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To review methodologies and to illustrate that they can be used with any book, this chapter applies all four methods to the Gospel of John.
The Gospel of John from the Perspective of Genre Criticism
The Gospel of John, like the Synoptic Gospels, is a Greco-Roman biography. In the Johannine Prologue (1:1–18), John reflects on the Logos (typically translated “Word”) of God who existed with God from the beginning and who, in fact, is God. It is only at the end of this mystical reflection that John explains that the Word of God is Jesus. The prologue, then, provides the reader with a very different expression of the nature of Jesus than any of the Synoptic Gospels. This biography is not about a mortal man; it is about a being who is, in his own right, divine.
Although Jesus is never again explicitly called the Word of God, John draws on and develops these themes throughout the rest of the Gospel: Jesus existed with God from the beginning (cf. 17:5) and is the Word of God (cf. 10:30; 11:25); he brings life and light to the world and is rejected by his people (cf. 9:5; 12; 19).
The Gospel of John can be divided into two major parts. The first twelve chapters narrate Jesus’ public ministry over several years. During this time, Jesus performs seven public “signs” and gives speeches that demonstrate his identity. Because Jesus has clearly expressed his identity, he condemns those who do not believe and eventually decides to end his public ministry. The next seven chapters (13–19) take place over the course of only one day. In these chapters, Jesus has his last supper with his disciples (though it is not a Passover meal) and is betrayed. He delivers a final speech, known as the “Farewell Discourse,” in which he explains that he will soon return to heaven, but he will send the Holy Spirit to the disciples for assistance and comfort. Chapters 18–21 describe Jesus’ passion and resurrection.
The Gospel of John from a Comparative Perspective
The comparative approach can be used to show differences between the Gospel of John and the Synoptic Gospels. John is the only Gospel that explicitly states that Jesus is equal to God and participated in the creation of the universe. In John, there is no birth narrative. Jesus is not baptized by John (at least it is not explicitly described). The temptation narrative is not present. Jesus does not preach an apocalyptic message and does not teach in parables. John’s Jesus proclaims his identity openly: his discourses and signs are meant to reveal his true nature. Because Jesus’ identity is abundantly clear, those who reject him are more strongly condemned than in the Synoptic Gospels.
The Gospel of John from a Redactional Perspective
Applying the redactional method to John is difficult because his sources must be reconstructed from the Gospel itself. The author of the Gospel of John most likely did not utilize the Synoptic Gospels because his stories are unique. Most scholars agree that three of John’s sources can be isolated on the basis of writing style, repetition of stories, and the presence of literary seams. These sources are the Signs Source, the Discourse Source, and the Passion Source. John probably used other sources as well (e.g., the prologue and the last chapter of the Gospel).
The Author of the Fourth Gospel
Like the other Gospels, the Gospel of John was written anonymously, though it has traditionally been attributed to John the son of Zebedee, thought to be the “beloved disciple” mentioned in the Gospel. Some of the stories may go back to one of Jesus’ followers, but the Gospel itself was written well after the deaths of the disciples. In addition, our investigation has shown that this Gospel is the compilation of a number of different sources. The author was a Greek speaker, most likely living outside of the Jewish homeland.