Faith, Work, and Economics
Southwestern Journal of Theology
Volume 59, No. 2 - Spring 2017
Managing Editor: W. Madison Grace II
Gospel of Glory: Major Themes in Johannine Theology. By Richard Bauckham. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2015. 237 pages. Paperback, $25.00.
As expected from a renowned Johannine scholar, Richard Bauckham garners in this book an impressive array of essays devoted to some of the major theological themes of the Gospel of John. Indeed, this book is made up of eight self-contained essays Bauckham had published or lectured elsewhere, and can be read in any order. By gathering the essays into a single volume, Bauckham hopes to introduce readers to some of the significant themes in the Gospel that either have been much neglected or debated in Johannine scholarship in one setting, while presenting his insights on them.
Chapter 1 deals with the theme of individualism. Individualism here does not refer to the modern understanding of the autonomous self, but rather in the way the Gospel lays considerable emphasis on the individual’s relationship with Jesus. The prominence of the aphoristic sayings that deal explicitly with the individual’s relationship with Jesus and the extended conversations Jesus has with the individuals in the Gospel is the case in point. While the reason for this emphasis is not clear (17), Bauckham clearly shows the purpose of the emphasis: it is to stress the importance of an exclusive, personal relationship between the individual believer and Jesus (18).
Chapter 2 addresses the significance of John’s usage of a theologically potent term: “one.” According to Bauckham, the word “one” can signify uniqueness (21) or unity (22). In the Hebrew Bible, however, an interesting phenomenon occurs as the two senses connect together when the prophets mention the “uniting” of God’s people under their “unique” ruler in the future (28). John takes this idea and extends it further by claiming that it will not only be the Jews who will be united as God’s people, but the Gentiles also (30). Furthermore, John remarkably attributes a new dimension regarding the “oneness” of God, one that has no precedence in Hebrew usage, namely the “oneness” between God and Jesus (32).
In chapter 3, Bauckham discusses the well-known theme of glory found in the Gospel. The highlight of this chapter, in my mind, is Bauckham’s treatment on why John would have seen the humiliation and the exaltation of Jesus not as a two-step process, but as one whole sequence of glorification. According to Bauckham, John even sees Jesus being lifted up on the cross as part of his glorification, for he seems to have taken Isaiah 52:13, which describes the Suffering Servant’s glorification, as a heading for the subsequent passage, which includes all of Isaiah 53 (54, 58–60). By reading Isaiah 52–53 this way, John was able to see the entire process of Jesus’ humiliation and resurrection as glorification.
In chapter 4, Bauckham connects the topic of the death and resurrection/exaltation of Jesus with four big theological terms of the Gospel: “love,” “life,” “glory,” and “truth.” While the approach might be fresh, the content has little to offer in terms of new ideas. Chapter 5 contains the treatment of the controversial issue, namely the Gospel’s stance on sacraments. After succinctly describing the range of opinions in scholarship regarding sacraments in the Gospel, Bauckham brings the readers up to date: the contemporary scholarly majority sees minimal reference to sacraments (79). Bauckham seems to agree as he sees little sacramental overtone in three key passages (John 3:5; 6:31–59; 19:34), but nonetheless correctly argues that John is neither opposing sacraments nor overemphasizing them (107).
Johannine dualism is the topic for chapter 6. Here, Bauckham helpfully simplifies the kinds of dualisms found in the Gospel into two major types: forms that divide reality into two opposing categories, which he terms “dualism,” and forms that divide reality into two contrasting, not opposed, categories, which he terms “duality” (123). Remarkably, Bauckham claims that John’s soteriology is what holds together both the dualisms and the dualities (126). As Christ who is the light invaded the world of darkness, he set the dualistic categories in motion: “Light dispels darkness, requiring decision, while the world that rejects Jesus is conquered and saved by him through its very rejection of him” (129).
Chapter 7 concerns the dimensions of meaning in the Gospel’s first week. Not only does Bauckham treat the narratives’ literal meanings, he posits that there are further meanings, and proves this quite effectively by linking the Gospel’s first week with the last week. For instance, on the fifth day of the first week, Nathanael is the first person to ask a question about Jesus’ origins, a question which Pilate also asks on the fifth day of the last week (164–65). Thus Bauckham argues that John deliberately narrated the first week to be in parallel with the last week, in order to make the beginning of his narrative prefigure or anticipate its end (184). Finally, in chapter 8, Bauckham compares the Johannine Jesus with the Synoptic Jesus, maintaining the position that the Synoptics and John complement and enrich one another, not contradict, in portraying the living Jesus (194, 197, 201).
In terms of the book’s strengths, I can readily identify three points. First is the use of charts. Bauckham’s charts are not redundant in that they are simply used in giving some additional information as an aside. Rather, his charts are interactive in that they bring clarity and support to his arguments. Second is language. While Bauckham’s topics and arguments are top-notch, he is able to communicate them in simple, non-technical terms. Indeed, the writings are done in a way that even readers with little theological background are able to comprehend.
Third, and most important, is Bauckham’s scholarly input and sophistication. As one engages his arguments, one can readily appreciate his depth of research and the intricate details he provides. Bauckham is also able to make original contributions while dialoguing with a variety of scholars, a mark of someone who has clearly mastered the field. Yet, his mastery of the field can also be his weakness. There are instances where he does not substantiate his points, perhaps because he is familiar with them. But those who are not familiar with the field of Johannine scholarship will simply have to take his word for it and do further research afterwards. Nevertheless, as an introductory book on Johannine theology, Bauckham brings amazing insights in a succinct fashion, and for this reason, this book should be recommended for anyone who is interested in studying the Gospel of John.
