Disaffiliation in associations and the ἀποσυναγωγός of John

Abstract

<p>This article tries to understand what might have been at stake for the synagogue from which the Johannine Jesus partisans had been expelled and what was at stake in the coinage of the term ἀποσυναγωγός. It we refuse to accept naively John’s overlexicalised and retrospective account of the grounds for expulsions and pay attention to the practices of other groups in articulating a disciplinary code, I suggest that what was at stake was deviant behaviour on the part of the Johannine Jesus-partisans: either failure to comply with the larger group’s practices concerning Sabbath observance, or more likely, clique formation.</p><p><strong>How to cite this article: </strong>Kloppenborg, J.S., 2011, ‘Disaffiliation in associations and the ἀποσυναγωγός of John’, <em>HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies</em> 67(1), Art. #962, 16 pages. DOI: 10.4102/hts.v67i1.962</p&gt

Dissidents and God-Talk in the Johannine Epistles

“…27 In any case, Diotrephes' policy of exclusion was probably not based upon any clearcut theological disagreements with the author of 3 John (since the author does not mention any). This makes more likely the possibility that Diotrephes intervened ----- 25 Kloppenborg (2011). 26 For one parallel to this attitude, see Matthew 13:24-29, where it is affirmed that the division between the two sets of believers only becomes visible in the final judgement.…”

“…This may suggest that the author of 3 John describes the expulsion of his people in terms that were customarily used in Greco-Roman associations. The verb ἐκβάλλειν also recurs in a number of association inscriptions referred to in Kloppenborg (2011); see 11: IG II2 1396.40-44 and IG II2 1339.136-46, with the latter describing an officer's duty "to expel those who fight". because of the potential or real consequences of that author's teachings on the social life of the assembly.…”

What Are They Now Saying about Christ Groups and Associations?

“…Harland 2003a: 239-64). The Gospel texts also show some indications of association language and practice, such as the process of collective, communal writing (Last 2012) and the manner of addressing inner-group conflict through resolution, as in Matthew (Ascough 2001), or the expulsion of aberrant subgroups as reflected in the Fourth Gospel (Kloppenborg 2011a).…”