This Tragic Gospel: How John Corrupted the Heart of Christianity

by Louis A. Ruprecht Jr.

This Tragic Gospel suggests that the "Gospel" of John intended to supplant the first three gospels and succeeded in gaining undue influence on the early churches. This study focuses on the tragic moment when Jesus prays for deliverance from his impending death in the garden of Gethsemane. Ruprecht contends that John rewrote this scene in order to convey a very different dramatic meaning from the one reflected in Mark's gospel. In John's version, not only did Jesus not pray to be spared, he actually mocked this prayer, embracing his imminent demise with godlike confidence. Ruprecht believes that this dramatic reinterpretation undermined the tragedy of Jesus's death as Mark imagined it and so paved the way for the development of a kind of Christianity that focused far less on compassion in the face of human suffering. John's Jesus offers the faithful food so that they will never hunger, water so that they will never thirst, and the promise of a world in which no faithful person ever sheds a tear. Mark's Christians do suffer, but they witness to suffering and death differently...with compassion. Mark's Christ suffers, like all Christians after him, but he embodies a tragic hope in the promise of a faith shored up by love and compassion.

Genres: Religion, History

238 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Louis A. Ruprecht, Jr. is a Professor in the Religious Studies Department at Georgia State University. His interests lie in Ancient Mediterranean Studies, Religion and Culture, Comparative Religious Ethics, History of Christianity, and Tragedy.

His work has received funding from the Charlotte W. Newcombe Foundation.

Reviews

[Brian Griffith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ruprecht's eye for classical literature helps expose gaping differences between the Gospels of Mark and John. He shows the influence of Greek tragedy in Mark's account, with it's emphasis on a suffering, struggling, deeply human Jesus. He contrasts this with John's Jesus, presented as an all-knowing, omnipotent Lord, who never doubts, never knows fear, and never really suffers.

Ruprecht sketches the impact of these different visions of Jesus down the centuries. One one hand we have a figure evoking pity and compassion for all who suffer. On the other, a self-righteous judge without mercy for disbelievers. Among books showing the competition of values between different books of the Bible, this is one of the most passionate and moving.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

A new way of looking at the Gospel of John in comparison to the Gospels of Luke and Mark. One of the notes he made was how John has changed the way Jesus is interpreted, and away from how the story of Jesus, especially in regards to the Garden of Gethsemane. Essentially, that John’s Jesus moves the concept of Christ away from struggle and compassion and toward a “god of all things” mentality (my words, not Ruprecht’s). A really interesting way to look at it, and I do recommend the book if you find this sort of religious debate interesting.

[Christopher Selmek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ruprecht makes a very convincing case for why John should not have been included in the biblical cannon. However, he focuses mostly on one scene and one feels this book could have been broader. Still, it is a good read, and for additional information on this same topic I would recommend Elaine Pagels "Beyond Belief".