John

JOHN

The Purest and Most Radical Gospel. This original book of John is also a gospel, and if the purpose of a gospel is to proclaim faith in Jesus to inspire belief in the listener, this one is the purest and most radical of all. In the Old Testament, the existence of the people of Israel is established before the law of God (cf. Dt 29); in the Gospel of John, human existence is defined either in favor of or against Jesus: faith or disbelief.

Jesus, the Pathway to the Father. The figure of Jesus takes center stage in John’s message. His descriptive style is intentionally realistic, possibly in response to Docetism, which denies the true humanity of the Son of God. A constant contemplative search defines the text’s internal character from beginning to end. At the start, Jesus asks the disciples, “What are you looking for?” (1:38). He will address Magdalene after the resurrection with the exact words: “Who are you looking for?” (20:15). This question is posed to every reader of the gospel, inviting a clear and faith-filled response.
While Jesus is revealed as the Son of God through his baptism in Mark and Matthew, and from his conception in Luke, John traces his preexistence back to his existence within the Trinity. From there, he enters human history with the primary mission of revealing the Father. Unsurprisingly, this gospel attracts a strong response and influence in those who read it sincerely and with perseverance. The unanimous voice of tradition has thus recognized this. The great Origen passionately expresses his full esteem and veneration: “It is not daring to say that, of all the Scriptures, the gospels are the first, and among them, the primary one is the gospel of John, whose meaning no one can grasp unless they have reclined on Jesus’ breast and received Mary from Jesus as a mother” (Origen, Commentary on Saint John, 1:23).

The Historical Journey of Jesus. To truly understand Jesus’ historical mission as portrayed by John, we need to delve into the symbolic language of the Scriptures: light, darkness, water, wine, wedding, and journey. Most importantly, within the gospel, the “I am” of God from the Old Testament echoes as Jesus repeatedly claims it for himself. Against this backdrop of symbols, John reveals the mystery of Jesus’ identity, reaching its climax when he is unveiled in all his glory. Simultaneously, alongside the sometimes-hesitant faith of certain followers, disbelief stemming from this revelation grows stronger. Light and darkness therefore clash until the “hour” of death, when the apparent victory of darkness diminishes in the face of the radiant light of the resurrection. Then, through the Holy Spirit, the Father and the Son invite believers to reflect on their closeness.

Literary Aspects. The gospel has a distinctive style that is full of energy and life. If we look closely at how it is written, we can describe its style as “waves.” It communicates with the depth and patience of the sea; it affirms, repeats, and echoes the message, allowing the message to flow like waves gradually washing onto the shore. The work stands out because of its unified vision and strong theological synthesis. Yet, the beauty of the gospel isn’t just in its form; it also reveals the absolute novelty of the message it delivers: the glory of Jesus Christ unfolding in history, which John, the witness, has seen and is now sharing.
It is widely agreed that the proposal for composing and developing this gospel involves five stages:
The oral preaching of John, son of Zebedee, includes the words and actions of Jesus passed down through oral tradition.
The disciples of John engaged in a significant theological study, where they contemplated, selected, elaborated on, and presented the teachings and memories of their master, the apostle John, over several decades.
The first edition of the gospel features an evangelist, a disciple of John, who compiles all previous evangelical traditions, giving them a unified, coherent, and independent character—a gospel.
The second edition of the gospel is a later version that addresses new situations and conflicts arising within the church due to the circumstances faced by Jewish Christians expelled from synagogues for their faith in Jesus (see the story of the man born blind).
This is the final edition, created by an editor different from those who worked on the first and second editions. This editor was likely a close friend or disciple of the gospel writer and probably belonged to John’s school. He incorporated familiar material from John into the original work, including the addition of verses 6:51-58 alongside 6:35-50. Some insertions without clear context are also attributed to him, such as 3:31-36 and 14:44-50, which disrupt the narrative flow. Additionally, he rearranged some chapters; the resurrection of Lazarus is presented as the event that leads to Jesus’ death. To do this, he moved the account of merchants being expelled from the temple—shown in the synoptic gospels as the reason for Jesus’ death—to the start of His public ministry (2:13-22). He also rearranged key teachings of Jesus within the farewell speech (15–17). Some passages with sacramental content are also attributed to him (Jn 3:5a; 6:51c-58). The ending of chapter 21 and the reference to the “beloved disciple” refer to the one who was his teacher.
This last edition was set in Ephesus at the end of the 90s. Its audience mainly consisted of Christians who were formerly followers of Judaism but separated from it due to observance reasons rather than their belief in Jesus.

The Johannine Community. After the great Jewish war against the Romans, a group of devout Jews withdrew to Yamnia under the leadership of Yohanan ben Zakkay. There, they aimed to rebuild their heritage. With no temple remaining, the law became the sole focus of Israel’s entire existence. However, this Judaism, rising from its ashes (a fitting description, as the temple’s ruins still sent up smoke), must affirm its identity. Its disciplinary strength reflects its fragility. It needs to be solidified and fortified to survive, even if it means becoming intolerant. A strict and uncompromising orthodoxy is the guiding principle that sustains them.
In this context, starting in the 80s, the “Blessing of the Excluded” emerges (a euphemism for actual condemnation). It corresponds to the twelfth of the well-known prayers (Eighteen blessings), also called Tefilá. In this blessing, heretics are condemned, especially those who are Christians. Here is the text of the famous twelfth blessing:

May there be no hope for the apostates,
Bring an end to tyranny quickly.
And may all heretics (haminim) disappear in an instant.
May they be removed from the Book of Life,
And not be recorded alongside the righteous.

With the inclusion of this blessing, heretics were exposed because they had to recite it aloud in the synagogue. As a result, they were forced to condemn, exclude, and marginalize themselves. This was the sneaky trick behind the practice. A divide arose, separating the two communities that once belonged to the same people. The Gospel of John recounts the expulsion of Christians from the synagogue. The story of the man born blind (chapter 9) illustrates this intense conflict.
The Pharisees in power expelled Christians from the synagogue. These Christians were literally thrown into the streets (cf. Jn 9:34); they suddenly found themselves on the outskirts of their families, social circles, and religious communities. The trauma caused by this violence is incredibly severe. The Gospel of John is written against this background, revealing the deep wounds among brothers and sisters who are now sharply divided. The relationships between the Johannine communities and the Pharisee synagogue show that the churches of John did not develop in an ideal setting, but rather amid conflict, controversy, separation, and division. The letters of Saint John reflect this struggle (cf. 1 Jn 2:18-19).
Shaken to its core by external wear and tear and internal controversies, the community had to hold onto its faith in Jesus Christ to find a compelling reason to survive. The memory of Jesus, conveyed by the beloved disciple, offers both comfort and strength: the ultimate truth is the revelation of God, the fullness of life and meaning, and a definitive path to return to the Father. In their state of helplessness, the community found refuge in Jesus, who assured them of his saving presence: “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (Jn 14:6).

Design of the Gospel: The “Hour of Jesus.” This hour unites and structures the Gospel, marking the rhythm of Jesus’ life as a cycle of ascent and descent. The Gospel writer begins with a prologue (1:1-18) that introduces his main character, focusing on the mission to reveal the saving mystery of Jesus, mainly through the seven miracles in the first section of this book, “The Book of Signs” (2–12). This part describes Jesus’ mission through seven miracles, emphasizing the radical newness of the Lord’s presence among people: the wine of the New Covenant (2:1-11); the new Temple of his body (2:13-22); the new rebirth (3:1-21); the living water (4:1-42); the bread of life (6:35); the light of the world (8:12); and the resurrection and the life (11:25). The second part of the book covers the Passion or Glory account (13–21). As he faces the approach of his hour and is stirred by increasing hostility from his enemies, Jesus prepares by washing his disciples’ feet (13:1-11), a gesture full of meaning: baptismal cleansing, Eucharist, and a symbolic preview of the Passion. He then offers a profound farewell at the Last Supper (13:12-17, 26), reflecting on the main themes of his teachings. Ultimately, he fulfills his hour and returns to the Father through his Passion, death, and resurrection (18–21).