“The Unbroken Messiah: A Johannine Feature and Its Social Functions,” New Testament Studies 41 (1995): 428-41.
Two areas of biblical study identified as ‘growth points’ are the sociological and narrative approaches to early... more Two areas of biblical study identified as ‘growth points’ are the sociological and narrative approaches to early Christianity and its literature. Although these two approaches may be the offspring of different departments within the university, they are intricately related: narratives relate to a social context to the extent that they reinforce or subvert socio-perspectives. This project explores the interface of the two, examining one aspect of the narrative of the Fourth Gospel and considering ways in which it might have functioned within the social context of Johannine Christianity. While some literary critics draw high walls around a text to contain the ‘text world’ and keep it from outside contamination, others work on the basis that narratives are often referential, pointing to other narratives and building their own storyline in relation to them in some fashion. The latter approach is the one taken here, as certain points in the Johannine storyline are considered in relation to two important stories within early Christian tradition and within Judaism. The starting-point for this investigation is the feeding miracle in John 6.
The Testimony of Jesus and the Holy Spirit: The "We" of John 3.11 in its Literary Context
Jesus’ use of the first person plural in John 3:11 is rarely given more than passing comment. The common explanation... more Jesus’ use of the first person plural in John 3:11 is rarely given more than passing comment. The common explanation that a group outside of the narrative speaks through Jesus ignores the literary context of the passage, which indicates a number of possible figures who could be included in Jesus’ use of the first person plural. These possibilities consist of the Father, John the Baptist, Jesus’ disciples, and the use of the “we” of majesty. While the Spirit has rarely been mentioned as a possible referent, the Spirit’s inclusion in Jesus’ “we” is more likely. Based on the similar content and manner of speaking and testifying shared by Jesus and the Spirit and the proximity of Jesus’ comments about the Spirit, the Spirit is the most plausible referent for inclusion in Jesus’ “we”.
ARTICLE: A Community in Conflict: A Literary and Historical Reading of John 9.
by Philip Tite
Religious Studies and Theology 15. 2-3 (1997): 77-100.
A correlation between literary and historical methods is necessary to determine the socioreligious dynamic behind the... more
A correlation between literary and historical methods is necessary to determine the socioreligious dynamic behind the Fourth Gospel, and to analyze key pericopes through which we can gain insights into the Johannine community. Explores the historical dimension of John 9. Although a demarcation between literary and historical methods of textual interpretation has emerged, a correlation of these methods is necessary for understanding an early Christian text. By exploring the literary context and historical implications of John 9, we will better understand the community in conflict to whom this Gospel was addressed.
[Abstract from Religious & Theological Abstracts]