August 14th, 2021

This week is the last Sunday for a text from the Gospel according to John [6:51-69] for a while. Next week we will be back to looking at the Gospel according to Mark—and various other Old Testament books which connect to that gospel account. But the Gospel according to John is certainly a special thing.

So, it would follow that this special account also has a special structure. A structure of a text is not an outline; that would be too-modern of a way to look at a too-ancient of a text. A structure of an ancient text is more like the map of a journey. A map gives, somewhat literally, a bigger picture. And the journey on that map offers comparisons to other things that are around and to other parts of the journey that are similar.

The last two blogs have proposed the use of a modified ‘word of exhortation/encouragement’ within this structure, and the primary focus has been those first four chapters. This final blog will deal primarily with the remaining chapters, but what would probably be helpful would be to look at the entire account. This will be done, but only in a very limited fashion, to save on space. And the emphasis in those remaining chapters will be their connections to the Jewish festivals that are mentioned within those chapters.

Many have brought up the importance of the Jewish festivals in the Gospel according to John; this is nothing new. One relatively intimidating and recent work could be recommended here for more detail if this is an interest; it happens to be in German though: Dorit Felsch, Die Feste im Johannesevangelium: Jüdische Tradition und christologische Deutung [Mohr Siebeck, 2011].

Looking at the entire gospel account, and taking into account what has been discussed the last two weeks, here is one possible ‘structure’ for this entire gospel account—and, therefore, a way to look at it that may help to understand it.

Many of the words below are simply phrases taken from various parts of the text, usually the beginning—translated somewhat literally. If the words are a summary of the text; it is usually in italics; words in capital letters are meant to draw your attention to see their connections elsewhere; they may be added or may be in the text. Some summaries and biblical references will be left out, to keep things from being too cluttered. Again, what follows is simply one suggestion to see the text’s bigger picture (and this is already a BIG text):

The Introduction [1:1-18]

            And this is the WITNESS of John… [1:19]
            The next day… [1:29]
            The next day… [1:35]
            The next day… [1:43]

And on the THIRD day … the FIRST SIGN [2:1, 11], and the Passover … [2:23]
Nicodemus comes … to the LORD [4:1] … and the Samaritan woman comes.

The SECOND SIGN [4:54]

‘After these things there was a Feast of the Jews [5:1]’ … and Jesus heals on the Sabbath … and there is talk of the Jews killing him [5:18].

SPRING:
After these things … the Passover was near [6:1,4].
            The LORD gives thanks…. [6:23; cf. v. 11]

FALL:   
After these things … the Feast of Tabernacles was near [7:1-2]. At this feast Jesus makes an appearance halfway and at the end [7:14 & 37].
And, passing along …[9:1] Jesus again heals on the Sabbath—but there is a bit more trouble for the one who is healed than the trouble Jesus has.

WINTER:
Then it happened, the [Feast of] Dedication … [10:22].
Mary was the one anointing the LORD … [11:2].

SPRING:
The Passover was near [11:55].
Six days before the Passover [12:1] Jesus came to Bethany. The next day … [12:12]. Before the Passover … [13:1].

            JOHN 13-20: THE ARREST, CRUCIFIXION, AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS
            Jesus’ first appearance to the disciples [John 20:19ff]
            Jesus’ second appearance to the disciples [John 20:26ff]
            This, the THIRD time Jesus was manifested to the disciples… [John 21:14].
            This is the disciple, the one WITNESSING concerning these things… [John 21:24].

Much could be written about just these few things. As I mentioned above, much HAS been written about these things. Like many other structures, the beginning has some similarities to the end. And hopefully you see a point to the two signs near the beginning of the account. And then, after a ‘generic’ feast—where Jesus begins to head toward his death, a year goes by from one Passover to the next.

Why mention two Passovers, one at the beginning and one at the end? Here is a similar question: Why do the Jews make the eighth day important? (See John 21:26a.) If you count something twice, it is definitely important. Mentioning the two Passovers takes the reader/listener from talk of killing Jesus to the accomplishment of that talk.

I am not implying that there was some early liturgical calendar for the four gospel accounts to be read. But there is an importance to these words in the church—or any place where Christians GATHER TOGETHER—after all, that is basically what the word synagogue means.

The added use of the word ‘Lord’ by the writer points to liturgical actions as well. After the beginning of the first Passover of the main section, there is the reference to the Lord giving thanks, as in the ‘Eucharist’ (the Lord’s Supper). And before the second Passover is mentioned, there is the anointing of the ‘Lord’, and that is also a liturgical action. The liturgy is where the Lord really comes alive.

The liturgical year, whether it is Jewish or Christian, helps to bring what is in the past to the present. And this fourth gospel account is EXTREMELY good at that point. When Jesus says, ‘I AM…’, this is ALWAYS true, even right NOW.