Johannine Literature
BD 3 Johannine Literature
Five books in the New Testament are said to have been written by John. But there are arguments that say that not all three letters of John were written by the same author. It is so because the word Church (Ecclesia) does not appear in the forth Gospel and in 1 and 2 John.
Another challenge to the Johannine ecclesiology is offered marked opposition to outsiders, whether to the world, Jews, Christians. Has the association of Johhanine Christians become a sect? Meaning a religious group that broke away from an established larger religion.
Scroggs argues that the whole early Christian movement was sectarian for it met the following characteristics of a sect. Sect seeks to restore traditional beliefs and practices in doing so rejects many of societies values but not in a threatening manner.
1, It emerged out of an agrarian protest movement
2, It rejected many of the realities claimed by the establishment of wealth, of religious institutions of theological intellectuals.
3, It was egalitarian
4, It offered special love and acceptance within
5, It was a voluntary organization
6, It demanded total commitment of its members
7, It was apocalyptic.
With this understanding of sect, the Christian community known to us through the forth Gospel and Johannine Epistles was a sect as part of the larger Christian sectarian movement.
Relationship with the letters
Style, tone, thought indicates that they are from the same author.
A, Intimacy with God and sinlessness.
B, Keeping the commandment.
C, Brotherly love
D, Eschatology
1, Concept of sin.
Sin plays an important part in the teaching of Jesus in John’s Gospel. The approach of sin is slightly different from the synoptic eg John 1:29 . 1 Jn1:5, sin is also linked with ignorance of God.
Sin as alienation from God 5:24
Sin as unbelief 15: 22-24
Sin as ignorance
Sin as mortal 3:16, 1Jn 2:25
Sin as universal 1Jn 1:8, 2:16
Five books in the New Testament are said to have been written by John. But there are arguments that say that not all three letters of John were written by the same author. It is so because the word Church (Ecclesia) does not appear in the forth Gospel and in 1 and 2 John.
Another challenge to the Johannine ecclesiology is offered marked opposition to outsiders, whether to the world, Jews, Christians. Has the association of Johhanine Christians become a sect? Meaning a religious group that broke away from an established larger religion.
Scroggs argues that the whole early Christian movement was sectarian for it met the following characteristics of a sect. Sect seeks to restore traditional beliefs and practices in doing so rejects many of societies values but not in a threatening manner.
1, It emerged out of an agrarian protest movement
2, It rejected many of the realities claimed by the establishment of wealth, of religious institutions of theological intellectuals.
3, It was egalitarian
4, It offered special love and acceptance within
5, It was a voluntary organization
6, It demanded total commitment of its members
7, It was apocalyptic.
With this understanding of sect, the Christian community known to us through the forth Gospel and Johannine Epistles was a sect as part of the larger Christian sectarian movement.
Relationship with the letters
Style, tone, thought indicates that they are from the same author.
A, Intimacy with God and sinlessness.
B, Keeping the commandment.
C, Brotherly love
D, Eschatology
1, Concept of sin.
Sin plays an important part in the teaching of Jesus in John’s Gospel. The approach of sin is slightly different from the synoptic eg John 1:29 . 1 Jn1:5, sin is also linked with ignorance of God.
Sin as alienation from God 5:24
Sin as unbelief 15: 22-24
Sin as ignorance
Sin as mortal 3:16, 1Jn 2:25
Sin as universal 1Jn 1:8, 2:16