The centre of John’s Gospel?
Who is Jesus? part 85 – John 8:12-20
“This is not the centre of John’s Gospel.” I can hear the comlaints already. We are only seven-and-a-half chapters in so another seven-and-a-half would only take us up to the end af chapter 15. There’s still six chapters left. The middle of John’s Gospel is in the centre of chapter 11, isn’t it.
I’m afraid that is not the centre if you read like I do. I have a special precise mind which looks for structure, and according to the structure of John’s Gospel the centre is when Jesus says, “I am the light of the world.”
12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” 13 So the Pharisees said to him, “You are bearing witness about yourself; your testimony is not true.” 14 Jesus answered, “Even if I do bear witness about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. 15 You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. 16 Yet even if I do judge, my judgement is true, for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father[a] who sent me. 17 In your Law it is written that the testimony of two people is true. 18 I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me.” 19 They said to him therefore, “Where is your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” 20 These words he spoke in the treasury, as he taught in the temple; but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.
John 8:12-20 ESVUK
This post is about the structure of John’s Gospel. If you are looking for what it means, I shall be writing about that next. You may want to skip this post. But when you know the structure then it can help you to get at the meaning of the passage in the context of what has where it is written.
It’s compicated because John also has threads which run through the Gospel, such as Jesus’ signs, or the two sets of “I am” statements. It’s this tapesry of threads that makes John’s Gospel what it is.
The early structure is this:
Chapters 2, 3 and 4 are a mirror image passage, which are flanked by chapter 1, an introduuction in three parts and ending with chapter 5, also poetic and in three parts.
The end structure is similar:
Chapters 13 to 17, Jesus teaching his disciples in the upper room, is also a mirror image passage, a repetition of similar ideas in the reverse sequence. The bookends to this are Chapters 11 and 12 about the death and resurrection of Lazarus, and chapters 18 to 21 about the death and resurrection of Jesus.
Which leaves the central section, chapters 6 to 10.
This is all about Jesus at Jewish festivals. Chapter 6 happened around Lake Galilee, but happened around the feast of Passover, in Spring. Chapter 10:22-end, is at Hanukkah, the feast of dedication in Winter. Betweem these, chapters 7 to 19:21 happens in Autumn. Jesus’ statement, “I am the light of the world.” is in the middle of this.
Each of thesr three parts of John’s Gospel has its own central statement and is spoken to different people.
The first section is to a general audience of sympathetic people. To these, and especially to the seeking Nicodemus, John writes, “For God so loved the world,[i] that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16).
To a group of religious leaders who are antagonistic to Jesus and his ministrym John quotes Jesus saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:22).
To his disciples on the night before he died, John quotes Jesus saying, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5).
That’s the structure out of the way for now, back onto what John is teaching us about Jesus.
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