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Departure and Consolation
The Johannine Farewell Discourses in Light of Greco-Roman Literature
Series: - Novum Testamentum, Supplements, Volume: 117
Author:
In contrast to the common opinion that the Johannine Farewell Discourses represent solely the Jewish genre of the Testament, George Parsenios argues that features of the discourses are misread or missed completely apart from Greco-Roman literature. Evidence from classical drama, for instance, assists in reading Jesus' return to the Father as a dramatic exit and, further, accounts for the puzzling delay of Jesus at 14:31 without recourse to redaction theories. Consolation literature and the literary symposium emphasize Jesus' continuing and consoling presence, with particular attention to the Paraclete's role as doppelgänger. The thread that binds the various chapters into a coherent whole, therefore, is the utility of classical literature in clarifying Jesus' consoling presence even after his departure to the Father.
George L. Parsenios, Ph.D. (2003) in New Testament, Yale University, is Assistant Professor of New Testament at Princeton Theological Seminary.
'
I think that what Parsenios has done is creative and opens the discussion about genre and John’s Gospel in a novel way. I believe the book should and will be taken seriously in further discussions on John’s Gospel.'
Jan van der Watt, Review of Biblical Literature, 2007
Jan van der Watt, Review of Biblical Literature, 2007
CHAPTER 1. THE ONE AND THE MANY
Presence in Absence
A. Turning One into Many: Questions of Literary Influence, The Testament and the Fourth Gospel, Exits in Ancient Drama, Ancient Consolation, The Literary Symposium, Summary
B. Turning Many into One: Synchronic vs. Diachronic, The Problem: Historical Criticism, The Problem: Literary Criticism,
CHAPTER 2. "ARISE, LET US GO FORTH"
The Exit to Death, The Delayed Exit, The Delayed Exit and Narrative Unity
CHAPTER 3. THE THEMATICS OF TOKENNESS
The Paraclete and Jesus, Testament and Commission, Consolation Literature
CHAPTER 4. AND THE FLESH BECAME WORDS
The Symposium: Friendship and Enmity, The Feast of Words, "I Did Not Say These Things…"
CHAPTER 5. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
Select Bibliography, Index of Modern Authors
Index of Ancient Sources
Presence in Absence
A. Turning One into Many: Questions of Literary Influence, The Testament and the Fourth Gospel, Exits in Ancient Drama, Ancient Consolation, The Literary Symposium, Summary
B. Turning Many into One: Synchronic vs. Diachronic, The Problem: Historical Criticism, The Problem: Literary Criticism,
CHAPTER 2. "ARISE, LET US GO FORTH"
The Exit to Death, The Delayed Exit, The Delayed Exit and Narrative Unity
CHAPTER 3. THE THEMATICS OF TOKENNESS
The Paraclete and Jesus, Testament and Commission, Consolation Literature
CHAPTER 4. AND THE FLESH BECAME WORDS
The Symposium: Friendship and Enmity, The Feast of Words, "I Did Not Say These Things…"
CHAPTER 5. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
Select Bibliography, Index of Modern Authors
Index of Ancient Sources
All those interested in the Gospel of John, the interaction between early Christian and classical literature, and literary analysis of the New Testament.