Identity Matters John, the Jews and Jewishness

Copyright

CONTENTS

Acknowledgments

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 From the Most Hellenistic Gospel to the Most Jewish

1.2 Who Are oί Ἰουδαῖοι in John?

1.3 John As a Two-Level Drama

1.4 Early Christians and the Diversity of First Century Judaism

1.5 The Outline of the Study

1.6 Methodological Considerations

2 FALLACIES IN SCHOLARLY CONSENSUS

2.1 The birkat ha-minim and Other Suggested Parallels to John

2.2 John and Formative Rabbinic Judaism

2.3 The Pharisees, the Rabbis, and the Synagogue

2.4 Documentary Papyri and post-70 Palestinian Society

2.5 The Pharisees and the Rabbis and the Persecution of Early Christians

2.6 Evidence for Jewish Persecution of the Christians

2.7 John in the Context of Jewish-Christians Relations in the First Century

2.8 Conclusion: A New Way to Assess John's Jewishness

3. JESUS, THE JEWS AND THE WORSHIP OF GOD

3.1 Jesus in the Temple of the Jews (2:13–22)

The Context of the Scene

Jesus' Action in the Temple

Jesus' Ambivalent Attitude to the Temple

3.2 The True Worship of the Father ( John 4:20–24)

The Context of the Scene

'The Fathers' and the Worship of the Father

Jesus the Jew—a Prophet and the Messiah

The Samaritans, the Jews, and the True Worshipers of the Father

3.3 Conclusion: The Johannine Christians, Worship and Jewishness

4 JESUS, THE SABBATH AND CIRCUMCISION

4.1 Jesus Breaks the Sabbath and Makes Himself Equal with God (5:1–18)

The Context of the Scene

Jesus' Act as an Intentional Provocation

The Conflict over the Sabbath

Jesus, the Father and the Sabbath

4.2 The Jews Do Not Observe the Law Themselves (7:19–24)

The Context of the Scene

How Do the Jews Fail to Observe the Law?

The Sabbath and Circumcision

4.3 Conclusion: The Johannine Christians and Markers of Jewishness

5. JESUS, THE JEWS AND MOSES

5.1 The Scriptures and Moses as Jesus' Witnesses (5:37–47)

The Context of Jesus' Speech

Jesus and the Revelation at Sinai

5.2 The Bread from Heaven and the Manna of the Jews (6:26–59)

The Context of Jesus' Speech

The Manna and the True Bread from Heaven Contrasted

The Manna as a Symbol for the Law

5.3 Conclusion: Jesus, Moses and the Law in John

6. THE BELIEVING JEWS, ABRAHAM AND THE DEVIL (8:31–59)

The Context of the Dialogue

The Believing Jews and the Death of Jesus

Jesus, the Jews and Abraham

The Children of a Murderer: John 8:44 and Apocalyptic Polemic

John 8:44 and Christian Anti-Judaism

7. SYNTHESIS: THE JOHANNINE CHRISTIANS, THE JEWS AND JEWISHNESS

7.1 John's Ambivalent Relationship to Jewishness

7.2 John As a Sectarian Jewish Writing?

7.3 Who Are the Johannine Jews?

7.4 John and the Development of an Autonomous Christian Religion

7.5 Concluding Remarks

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Sources, Translations and Reference Works

Commentaries on the Fourth Gospel

Other Studies

INDEX OF MODERN AUTHORS

INDEX OF PASSAGES