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Durham E-Theses Durham E-Theses Sophia and the Johannine Jesus Scott, James Martin Clark How to cite: Scott, James Martin Clark (1990) Sophia and the Johannine Jesus, Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/6231/ Use policy The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in Durham E-Theses • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Please consult the full Durham E-Theses policy for further details. Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk SOPHIA AND THE JOHANNINE JESUS by JAMES MARTIN CLARK SCOTT The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. No quotation from it should be published without his prior written consent and information derived from it should be acknowledged. A Thesis Submitted to the UNIVERSITY OF DURHAM In Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY <PhD> in the DEPARTMENT of THEOLOGY April 1990 MAR 19SI SOPHIA AND THE JOHANHINE JESUS Janes Martin Clark Scott This thesis examines the relationship between the Jewish figure of Sophia and the Johannine Jesus. Recognising the problem of identifying the female Sophia with the male Jesus, we ask how the Fourth Evangelist has tackled it and what effect, if any, the solution may have had on the portrayal of women within the Gospel. Following an introductory chapter outlining the scope of the thesis, Chapter Two examines the context from which John has drawn on Sophia. Bearing in mind always the monotheistic character of Judaism, we discover the way in which traits of ANE Goddesses have influenced the development of Sophia as a figure within Jewish thought. We find that by the time of the writing of John's Gospel, on the one hand there was a highly developed picture of Sophia as a feminine expression of God active in Israel's history, while on the other hand there were efforts to repress her gender significance. Chapter Three examines the relationship between this female figure and John's picture of Jesus. The Logos of the Prologue, found to be influenced at almost every turn by Sophia speculation, proves to be a useful cover employed by the Fourth Evangelist to effect the switch of gender from Sophia to Jesus. Further study shows that all the main themes of the Prologue are worked out in detail in the body of the Gospel. Hardly a major Johannine theme remains untouched by some measure of Sophia's influence. This leads us to the conclusion that John has intentionally presented us with Jesus as Jesus Sophia incarnate. Chapter Four examines the possibility of a connection between the discerned Sophia christology and the prominent role played by women in the Gospel. We find that all the stories concerning women appear at Important christological points in the Gospel. Further investigation shows that all the women demonstrate the essential characteristics of disclpleship, in a way in which the traditional male disciples of the Synoptic tradition do not. The women are seen to function as paradigms of discipleshlp for the community to which the Gospel is addressed. In addition, traces of influence from Sophia speculation are also to be found In the way In which the stories concerning women are told. Finally, some reflections are offered on the wider implications of the findings in chapters three and four, along with some suggestions for further research. SOPHIA AND THE JOHANNINE JESUS TABLE OF CONTENTS Ill ACKNOWLEDGMENTS vii 1 ABBREVIATIONS x 1. INTR(M)UCTION 1. I SETTING THE SCENE 2 1.2 SETTING THE CONTEXT 5 1.2.1 Methodology 6 1.2.2 Wisdom Studies 17 1.2.3 The Christology of John 24 1.2.4 Studies on Women 30 1. 3 SETTING OUT 37 2. "VfflO IS SOPHIA, WHAT IS SHE?" 2. 1 INTRODUCTION 39 2.2 SOPHIA IN THE CONTEXT OF ANE GODDESSES 40 2.2.1 The Fertility Cult 41 2.2.2 The Sacral Marriage 44 2.2.3 The Goddess of Love 45 2.2.4 The Biblical Opposition 47 2.2.5 Conclusions 50 2.3 WHO IS SOPHIA? 53 2.3.1 Sophia and Yahweh in Proverbs 54 2.3.2 Sophia and Yahweh in the Apocryphal Literature 58 2.3.3 Sophia and Philo 63 2.3.4 Conclusions 68 2.4 WHAT IS SHE? 69 Iv 2.4.1 The Gender Significance of Sophia 69 2.4.1.1 Linguistic Remarks 70 2.4.1.2 Sophia and the Goddess 71 2.4.1.2.1 Sophia and Canaanlte Goddesses .... 72 2.4.1.2.2 Sophia and Egyptian Goddesses 74 2.4.1.2.2.1 Sophia and MAAT 74 2.4.1.2.2.2 Sophia and Isls 76 2.4.1.2.3 The Goddess in Phllo 79 2.4. 1.3 Conclusions 82 2.4.2 Hypostasis: Personification: What is She? 82 2.5 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 85 3. SOPHIA AND THE JOHANNINE JESUS 3.1 JESUS - THE WISDOM OF GOD 93 3.1.1 Jesus and Wisdom in Paul 94 3.1.2 Jesus and Wisdom in the Synoptic Tradition 95 3.1.3 Jesus and Wisdom in Hebrews 1:1-3 97 3.2 JESUS, LOGOS AND SOPHIA IN JOHN 98 3.2.1 Logos and Sophia in Wisdom of Solomon 99 3.2.2 Logos and Sophia in Philo 102 3.2.3 Logos and Sophia in John 1:1-18 105 3.2.4 Sophia in the Body of John's Gospel 128 3.2.4.1 The eya eT.)it Sayings 129 3.2.4.1.1 EY<6 EXjii o atp-coq Tf(q 4<Bffq (6:35) ... 130 3.2.4.1.2 Ey(i> elfiv td <pS<; xoC x6a^ou (8:12). 134 3.2.4.1.3 Ey<)i eifii f| 8upa xav npo^aiav (10:7) elfiv 6 jioi^riv 6 xaKoq (10:11). 135 V 3.2.4.1.4 Ey<i> e\^l^. t\ avaavaaiq xat r\ Catf (11:25) 139 3.2.4.1.5 Ey& el^v r\ oSoq xal f) a\rieeia xai rj Cuif <14:6) 141 3.2.4.1.6 EY<£> elfix rj afineXoq aXn^xvif (15:1). 145 3.2.4.2 Relationship to God 148 3.2.4.2.1 Pre-Existence 149 3.2.4.2.2 Descent and Ascent 152 3.2.4.2.3 Intimacy with God 160 3.2.4.2.4 Jesus the Revealer 166 3.2.4.2.5 Ey6 ei^v 170 3.2.4.2.6 Humanity and Divinity 172 3.2.4.3 Jesus the Teacher 175 3.2.4.3.1 Jesus as Teacher 175 3.2.4.3.2 The Teacher's Disciples 180 3.2.4.3.3 The Motif of 'Abiding' (nevelv). ... 182 3.2.4.4 The Rejection of Jesus 184 3.2.4.5 Jesus and the Law 185 3.2.4.6 Jesus and the Spirit 189 3.2.4.7 The anjieHa of Jesus 192 3.3 SOPHIA AND THE JOHANNINE JESUS 196 3.3.1 Jesus and Sophia: A Gender Problem Resolved? 198 3.3.2 The Disappearance of the Logos 201 4. IM THE GOSPEL OF JOHW 4.1 JESUS SOPHIA AND HIS MOTHER AT CANA (Jn 2:1-11) 205 4.1.1 Exegetical Comments 207 4.1.2 The Role of Jesus' Mother 208 4.1.3 The Influence of Sophia Christology 214 vl 4.2 JESUS SOPHIA AND THE SAMARITAN WOMAN (Jn 4:1-42) 215 4.2.1 Exegetlcal Comments 216 4.2.2 The Samaritan Woman's Role 218 4.2.2.1 The Theological Discussion 218 4.2.2.2 The Recipient of Revelation (4:26) 223 4.2.2.3 The Woman as Missionary/Witness 224 4.2.2.4 The Woman and the MAGHTAI 230 4.3 JESUS SOPHIA AND THE WOMEN AT BETHANY (Jn 11:1-44; 12:1-8) . 232 4.3.1 Martha at the Tomb of Lazarus (11:1-44) 233 4.3. 1. 1 Martha's Role 234 4.3.1.1.1 The Recipient of Revelation (11:25). 235 4.3.1.1.2 Martha's Confession of Faith 236 4.3.1.1.2.1 Martha and Peter 237 4.3.1.1.2.2 Jn 11:27 = Jn 20:31. ... 239 4.3. 1.2 Mary's Role 242 4.3.2 Mary of Bethany - The Anointing (12:1-8) 243 4.3.2. 1 Mary's Role 245 4.3.2.2 Martha's Role (12:2) 249 4.3.3 Sophia Influence on the Martha/Mary Accounts 251 4.4 JESUS SOPHIA AND THE WOMEN AT THE CROSS 253 4.4.1 Exegetlcal Comments 254 4.4.2 The Influence of Sophia 258 4.5 JESUS SOPHIA AND MARY OF MAGDALA (Jn 20:1-18) 261 4.5.1 Exegetlcal Comments 261 4.5.2 The Role of Mary Magdalene 264 4.5.3 The Influence of Sophia Christology 271 4.6 CONCLUSIONS 275 vii 5. CONCLUSIONS AND REFLECTIONS 5.
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