This introduction is excerpted from “Analyzing the Gospels.” http://www.13petals.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Analyzing-the-Gospels-by-Xus-Casal-January-2017-1.pdf
John is very interesting because collectively describes Yeshua’s debaters as “the Jews” (as if Yeshua himself was not a Jew). This lead to many scholars to believe that the Gospel of John is highly anti-Semite. But the content is radically the opposite. It’s in this Gospel that Yeshua says: “salvation is of the Jews”. The Gospel uses several methods of Jewish Scriptural interpretation and is aware of both Judea’s geography (Jn 5:2) and Jewish literature (such as the Solomonic books); the main source of the text is therefore Jewish.
The better way to solve this paradox is to realize that the term ‘Yehudi’(69) can refer to Jews (those who practice Judaism) or to Judeans (those who lived in Judea, unlike Samaritans or Galileans). Contextually speaking, most times the “Yehudim” appear in the Gospel of John, it refers to Judeans(70) and their mindset – not to the Jews in general (comp Jn 7:1, 11:7-19).
About John’s historical accuracy, there are two issues: First, the Gospel is mystical in essence, or spiritual(71) if you prefer that term. Second, it’s a completely different tradition.
John is mystical in essence: it begins with a mystical poem and continues with extensive sermons filled with mystical riddles, and the seemingly historical events in the book are based on seven signs that were done on certain Jewish holidays. John challenges us to see beyond the text;(72) it’s obviously not meant for historical accuracy. Based on the metaphorical expression: “the beloved disciple” (Jn 21:20-24) a tradition attributes the book to John the apostle, but this is simply another spiritual riddle that someone took literally. As the author never identifies himself, there is no certainty who wrote the text.
The estimated time of writing is very late (80-110 CE), and the narration has traces of having been written by more than one hand. The Greek text changes its style sometimes and (at least the version we have) contains a great number of late glosses.(73) The words: “This is the disciple which testifies…. And we know that his testimony is true” (Jn 21:24), can be seen as an allusion to the plural authorship of the book. There is an oral tradition that says that the book is a compilation of revelations that the disciples gathered together after fasting for three days; (74).
John is a completely different tradition: One could say that any similarity with the synoptic Gospels is just the confirmation of a reliable oral tradition. While all the gospels serve a theological and religious purpose, historical accuracy is secondary, it is evident that John was intended as a spiritual book. For centuries Christian theologians have tried to harmonize the Gospels (some better than others), but it is evident and undeniable that at times John contradicts the Synoptic. (75) The contradictions are intentional though, serving a theological purpose.
Of course, one of the rules of critical analysis is that the earlier material is likely more reliable.
- In John Yeshua cleanses the Temple at the beginning of his ministry which lasts at least one year more. In the other Gospels the disturbance at the Temple was one of the major reasons for his detention and execution. It happened, necessarily, at the end of his ministry.
- In the synoptic gospels Yeshua meets his two first disciples – Andres and Keifa – in a fishing after his 40 days fasting in the desert (Mrk 1:16; Mt 4:18; Lk 5:3). In the book of John he meets Andres and another disciple one day after his baptism, and Keifa is brought later by Andres (Jn 1:35-41).
- In the synoptic Gospels Yeshua is arrested after Pesakh76 (Mrk 14:12-14,26,46; Lk 22:15), he clearly celebrates a Passover meal before his detention. But in John he is executed before Pesakh in order to make of Yeshua ‘the Lamb of God’ (Jn 1:29; 18:28; 19:31).
- In the synoptic gospels Yeshua prays with suffering: let this cup pass from me (Mt 26:39); he is in such an agonic tension that he sweats drops of blood (Lk 22:44). But in John there’s no mention of suffering; on the contrary, Yeshua is in total control of the situation (Jn 18:4) and when the guards come to arrest him, they fall before him (Jn 18:6).
The main theme of the synoptics is the kingdom of God. In John it seems the main focus is Yeshua himself, who incarnates the Torah and Messiah’s Soul. This is not saying there’s no truth in John, but rather, (a) it narrates an independent oral account, and (b) the book is focused on concealed truths – deeper and mystical things – which should be our focus too when we read it, instead of taking everything at face value.
From a critical point of view, chances are that its historical narration is a legend (aggadah) that serves merely to connect one teaching with the next.(77) This perfectly fits the name ‘Besorah al Pi haSod’ (the Gospel according to its secret meaning). Each Gospel corresponds to one of the four levels of Jewish exegesis.(78) In John’s narration there are two important characters: one of them is the beloved disciple; a figure that appears after the eleventh chapter resting at his master’s chest (Jn 13:23), staying where others run away (19:26), arriving to the sepulchre faster than Keifa (20:4), and who remains until Yeshua comes back (21:23).(79) He’s a metaphor for the perfect believer and the Messianic community. The other figure is Nicodemus, a leader Pharisee and member of the Sanhedrin (7:50) who incarnates in the Gospels, the not-so-well known group of “righteous Pharisees” whom Yeshua does not target(80) (cf. Lk 13:31). His mention by name probably indicates a real first century historical figure of renown.
-NOTES:
- 69 Gr. Iουδαĩοσ; Ar. יהודאי.
- 70 cf. Steve Mason, “Jews, Judaeans, Judaizing, Judaism: Problems of Categorization in Ancient History”, Journal for the Study of Judaism 38, pp. 1-56. cf. Shaye Cohen, “Ioudaios” 219.
- 71 Even the Fathers of the Church call it: “a spiritual Gospel” (cf. Eusebious: Ecclesiastical History 6:14:7).
- 72 That’s also a characteristic of Thomas, which in no way was intended as a historical book.
- 73 Such as 5:3b-4, 7:53-8:11 and the whole chapter 21 – which presupposes that Keifa had already died by that time.
- 74 “When his fellow disciples and elders were urging him, he said: Fast with me for three days beginning today, and whatever will have been revealed to us, let us recount it with each other” (Muratorian Canon; cf. Faith of the Early Fathers, vol. I, p. 107).
- 75 From a critical point of view.
- 76 Pesakh; the Hebrew for Passover.
- 77 Such is the case in the book of the Zohar, where the narration is an Aggadah about Shimon bar Yohai and his students coming up to Jerusalem, and meeting different people in the path. We know that the Zohar was composed by more than one hand in different time periods; yet, we call it ‘the Holy Zohar’ and attribute all of it to Rav Shimon.
- 78 Pshat, Remez, Drash and Sod; called by the acronym of PaRDeS (which means paradise).
- 79 Tradition says it’s John, and other critical theologians argue that he might be Eleazar (Lazarus), who is the one of whom the Gospel says “Behold how he loved him” (Jn 11:5, 36). However, the evidence indicates that this is not the work of one individual.
- 80 There’s the popular and yet erroneous belief among Christians that the term “Pharisee” equals ‘hypocrite’ and/or ‘legalist’ because Yeshua attacked them all. Such a claim is not supported by historical or religious external sources, and not even by the Gospels themselves. See ‘Yeshua and the Pharisees.’