Semeia 53: The Fourth Gospel from a Literary Perspective

by R. Alan Culpepper; Fernando Segovia

Publisher:

Society of Biblical Literature (SBL)

, 1991

Overview

Semeia is an experimental journal devoted to the exploration of new and emergent areas and methods of biblical criticism. Studies employing the methods, models, and findings of linguistics, folklore studies, contemporary literary criticism, structuralism, social anthropology, and other such disciplines and approaches, are invited. Although experimental in both form and content, Semeia proposes to publish work that reflects a well defined methodology that is appropriate to the material being interpreted.

Key Features

• Key perspectives on biblical criticism
• Includes bibliographies and index

Contents

Top Highlights

“points to Jesus’ death as a model for the Johannine community as it faced persecution and the threat of death” (Page 147)

“Here, for the first time, these two systems of time are set in relation to one another in the same verse.” (Page 135)

“In chapters 10 and 11 the same verb (tithēsin, ‘laid aside’) was used for the Good Shepherd laying down his life (10:11, 15, 17, 18) and for the burial of Lazarus (11:34). Similarly, when Jesus takes up his garments again after washing the disciples’ feet, the verb is elaben (‘had taken’), which was also used in Jesus’ affirmation that he can take up his life again (10:17, 18). The description of Jesus’ laying aside his garments may therefore already suggest the connection between the footwashing and Jesus’ death (this use of tithēmi is also noted by Dunn:248).” (Page 137)

“One of the central purposes of the Fourth Gospel is to assure its readers in all future generations that they can have the same experience of Jesus as the characters in the narrative, that their experience of Jesus is not diminished because they are not first generation believers (20:29). The fluidity of movement between present and future in the farewell discourse and the presence of the strong voice of the risen Jesus combine to give the reader of chaps. 13–17 in any generation full access to the presence of Jesus.” (Page 165)

“In many ways, chaps. 13–17 can be understood as the fourth evangelist’s attempt to freeze the time of the hour in order to explain what the hour will mean before the events of the hour play themselves out in full. Once the events of the hour are put in motion, there will be no time for explanation.” (Page 159)

Contributors

• Johannes Beutler
• R. Alan Culpepper
• Robert Kysar
• Gail R. O’Day
• Fernando F. Segovia
• Jeffrey L. Staley
• Mary Ann Tolbert
• Wilhelm Wuellner

Product Details

• Title: Semeia 53: The Fourth Gospel from a Literary Perspective
• Editors: R. Alan Culpepper and Fernando F. Segovia
• Publisher: Society of Biblical Literature
• Publication Date: 1991
• Pages: 212

About the Editors

R. Alan Culpepper, is the dean of the McAfee School of Theology at Mercer University, and the author of The Johannine School.

Fernando F. Segovia is Professor of New Testament and Early Christian Literature at Vanderbilt Divinity School, Nashville, Tennessee. He is author of The Farewell of the Word: The Johannine Call to Abide.