Luis Sánchez Navarro, «Estructura testimonial del Evangelio de Juan», Vol. 86 (2005) 511-528
Following the Prologue (John 1,1-18), the Gospel of John is demarcated by an
inclusio which extends from 1,19 ("And this is the witness of John") to 21,24
("This is the disciple who bears witness"). This Gospel contains a multiple
witness to Jesus as Messiah and as Son of God (cf. 20,31), organized around two
main characters: John (1,19 -> 10,42) and the beloved disciple (13,1 -> 21,25). In
the central unit (11, -> 12,50), which serves as a link between the two sections,
the Father intervenes by rising up Lazarus (11,41-44) and makes His own voice
heard from heaven (12,28); through these events the Father bears the supreme
witness to Jesus. In this way, the Gospel appears as a testimonial triptych with a
christological purpose.
The Sword of the Messiah 53
they were enslaved to Rome — Jesus points out their greater
enslavement, namely, to sin and to the devil (8,34.44), but from this
spiritual oppression the truth in Jesus’ word can liberate (8,31-
32.36.51). This coheres with the cleansing dimension of Jesus’ word in
15,3 and 17,8.17. Jesus’ word is also life-giving in that it provides
participation in the divine life (zwhv) that is shared by the Father and
the Son (17,2-3.8.20-21). The “living water†in 4,10.14 refers to Jesus’
life-giving word, and in 6,63 Jesus states that his Spirit-imbued words
are (i.e., produce) life. Thus, the picture that emerges is that Jesus’
Spirit-imbued word of truth can provide people with liberation from
sin, cleansing and partaking in the divine life. The reverse side of the
“swordâ€, however, is that this same Spirit-imbued word can bring
judgment if it is rejected (3,18; 5,24; 8,45-47; 12,48-49). Although the
purpose of Jesus’ coming was not to judge the world, in the sense of
condemning it (3,17; 8,15; 12,47), judgment is the inevitable,
immediate consequence of rejecting Jesus and his word (though the
eschatological dimension is also retained [5,28-29; 12,48]).
To give some examples of how Jesus liberates the oppressed by
his Spirit-imbued word. Jesus’ life-giving Spirit-imbued word or
“living water†offered to the Samaritan woman provides spiritual
liberation for her and many other Samaritans (4,41-42), and Jesus also
offers religious liberation by proposing a new locus and mode of
worship (4,21-24). The liberating word offered for his son in 4,50 also
effects spiritual liberation for the Herodian collaborator and his
household (4,53) (58). To the ill man at the pool, Jesus spoke a
liberating word (5,8-9), which was not only a physical liberation but
also a social-religious one — he could enter the temple again (5,14) —
and even a spiritual one if one recognizes that Jesus links the man’s
illness and (his) sin in 5,14. Jesus’ words have liberated the disciples
from the world and given them life (6,68; 17,8.14). In case of the man
born blind, Jesus’ word in 9,7 provides physical liberation from
blindness and social liberation from economic dependency (9,8), and,
again by a revelatory word, spiritual/religious liberation from a
condemning Judaism (9,34-38) (59). Even Jesus’ discussion with
Nicodemus and the heated debates with “the Jews†show his concern
(58) ÔO basilikov" probably refers to a Jewish official in Herod’s court and
hence was considered a collaborator (cf. KARRIS, Jesus, 58-61).
(59) Motyer’s essay “Jesus†is an excellent treatise of the socially
marginalized, and KARRIS, Jesus, 73-95 draws attention to the socially oppressed
group of women.