The Gospel of John is renowned for its
mystical and theological depth, so much so that it was known in the early
church as the “spiritual” Gospel.[1]
John’s Gospel shares a few similarities with the Synoptics, mostly Mark and
Luke, but is substantially different. While the Synoptics make Christ know by
concentrating on parables, healings, and exorcisms, John’s gospel is an independent
literary witness to Jesus Christ. The fourth Gospel was the last Gospel to be
written, but it presupposes the Gospels before it. The question then arises:
what is the Gospel’s platform and purpose?
The Gospel of John is written for believers so that they may make firm
their faith. The purpose of John’s Gospel is a direct response to Isaiah
43:8-13. The evangelist proves to be a witness to the true faith, proclaiming
Jesus with “I AM” statements and “signs.” John calls other Christians to do the
same with his deeper understanding of Jesus’ words and teachings.
The forty third chapter of the Book of
the Prophet Isaiah is a promise of redemption and restoration to Israel and can
be split into three main sections. The first section, vv 1-7, God calls his
people and proclaims that he will redeem Israel. The second section, vv 8-13,
God calls his people to witness and justify him as the Lord and truth. The
third section, vv 14-28, God makes firm that he will do this not by Israel’s
fidelity but by his mercy.[2]
The emphasis is almost entirely on Israel and the way it witnesses in both the
past and the present.[3] The
witness is precisely Saint John’s central issue for his Gospel.
The witness theme assumes the major
importance of the Gospel of John, especially in the first twelve chapters. The
apostles have a twofold role to play. First, they serve as eyewitnesses to the
life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Jn 15:27). Second, they attest
the great redemptive act of God because they believe that they have been called
to witness these convictions by which they believe.[4] The
witness theme is also the highlight of Isaiah 43:8-13. Three times in the short
pericope Isaiah uses the word “witnesses” as he identifies the people of Israel
with a certain role. Isaiah has just written previously that the Lord will
redeem them, then he tells them that they must be a witness to his redemption.
This prophesy is carried out in the Gospel message. The Synoptics show that
Jesus is the redeemer and the Gospel of John serves as the witness to the true
faith for Christians who are persecuted and tempted to abandon their faith.
This call to witness Christ, “you are my witnesses,” is completed in John’s
Gospel with witnesses such as John the Baptist (5:33-35), the disciples
(15:27), the scriptures (5:39), the mighty works of Christ (5:36 cf. 10:25) and
the father (5:32, 37). It is unfortunately, not adequate enough to have just one
witnesses. The Pharisees said to Jesus, “you are bearing witness to yourself;
you testimony is not true” (8:13). According
to Jewish law, one must have at least two witnesses to provide conclusive proof
to a reality (Deut 19:15). This evidence fails to convince opponents unless
they are equipped with the inward witness of the Holy Spirit.
Isaiah 43:8 provides the first who will
witness to the Lord when he comes; “Bring forth the people who are blind, yet
have eyes.” John’s Gospel has a distinctive amount of theology wrapped up into the
theme of light and darkness, sight and blindness. Chapter nine of the Gospel is
focused completely on the healing of a blind man, the man who was blind yet had
eyes. He was healed by Christ and became one of the first witnesses to the Lord,
just as Isaiah’s prophesy suggested. John uses this theology to go deeper into
Isaiah’s prophesy. John uses the blind man to show how people can see
spiritually with the aid of the Holy Spirit and how the Pharisees remained
spiritually blind by their sins. Jesus proclaims his identity and the people
who hear him either see by witness of the Holy Spirit or they reject him.
The
next thing that the evangelist does throughout his Gospel is show that Jesus is
God, the same God of Isaiah and Moses. John shows this with the uses of Jesus’
“I am” statements. In Isaiah 43:8-13, the prophet uses the “I am” statement
four times to show that he is writing of the God of Moses in Exodus 3:14.
Likewise, the “I am” statements are found throughout John’s Gospel. This time
however, it is neither Moses nor another prophet who is referring to God, but
Christ who proclaims this divinity for himself.[5] He
calls himself a servant, not as God but as a human being who has the authority
to bear whiteness to himself because he is God. The evangelist uses the “I am”
statement seven times in his Gospel to affirm that Jesus is the fulfillment of
Isaiah’s prophesy: “I am the bread of life,” “I am the light of the world,” “I
am the door of the sheep,” “I am the good shepherd,” “I am the resurrection,” “I
am the way, the truth and the life,” and “I am the vine.”
The Prologue to John’s Gospel echo’s
Isaiah’s prophesy of the one eternal God. Isaiah proclaims one God from
eternity and there are no other saviors but him (Is 43:10-11). When Jesus
proclaims his identity throughout the Gospel, he is claiming divinity for
himself. In order to remain consistent with Isaiah and the Old Testament, John
begins his Gospel in a poetic overture that confirms that the same eternal God
of Isaiah has been made flesh among them: “The Word was with God, and the Word
was God. He
was in the beginning with God” (Jn1:1-2). Marius Victorinus makes since of the
homogeneous substance with this argument: “If Christ is Son, Christ is
certainly after God. But after God there is nothing comparable to him. Christ
is therefore not comparable to God; or if he is not after God, certainly he is
with God; for in no way can he be before God; therefore he is consubstantial.”[6]
In verse Thirteen of Isaiah’s
prophesy, he foretells the power of God’s love for his people, “There is none
who can deliver from my hand: who can countermand what I do?” Thus, when the
true messiah came, the people of Israel were awaiting a king who was more
powerful than all others to lead them. John depicts Jesus as this messiah;
however, not necessarily as the Jews were expecting him. John depicts this
great king as a shepherd, yet a shepherded is the fulfillment of this prophesy.
The savior accomplishes the calling of the nations and saves those who have
been led astray.[7]
The savior himself affirms that no one can snatch those who are being saved
from the hand of God. “For my sheep hear my voice, and I know them; and they
follow me, and I give them eternal life” (Jn 10:27-28)
The fourth Gospel, unique when
compared to the Synoptics, is not rigged with healing miracles and parables
through and through. There are rather, only four healing miracles, the official’s
son, the invalid, the blind man and Lazarus. Each of these miracles has a
specific theological purpose in describing Jesus’ ministry; thus they serve as
“signs” in order for Christians to make firm their faith.[8]
The evangelist used Isaiah 43:1-8, the call to witness, as his platform so that
others could theologically witness Christ; thus, others could “know and believe
in me and understand that it is I” (Is 43:10). To John and all Christians, the
Holy Spirit functions as both a witness and an advocate of Christ; those who
have rejected the claims of Christ will find his words standing as accusing
witnesses against them in the last day (Jn 12:48).[9]
Isaiah 43:8-13
8 Bring
forth the people who are blind, yet have eyes, who are deaf, yet have ears! 9 Let
all the nations gather together, and let the peoples assemble. Who among them
can declare this, and show us the former things? Let them bring their witnesses
to justify them, and let them hear and say, It is true. 10 "You are my
witnesses," says the LORD, "and my servant whom I have chosen, that
you may know and believe me and understand that I am He. Before me no god was
formed, nor shall there be any after me. 11 I, I am the LORD, and besides me
there is no savior. 12 I declared and saved and proclaimed, when there was no
strange god among you; and you are my witnesses," says the LORD. 13 "I
am God, and also henceforth I am He; there is none who can deliver from my hand;
I work and who can hinder it?"
[1]
Hahn, Scott., Catholic Bible Dictionary (New
York: Double Day, 2009) 460.
[2] St.
Joseph Edition, New American Bible (New York: Catholic Book Publishing Corp.,
1992) 868.
[3]
Mays, James L., Harpers Bible Commentary
(San Francisco: Harper and Row Publishers, 1988) 576.
[4] Green,
Jole B., Dictionary of Jesus and the
Gospels (Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press, 1992) 879.
[5] Elliott,
Mark W., Ancient Christian Commentary on
scripture Old Testament Vol .XI (Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press, 2007) 51.
[6] Elliott,
Mark W., Ancient Christian Commentary on
scripture Old Testament Vol .XI (Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press, 2007) 50.
[7] Ibid.,
52.
[8] Hahn,
Scott., Catholic Bible Dictionary (New
York: Double Day, 2009) 461.
[9] Green,
Jole B., Dictionary of Jesus and the
Gospels (Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press, 1992) 880.
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