Eschatology in the Johannine community: a study in diversity

Abstract

The aim of this thesis is to study the diversity of eschatological ernphases detected in the writings of the Johannine community: To do so, one must first decide which writings of the New Testament may properly be called Johannine.

The thesis begins with an resume of previous studies into the relationships of the five books traditionally attributed to an author called John - Gospel, Letters, Apocalypse. The crucial issue in most of these studies has been whether or not the came individual could have written these books. Recent study of the Gospel, however, has strongly suggested community involvement in its production. The question raised, therefore, is whether the five books my have emerged within the one community. The initial hypothesis, based on a respect for the tradition, is that all five books emerged within the one early Christian community.

This hypothesis is examined by a study of particular emphases of theological thought and expression. The community is considered in the first instance to be the community which produced the Gospel, so three theological emphases detected in the Gospel are examined in the other writings: (a) The Relation of the Father to the Son; (b) The Spirit of Truth; (c) The Command to Love. The conclusion is that while the Gospel and Letters almost certainly emerged in the one community, the Apocalypse, while having sooe contact with Johannine thought, cannot properly be considered a writing of the community.

The thesis finally examines the eschatological expectation of the writers of the Gospel and Letters, suggesting the different emphases vere mainly due to different purposes in writing. The expectation of a future Farousia was never denied, but the evangelist is concerned to challenge men to faith in the present, while the letter-writer's aim is to encourage the true believers in the light of the impending end.