An Interpretation of the Gospel According to St John, Essay Example

The Gospel of St John has major differences with the other three Gospels which relate the life of Jesus. This is a much more figurative and metaphorical work than the other three, with much more of an emphasis on the mystical aspects of how humans can become divine, or have the divine work through them.

One example of the figurative nature of this gospel is seen when Jesus tells the Jews that if they tear down the Temple then he will raise it in three days (Chapter 2, verse 19). This seems to be a direct reference to the later resurrection of Jesus, but it also seems to refer to the revolution of Christianity itself. The old, stale ways of the Israelites of the Temple need to be torn down so that they can see the truth again. This seems to be much more of metaphorical statement about renewal and the rebirth of faith, rather than a prophecy of resurrection. This perhaps is another sign of the later date of composition of the gospel to its three counterparts.

The metaphorical nature of this gospel is further shown in the author’s treatment of the seven miracles related here. In the other gospels it can be said that the stories of the miracles are attempting to offer some kind of definitive proof of the divinity of Jesus. Here, the focus is much more on teaching spiritual lessons, by using metaphors for how Christianity is expected to function. While the historicity of the stories does clearly matter to the author, what is far more important are the lessons that can be learned from the tales of the miracles. In this sense the “whip of cords” Christ uses to clear the commercially minded types from the Temple is a metaphorical statement of the power of God, manifesting itself through Jesus.

The main thematic content of the work revolves around the concept of divinity. There is much explanation from Jesus himself about the nature of the divine, of God, and how those concepts work through humanity. There is also a reaction against the established religious rules of the time. Jesus healing the crippled man on the Sabbath is an example of this. Jesus does not follow earthly rules, he follows God. He is showing that a system which prevents people from doing good works just because of what day it is is wrong and needs changing. As the text states: “And this was why the Jews persecuted Jesus, because he did this on the Sabbath. But Jesus answered them: ‘My Father is working still, and I am working.'” (Chapter 5, verses 16-17)

This version of the life of Jesus is much more about how divinity affects a person, and how no one can lead a good life without the presence of the Lord within them, rather than stating any dogmatic version of history. The historical accuracy of these stories is not the point of this gospel. This is much more a meditation on the nature of divinity, spirituality and how Christianity should work. It is a guidebook, an instruction manual for mystics.

The way in which Jesus withdraws from the world after performing the miracle of feeding the five thousand (Chapter 6, verse 15) is also interesting. The reluctance of Jesus to be viewed as an earthly king helps to reinforce the gospel’s message that it is more about mysticism and the spirit, rather than historical account of the life of Jesus. Whether or not Jesus did actually withdraw from the world or not is not the issue at stake. It is the symbolic act of withdrawal which further makes the case for the metaphorical nature of the text.

Overall, the Gospel of St John is a figurative and almost poetic treatment of the life of Jesus, and how the Logos, or Word, of the Lord influenced his life and teachings. It is a meditation on the nature of the Divine, rather than history. The accepted fact that is that the gospel was composed later than the other three gospels, as shown in the Catholic Encyclopaedia statement, “According to the general opinion, the Gospel is to be referred to the last decade of the first century, or to be still more precise, to 96 or one of the succeeding years.” This helps to reinforce this impression of a spiritual guidebook rather than a simple history, which would be used to attest to the marvellous feats which prove Christ is the Son of God.

Works Cited

‘The Gospel of St John’, The Holy Bible, Revised Standard Version.

‘The Catholic Encyclopaedia’, online edition, New Advent, http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08438a.htm