JETS 56:1 (March 2013)

Editorial

Andreas J. Köstenberger

Theological method has been the subject of considerable discussion in recent years. As in all matters, I believe it is crucial that in such discussions we take our cue from Scripture itself. Specifically, I will suggest in my brief remarks below that the Apostle John has a lot to offer as we ponder how Scripture ought to be interpreted. What is more, not only does John’s use of the OT actually make sense of the OT and does not distort it, John’s use has normative status, whereas ours does not. As is well known, John’s keen theological acumen earned his magnum opus the epithet “the spiritual Gospel,” and the Apostle’s theological method has the potential of making a significant contribution to our thinking on this subject. Specifically, with regard to John’s use of antecedent texts I have proposed in a recent publication that John, as part of his theological program, regularly engaged in theological transposition of motifs, not only by drawing on OT passages directly, but also by taking up and transforming themes found in Mark, possibly Luke (if not Acts), and even Matthew (“John’s Transposition Theology: Retelling the Story of Jesus in a Different Key,” in Michael F. Bird and Jason Maston, eds., Earliest Christian History [WUNT 2/320; Tübingen: Mohr-Siebeck, 2012] 191–226). In my brief remarks here, I will focus on just one such transposition, John’s use of Isa 6:9–10 compared to its treatment in the Synoptics.

By way of background, let’s take a moment to look at use of this Isaianic passage in Mark, Matthew, and Luke. Mark incorporates Isa 6:9–10 as follows: “And when he [Jesus] was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables [i.e. the parable of the sower and other parables]. And he said to them, ‘To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, so that ‘they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand, lest they should turn and be forgiven’” (Mark 4:10–12). Matthew provides a fuller account of the same scenario (Matt 13:10–17), while Luke mentions Isaiah 6 almost in passing (Luke 8:9–10). In varying degrees of detail, all three Synoptic Gospels feature the passage in the context of Jesus’ teaching in parables. The reason why Jesus communicates spiritual truths in form of parables is the spiritual obduracy of his Jewish opponents, in keeping with Isaiah’s prophecy. The disciples, on the other hand, are privileged to receive further instruction regarding the spiritual truths conveyed by Jesus’ parables, truths which are hidden from those who, in keeping with Isaiah’s prophecy, are intransigent to divine revelation.

Matters are different with John. In characteristic fashion, the fourth evangelist goes his own way, transposing the Synoptic teaching into a different key. Rather than occur at an earlier juncture of Jesus’ ministry, the Isa 6:9–10 quote serves as part of the conclusion of ...