Literature	38	(3)
B. Working Definition of Mission in the Fourth Gospel	41	(1)
III. Literary Foundations	42	(3)
CHAPTER 3 THE MISSION OF JESUS ACCORDING TO THE FOURTH GOSPEL	45	(96)
I. The Person of Jesus	46	(6)
A. The Divinity and Uniqueness of Jesus	46	(4)
1. Claims of Jesus' Pre-existence	46	(1)
2. Acknowledgment and Worship of Jesus as Lord (and God)	47	(1)
3. Jesus' Appropriation of the Divine Name and Other Explicit and Implicit Claims of Divinity	47	(1)
4. Jesus' Uniqueness and Unique Sonship	48	(1)
5. Jesus' Messiahship	49	(1)
6. Strategic Placement of References to Jesus' Divinity	49	(1)
B. The Humanity of Jesus	50	(1)
1. Various Human Attributes	50	(1)
2. Human Designations	50	(1)
3. The Title "Son of Man"	50	(1)
C. Implications for the Study of John's Teaching on Mission	51	(1)
II. The Task of Jesus	52	(29)
A. Compositional Flow	52	(2)
B. Signs and Works	54	(20)
1. Signs	54	(18)
a. The Number and Identity of the Johannine Signs	55	(2)
b. The Six Explicitly Identified Signs in the Fourth Gospel	57	(1)
c. "Signs" in the Old Testament	58	(2)
d. "Signs" in John's Gospel	60	(3)
e. The Suggestions for Additional Signs in John's Gospel	63	(9)
Excursus #1: Implications from the Identification of the Temple Cleansing as a Johannine Sign for the Structure of the Fourth Gospel	70	(2)
f. Conclusion	72	(1)
2. Works	72	(1)
3. Conclusion	73	(1)
C. The Nature of Jesus' Work according to the Fourth Gospel	74	(7)
1. Compositional Flow	75	(1)
2. Revelation and/or Salvation?	76	(4)
3. Conclusion	80	(1)
III. The Charge of Jesus	81	(57)
A. Modes of Movement in Jesus' Mission	82	(11)
1. Survey of Passages Featuring Terms Denoting Modes of Movement	83	(1)
2. Modes of Movement in Jesus' Mission in the Relevant Literature	84	(4)
3. Modes of Movement and Characterizations of Jesus in the Fourth Gospel	88	(2)
4. Modes of Movement and Signs and Works Terminology	90	(1)
5. Modes of Movement and the Purposes of Jesus' Mission	90	(2)
6. Modes of Movement in Jesus' Mission and the Fourth Evangelist	92	(1)
B. The Fourth Gospel's Presentation of Jesus' Mission: Jesus the Messiah	93	(45)
1. The Coming One: Passages Indicating Messianic Expectations in the Fourth Gospel	94	(2)
2. Jesus as the Sent Son	96	(25)
a. Introduction	96	(11)
Excursus #2: The Two Johannine Words for Sending	97	(10)
b. The Contribution of John's Sending Christology to the Johannine Concept of Mission: A Survey of Theme Clusters Related to Sending in the Fourth Gospel	107	(8)
Excursus #3: Other Mission Terminology Related to Sending in the Fourth Gospel	111	(4)
c. The Fourth Gospel's Portrayal of Jesus as the "Sent Son": in Interaction with Relevant Literature	115	(6)
3. Jesus as the One Who Comes into the World and Returns to the Father (Descent-Ascent)	121	(9)
a. Coming (into the World) and Returning to the Father	121	(5)
b. Descent and Ascent	126	(4)
4. Jesus the Eschatological Shepherd-Teacher Calling Followers to Gather "Fruit"	130	(8)
a. Following	131	(2)
b. Gathering	133	(1)
c. Calling Followers to Gather (Fruit)	133	(5)
IV. Conclusion	138	(3)
CHAPTER 4 THE MISSION OF THE DISCIPLESR ACCORDING TO THE FOURTH GOSPEL	141	(58)
I. The Group of the Disciples	142	(27)
A. Introduction	143	(1)
B. The Fourth Gospel's Characterization of Jesus' Followers	144	(17)
1. The Term MXXX Designating the Historical Followers of Jesus in the Fourth Gospel	145	(2)
2. "The Twelve" in the Fourth Gospel	147	(2)
3. The Widening of the Term MXXX in the Fourth Gospel	149	(4)
4. Johannine Characterization of Individual Disciples	153	(8)
a. Introduction	153	(1)
b. Peter and the Beloved Disciple	154	(7)
C. Corporate Metaphors in the Fourth Gospel	161	(6)
D. Concluding Reflections	167	(2)
II. The Task of the Disciples	169	(7)
A. No "Signs" by the Disciples	169	(2)
B. The "Greater Works" of the Believer (14:12)	171	(4)
C. Other References to the Disciples' Task	175	(1)
III. The Charge of the Disciples	176	(21)
a. Coming (to Jesus)	176	(1)
B. Following	177	(3)
C. Being Sent	180	(17)
1. Entering into Jesus' Labor: Sent to Harvest (4:38)	180	(4)
2. Commissioned to Go and Bear Fruit (15:16)	184	(2)
3. Sent (into the World) as Jesus Was Sent (into the World) (17:18; 20:21)	186	(8)
a. Sent into the World as Jesus Was Sent into the World (17:18)	187	(2)
b. Foundations for the Disciples' Mission: Love and Unity	189	(1)
c. Sent as Jesus Was Sent (20:21)	190	(4)
4. General Observations on the Sending Theme and the Missions of Jesus and of the Disciples	194	(3)
IV. Conclusion	197
CHAPTER 5 IMPLICATIONS	199	(22)
I. The Definition of Mission Revisited	199	(1)
II. Implications for the Purpose of the Fourth Gospel	200	(10)
A. Missionary (Missionsschrift)	201	(1)
B. Edificatory (Gemeindeschrift)	202	(1)
C. Sectarian	203	(3)
D. Implications from the Present Study	206	(4)
III. Implications for the Mission of the Contemporary Church	210	(9)
A. Implications from the Present Study	210	(2)
B. Critique of the "Incarnational Model"	212	(5)
C. A Critique of Other Approaches	217	(2)
IV. Conclusion	219	(2)
Bibliography	221	(24)
Indexes	245
Subjects	245	(7)
Names	252	(5)
Scripture References	257	(12)
Greek Words	269