Here’s Jimmy! 4

J.D.G. (Jimmy) Dunn’s newest book, Jesus, Paul, and the Gospels, is nothing short of an introduction to his seminal theories and proposals — beginning with this stuff on Jesus, including the relationship of the Synoptics to John.

What terms do you use to describe the relation of the Synoptics to John? Evolution, development, public vs. private teaching?

One of Jimmy’s conclusions: “… the style is that of the Evangelist or the Evangelist’s tradition, rather than that of Jesus” (71). He asks if John is “remembering” Jesus as did the Synoptics. He makes three observations:

1. John’s Gospel follows the Markan outline. The Gospel = a story that focuses on the crucifixion and resurrection, and John’s Gospel has lots of Passion narrative and Passion anticipation.
2. Though there are differences, the Johannine discourses are rooted in the Synoptics. He gives ample evidence here for rootedness in the Synoptic sayings. They are meditations on the sayings of Jesus now found in the Synoptics. John elaborates the sayings of Jesus we now see in the Synoptics.
3. John has filled in some gaps. John 1–3; Judea and Jerusalem vs. the Galilee.

The theme of John’s Gospel:

Jesus is the one who revealed God most clearly; this a central debate between the Johannine Christians and their Jewish contemporaries. John’s Gospel speaks into the debate in Judaism about revelation in apocalyptic and merkabah speculation. John’s Gospel then moves into the next level beyond the Synoptics: the gospel point had been made; Jesus was the gospel message and not just his death and resurrection. It was his whole life, but John has to respond to a new setting with a fresh appropriation of that firm gospel tradition.

For John, Jesus is the Logos of God incarnate, God’s self-revelation in fullest form. Torah was Wisdom, but now that Wisdom is complete in Christ.

Here’s his chart that compares the Synoptics to John, and if you click on it you can see it much better: