John's Gospel

[CR2009]

I am trying to read John’s Gospel, the reading does not “flow” like the other 3 (MML) and I feel I am “missing” much. Are there any suggestions which might help or maybe another text?

Thank you

 

[NHInsider]

John’s Gospel is NOT like the other three. John (or the writer of John’s Gospel, since some scholars believe it was actually committed to sheepskin by someone from the next generation) assumed that his readers/listeners had access to the synoptic accounts (Matthew, Mark and Luke). His purpose is more theological - more about “Christ” than about “Jesus,” if you will. So, for example, he does not include an account of the Last Supper - but he does include a long Eucharistic teaching (John 6, often called the Bread of Life discourse). He does not have an infancy narrative but he explicitly tells us that Jesus is the Word God spoke at creation and that He was God incarnate (Prologue to John, John 1:1-18).

Instead of a narrative that “flows,” the structure is an episode followed by a teaching, and the incidents are placed in an order that highlights the theme laid out in that Prologue: revealing Jesus’ divinity by a series of “Signs” that rise in intensity, demonstrating Jesus’ authority and power over matter (the Wedding at Cana), the cosmos (Calming the Storm) and ultimately death itself (Lazarus). And all of that is only the first half of the book, leading up to the focus on the Passion, emphasizing Jesus the Lamb and also the establishment of the Church that would carry on His work and make the Sacrifice present until the end of time (the same theme that informs John’s Apocalypse).

The synoptics are more focused on “what” and John’s gospel on “why.”

You might find the Ignatius Study Bible a useful resource. As you can purchase single volumes it’s not a huge outlay.

 

[puzzleannie]

I am trying to read John’s Gospel, the reading does not “flow” like the other 3 (MML) and I feel I am “missing” much. Are there any suggestions which might help or maybe another text?

Thank you

my personal suggestion
read it as poetry first
simply read, out loud of you can, one section at a time, simply listening to what is said and how it is said.
don’t try on the first, 2nd or third reading to educe the meaning beneath the words, simply listen to the Word and place the Word on your tongue
take it in short chunks, the natural breaks in the text, one section a day

I would urge you to stay away from a formal bible study of this book until you have read it through in this slow, meditative way a few times.

after you have done this a few times --and it might take a year or more to get through the entire gospel in this way–then you can find a good bible study. The best first short study is the Ignatius Press series by Scott Hahn et, al, for the “notes”. This is the RSV-CE. The best long in-depth book I have ever seen is by Steve Ray. By all means stay away from any non-denominational or overtly Protestant study, or even worse a liberal Catholic study, as it will warp the meaning of several key passages for you.

my personal preference for John, in fact the whole NT is the Jerusalem Bible, which reads more poetically than the NAB. Since all 3 mentioned are accurate translations and have been accepted by the Church at various times for liturgical use, you may use either or even read each in turn.