THE GOSPEL OF JOHN
This commentary presents full analyses on passages, key terms, and major motifs in the Gospel of John. One might say that the “big picture” is more important here than exacting detail. Readers will be invited into the Gospel by noting its typical literary patterns (chiasms, topic statements and development, patterns of double-meaning words), rhetorical commonplaces, and discourse (e.g., “the ‘noble’ shepherd”; forensic trials: accusations, defense, verdict, and sentence). In particular, this commentary brings readers into the cultural world of the Gospel by presenting materials such as honor and shame, challenge and riposte, gossip, secrecy, and sectarian character of the group. This is a very accessible reading of John.
Jerome H. Neyrey, S.J., is currently Professor of New Testament at the University of Notre Dame. Among his most recent books are Paul: In Other Words, a Cultural Reading of His Letters (1990); 2 Peter, Jude in the Anchor Bible Commentary series (1993); Portraits of Paul: An Archeology of Ancient Personality (1996, with Bruce Malina); Honor and Shame in the Gospel of Matthew (1998); and Render to God: New Testament Understandings of the Divine (2004).
NEW CAMBRIDGE BIBLE COMMENTARY
GENERAL EDITOR: Ben Witherington III
HEBREW BIBLE/OLD TESTAMENT EDITOR: Bill T. Arnold
EDITORIAL BOARD:
Bill T. Arnold, Asbury Theological Seminary
James D. G. Dunn, University of Durham
Michael V. Fox, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Robert P. Gordon, University of Cambridge
Judith Gundry-Volf, Yale University
Ben Witherington III, Asbury Theological Seminary
The New Cambridge Bible Commentary (NCBC) aims to elucidate the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures for a wide range of intellectually curious individuals. While building on the work and reputation of the Cambridge Bible Commentary popular in the 1960s and 1970s, the NCBC takes advantage of many of the rewards provided by scholarly research over the last four decades. Volumes utilize recent gains in rhetorical criticism, social scientific study of the Scriptures, narrative criticism, and other developing disciplines to exploit the growing edges in biblical studies. Accessible, jargon-free commentary, an annotated “Suggested Reading” list, and the entire New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) text under discussion are the hallmarks of all volumes in the series.
ALSO IN THE SERIES
Exodus, Carol Meyers
Judges and Ruth, Victor H. Matthews
Paul’s Letters to the Corinthians, Craig S. Keener
The Letters of James and Jude, William F. Brosend II
Revelation, Ben Witherington III
FORTHCOMING VOLUMES
Genesis, Bill T. Arnold
Deuteronomy, Brent Strawn
Joshua, Douglas A. Knight
1–2 Chronicles, William M. Schniedewind
Psalms 1–72, Walter Brueggemann and William H. Bellinger, Jr.
Psalms 73–150, Walter Brueggemann and William H. Bellinger, Jr.
Isaiah 1–39, David Baer
Jeremiah, Baruch Halpern
Hosea, Joel, and Amos, J. J. M. Roberts
The Gospel of Matthew, Craig A. Evans
The Gospel of Luke, Amy-Jill Levine and Ben Witherington III
The Letters of John, Duane F. Watson
Jerome H. Neyrey, S.J.
University of Notre Dame
CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS
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© Cambridge University Press 2007
This publication is in copyright. Subject to statutory exception
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no reproduction of any part may take place without
the written permission of Cambridge University Press.
First published 2007
Printed in the United States of America
A catalog record for this publication is available from the British Library.
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Neyrey, Jerome H., 1940–
The Gospel of John / Jerome H. Neyrey.
p. cm. – (New Cambridge Bible commentary)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-521-82801-5 (hardback) – ISBN 0-521-53521-2 (pbk.)
1. Bible. N. T. John – Commentaries. I. Title. II. Series.
BS2615.53.N49 2006
226.5′077–dc22 2006003319
ISBN-13 978-0-521-82801-7 hardback
ISBN-10 0-521-82801-5 hardback
ISBN-13 978-0-521-53521-2 paperback
ISBN-10 0-521-53521-2 paperback
Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version
of the Bible, © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in
the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Cambridge University Press has no responsibility for
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To The Context Group,
with respect, gratitude, and affection
| Texts Cited, Translations, and Abbreviations | page xv | |
| A Word about Citations | xix | |
| I. | INTRODUCTION | 1 |
| The Social Location of the Author | 2 | |
| Characters | 5 | |
| Role and Status | 7 | |
| Revealing and Concealing: Language and the Strategies of Secrecy | 9 | |
| Cultural Scenarios: Insights from the Social Sciences | 15 | |
| Other Significant Cultural Concepts | 25 | |
| II. | SUGGESTED READING ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN | 28 |
| Commentaries | 28 | |
| Literary, Rhetorical, Symbolic, and Ironic Studies | 28 | |
| Sociological and Anthropological Approaches | 29 | |
| Background: Israelite and Greco-Roman | 30 | |
| History of Interpretation | 31 | |
| Theology | 31 | |
| Noteworthy Monographs and Collections of Essays | 32 | |
| Journal Articles and Chapters in Collections of Essays | 33 | |
| III. | COMMENTARY | 37 |
| John 1:1–18 – Beginning, Middle, and End | 37 | |
| John 1:19–28 – Questions and Answers: The Testimony of John | 47 | |
| A Closer Look – Questions as Weapons | 49 | |
| A Closer Look – Knowing and Not Knowing | 51 | |
| John 1:29–34 – “Not in the Know” Then “In the Know” | 51 | |
| A Closer Look – The Lamb of God | 52 | |
| John 1:35–51 – Progressive Revelation and Membership | 54 | |
| A Closer Look – How Gossip Functions in the Gospel | 55 | |
| A Closer Look – Jesus, the Appearing Deity of the Scriptures | 60 | |
| John 2:1–12 – The First Sign | 61 | |
| A Closer Look – Calendar versus Ideological Time | 62 | |
| A Closer Look – Signs, Wonders, and Honor | 64 | |
| John 2:13–22 – The First Jerusalem Appearance | 69 | |
| John 2:23–25 – Jesus, Knower of All Secrets | 72 | |
| John 3:1–21 – Coming to Jesus at Night | 75 | |
| A Closer Look – Uniqueness in the Rhetoric of Praise | 81 | |
| John 3:22–30 – He Must Increase, I Must Decrease | 83 | |
| A Closer Look – Limited Good and Envy | 84 | |
| John 3:31–36 – Summary and Conclusion | 86 | |
| John 4:1–3 – Bridge to Samaria | 87 | |
| John 4:4–26 – What’s Wrong with This Picture? | 88 | |
| A Closer Look – Greater than Our Father Jacob? | 91 | |
| John 4:16, 27–30 – An Apostle? Public Voice? | 95 | |
| John 4:31–38 – Instructing the Disciples on Their Role as Apostles | 97 | |
| John 4:39–42 – Stages in Belief | 98 | |
| John 4:43–52 – The Second Sign | 99 | |
| John 5:1–16 – A Healing Becomes a Controversy | 101 | |
| A Closer Look – Typical Form of a Miracle | 103 | |
| John 5:17–29 – The Enemies Really Get Angry | 105 | |
| A Closer Look – God’s Two Powers and God’s Two Names | 109 | |
| A Closer Look – Jesus: “God,” “Equal to God,” “I AM” | 110 | |
| John 5:30–47 – Defense for the First Charge: Lawbreaking | 112 | |
| John 6:1–15 – Another Sign: Bread at Passover | 116 | |
| John 6:16–21 – Mysterious Presence | 118 | |
| John 6:22–29 – Chipping Away at Ambiguity | 119 | |
| John 6:30–58 – He Gave Them Bread from Heaven to Eat | 122 | |
| A Closer Look – “Sacraments” | 129 | |
| John 6:59–65 – Turning Away, Dropping Out | 130 | |
| John 6:66–71 – Schism, Internal Chaos | 132 | |
| John 7:1–9 – So Much for Blood Relatives! | 135 | |
| John 7:10–24 – The Trial Resumes: Verdict and Sentence | 137 | |
| John 7:25–36 – The Trial Continues | 142 | |
| John 7:37–39 – The Libation on the Last Day of the Feast | 147 | |
| John 7:40–44 – New Testimony about Jesus | 148 | |
| John 7:45–52 – The Prosecution Rests | 149 | |
| John 7:53–John 8:11 – A Judicious Judgment | 151 | |
| John 8:12–20 – The Trial That Never Ends | 152 | |
| John 8:21–30 – Two Different Worlds | 154 | |
| John 8:31–37 – Abraham Testifies against His Sons | 158 | |
| John 8:38–40 – Abraham and Chips off the Old Block | 160 | |
| John 8:41–44 – Fathers Everywhere: God, Abraham, and the Devil | 161 | |
| John 8:45–58 – New Claims about Abraham | 164 | |
| John 9:1–12 – Another Sign: From Darkness to Light | 167 | |
| John 9:13–17 – Forensic Proceedings Yet Again | 170 | |
| John 9:18–23 – The Trial Continues | 172 | |
| John 9:24–34 – Tried in Absentia | 173 | |
| John 9:35–41 – The Blind Man’s Complete Transformation | 174 | |
| A Closer Look – Excommunication | 175 | |
| John 10:1–6 – The Revealer Speaks in Riddles | 177 | |
| John 10:7–10 – The “Door” of the Sheepfold and of the Kingdom | 179 | |
| John 10:11–18 – The “Noble” Shepherd | 180 | |
| A Closer Look – Noble Death in John 10:11–18 | 180 | |
| John 10:19–21 – Coming with a Sword to Cause Division | 184 | |
| John 10:22–33 – Tell Us Plainly: Who Are You? | 185 | |
| John 10:34–42 – Who Else Is Called “God,” and Why? | 188 | |
| A Closer Look – Midrash on Psalm 82 in John 10:34 | 189 | |
| John 11:1–16 – An Elegant Overture | 191 | |
| John 11:17–27 – Revelation, Not Resurrection | 195 | |
| John 11:28–33 – Gathering All the Cast | 197 | |
| John 11:34–44 – A Tomb with a View | 199 | |
| A Closer Look – Demonstration of Eschatological Power | 203 | |
| John 11:45–52 – Council of Irony: Causing What You Don’t Want to Happen | 203 | |
| A Closer Look – The Revealer Keeps Secrets | 205 | |
| John 11:53–57 – Playing Cat and Mouse | 207 | |
| John 12:1–11 – The Beloved Disciples Once More | 207 | |
| A Closer Look – Anointings Compared: Mark 14:3–9 and John 12:1–8 | 209 | |
| John 12:12–19 – Your King Comes, Riding on a Donkey | 211 | |
| John 12:20–26 – Greeks and Grains | 213 | |
| John 12:27–36 – Jesus’ Public Prayers | 215 | |
| A Closer Look – Give God the Glory | 216 | |
| John 12:37–43 – Some Get It, Most Don’t | 220 | |
| John 12:44–50 – Having the Last Word | 221 | |
| A Closer Look – “Conclusion” to the Book of Signs | 221 | |
| John 13:1–3 – A Second Prologue | 225 | |
| John 13:4–20 – Footwashing and Its Interpretations | 227 | |
| A Closer Look – Symbolic Meaning of Footwashing | 230 | |
| John 13:21–30 – Who Knows What? | 231 | |
| John 13:31–35 – Now Glory | 234 | |
| John 13:36–38 – Peter: “Have Part with Me” or Deny Me? | 236 | |
| A Closer Look – Peter’s Perpetual Misunderstandings | 237 | |
| John 14:1–6 – Going Away and Coming Back | 238 | |
| A Closer Look – Johannine Geography: Space = Relationships | 241 | |
| John 14:7–12 – Knowing, Showing, and Seeing | 242 | |
| John 14:13–24 – Patron-God, Broker-Jesus, and Clients-Disciples | 244 | |
| A Closer Look – Jesus, the Broker | 245 | |
| A Closer Look – Justice, Duty, and Love | 247 | |
| John 14:25–31 – Peace, Crisis, and Departure | 248 | |
| A Closer Look – Types of Spirits in John | 250 | |
| John 15:1–8 – Abiding in the Vine | 253 | |
| John 15:9–17 – Love and Friends | 255 | |
| A Closer Look – Deliberative Rhetoric: “Abide” (15:1–8) and “Love” (15:9–17) | 256 | |
| A Closer Look – Comparisons: “Greater Than” and “True” | 257 | |
| John 15:18–27 – Enemies and Hate | 261 | |
| John 16:1–15 Still Another Role for the Advocate | 263 | |
| John 16:16–24 Not Knowing and Knowing | 271 | |
| John 16:25–33 Figures and Plain Speech | 274 | |
| John 17:1–5 – Jesus at Prayer | 276 | |
| John 17:6–12 – New Focus of Prayer: The Disciples | 281 | |
| A Closer Look – The Meaning of Names | 282 | |
| John 17:13–26 – Prayers for Future Disciples | 284 | |
| John 18:1–11 – I Lay Down My Life . . . No One Takes It from Me | 289 | |
| John 18:12–27 – Bold Public Speech Inside the High Priest’s House | 291 | |
| John 18:28–40 – Jesus Faces the “Friend of Caesar” | 297 | |
| John 19:1–5 – Irony: Shame Leads to Glory | 301 | |
| John 19:6–16 – When Will This Trial End? | 303 | |
| A Closer Look – What Kind of Character Is Pilate? | 305 | |
| John 19:17–30 – It Is Accomplished | 307 | |
| A Closer Look – Shame and the Cross | 308 | |
| John 19:31–42 – The Body of Jesus: Mutilation? Or Respect? | 312 | |
| John 20:1–10 – Many Witnesses to an Empty Tomb | 315 | |
| John 20:11–18 – Now She Knows “Where” | 318 | |
| A Closer Look – How Information/News Travels in a Nonliterate Culture | 319 | |
| John 20:19–23 – Appearances as Commissionings | 326 | |
| John 20:24–31 – Demands, Demands, Demands | 330 | |
| John 21:1–8 – Gone Fishing | 332 | |
| John 21:9–14 – Breakfast on the Beach | 336 | |
| John 21:15–19 – Finally, Another “Noble” Shepherd | 338 | |
| John 21:20–23 – Controversy Ends Even the Epilogue | 340 | |
| John 21:24–25 – The Last Ending | 341 | |
| Scriptural Index | 345 | |
| Subject Index | 349 | |
The translation of the Bible used in this book is the New Revised Standard Version. All texts and translations of Greek and Roman authors come from the Loeb Classical Library, with one exception. George A. Kennedy’s rendering of Aristotle’s Rhetoric is used because of its clear understanding of epideictic rhetoric and its sensitivity to technical rhetorical terms. Abbreviations of journals and serials are taken from the style sheet of the Journal of Biblical Literature. For the convenience of readers, a list of abbreviations follows. Moreover, abbreviations of Greek and Roman writings are drawn from the list by the same journal.
Four texts of the rules for an encomium are used here: Aelius Theon (James Butts, The “Progymnasmata” of Theon: A New Text with Translation and Commentary [unpublished dissertation from Clarement Graduate School, 1987]), Apthonius of Ephesus (trans. Ray Nadeau, Speech Monographs 19 [1952], 264– 85); Hermogenes of Tarsus (trans. C. S. Baldwin, Medieval Rhetoric and Poetic [New York: Macmillan, 1928], 23–38), and Menander Rhetor (trans. D. A. Russell and N. G. Wilson, Menander Rhetor [Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1981]).
| ABBREVIATIONS FOR JOURNALS AND REFERENCE WORKS | |
| ABD | Anchor Bible Dictionary, 6 vols., D. N. Freedman, ed. (New York: Doubleday, 1992) |
| AJP | American Journal of Philology |
| ANRW | Aufstieg und Niedergang der Römischen Welt |
| ARN | The Fathers According to Rabbi Nathan (trans. Judah Goldin [New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1955]) |
| ATR | Anglican Theological Review |
| AusBR | Australian Biblical Review |
| BAR | Biblical Archaeology Review |
| BDAG | Walter Bauer, F. Danker, W. F. Arndt, and F. W. Gingrich, Greek–English Lexicon of the New Testament, 2nd ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1979) |
| BI | Biblical Interpretation |
| BJRL | Bulletin of the Johns Rylands University Library of Manchester |
| BSac | Bibliotheca Sacra |
| BTB | Biblical Theology Bulletin |
| BTrans | Bible Translator |
| BZ | Biblische Zeitschrift |
| CBQ | Catholic Biblical Quarterly |
| CP | Classical Philology |
| CurTM | Currents in Theology and Ministry |
| CW | Classical World |
| DR | Downside Review |
| EBib | Études biblique |
| ETL | Ephemerides Theologicae Lovanienses |
| EvQ | Evangelical Quarterly |
| EvT | Evangelische Theologie |
| ExpT | Expository Times |
| G & R | Greece and Rome |
| HeyJ | Heythrop Journal |
| HR | History of Religion |
| HSCPh | Harvard Studies in Classical Philology |
| HTR | Harvard Theological Review |
| HUCA | Hebrew Union College Annual |
| IBS | Irish Biblical Studies |
| IDB | Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible |
| IEJ | Israel Exploration Journal |
| IESS | International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences |
| JAAR | Journal of the American Academy of Religion |
| JBL | Journal of Biblical Literature |
| JECS | Journal of Early Christian Studies |
| JHS | Journal of Hellenic Studies |
| JRS | Journal of Roman Studies |
| JSJ | Journal for the Study of Judaism |
| JSNT | Journal for the Study of the New Testament |
| JSOT | Journal for the Study of the Old Testament |
| JTS | Journal of Theological Studies |
| LSJ | Henry Liddell, Robert Scott, and Henry Jones, A Greek–English Lexicon (Oxford: Clarendon, 1968) |
| LTP | Laval théologique et philosophique |
| M-M | James Moulton and George Milligan, The Vocabulary of the Greek Testament Illustrated from the Papyri and Other Non-Literary Sources (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1952) |
| NTS | New Testament Studies |
| NovT | Novum Testamentum |
| PEQ | Palestine Exploration Quarterly |
| PRS | Perspectives in Religious Studies |
| PTR | Princeton Theological Review |
| RAC | Reallexikon für Antike und Christentum |
| RB | Revue Biblique |
| ResQ | Restoration Quarterly |
| RevExp | Review and Expositor |
| RSRev | Religious Studies Review |
| SBLSP | Society of Biblical Literature Seminar Papers |
| SJTh | Scottish Journal of Theology |
| ST | Studia Theologica |
| Str-B | H. Strack and P. Billerbeck, Kommentar zum Neuen Testament Aus Talmud und Midrash (Munich: Beck, 1922) |
| SVTQ | St. Vladimir’s Theological Quarterly |
| TAPA | Transactions and Proceedings of the American Philological Association |
| TBT | The Bible Today |
| TDNT | Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Gerhard Kittle, ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1964) |
| TJT | Toronto Journal of Theology |
| TS | Theological Studies |
| TynB | Tyndale Bulletin |
| TZ | Theologische Zeitschrift |
| VT | Vetus Testamentum |
| WTS | Westminster Theological Journal |
| ZAW | Zeitschrift für die Alttestamentliche Wissenschaft |
| ZNW | Zeitschrift für die Neutestamentliche Wissenschaft |
| ZRG | Zeitschrift für Religions-und Geistesgeschichte |
| ABBREVIATIONS FOR CLASSICAL AUTHORS | |
| Aristotle, N.E. | Nicomachean Ethics |
| Aristotle, Poet. | Poetics |
| Aristotle, Rhet. | Rhetoric |
| Cicero, De Orat. | De Oratore |
| Cicero, Tusc. Disp. | Tusculan Disputations |
| Exod. Rab. | Exodus Rabbah |
| Gen. Rab. | Genesis Rabbah |
| Gregory of Nyssa, De Beat. | De Beatitudinis |
| Gregory of Nyssa, Or. Cat. | Oratorio Catechetica Magna |
| Josephus, Ant. | Antiquities |
| Justin Martyr, Dial. | Dialogue with Trypho |
| m. Ket. | Mishnah Kettuboth |
| m. Shab. | Mishnah Shabbath |
| Philo, Abr. | On Abraham |
| Philo, Cher. | On the Cherubim |
| Philo, Ebr. | On Drunkenness |
| Philo, Flacc. | Flaccus |
| Philo, Heres | Who Is the Heir |
| Philo, Leg. All. | Allegorical Interpretation |
| Philo, Migr. | On the Migration of Abraham |
| Philo, Mos. | Life of Moses |
| Philo, Mut. | On the Change of Names |
| Philo, Plant. | On Noah’s Work as a Planter |
| Philo, Post. | On the Posterity and Exile of Cain |
| Philo, Q. Ex. | Questions of Exodus |
| Philo, Sac. | On the Sacrifices of Abel and Cain |
| Philo, Somn. | On Dreams |
| Pliny, H.N. | Natural History |
| Quintilian, Inst. Orat. | Institutio Oratoria |
| Stobaeus, Ecl. | Eclogae |
| Tg. Ps.-J. | Targum Pseudo-Jonathan |
| Tg. Neo. | Targum Neofiti |
| Xenophon, Mem. | Memorabilia |
All volumes in the New Cambridge Bible Commentary include footnotes, with full bibliographical citations included in the note when a source text is first mentioned in each chapter. Subsequent citations include the author’s initial or initials, full last name, abbreviated title for the work, and date of publication. Most readers prefer this citation system to endnotes, which require searching through pages at the back of the book.
The Suggested Reading lists, also included in all NCBC volumes after the introductions, are not a part of this citation apparatus. Annotated and organized by publication type, the self-contained Suggested Reading lists are intended to introduce and briefly review some of the most well-known and helpful literature on the biblical text under discussion.