A Neglected Feature of the Christology of the Fourth Gospel

Abstract

Because the term θεóς is used so infrequently of Jesus in the New Testament, it is not surprising to find that there are relatively few discussions of it as a christological title. However, it may be of value to investigate the way in which the Fourth Gospel speaks of Jesus as ‘God’ since its usage differs somewhat from that of the rest of the New Testament. First, the extent to which the New Testament describes Jesus as God will be surveyed, and this will be contrasted in general terms with the approach of the Fourth Evangelist. Then the passages in the Fourth Gospel which may call Jesus ‘God’ will be examined in more detail, and an attempt will be made to establish the way in which this designation is used by the evangelist. Next it will be asked how the distinctive usage of the Fourth Gospel came to be adopted. Finally the view that the word θεóς expresses a functional christology will be considered.

John 1.18: ‘God the Only Son’

“…28 represents the evangelist's deliberate ascription to Jesus of nothing less than the deity of God. 7 As these examples illustrate, there currently exists no single answer to the question: Does John, or any other NT writer, call Jesus 'God'? This lack of consensus, moreover, stems largely from the apparent ambiguity of the NT data.…”

Community and Gospel: Vectors in Fourth Gospel Criticism

“…Joseph Coppens, "Le Fils de l'homme dans l'évangile johannique," EThL 52:28-81 (1976 What seems clear is that current scholarship finds more and more indications that the Gospel was written within a context which involved Christians, Jews, and (probably) Jewish Christians. 32 As scholarship explores this matter the Jewish character of the document becomes more and more transparent. 33 Another measurable direction in Fourth Gospel criticism might be organized under our fifth vector, special concerns of the Fourth Evangelist and his community.…”

On Docetic Christology in Early Christianity. Pt. 3.1

“…); ср. также: Bultmann 1951: 129 («In describing Christ as "God" the New Testament still exercises great restraint…», курсив автора); обзор всех НЗ пассажей, которые могли бы быть истолкованы (и толковались) как использующие понятие «Бог» применительно к Иисусу, см : Wainwright 1957;Taylor 1962;Brown 1965;Mastin 1975;Reim 1984. («The only two NT writings where Jesus is presented as God are the Letter to the Hebrews (1.8f.)…”