Gospel of John

Research the debates on the authorship and date of composition of the Gospel of John. Do you find the traditional attribution compelling? Why or why not? Make an argument for the who and when of the gospel’s composition.

John shares some stories with the other gospels, but in certain cases he arranges them differently. Consider John’s portrayal of Jesus’s act of clearing the temple (2:13-17), and compare it to the same story in Matthew 21:12-17, Mark 11:15-19, and Luke 19:45-46. What is different about the setting of John’s story in the overall context of Jesus’s ministry, and why do you think John arranges it this way?

Compare the Gospel of John to the epistle of 1 John, another representative of the New Testament’s Johannine literature. What thematic elements in 1 John match those in the Gospel of John?

Study the prologue of the Gospel of John (1:1-18). Why does it use the terminology of Jesus as “the Word” rather than some other name or title, and what precisely is meant by the term?

The Gospel of John has been accused by some scholars as providing a seedbed for the later historical development of antisemitism among Christians. Do you think this criticism is warranted? Why or why not?

John frequently includes allusions to Old Testament passages in his account of the story of Jesus. Find one such allusion and describe how John uses it to make a point about Jesus’s identity or ministry.

Research the identity of the unnamed “disciple whom Jesus loved” and describe some of the possible identifications proposed by scholars. Do you agree with the traditional attribution that identifies it with the disciple John? Why or why not?

In the resurrection narratives, Jesus appears first to Mary Magdalene. Why do you think this is? What does it say about Jesus that he appears first to her, rather than to Peter or another disciple?