St John the Evangelist from the Book of Kells

"Come and See": A Beginner's Guide to the Gospel of John: Outline

While this commentary was being composed, I uploaded it section by section to this website, so that people could read (and hopefully comment on) the draft sections. It is now complete. I have replaced the draft sections with the following outline. The final draft is now available as a soft cover book and as an ebook either through the publisher, Westbow Press, or Amazon.

Abigail Ann Young

Preface

The preface gives some background on how I came to write this commentary, some practical details about structure, and a dedication. It would be good to give it a quick look-over before jumping in!

Introduction

The introduction deals with basic questions such as authorship and genre, organised around the so called "Five Ws", five questions to be asked of any text, whether ancient, mediaeval, or modern: who, what, why, when, and where. Needless to say there are no final answers to many of these questions! There are three sections in the introduction:

  1. John and the Synoptic Gospels

  2. The Five W's

  3. Style and Structure

Abbreviations and Select Bibliography

I have put the list of books and articles I've found useful in writing this commentary into this list, along with some commonly used abbreviations. As with the references in the Introduction and elsewhere, the books and articles are for the benefit of those who may want to follow up on points that particularly interest them. In any case if you are wondering what 'CE' stands for, or what Brown 1966 may be, these lists are for you!

Translation and Comments

The translation is original and based on the standard edition of the Greek New Testament, known as Nestle-Aland 28 or NA 28 (Novum Testamentum Graece, based on the work of Eberhard and Erwin Nestle, edited by Barbara and Kurt Aland, Johannes Karavidopoulos, Carlo M. Martini, and Bruce M. Metzger, 28th rev. edn (Deutsche Bibel gesellschaft, 2012)). Where NA28 places text in square brackets ([]) to indicate that its presence or position is disputed, I have placed the corresponding word or phrase in the translation in square brackets as well. Any disagreement with the NA28 text is discussed in the Comments. The translation and comments are divided into fifteen sections, some further divided into subsections:

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  • 1. The Prologue (Jn 1.1-18)

  • 2. Witness and Call: John the Baptist and the First Disciples (Jn 1.19-51)

    • 2.1. John the Baptist (Jn 1.19-34)

    • 2.2. John's Disciples Turn to Jesus (Jn 1.35-42)

    • 2.3. More Follow Jesus (Jn 1.43-51)

  • 3. New Beginnings (Jn 2.1-3.36)

    • 3.1. The Signs Begin: a Marriage Feast at Cana (Jn 2.1-11)

      • 3.1.1. A Geographical Transition (Jn 2.12)

    • 3.2. Renewing the Temple (Jn 2.13-25)

    • 3.3. New Birth: Nicodemus Visits Jesus (Jn 3.1-21)

    • 3.4. New Witness by John the Baptist (prompted by Jesus' baptismal ministry) (Jn 3.22-36)

  • 4. Jesus in Samaria: the Living Water (Jn 4.1-42)

    • 4.1. Background (Jn 4.1-6)

    • 4.2. Jesus and the Samaritan Woman Speak Alone (Jn 4.7-26)

    • 4.3. The Disciples Return and the Woman Leaves (Jn 4.27-38)

    • 4.4. Conclusion (Jn 4.39-42)

      • 4.4.1. A Geographical Transition (Jn 4.43-6a)

  • 5. Return to Cana (Jn 4.46b-5.1)

    • 5.1. The Healing of the Royal Official's Son (Jn 4.46b-53)

      • 5.1.1. A Geographical Transition (Jn 4.54-5.1)

  • 6. Jesus and the Sabbath (Jn 5.2-47)

    • 6.1. A Controversial Healing (Jn 5.2-18)

    • 6.2. Jesus Answers His Accusers: The Son and the Father (Jn 5.19-30)

    • 6.3. Jesus Answers His Accusers: Witnesses to Jesus and his work (Jn 5.31-47)

  • 7. Jesus and the Passover (Jn 6.1-71)

    • 7.1. A Passover Sign: The Loaves and Fishes (Jn 6.1-15)

    • 7.2. Jesus Walks on the Water (plus a Geographical Transition) (Jn 6.16-24)

    • 7.3. Bread from Heaven (Jn 6.25-59)

    • 7.4. Reaction of the Disciples and The Twelve (Jn 6.60-71)

  • 8. Jesus at Tabernacles (Jn 7-8)

    • 8.1. Before the Feast: Conflict with Jesus' Brothers (plus a Geographical Transition) (Jn 7.1-13)

    • 8.2. Teaching during the Feast (Jn 7.14-36)

    • 8.3. Teaching on the Last Day of the Feast and Reactions (Jn 7.37-52)

    • 8.4. Jesus and the Woman Caught in Adultery: An Interlude on Judgement (Jn 7.53-8.11)

    • 8.5. Further Teaching and Reaction: The Light of the World (Jn 8.12-20)

    • 8.6. Further Teaching and Reaction: Jesus' Departure (Jn 8.21-9)

    • 8.7. Further Teaching and Reaction: Abraham and his Line (Jn 8.30-59)

  • 9. Deepening Conflict (Jn 9.1-10.42)

    • 9.1. Jesus heals a blind beggar and the reaction (Jn 9.1-41)

    • 9.2. Shepherds and Sheepfolds (Jn 10.1-21)

    • 9.3. Jesus at the Feast of Dedication (Jn 10.22-39)

      • 9.3.1. A Geographical Transition (Jn 10.40-42)

  • 10. New Life Foreshadowed (Jn 11.1-57)

    • 10.1. Jesus raises Lazarus (Jn 11.1-46)

    • 10.2. Aftermath: The Conspiracy Against Jesus (Jn 11.47-57)

  • 11. Jesus begins to move from death to new life (Jn 12.1-50)

    • 11.1 The anointing at Bethany (Jn 12.1-11)

    • 11.2 Jesus enters Jerusalem (Jn 12.12-19)

    • 11.3 The Greeks Seek to See Jesus and His Reaction (Jn 12.20-36)

    • 11.4 The Paradox of Jesus' Signs and the End of his Public Teaching (Jn 12.37-50)

  • 12. The Last Supper and Farewell Discourses (Jn 13-17)

    • 12.1 Jesus Washes His Disciples' Feet (Jn 13.1-20)

    • 12.2 Table-Talk (Jn 13.27-16.33)

      • 12.2.1 Judas' Departure (Jn 13.21-30)

      • 12.2.2 Jesus' Glorification and Peter's Denial (Jn 13.31-38)

      • 12.2.3 Many Mansions, One Way (Jn 14.1-14)

      • 12.2.4 The Advocate (Jn 14.15-31)

      • 12.2.5 The Vine (Jn 15.1-11)

      • 12.2.6 Love and Obedience (Jn 15.12-25)

      • 12.2.7 Witnesses (Jn 15.26-7)

      • 12.2.8 Preparing for Departure, and Arrival (Jn 16.1-11)

      • 12.2.9 Spirit and Truth (Jn 16.12-15)

      • 12.2.10 Sorrow to Joy (Jn 16.16-24)

      • 12.2.11 Speaking in Figures (Jn 16.25-33)

    • 12.3 Jesus's Final Prayer for His Disciples (Jn 17.1-25)

  • 13. The Passion, Death, and Burial of Jesus (Jn 18.1-19.42)

    • 13.1 Jesus' Arrest (Jn 18.1-12)

    • 13.2 Jesus' Questioning before Annas and Caiaphas (Jn 18.13-27)

    • 13.3 Jesus' Trial before Pilate (Jn 18.28-40)

    • 13.4 Jesus' Condemnation before Pilate (Jn 19.1-16a)

    • 13.5 Jesus' Crucifixion and Death (Jn 19.16b-30)

    • 13.6 Jesus' Death: Aftermath and Burial (Jn 19.31-42)

  • 14. Jesus' Resurrection (Jn 20.1-31)

    • 14.1 Jesus and Mary Magdalen (Jn 20.1-18)

    • 14.2 Jesus and Thomas (Jn 20.19-31)

  • 15. Epilogue: A Picnic by the Beach (Jn 21.1-25)

  • Special Topics

    • Appendix 1. Johannine Chronology

    • Appendix 2. "The Jews" in John

    • Appendix 3. The "Interleaving" of John with Mark

    • Appendix 4. Satan in the Gospel of John

    • Appendix 5. The Virgin Birth in John

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