The Gospel of John and the Religious Quest. Johannes Nissen
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seen his glory (John 1:14).”45
The “I am”—sayings
John’s symbolism is often combined with the so-called “I am” sayings. Here we can distinguish between two categories: (1) The absolute use with no predicate, for instance 8:58: “Before Abraham even was, I AM”; other examples are 8:24; 8:28 and 13:19. And (2) The more common use with a predicate nominative. In seven instances Jesus speaks of himself figuratively:
• I am the bread of life (6:35, 48)
• I am the light of the world (8:12)
• I am the gate (10:7, 9)
• I am the good shepherd (10:11, 14)
• I am the resurrection and the life (11:25)
• I am the way, the truth, and the life (14:6)
• I am the (true) vine (15:1, 5)
It is disputed whether these statements should be seen in the light of the Old Testament or of gnostic traditions. My response is that it is probably not an “either—or,” but rather a “both—and.” And yet, the main emphasis must be placed on the Old Testament statements of revelation, in particular Exod 3:14: “I am who I am.” In this passage God declares that he will be present among his people as the one who protects, liberates, and holds faith with them. It is noteworthy that the “I am” words point to God’s faithfulness as well as his exclusivism.
The “I am”—sayings are structured in the following way: (1) A self-presentation consisting of two elements: (a) “I am,” and (b) a metaphor or a concept of salvation. Then follows (2) a call for decision consisting of: (a) an invitation and (b) a promise of salvation. In a few cases the promise is accompanied by, or replaced by, a warning or a threat (see 14:6 and 15:6).
The Human Quest
“What are you searching for?” (1:38; NRSV: “looking for”). These are the first words of Jesus in the Fourth Gospel. The question is addressed to the first two disciples who are together with John the Baptist near the Jordan river. As Jesus is coming towards him, John declares: “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” The disciples hear him say this and follow Jesus.
The question “What are you searching for?” is crucial in John’s Gospel. In fact, the Gospel seems to be written with the purpose of showing that Jesus brings what people are looking for. The problem is that people do not always know what this is, as can be illustrated by the exchange of words between Jesus and his first disciples. Their response to Jesus’ question in 1:38 is “Rabbi, where are you staying?” He answers with an invitation, “Come and see!” In consequence they go along to see where he is staying, and they remain with him that day (1:39). Something similar occurs in the calling of the other disciples. The words of Jesus are concise but full of overtones, and the disciples do not fully understand him. Yet in their encounter with Jesus they become aware of what they are lacking and they understand where they can find it.
Throughout the Fourth Gospel there are people searching for something—for fellowship with God and with other people, for the meaning of life, for a place to belong.46 In 1:35–51 this search is undertaken by the first disciples, but elsewhere in the Gospel there are others coming from various religious and cultural traditions. Three passages are of particular importance. In chapter 3 Jesus is approached by Nicodemus, a representative of the Jewish leaders. In chapter 4 he meets a representative of the Samaritans. And in chapter 12 some Greeks wish to see him (12:20ff.)
Seeing Two Realities Simultaneously
In the chapters to follow a number of texts from the Fourth Gospel will be analyzed for two reasons: their special relevance in the religious quest and the religious encounter of today and their great importance for the theology of John’s Gospel. For my purpose I am excluding certain central Johannine texts, such as most of the healing stories and the passion narrative.
The heading to Part One of the present book is “Images of a greater reality,” since I am primarily concerned with images of life such as water, bread, light, the way, and the true vine. Yet in three cases the focus is on concepts rather than images, namely Word, Truth, and Love.
John takes as his starting-point material reality, while pointing simultaneously to a greater reality beyond. In the last verses of chapter 1 Jesus says to Nathanael: “You will see greater things than these” (v. 50). And immediately after this he uses an image: “Very truly: I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man” (v. 51). The remainder of the gospel is the story of how Jesus opens heaven for his disciples so that they see who he truly is.47
To speak of a “greater reality” does not necessitate a flight from our material reality. On the contrary, the Gospel witnesses to eternity becoming reality here and now. Indeed, we can only discover the meaning of life, and this encounter occurs precisely where we are. The point is that we see the invisible in the visible, the eternal in the ephemeral. The challenge is to see two realities at the same time (cf. my reflections on “bread” in chapter 6).48 John is telling his audience that heaven meets earth in Christ.
30. Weber, Experiments with Bible Study, 213–14.
31. Nissen, “Sted og rum i Johannesevangeliet,” 24.
32. Moxnes, “Jesu galilæiske kontekst,” 106.
33. See also Moxnes’s book, Putting Jesus in his Place, which is a study of Jesus in his environment. The goal of the book is to study the spatial dimensions of the historical Jesus and uncover identities that were “located, developed and sustained in place” (ibid., 2). Place, according to Moxnes, is not only geographical but also social, cultural, and ideological (ibid., 4).
34. Eliade, The Sacred and the Profane, 21.
35. Ibid., 22.
36. Ibid., 26.
37. Cahill, “The Johannine Logos as Center.”
38. Stendahl, Energy for Life, 28.
39. Mogensen, Således elskede Gud verden, 51–52; cf. Stendahl, Energy for Life, 28: “The life of faith is the eternal life, it is a life called eternal since it is in communion and continuity with the eternal One. To John ‘eternal’ does not refer to the quantity of time, but to the quality of life (cf. 5:24).”
40. Cf. Koester, Symbolism in the Fourth Gospel; and MacRae, “The Fourth Gospel and Religionsgeschichte.” Other scholars think that the Gospel has a sectarian character. According to Meeks (“The Man from Heaven in Johannine Sectarianism”) the Gospel reflects a docetic tendency in Christology and ecclesiology.
41. See also Vellanickal, “The Gospel of John in the Indian Context,” 149: “John’s language has a