Once again, I am in another class with a discussion board, this time in the Gospel of John.  Below, you’ll find my response to the following questions.

Question:

It is often said that John is the Gospel to the world (Matthew to the Jew, Mark to the Roman, Luke to the Greek). However, in 1924 Israel Abrahams said, “To us Jews, the Fourth Gospel is the most Jewish of the four!” How is that so? If it so, why do so many people tell new converts to begin reading this Gospel?

Answer:

I think it is difficult to directly answer to Abraham’s statement since I do not know the context in which it was given.  Most of the Google search results that came up for this statement were past students pleading for help for this assignment and others who blogged their discussion board thread.

However, when looking at this question, it is very important to keep in mind the difference between the intended audience and the interested audience.  Luke’s intended audience was Theophilus.  His interested audience has been everyone who has read and reread the Gospel of Luke throughout the ages.  Similarly, I believe John had an intended audience as well as an interested audience.  However, unlike the other Gospels, John’s interested audience was his intended audience. 

Now, this certainly is not a point of contention with me, but I do not necessarily agree that John’s intended audience was the “World,” per se.  “The World” is far too general to be the intended audience of such a personal Gospel.  I believe that John intended his audience to be whoever would read the book.  In other words, John wrote his book to whosoever.  I believe the book of John was written to be universally personal.

I can easily see how Abraham’s would describe the book of John as the most “Jewish.”  Although commentators and theologians have spent a great deal of time defining each Gospel to a different ethnic group, I think it is hard to get past the fact that every Gospel has a Jewish appeal.  Why might Abraham’s say that the book of John is the most “Jewish?”  It could simply be, because John was a Jew, writing about a Jew (who is the Jew’s Messiah), who lived and ministered among the Jews, during a vital time in Jewish history.  John highlighted Christ’s “I Am” statements (i.e. Jn. 8:58), which is important to everyone, but has a very specific meaning to the Jews (cf Exodus 3:14).  John records numerous discourses with the Jewish leaders including a one-on-one interview between Christ and Nicodemus.  John also records numerous references to Old Testament prophesies, which have a direct relationship to the Jews as a people.  

I think that one of the reasons why John is such a good book for new believers is that John wrote it (under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit) in a very simple and engaging manner.  The narrative is easy to follow and the discourses are engaging.  The way in which John writes really draws a reader into the story and paints a vivid picture in the reader’s mind.  I also think that it is good for new believers because of the way John illustrates the leveling of the ground between the “worst sinner” and the most “pious.”   Christ presented both Nicodemus and the woman at the well with their need for salvation.  John showed that Christ not only said and did things that helped bridge the gaps between people, but that Christ was and still is the bridge.  Furthermore, as pertaining to spiritual growth at any level, such narratives as John provided also helps the believer not to be overcome with guilt over past sins or to be overtaken with pride in one’s own piety.

The Gospel of John is written broadly enough to where it speaks to anyone, but specific enough to where it speaks to the individual.  Is John the most “Jewish” Gospel?  I do not know.  All I really know, is that when I read it, I feel like it was written specifically with me in mind.