Characteristics of The Gospel of John
Though the three Synoptic Gospels share a considerable amount of text, over 90% of John's Gospel is unique to him. The synoptics describe much more of Jesus' life, miracles, parables, and exorcisms. However, the materials unique to John are notable, especially in their effect on modern Christianity.
As a gospel, John is a story about the life of Jesus. The Gospel can be divided into four parts:
- Prologue
- The Book of signs
- The Book of exaltation (Passion narrative)
- The Epilogue.
The Prologue is a hymn identifying Jesus as the Logos and as God. The Book of Signs recounts Jesus' public ministry, and includes the signs worked by Jesus and some of his teachings. The Passion narrative recounts the Last Supper (focusing on Jesus' farewell discourse), Jesus' arrest and crucifixion, his burial, and resurrection. The Epilogue records a resurrection appearance of Jesus to the disciples in Galilee.
Following on from "the higher criticism" of the 19th century, Adolf von Harnack and Raymond E. Brown have questioned the gospel of John as a reliable source of information about the historical Jesus.
Read more about this topic: Gospel Of John
Famous quotes containing the words characteristics of the, characteristics of and/or gospel:
“Movements born in hatred very quickly take on the characteristics of the thing they oppose.”
—J.S. Habgood (b. 1927)
“Movements born in hatred very quickly take on the characteristics of the thing they oppose.”
—J.S. Habgood (b. 1927)
“The drama’s altar isn’t on the stage: it is candle-sticked and flowered in the box office. There is the gold, though there be no frankincense or myrrh; and the gospel for the day always The Play will Run for a Year. The Dove of Inspiration, of the desire for inspiration, has flown away from it; and on it’s roof, now, the commonplace crow caws candidly.”
—Sean O’Casey (1884–1964)