The Word, the Christ, the Son of God

a Theology of John’s Gospel and Letters

Biblical Theology of the New Testament

Andreas J. Köstenberger

ZONDERVAN

A Theology of John’s Gospel and Letters

Copyright © 2009 by Andreas J. Köstenberger

Requests for information should be addressed to:

Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Köstenberger, Andreas J., 1957–

A theology of John’s Gospel and letters: the Word, the Christ, the Son of God / Andreas J. Köstenberger.

p. cm.-(Biblical theology of the New Testament)

Includes bibliographical references and indexes.

ISBN 978-0-310-26986-1 (hardcover, printed)

1. Bible. N.T. John—Theology. 2. Bible. N.T. Epistles of John—Theology. I. Title.

BS2601.K67 2009

226.5′065 -dc22

2009028347

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, Today’s New International Version™, TNIV®. Copyright © 2001, 2005 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

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All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other—except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.

Cover and interior design: Mark Sheeres

To the Word-Made-Flesh

“And since they all [i.e. all four canonical Gospels]

had the same object, to show christ,

the first three exhibit His body,

if I may be permitted to put it like that,

but John shows His soul.”

—John Calvin, 1553

Contents

Contents (Detailed)

List of Figures

Series Preface

Author’s Preface

Abbreviations

PART 1

The Historical Framework for Johannine Theology

Chapter 1

Johannine Theology and the Historical Setting of John’s Gospel and Letters

1 Johannine and Biblical Theology

2 The Historical Setting of John’s Gospel and Letters

PART 2

Literary Foundations for Johannine Theology

Chapter 2

The Genre of John’s Gospel and Letters

3 The Genre of John’s Gospel

4 The Genre of John’s Letters

Chapter 3

Linguistic and Literary Dimensions of John’s Gospel and Letters

5 Johannine Vocabulary

6 Johannine Style

7 Johannine Literary Devices

8 The Structure of John’s Gospel

9 The Structure of John’s Letters

Chapter 4

A Literary-Theological Reading of John’s Gospel

10 A Literary-Theological Reading of John’s Gospel

Chapter 5

A Literary-Theological Reading of John’s Letters

11 A Literary-Theological Reading of John’s Letters

PART 3

Major Themes in Johannine Theology

A. Prolegomena

Chapter 6

John’s Worldview and Use of Scripture

12 John’s Worldview

13 John’s Use of Scripture

B. The End (Purpose; 20:30–31)

Chapter 7

The Messiah and His Signs...