Johannine Christology

What do you mean by Christology? What are the distinctive features of Johannine Christology?

Submitted by: Joby Varghese Joy

Submitted to: Rev. L. Fannai

Submitted on: 10 – 07 – 2007

Number of Words: 1582

` Outline
Introduction
Earlier Tradition
Truth of Jesus in His titles

1. Messiah
2. Word/ Logos
3. Son of God
4. Son of David
5. Son of Man
6. God
7. I am/ ego Eimi
8. Prophet
Conclusion
Bibliography

Introduction:

Christ means, the anointed on or Messiah, Christology means department of theology which deals with Jesus’ Messiahship. The word Christ related to every aspect of Jesus nature. It is the theology of his person, attributes and mission. Christology is the doctrine of the person and nature of Christ. The importance of Christology cannot be undermined as the historical Jesus occupies a significant role in Christianity different from other founders of different religions. The New Testament is the primary source for Christology. The fourth Gospel is the fully developed Christology in New Testament. The content and style of teaching has striking differences. In Synoptic Gospels Christ speaks more about the kingdom of heaven and very little of Himself.

Earlier Tradition:
In the ancient Greek speaking Jewish and Christian circles "Christos" is translated from the Hebrew term "Messiah’ meaning the ‘anointed’. It carries significance due to Israelite practice of anointing with Oil, a person installed for special office like a king or priest. In such a setting the anointing signified that the person was commissioned, by God and the people. The term Messiah carries significance in connection with the Israelite Kings.

Truth of Jesus in His titles
John shares several titles of Jesus with other Gospels; these are sometimes used in distinctively Johannine ways. The different titles give the central pictures of John’s picture of Jesus.

1. Messiah
"The term "Christ" is easily treated as a surname is actually a title, with a range meanings which can only be the fully appreciated in the light of the Old Testament expectation concerning the coming God’s Messiah (Christos: Gk)". The Greek word Christos translates the Hebrew term mashish, with root meaning of ‘one who has been anointed’. The ancient Israel anointed both prophets and priests.
Jesus was regarded by some of those who were attracted to him as a potential political liberator, who could save His people from the Roman domination.
Jesus himself never permitted his followers to describe him as "Messiah"
If Jesus regarded himself as the Messiah, it was not in the politicized from that was associated with zealot or other strongly nationalist circle.
The contemporary expectation was that of a victorious Messiah. But Jesus was suffered seriously at odds with this expectation. If Jesus was a Messiah, he was not the kind of Messiah that people were expecting.

2. WORD/LOGOS
The only other place in New Testament that the title "Word" (logos) of God appears is in Rev: 19:13. The stoic saw the "word" as the mind of God, the principle of reasoning with in universe controlling and directing all the things. God created the world by speaking it into existence (Gen: 1). In the prophetic books ‘the word of the Lord is nearly personified as it is described as coming to a particular prophet.(Hos. 1:1;Joel.1:1). The word heals (ps.107:20), obedience to it brings life (deut.32:46-47) and it is a light that guides people to God (119:105,130).
Scholars also show the Johannine ‘word’ to have affinities with the Jewish concept of wisdom as well. There are similarities of the above understanding of the logos, but John also has a distinct concept that does not totally dependent on them. John points out that the logos are Jesus who is with God from beginning of time. "The phrase prostontheon does not indicate the logos as separate from God, but it carries the idea of closeness to God and communion in divine life". The logos is also God for He is the son of God, the only begotten, who reveals the father’s glory to humanity. The logos are God because He is the self- revelation of God, as the son of God, He bears and manifests the same glory as that of God. And of their mutual indwelling, the words and deeds of the logos are the words and deeds of God.
The logos had a function during his pre-existent state, he was involved in creation; the whole of creation came into being through the logos (1:3). This differs from the understanding of the logos as an intermediary between God and creation, but it means the creative activities of the logos are the creative of God by means of Him. Also as the father has life in Himself so does the son (5:26; 6:57) who preexisted as the logos and this is life is the light for all human beings.

3. Son of God:
This is arguably the most significant Christological title in the New Testament. Son of God or its equivalent "the son, my son" occur more than 124 times in the New Testament.
John the Gospel places the divine Sonship of Jesus at the center of its Christology. John expressing state that the purpose of his gospel is to confirm his readers in the belief that "Jesus is the Christ, the son of God". As son Jesus can function as a unique delegate on His fathers’ behalf and indeed, the "father has given all things into the son’s hand"
Jesus role as Son of God is characterized by the following elements.
Jesus Son of God perfectly obeys the will of his father. Even his coming in to the world reflects his obedience to the fathers will,
As Son of God Jesus shares the work of father including the tasks belonging uniquely to God. Giving life to dead (Jn: 5.21,24, 6.40). Performing judgment (Jn: 5.22,27,29, 8:16)
As Son of God, Jesus enjoys intimate fellowship with father. The relationship involves knowing the father and His will, sharing all that the father has and enjoying special access and influence with father.
The relationship between the father and the son is characterized by love. The father loves the son (3.35, 5.20, 10.17,) and the son loves the father (14.31).
All of these imply that the divine son ship of Jesus is unique. "The proclamation that Jesus is son of God forces the decision of faith, person are called to believe that Jesus is the son whom God has sent into the world, and the decision they make regarding this call to belief will determined the quality of their present existence as well as their eternal destiny"

4. Son of David

Son of David points to Jesus as the royal messiah in the line of David. In comparison with Christological titles such as son of God and son of man, son of David plays a relatively minor role in the New Testament.
The Gospels receives that Davidic expectations along the lines of Psalm of Solomon were very much alive in Jesus milieu. Only one occasion Jesus specifically raises the issue of Davidic son ship. "Jesus accepted the Davidic son ship of the Messiah. He rejected the nationalistic and militaristic conceptions of the son of David. Which were so much part of Jewish expectation". The most natural interpretation of Jesus reserve on this point is that he wished to avoid any tendency on the part of the people to view him as a nationalistic and military reader". (Jn: 15.18, 33-38).

5. Son of Man

"The phrase the ‘son of Man’ is used more frequently than any other to refer to Jesus in the Gospels. For many Christians, the term ‘Son of Man’ stands as a natural counterpart to ‘Son of God’. It is an affirmation of the humanity of Christ. "One of the most frequent titles for Jesus in the Gospel of John is "son." "The Son" is used seventeen times. "Son of man" is found thirteen times; "son," suggests an intimate relationship between God and Christ. It is said that the Father loves the Son (3:35), gives him authority (17:2), and bestows on him the power of judgment (5:22, 27). The Son does nothing on his own but only imitates the Father (6:38) and teaches only what has been given to him to say (8:28, 40; 12:49–50; 17:8, 14, 16–18). While the Father and the Son are said to be one (10:30; 17:11, 22), the Son is dependent on the Father (5:30, 36) and obeys the Father (8:25; 10:15; 15:10, 15). The Father is greater than the Son (14:28). Significantly, it is claimed that a response to the Son constitutes a response to God (3:18; 12:47–48). Divine functions are assigned to the Son."

6. God
The New Testament was written against the background of the strict monotheism of Israel. "The New Testament scholar R.E Brown argued that there are three clear instances of Jesus being called "God" in the New Testament.
The fourth Gospel, which includes the affirmation "the word was God" (John 1:1).
The confession of Thomas "My Lord and My God" (John 20:28).
3. the opening of the letter to the Hebrews, in which a psalm is addressed to Jesus as God (Hebrews 1:8)"
"Anyone who has seen me, has seen the Father" (John 14:9), these remarkable words Jesus reveals as God. The belief that the Father acts and speaks in the Son, that the God is revealed in and by Jesus.

7. I am / ego Emi.
EimThis is another unique Christological title for Jesus in the John. In the Old Testament I am says we could find only in relation with Yahweh and His relation with Israel. Through this title John trying to implement Old Testament method of divine revelation. This title points to the unique authority and identity of Jesus. That means Son not just the representative of the god but bearing the presence of Father to the world. Jesus is not revelator but He him self is Revelation.

8. Prophet
Prophet was the person who spoke with divine authority and divine inspiration. In the John the blind man realized Jesus as the prophet (9:17). Many times in John people confessing about Jesus as "He is from God’. For example while Jesus feeding the crowd people amazed and said he is from God (9:16). And also it is a fact that many times people wonder whether he is prophet or not. This title points that Jesus is uniquely commissioned agent of God to bring the salvation to the humankind
Conclusion
The Johannine Christology thus presents Jesus more than what the earlier concepts of understanding about Him are. He is the one who comes from God who sent Him (7.29) and the signs he worked (12:37; 20:30) witnessed his messiahship. He is exalted in His suffering, death and resurrection, which bring eternal life.


Bibliography
Baur. . D.R "Son of God" The Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels. (Leicester: IVP, 1992).
Elwell, A. Walter. "Christology" Evangelical Dictionary of Theology. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic. 1984.Pp.239-245.
Guthrie, D. New Testament Introduction. Secundrabad: O. M. Books, 1990.
Hutardo, L.W. "Christ" The Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels. Leicester: I. V. P.,1992. Pp. 106-117.
Kanagaraj, J.J. and I.S. Kemp, The Gospel according to John, (Bangalore: Theological Book Trust, 2000) P.63.
Kysar, Robert " Gospel of John". In ABD, vol.2. ed. By. N. D. Freedman. (New York: Double day.1992 CD ROM.
McGrath, Alister E, Christian Theology. (Malden: Blackwell Publishing 2003)
Thompson, M.M. "The Gospel of John". The Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels. (Leicester: IVP, 1992).