Word and Glory: On the Exegetical and Theological Background of John's Prologue

by Craig A. Evans

Word and Glory challenges recent claims that Gnosticism, especially as expressed in the Nag Hammadi tractate Trimorphic Protennoia, is the most natural and illuminating background for understanding the Prologue of the Fourth Gospel. Scriptural allusions and interpretive traditions suggest that Jewish wisdom tradition, mediated by the synagogue of the diaspora, lies behind the Prologue and the Fourth Gospel as a whole, not some form of late first-century Gnosticism. Several features of the Fourth Gospel reflect the synagogue and nascent Christianity's struggle to advance and defend its beliefs about Jesus who, as God's son and Agent, was understood as the embodiment of the Divine Word. All of the ingredients that make up Johannine christology derive from dominical tradition, refracted through the lens of Jewish interpretive traditions. There is no compelling evidence that this christology derived from or was influenced by gnostic mythology. Word and Glory also develops and tests criteria for assessing the relative value of post-New Testament sources for the interpretation of New Testament documents.

250 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 1993

About the author

Craig A. Evans (PhD, Claremont Graduate University) is Payzant Distinguished Professor of New Testament at Acadia Divinity College in Wolfville, Nova Scotia. He is a frequent contributor to scholarly journals and the author or editor of numerous publications.

Reviews

[Robert Schut · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great little book. Don't be deceived by its size. It is a very difficult book due to the dense subject matter. He traces the origin of the logos idea back to the Jewish community and argues against John's source being Gnostic or Greek origin. This is done with great detail which makes it a valuable reference book. Although it's filled with in depth information it is not an easy read.