I have read or listened to the
Gospel of John well over 300 times, which has really helped me process it and make discoveries about it, and in my studies, I found that John follows a specific chronological order, I believe, based on the Passover. After
doing some research, I found one source on some similar data. Below is a link
to Andreas Köstenberger’s Johannine
Chronology.
Köstenberger reveals a chronology of
John’s Gospel with the telos of a specific crucifixion year, as well as insight
on the events of the earthly ministry of Christ.
I, however, am more interested in
how John built his Gospel around the three mentioned Passovers. John 2:23; 6:4;
and 12:1 mark the three different Passovers, showing three different years. I
have placed below, verses after the Passover references which reveal them to be
chronological and ultimately sequential.
The Gospel of John was built around seven
miracles and the seven I AM statements, theologically speaking, but it seems
that many are not aware that chronologically, it is also written around three
Passovers, indicating concentrated areas of Jesus’ three year ministry. This is
important because we can get a more accurate date of the crucifixion, as Köstenberger’s
article suggests, but also because we can better understand the concentrations of
and significance to the miracles of Jesus according to John’s historical
biography.
John writes: “Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written” (21:25). Knowing the expanse of time between the Passovers, we can see where many of these “other things” that aren’t listed may have occurred.
John writes: “Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written” (21:25). Knowing the expanse of time between the Passovers, we can see where many of these “other things” that aren’t listed may have occurred.
The Three Different Passovers Recorded in John's Gospel:
John 2:23, "Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing."
- John 3:22, “After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing.”
John 6:4,
"Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand."
- John 7:2, “Now the Jews' Feast of Booths was at hand.”
- John 7:37, “On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.”
- John 10:22, “At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter…”
John 12:1,
“Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus
was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.”
- John 18:28 "Then they led Jesus from the house of Caiaphas to the governor's headquarters. It was early morning. They themselves did not enter the governor's headquarters, so that they would not be defiled, but could eat the Passover" (see also John 19:31).
John 12:1 begins the last week of Christ's ministry.
I hope that this information helps illuminate
one’s understanding of John (Ephesians 1:18), and also further acknowledge
historical events recorded in the beloved disciples’ eye-witness account. John focused on the details of the last week more than any other gospel, and it is because of such that we can have a better understanding of the work of our Lord.
Written by Nace Howell through the grace of the Lord Jesus.
© Nace Howell, 2018
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