Full Description
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.
Contents
Introduction
Part I
The Prologue and Jesus' Prayer
Ch. 1: Creation Imagery in the Prologue
Ch. 2: Creation Imagery in the Prayer of Jesus
Part II
The Earthly Ministry of Jesus
Ch.3: Jesus Performing God's Works and Creation Imagery
Ch.4: Two Possible Instances of Creation Imagery
Ch.5: The Structure of the Gospel of John and Genesis 1-2
Part III
The Passion and Resurrection Narratives
Ch.6: Creation Imagery in John 20:22
Ch.7: The Garden of Eden and Jesus' Passion and Resurrection
Conclusion
Bibliography
Index
