A concise survey of John's Gospel

[@Ihaveatonofnames]

Thankyou Dr. Keener, I'm a junior year in highschool and you were the one who inspired me to study a lot in Biblical Academics. Thankyou so much for your work

[@CraigKeenerPhD]

I am really glad and may God bless your studies. I became a Christian as a sophomore and was really digging deep to learn the Bible already as a junior. Jesus's disciples were probably mostly teenagers when he called them. May God bless you with a long life to proclaim his good news to this rising generation!

[@catpocalypsenow8090]

Thank you, just read your Revelation commentary, very helpful and inspiring.

[@alexmusser7482]

Hi Dr. Keener. I'm reading a book on Jesus and the dead sea scrolls and he is linking John the apostle to the Qumram community in things like (spirit of truth, everlasting water, baptism by water/spirit). Does it follow that John the apostle may have been influenced by the Essenes and thus selected material from Jesus' life that corresponded with some of the beliefs we know of in the dead sea scrolls?

[@yonas147]

Thank you for the survey Dr criag. One question I have is, are some scholars moving toward rendering john 1 1c as a god? Even hart in his new testament translation said that a god is a good reading of the Greek. Should we be worried about this or?

[@CraigKeenerPhD]

Not that I know of. Most read it as "the Word was God" or "the Word was divine." As of when I published my 1600-page John commentary in 2003, I don't believe I knew of ANY scholars who rendered it "a god"!

[@yonas147]

@@CraigKeenerPhD thank you for your response Dr criag. I have one follow up question if you dont mind. why would scholars translate it as divine when there is a specific Greek word for divine that john could have used? Thank you😊

[@CraigKeenerPhD]

@@yonas147 they take it as anarthrous and qualitative. But you're right that theios would have been more appropriate; and predicate nominatives are usually anarthrous. Given the framing with 1:18 and 20:28, "God" (theos) is better

[@yonas147]

@@CraigKeenerPhD Thank you very much Dr criag.

[@Snowbeard]

Professor, how do you interpret/translate the word Ioudaioi? A cursory reading would suggest these are not simply all Jews. Rather specific Jewish Leaders in Jerusalem who try to dictate to Jesus that if he desires to be the messiah, they will have to ratify his claim.

[@CraigKeenerPhD]

I agree. I think they are Judean leaders who claim the right to decide who else should be allowed to be called "Jews" (thus kicking people out of the synagogue), and John uses the title for them ironically. At the very least, Judeans vs. Galileans

[@vincenzapesci3944]

Great summary prof keener! One question,what is your take on john 3:13?,do you think it implies a past ascension of Christ in heaven?,perhaps during an o.t theophany?

[@annacorts8609]

17:35 Our Lord Jesus Christ is very clear, to be born of 1- water ( flesh gives birth to flesh) (mother brake Water when giving BIRTH) 2- SPIRIT ( spirit gives birth to spirit) (when becoming a believer in the Son of God we are Born AGAIN BUT OF THE SPIRIT) The Lord spoke openly about reincarnation and inmortality of the flesh and it should be respected. John 3:5-7 5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit[a] gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You[b] must be born again.’