Stephen Scheidell

Dr. Gene Green

BITH 213
CPO W143
THEOLOGY IN JOHN
John's unique theological emphasis simultaneously stresses three themes: a
Trinitarian continuity between Father, Son and Spirit; manifestation of the Father and the
eternity of Christ in the Father and Spirit. The three themes cannot be separated one from
the others. Christ "is" before Abraham (8:58) in the Father, "is" now a manifestation of
the Father and remains with his disciples after the ascension in the Spirit (16:13ff).
Given Jesus' Jewish audience he will obviously spend more time on the continuity
of Father to Son, but when time comes to prepare his disciples for his own departure, he
makes clear to them his continued presence via the Spirit. When he "cleanses" the temple
during the first Passover during his ministry, he makes his first (public) claim to divine
continuity: "stop making My Father's house a place of business" (2:16).
Throughout John, we find Jesus making similar references to this continuous state
of divinity. God sent his son (3:17). The Father has given all things into Jesus' hands
(3:35). God, the Father, is working until now, when Jesus works (5:17). Jesus does the
will of him who sent him (5:30). The Scriptures bear witness about Jesus (5:39). Jesus'
teachings are not his own, but those of his Father (7:16). Jesus knows the Father (7:29),
who sent him (7:42), and they are "in" each other (10:38, 12:26, 14:7, 10,11). Again,
Jesus is not alone (16:32).
With a certain literary symmetry, John uses the keyword "manifested" thrice early
in the gospel and four times toward the end. John (the Baptizer) came with water to make

ready for Jesus to be manifested to Israel (1:31). He manifested his glory at the execution
of his first public miracle at the wedding in Cana (2:11). He "passes on" this
manifestation to his disciples when one practices the truth (3:21); their actions are thus
manifested as coming from God. In his prayer before being arrested, Jesus tells of his
manifestation of the Father's name (17:6). After the crucifixion, Jesus manifested himself
to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias (21:1). Later on a shore side, Jesus manifested
himself for the third time after his resurrection (21:14) when he breaks bread and fish for
a meal.
Not allowing the divine manifestation of God on earth to end with his ascent,
Jesus explains to his disciples that his physical absence by no means signifies his absence
of authority or guidance. In Jesus' speech in chapter 16, we find the divine continuity
passed on from Father to Son and from the Son to the Spirit of truth. What the Father
disclosed to the Son, the Son now discloses to the Spirit who will come to guide Jesus'
disciples. This passage captures well John's threefold theology: Trinitarian Godhead;
current and future manifestations; eternal presence of God.
Centering on the continuity of the Godhead, John spells out a theology that
accounts for past, present and future. God the Father manifested himself to Moses in the
past, he manifests now (to the disciples) in Jesus, and his presence remains manifest on
earth in the Spirit acting in the church. In this threefold manifestation, God allows his
presence to remain among his people for eternity most fully and most directly in the
person of Christ Jesus.