Creation Imagery in the Gospel of John (Library of New Testament Studies | LNTS)
Overview
Sosa Siliezar investigates the presence and significance of creation imagery in the Gospel of John. He argues that John has intentionally included only a limited (albeit significant) number of instances of creation imagery and that he has positioned them carefully to highlight their significance.
Sosa Siliezar contends that the instances of creation imagery used in varying contexts function collectively in a threefold way that is consonant with John’s overall argument. First, John uses them to portray Jesus in close relationship with his Father, existing apart from and prior to the created order. Second, John uses creation imagery to assert the primal and universal significance of Jesus and the message about him, and to privilege him over other important figures in the story of Israel. Third, John uses creation imagery to link past reality with present and future reality, portraying Jesus as the agent of creation whom the reader should regard as the primal agent of revelation and salvation. The book concludes by underscoring how these findings inform our understanding of John’s Christology and Johannine dualism.
- Considers how John uses creation imagery to community his message in the Gospel of John
- Suggests that such imagery is essential for understanding John's Christology
- Includes an extensive bibliography
- Part I The Prologue and Jesus' Prayer
- Creation Imagery in the Prologue
- Creation Imagery in the Prayer of Jesus
- Part II The Earthly Ministry of Jesus
- Jesus Performing God's Works and Creation Imagery
- Two Possible Instances of Creation Imagery
- The Structure of the Gospel of John and Genesis 1-2
- Part III The Passion and Resurrection Narratives
- Creation Imagery in John 20:22
- The Garden of Eden and Jesus' Passion and Resurrection
Top Highlights
“John uses creation imagery to link past reality with present and future reality, portraying the Word/Jesus as the agent of creation who is to be regarded as the privileged agent of revelation and redemption as well.” (Page 55)
“There is evidence in the Gospel itself that John almost certainly knew the book of Genesis.” (Page 14)
“primal and universal significance of the Word/Jesus and privileges him over John and Moses” (Page 55)
“Jesus will act as the privileged agent of revelation, judgement, and salvation” (Page 50)
“who want to receive him, those who believe in his name (1:12” (Page 48)
- Title: Creation Imagery in the Gospel of John
- Author: Carlos Raúl Sosa Siliezar
- Series: Library of New Testament Studies
- Volume: 546
- Publisher: Bloomsbury
- Print Publication Date: 2015
- Logos Release Date: 2017
- Pages: 272
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
- Subjects: Bible. N.T. John › Criticism, interpretation, etc; Creation › Biblical teaching; Bible. N.T. John › Language, style
- ISBNs: 9780567664242, 9780567664259, 0567664244, 0567664252
- Resource ID: LLS:CRTNMGRYGSPLJHN
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2022-09-29T23:01:51Z
Sample Pages from the Print Edition
Reviews
1 rating
Nathaniel Moore
10/18/2023
Carlos Raúl Sosa Siliezar’s study of John’s use of creation imagery from Genesis and elsewhere is careful, thorough, and methodical. He examines observations of creation imagery throughout John’s gospel, evaluating their relative merit and probability on linguistic and thematic grounds. Based on his conclusions, he further comments on how John’s use of creation imagery affects his gospel's message as a whole. Additional text-critical comments could have been useful, and I do wish that he developed further the relationship of logos imagery to creation beyond that of universality (50). But overall, Sosa Siliezar’s work is a worthy contribution to the study of John’s gospel and the New Testament's use of the Old Testament.