 Philo Judaeus, a Jewish scholar who lived in first century CE Alexandria  Proposed a combination of the Greek LOGOS and Hebrew WISDOM

 In the Hebrew biblical tradition, Wisdom is personified as a gracious young woman (Prov 8:22-31) “When there were no depths I was brought forth, When there were no springs abounding with water Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills I was brought forth; Then I was beside Him, as a master workman; And I was daily His delight, Rejoicing always before Him, 31 Rejoicing in the world, His earth, And having my delight in the sons of men.

 A Greek philosophical term denoting the intelligent force that orders and sustains the universe—making it accessible to the human mind.  The Greeks also saw LOGOS as a creative power that had formed the Cosmos out of chaos.

 John identifies Jesus in his pre-human existence with the divine Logos that formed the universe

 Heavenly LOGOS became flesh to walk the earth as Jesus of Nazareth (INCARNATION)  Jesus is the embodiment of God’s creative Wisdom

 JESUS NOT ONLY SPEAKS THE WORD OF GOD, HE IS THAT WORD AND REVEALS THE DIVINE NATURE FULLY.

 Scholars believe the I AM pronouncements in John are not modeled on actual recollections of Jesus’ words  They are modeled on Wisdom’s speeches in the Hebrew Bible. Hebrew writers typically have Wisdom speak in the first person, using “I am”

14 God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”; and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ” 15 God, furthermore, said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘The L ORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is My name forever, and this is My memorial-name to all generations. (EX 3:14-15)

John opens his Gospel with: 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. John 1:1

Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.” Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple. 8:58 35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst. 6:35

11 I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. 10:11 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, 11:25

 John, like Matthew, regards all Jews who do not accept his beliefs about Jesus as enemies, a sectarian view that has historically fostered anti-semitism.

John’s Gospel emerged on the fringes of the Christian movement (Essene-like), but more than the other Gospels became mainstream Christian thought.

 Christ’s pre-human existence as God’s eternal Word (the Logos)  The Incarnation, descent from heaven  Apparent equality with God  His continuing presence among believers in the form of the Paraclete— Spirit of Truth

 A plausible way to cope with the disappointment in Jesus’ supposed failure to return  Realized eschatology: Jesus’ “glory” has already appeared: 12:28-29

 John portrays the Paraclete as if he were Jesus’ double 15:26-27, fulfilling believers’ desire for continued presence  At the Last Supper, Jesus emphasizes his return to heaven, not return to earth  John’s Gospel gives Jesus cosmic stature, a co-equal with God, pre-suggesting what came to be the doctrine of the Trinity

 Mark “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”  Matthew “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”  Luke “Father forgive them... Into your hands I commend my spirit  John “It is accomplished.”

 What are the Evangelists communicating with the last words they have Jesus utter?

 Proclaim their own social and political situation and have Jesus share in it

 Jesus calmly relinquishes his spirit to God  He expresses forgiveness and a spirituality

“It is accomplished.” Hugely significant: He has completed his messianic mission, including those traditionally associated with the eschaton: divine judgment, spiritual regeneration, resurrection, and the giving of full knowledge to the faithful