JOHN'S GOSPEL: INTRODUCTION TO LITERARY STRUCTURE

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The Use of Numbers in John

One literary technique employed extensively in John’s Gospel is the utilization of numbers in symbolically significant ways. Most importantly, the “seven” figures prominently in this Gospel as present in the number of occurrences of key words and phrases, the number of scenes within several individual passages, and statistics regarding John's use of OT quotations:

    7 quotations from Psalms

    7 introductory formulas reading “in order that...might be fulfilled”

    14 explicit quotations

    17 quotations having an introductory formula

This same numerical predilection for multiples of seven is encountered in other biblical works, but the one possible symbolic usage unique to John is that of the number 17. There are also exactly 17 occurrences in the text of the words “sign(s)” and “see/believe” (blepein) and the phrases “eternal life/life eternal” and “Simon Peter.” In addition, there are 17 references in the Gospel to the “hour / time” coming (erchomai). It is stated 17 times in the Gospel that God “sent” Jesus. Taken together, these references practically define the theme of the book. To these examples can perhaps be added, by one count, the 68 (4x17) appearances of the designation “the Jews” in the Gospel, especially since the idea of Jesus replacing the Jewish institutions is one of the more pervasive themes of the book.

Finally, there is the puzzling appearance of 153 fish in the catch of John 21:11. Since the time of Augustine, it has been explained as the sum of all numbers between 1 and 17 wherein the number 17 is, in turn, the sum of 10 and 7, both of which are symbolic, in Jewish thinking, of perfection. There are alternative explanations for the number 153, but the symbolic one remains very attractive in light of John’s demonstrated use of numbers in this manner.

The preceding paragraphs serve as an introduction to a consideration of the most prominent groupings of seven found in the Gospel. First are the seven metaphorical “I am” statements of Jesus with the following predicates:

    1. The bread of life (6:35)

    2. The light of the world (8:12)

    3. The door of the sheep (10:7)

    4. The good shepherd (10:11)

    5. The resurrection and the life (11:25)

    6. The way, and the truth, and the life (14:6)

    7. The true vine (15:1)

Borchert states, “Each of these...present Jesus as the epitome of some aspect of Israel's heritage with Yahweh...Jesus is the symbol and embodiment of true Israel.”  The above are in addition to the seven absolute “I am” sayings in John 4:26; 6:20; 8:24,28,58; 13:19; and 18:5.

More likely to have implications for the organization of the book are the seven signs noted by most commentators that occur in the first half of the book:

    1. Turning of water into wine (2:1-11)

    2. Healing of the official’s son (4:46-54)

    3. Cure of the paralytic (5:1-18)

    4. Feeding of the five thousand (6:5-13)

    5. Walking on the water (6:16-21)

    6. Healing of the blind man (9:1-7)

    7. Raising of Lazarus (11:1-44)

Major Divisions in John’s Gospel

In addition to the distribution pattern of the signs within the book, the following observations help identify the natural break points in this Gospel. Many commentators have noted that the various statements regarding the hour or time of Christ’s glorification have a unifying effect on the whole. The transition between the hour being expected and having arrived occurs around ch. 12. The most common pairing of Greek words used by John to denote the hour coming are hora and erchomai. These appear together 15 times in the Gospel with a certain order:

Chapters 1-12 (7x)

        “The hour is coming” 4:21,23; 5:25,28

        “The hour had not yet come” 7:30; 8:20

        “The hour has come” 12:23

        [“I came for this hour” 12:27]

Chapters 13-21 (7x)

        “The hour has/had come” 13:1; 16:21; 17:1

“The hour is coming” (referring to events in the apostles’ lives subsequent to the resurrection) 16:2,4,21,25

        “The hour is coming and has come” 16:32

There is another pattern with a center occurring between chs. 12 and 13 involving the word “disciple.” This term is, of course, a crucial concept in Johannine theology; the stated reason (John 20:31) for the Gospel being written was to obtain a response from the reader – not one of mere belief, but a life’s commitment.Of the 80 occurrences of “disciple” in the Gospel, 40 appear before John 13:1 and 40 after that verse. The theologically loaded word “light” appears throughout the first twelve chapters but not at all in the rest of the book. Also worth noting: there are exactly 17 instances of the phrase “verily, verily, I say to you” in the first twelve chapters of the book, and twelve uses of “whence,” a word that Borchert considers key to John’s Gospel. Most commentators have also noted that 12:50 marks the end of Jesus’ public ministry; the remainder of the book is preoccupied with Jesus preparing his closest followers for the events of the Passion. In view of the above evidence, it seems safe to assume an overall two-part architecture for the Gospel with the division occurring after ch. 12.

Book I: The Book of Signs (John 1-12)

The best starting point for dividing Book I is to return to the seven “sign” narratives and the seven major discourses of Jesus. Most commentators form sections using various groupings of these two types of literature. Unfortunately, there is no unanimity on how to assign these groupings although the recognition of an overall “festival” theme for the first twelve chapters provides a clue.

With this thought in mind, verses can be assigned to the Jewish feasts taking place around the time of the various narrated events and conversations. The vague designation “a feast of the Jews” in 5:1 is used since the emphasis in this story is not on any particular feast but on the fact that the events transpired during the Sabbath. Similarly, the events of Section B taking place in Samaria do not happen on any particular holy day (although the Passover Feast is mentioned near the end of that section at 4:45). However, Jesus’ teachings at the center of that unit make it clear that his coming will mean a drastic revision in the way both Jews and Samaritans view their revered Patriarchs (vv. 11-12), traditional mode and place of “worship” (a word mentioned ten times in vv. 19-24), and the coming Messiah (vv. 25-26). So Guthrie is partially correct when he asserts that the first half of John’s Gospel is not organized around the Jewish feasts. In fact, the organizing principle is the fulfillment and replacement of the whole Jewish cultic institution.

A. First Passover (1:1-3:36)

B. Samaritan woman at the well (4:1-54)

C. Feast of the Jews (5:1-34)

D. Second Passover (6:1-71)

E. Feast of Tabernacles (7:1-8:59)

F. Feast of Dedication (9:1-10:42)

G. Third Passover (11:1-12:50)

Section A (1:1-3:36)

Most commentators on the Fourth Gospel treat 1:1-18 as the prologue to the whole book. Culpepper notes the numerous parallels between 3:13-36 and this “prologue” but stops short of including these verses in the same section. A total re-thinking of the material in the first few chapters leads to a symmetrical structure in which the “hymnic Prologue” is best viewed as an integral part of the first section of The Book of Signs.

Figure 1: The Structure of Section IA

1. Introduction (1:1-34)

    a. The coming of the Word (1:1-18)

    b. The testimony of John (1:19-34)

        2. Open followers (1:35-51)

            3. Miracle in Cana (2:1-11)

                4. Transition (2:12)

            3'. Cleansing of the temple (2:13-25)

        2'. Secret follower (3:1-15)

1'. Conclusion (3:16-36)

    a. The coming of the Son (3:16-21)

    b. The testimony of John (3:22-36)

Overall Structure of Book I

The remainder of the sections within Book I can be similarly analyzed and all of them can be grouped chiastically as in Fig. 2.

Figure 2: The Structure of Book I

A. First Passover (1:1-3:36)

    B. Samaritan Woman at the Well (4:1-54)

        C. Feast of the Jews (5:1-47)

            D. Second Passover (6:1-71)

        E. Feast of Tabernacles (7:1-8:59)

    F. Feast of Dedication (9:1-10:42)

G. Third Passover (11:1-12:50)

Verbal connections between IA and IG are especially numerous. The center Section D is an appropriate change point in that there the disciples begin to withdraw from Jesus and opposition against him begins to strengthen. Three times in John's Gospel, all in Book I, there are predictions that the Son of Man will be lifted up: near the start (3:14), middle (8:28), and conclusion (12:32) of Book I.

The last sign performed by Jesus in the first half of John’s Gospel is the raising of Lazarus, which, in Kermode’s words functions as “a great hinge of his plot.” It is the perfect introduction to Book II, which will end in not in a resuscitation but in the Resurrection. John 12 “brings Jesus' public ministry to a close, describes the final preliminary steps toward his arrest and death and forms a solid link between chapters 11 and 13.” (Culpepper)

Book II: The Book of Glory (chs.13-21)

As in the first half of this Gospel, the organization of Book II can be pictured as a chiasm, in this case with the clear emphasis on the first and last sections. Sections B, C-D, and E correspond closely to the three acts of the Passion story (betrayal, trial and crucifixion, respectively) outlined by Ryken.

Figure 3: The Structure of Book II

A. Prelude: Jesus with his Disciples (chs. 13-17)

    B. Arrest (18:1-12)

        C. Jewish Trial (18:13-28)

        D. Roman Trial (18:29-19:16a)            

    E. Crucifixion and Burial (19:16b-42)

F. Conclusion: Resurrection Appearances (chs. 20-21)

Each of these sections, even the smallest, is carefully constructed to emphasize the major themes being set forth.

Overall Structure of the Gospel of John

In concluding this analysis, it is worth stressing that the Fourth Gospel is not two totally independent books. As Keener states, “The tendency today is to read John's Gospel (or nearly all of it) as a whole, whatever its sources; stylistically and thematically it is a unity.” Culpepper echoes this sentiment and feels that this unity is primarily expressed through:

“thematic development, the spectrum of characters, and the implicit commentary conveyed through irony and symbolism. In other words, the unity of this 'spiritual gospel' is more evident in the subtle elements of its narrative structure than in the obvious ones.” 

One example of many that could be offered to demonstrate that unity is the way Nicodemus’ upward spiritual progress can be plotted in the three events of his life that are narrated at the beginning, middle and end of the Gospel story.  Three additional pervasive literary techniques used by John to unify his Gospel involve the close correlation between the narrative’s beginning and conclusion:

    1. Thompson notes the use of the word “life” in association with Christ at 1:3-4 and 20:31 as a sort of inclusio for the whole Gospel and its major theme. An even more significant inclusio is formed from John 1:1,18 and 20:28, both of which equate Jesus with God! Similarly, Jesus' manifestation to others is alluded to in John 1:31 and 21:1,14.

    2. Kostenberger suggests that the three times John the Baptist denies he is the Christ (1:18-27) are paralleled by Peter's three denials in ch.18.  It is just as likely that it parallels Peter's three-fold assurance at the end of the Gospel, acting as an inclusio for the whole book.

    3. Near the beginnings of books I and II (chs. 2 and 13, respectively) are sections centered around the theme of cleansing.  Also in these two sections are similar statements about all things being given into Jesus' hands (3:35; 13:3).

A number of commentators have pointed out that there are two sequences of six-day events in the life of Jesus recorded in John's Gospel. The first describes the opening week of his earthly ministry (1:19-2:11), and the second covers the last week of his life (12:1-19:42). The symbolism of this precise time frame has been felt by some to be related to the six days of creation. That activity was completed by God resting on the seventh day. Using that analogy, the first specifically described six-day period of Jesus ministry is “completed” by his performing the signs of 2:12-11:57 just as the six-day Passion story is “completed” by Jesus’ resurrection appearances in the last two chapters of the Gospel.

In summary, all of the many structural techniques used by John to order this Gospel are in service of his stated purpose (see 20:30-31) in composing it. In commenting on these particular verses, O’Day says, “By focusing on the written narration of Jesus’ deeds [and not merely on the deeds themselves], the Fourth Evangelist is asking us to take this narrative seriously.”