III. Structure

For some people, the gospel of John is a difficult read. Modern works have a linear flow consisting of a beginning, middle and end. The fourth gospel, however, layers and overlaps major themes. It also repeats minor themes in doublets or triplets. Some themes seem esoteric and other worldly. It employs parallel and chiastic (or stair-step) constructions both on micro and macro levels. Besides its introduction, conclusion and added passages, it consists of a narrative pushed along with dialogues, some monologues and brief comments by the author. A modern reader might get lost in its repetitions, its unusual construction and almost alien themes.

Structure Overview

A. Thematic Structures

1. Signs and Glory

a. (1:1-18) Prologue

b. (1:19-12:36) Book of Signs

c. (13:1-20:31) Book of Glory

d. (20:30-21:25) Conclusion and Epilogue

Most scholars fall back on a two part analysis of the gospel: the Book of Signs and the Book of Glory. The word "sign" ("semeion" in Greek) occurred seventeen times in John's gospel, six times for specific events (Jn 2:11, Jn 4:54, Jn 7:31, Jn 6:14, Jn 6:26, Jn 9:16, Jn 12:18) and ten times in comments made by others including the author (Jn 2:18, Jn 3:2, Jn 4:48, Jn 6:30, Jn 10:41, Jn 11:47, Jn 2:23, Jn 6:2, Jn 12:37, Jn 20:30). With the exception of Jn 20:30, the term "sign" ("semeion") ceased after Jn 12:37.

The noun "glory" ("doxa" in Greek) and the verb "glorify" ("doxazo" in Greek) occurred in John's gospel over forty times combined. The number of references are too numerous to cite. However, the words occur twenty eight times after Jn 12:37.

Notice Jesus performed the seven signs found in the gospel as a public challenge. People who witnessed his signs either accepted him or rejected him. Even some of those who became followers misunderstood him and his message; they would soon leave. Those who did remain would witness his revealed glory. So, on this level, we can divide the gospel into public ministry (Book of Signs) and private revelation (Book of Glory).

2. Sacred Time and Space

Some scholars have questioned that analysis. Instead, they outline the gospel based upon a Jewish sense of time and place.

After the Prologue, 1:19-2:11 outlined a series of days that formed a week. The first day focused on the testimony of the Baptist. The next five reported the calling of the first disciples. The last day climaxed with the first of his signs in which "Jesus showed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him." (Jn 2:11)

Notice the symmetry of holy days and sites after that week. Unlike the Synoptic gospel which began in Galilee and ended in Jerusalem, John's gospel sandwiched other religious festivals between successive Passover celebrations. Jesus was in Jerusalem for his first and last Passover. The cleansing of the Temple at the first Passover possibly echoed the disposing of yeast before the Paschal feast (see Deu 16:2-3, also see 1 Cor 5:7). Jesus celebrated the middle Passover in the gospel at the Sea of Galilee. There, he multiplied the loaves and fish to feed five thousand men. Later in chapter six, Jesus would discuss manna as bread from heaven during the Exodus (Jn 6:31, Jn 6:49, see Exo 16:1-36). At his last Passover, he celebrated the great Seder in the holy city; there he implicitly broke bread with his followers. John possibly used Passover and the theme of bread to tie his gospel together.

I did not mention the scene in Samaria with the woman at the well (Jn 4:3-42). Here, Jesus introduced the theme of life-giving water that would appear again at the Sukkot appearance (Jn 7:37-39). According to the oral tradition, Temple priests would offer water libations during the seven days of the fall festival. They were celebrations of joy. They were also prayers for the gift of winter rains that would insure a bountiful spring harvest (see Zach 14:16-18). In a semi-arid environment like Palestine, water was a precious, life-giving commodity.

Continuing with the water motif, some scholars speculate the second festival mentioned in Jn 5:1 was Sukkot. Jesus healed on the Sabbath that fell during the week-long festival (Jn 5:10). Note the proximity of water in the Bethesda pool. In the end, the waters did not restore the man. Jesus did. According to these scholars, the Nazarene, not the pool, was the source of divine healing, "life-giving water." If they are correct, identifying this unnamed festival as Sukkot only strengthens the symmetry of the holy day list (Passover - Sukkot - Passover - Sukkot - Hanukkah - Passover).

B. Grammatical Construction

1. Dialogues and Monologues

As I mentioned above, John constructed most of his gospel with dialogues, monologues and a few asides. The monologues include:

This last monologue had disciples' questions sprinkled at the beginning to push themes along.

2. Chiasmus (Stair Step Structure)

Within many of these passages, John constructed parallels and chiastic structures, many times one on top of another. For example, the prologue was a seven step chiasmus that began (Jn 1:1-2) and ended (Jn 1:18) with the Logos-Son; it peaked with believers as the children of God (Jn 1:12). Yet the first two verses also formed its own chiasmus.

Step A1: In the beginning was the Logos and the Logos was with God (1:1ab)

Step B: and the Logos was God (1:1c)

Step A2: This one was in the beginning with God (1:2)

Note the parallel themes of existence and presence before God highlighted the divinity of the Logos. Other examples exist in the gospel. Even in construction, John built layers within, upon and even across other layers.

C. Conclusion

The above reflection sheds light on difficulties analyzing John's gospel. It's not easily dismantled into sections like the Synoptics. It's layered and overlapping themes made it hard to simplify. Its construction jars and confuses the reader. Some of its themes, like "I AM," seem otherworldly. Yet, if we peel back the layers, we can find pearls of insight into the spiritual life. That alone makes study of John's gospel worth the effort.

So, how will we proceed? For the most part, I will follow the outline Fr. Felix Just SJ laid out in his ENTER website. He adheres to the traditional "Signs-Glory" analysis but breaks down the text chapter by chapter. I will note the holy days, geography and construction as the commentary progresses.

IV. Commentary on the Prologue (1:1-18)

The first eighteen verses of John formed one of the most unique hymns in Scripture. It proclaimed the Son of God as the Logos. He was the very Word of God that his own people would reject. But he would be the source of "grace and truth" for his followers. And they would become children of God.

Prologue Overview

A. Construction

John created the prologue as a chiasmus.

Step A1: The pre-existent Logos was God (1:1-2)

1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God.

Step B1: The Logos was the conduit of creation (1:3)

3 All things were made through him. Without him, nothing was made that has been made.

Step C1: The Logos was the source of life and light which overcame darkness (1:4-5)

4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness hasn't overcome it.

Step D1: (John was sent by God to testify to the Light; he was not the Light; 1:6-8)

6 There came a man, sent from God, whose name was John. 7 The same came as a witness, that he might testify about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but was sent that he might testify about the light.

Step E1: The Logos was the Light that was the conduit of creation and enlightened humanity (1:9-10)

9 The true light that enlightens everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world didn't recognize him.

Step F1: The Logos was rejected by his own people (1:11)

11 He came to his own, and those who were his own didn't receive him.

Step G: Those who believed in the Logos became children of God (1:12)

12 But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become God's children, to those who believe in his name.

Step F2: Those trusting in the Logos born of God, not out of human effort (1:12-13)

13 Who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

Step E2: The Logos lived among people, revealing "grace and truth" (1:14)

14 The Word became flesh, and lived among us. We saw his glory, such glory as of the one and only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.

Step D2: (John testified to the pre-existent Logos succeeding him; 1:15)

15 John testified about him. He cried out, saying, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has surpassed me, for he was before me.'"

Step C2: Logos gives "grace upon grace" (1:16)

16 From his fullness we all received grace upon grace.

Step B2: Moses gave the Law, the Logos gave "grace and truth" (1:17)

17 For the law was given through Moses. Grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.

Step A2: The only-begotten Son reveals the Father (1:18)

18 No one has seen God at any time. The one and only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, has declared him.

Notice the flow of the chiasmus. As the steps rose, the hymn addressed the function of the Logos. He was the conduit of creation and revelation (Jn 1:3, Jn 1:9-10). He came to his own people but they rejected him (Jn 1:11). At the hymn's high point and denouement, the focus shifted from outsiders to believers. What did creation and revelation mean to them? Grace and truth (Jn 1:14, Jn 17). In this context, "grace" was the gift of God's steadfast love; "truth" was his faithfulness. In other words, the Logos came into the world for believers, to make them children of God (Jn 1:12).

B. Themes

In the prologue, some themes reach across verses. The author began the prologue with a mini-chiasmus which asserted the pre-existent Logos as not only in the presence of and associated with God, he was God. Then the author linked the prologue together with key phrases. The metaphorical "Light" in Jn 1:4-10 (Jesus would identify himself with this phrase in Jn 8:12 and Jn 9:5). The parallel of the Baptist as a witness in Jn 1:6-8 and Jn 1:15. And, of course, "grace and truth" mentioned above.

Some scholars hold the Baptist verses (Jn 1:6-8, Jn 1:15) were later additions. If that was the case, Jn 1:14 and Jn 1:16-17 would have formed a mini-chiasmus built around the phrase "grace and truth."

Step A1: The Logos became flesh and pitched his tent among us, and we saw his glory, a glory as the Only-begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. (Jn 1:14)

Step B: Because of his fullness, we received grace upon grace. (Jn 1:16)

Step A2: The Law came through Moses but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (Jn 1:17)

The term "fullness" ("pleroma" in Greek) could also be translated as "abundance." Because of the abundance found in the Logos, grace spilled out upon believers in a never-ending flow ("grace upon "grace). In other words, he would offer God's eternal love.

Some themes act as parallels in the prologue itself. Consider the term "Logos" (translated as "Word"). It had several meanings in the ancient world. For Jews, the "Logos" was a vehicle of revelation (Jer 1:4; Eze 1:3; Amos 3:1). For Greeks, it was divine wisdom, a vehicle for bringing order into a world of chaos (in other words, the power of creation). With the rise of Hellenistic culture among the Jewish Diaspora, the meanings blurred. In Scripture, the Logos as wisdom was with God as the beginning of creation (Job 28:12, Pro 8:22-23). It had the power of creation (Psa 33:6). While the author only mentioned the term "Logos" in Jn 1:1-2 and Jn 1:14, its meanings pervaded the prologue: agent of creation (Jn 1:3, also see 1 Cor 8:6, Col 1:15-16, and Heb 1:2), conduit of revelation and the power of creation ("Light" in Jn 1:4-8), agent of revelation (Jn 1:14, Jn 1:16-18).

The prologue encapsulated the style and substance of the gospel itself. Its vision and overlapping themes would reemerge at various points in the text as we shall see.