The apocalyptic-eschatological drama of Jesus in the Fourth Gospel : an investigation into the Johannine Christology and eschatology with special reference to John 12.20-36

摘要

In this thesis we will explore the question of Jesus' revelation as a central motif of the Johannine Christology from the perspectives of literary criticism, Jewish apocalypticism and Graeco-Roman dramatic literature. In particular, we will attempt to solve the riddle of the visions developed in John 12.20-36, by answering the fragmentary theoryudof the text, the claim for the divergent christologies, the question of realised eschatology with or without future eschatology, and the claim that the Johannine community itsudsymbolic world creates is 'sectarian'. A special attention will be paid to the Son of manudas presented in the pericope under discussion as well as in the Fourth Gospel as audwhole. The thesis will be summarised as follows: ud1. Over against the fragment theory, the concentric arrangement of Jesus' sayingudformed predominantly in parallelism shows a deliberate literary design of the author.udSet at the end of the earthly ministry of Jesus, John 12.20-36 is a culminating point ofudthe revelatory process of Jesus.ud2. The overall conceptual framework to understand John 12.20-36, and thus theudFourth Gospel as a whole, is the apocalyptic idea of the divine mysteries concerning theud.end time. The revelation is centred on Jesus the Son of man, identified as the human-like figure of Dan 7, which culminates in his cross as his glorification/lifting-up. Theudvision of the revealed mysteries in Jesus on the cross embraces the eschatological Messiah, the restoration of Israel and of the Temple, salvation, the vindication of theudrighteous and the condemnation of the evil, and the Gentiles' pilgrimage, which isudcomparable to contemporary Jewish apocalyptic writings.ud3. The cross of Jesus as the focus of the apocalyptic vision of the end time liesudbehind the apparently divergent christologies (the Son of man, the Davidic Messiah,uddivine Wisdom), which are integrated in the text in such a manner that it is impossibleudfor each to be understood in isolation. The combination of these is already found in theudJewish apocalyptic-eschatological hope. The fact that the lifting-up and glorification ofudthe Son of man is given precedence to the Davidic Kingly Messiah deprives a politicaludand military aspect of the popular Jewish expectation.ud4. At the same time, the revelatory pattern of the Johannine Jesus is not onlyudexplicable in Jewish apocalyptic terms, but it has to be understand in view of the anagnorisis, a popular Graeco-Roman dramatic convention. Within the main plot of theudFourth Gospel Jesus is depicted as the divine homecoming hero-king, as in Homer'sudOdyssey, whose messianic identity is closed to many and disclosed to those whoudreceive him with faith (and hospitality). This pattern is relevant for most of the Johannine Son of man sayings as well. In this plot development John 12.20-36 is situated inuda climactic place where the Jewish crowd fails to recognise Jesus who points to theuddecisive moment of his revelation on the cross.ud5. The Johannine Eschatology is Jesus centred, and its realised aspect is stronglyudemphasised, because the eschatological terminology is overwhelmingly applied to him.udThus Jesus on the cross is the embodiment of the eschaton. At the same time, the post-Easter period, the time of the church, is open toward its future culmination because ofudthe mission perspective.ud6. The revelation of Jesus as the core of the divine mysteries concerning the end-time centres on the cross, which is presented as both the judgement and the salvation ofudthe world. The Johannine understanding of the cross is expressed within the frameworkudof the vindication/exaltation of the suffering righteous. It is implied that Jesus' deathudand resurrection inaugurates the new, eschatological covenant for the new people ofudGod embracing both Jews and Gentiles.ud7. John 12.20-36 envisages an apocalyptic vision of the end-time judgement andudsalvation, in which the new covenant people is created as a new people of God. Theudbasis of the new 'children of the Light' is no longer the Law as in the old covenant butudthe faith in Jesus the Light (and to love each other as a new law). This faith is not individualistic but geared towards community building, which includes the believers fromudthe Gentiles. The community itself is the result of the cross of Jesus. The purpose ofudJesus' death for 'bearing much fruit' and gathering of 'all' (nations) to his own houseudis to be accomplished in the community through its mission to the world, despite theudprobable persecutions.