MENEIN AS KEY TO A MYSTICAL READING OF JOHN 15 BY ADRIAAN JOHANNES JACOBUS STANDER THESIS SUBMITTED IN FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS IN RESPECT OF THE DOCTORAL DEGREE QUALIFICATION D.TH. IN THE DEPARTMENT OF NEW TESTAMENT IN THE FACULTY OF THEOLOGY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF THE FREE STATE PROMOTER: PROF. PIETER G.R. DE VILLIERS NOVEMBER 2016 TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................................................... ii DANKBETUIGING .......................................................................................................................................... v ON HAVING SECOND THOUGHTS ........................................................................................................ - 1 - CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................. - 3 - CHAPTER 2 A CLOSE READING OF JOHN 15 ...................................................................................... - 5 - 1. Lexical meanings for ............................................................................................................. - 5 - 2. A close reading of John 15................................................................................................................. - 6 - 3. Formal analysis of John 15 .............................................................................................................. - 14 - 3.1 Section 1: The necessity of mutual indwelling for bearing fruit (1-17) .................................... - 14 - 3.1.1 Subsection 1: The Father who cleanses through Jesus as the vine (1-3) ............................ - 15 - 3.1.2 Subsection 2: Mutual indwelling and bearing fruit (4-6) .................................................... - 16 - 3.1.3 Subsection 3: Indwelling and bearing fruit to God’s glory (7-8) ........................................ - 18 - 3.1.4 Subsection 4: Joyfully dwelling in love (9-17) ................................................................... - 19 - 3.2 Section 2. The world’s hatred towards the disciples (18-25)..................................................... - 23 - 3.2.1 Subsection 1: The possibility of hatred by the world (18-21) ............................................ - 24 - 3.2.2 Subsection 2: The hatred of the world makes them guilty (22-25) ..................................... - 25 - 4. The Paraclete and sustained witnessing (26-27) .............................................................................. - 26 - 5. Conclusion ....................................................................................................................................... - 27 - CHAPTER 3 THE SPIRITUAL AND MYSTICAL NATURE OF JOHN’S GOSPEL ............................ - 28 - 1. Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... - 28 - 2. John’s Gospel in light of modern Johannine research ..................................................................... - 28 - 3. Recent trends .................................................................................................................................... - 30 - 4. The notion of a spiritual reading ...................................................................................................... - 32 - 4.1 General studies in Spirituality .................................................................................................... - 34 - 4.2 Biblical Spirituality .................................................................................................................... - 35 - 4.3 Paving the way for a spiritual reading ....................................................................................... - 37 - 4.4 An example of a spiritual reading .............................................................................................. - 40 - 4.4.1 God as the source of love .................................................................................................... - 40 - 4.4.2 Transformed to imitate Jesus .............................................................................................. - 41 - 4.4.3 The ultimate goal: An eschatological Spirituality of love .................................................. - 42 - 5. Spirituality and mysticism ............................................................................................................... - 43 - 6. Research on mysticism .................................................................................................................... - 46 - 6.1 Characteristics of mystical experiences ..................................................................................... - 47 - 6.1.1 Prayerful longing ................................................................................................................ - 47 - 6.1.2 The presence of the experiential kernel .............................................................................. - 48 - 6.1.3 Ecstasy ................................................................................................................................ - 48 - 6.1.4 Detachment and surrender .................................................................................................. - 48 - 6.1.5 Passivity and immediacy..................................................................................................... - 49 - 6.1.6 Union................................................................................................................................... - 50 - 6.1.7 Contemplation ..................................................................................................................... - 50 - 6.1.8 Indwelling ........................................................................................................................... - 51 - 6.1.9 Reciprocity .......................................................................................................................... - 51 - 6.1.10 Lasting impact ................................................................................................................... - 51 - 6.1.11 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................ - 52 - 7. Mystical movements in the time of John ......................................................................................... - 52 - 7.1 Jewish mysticism ....................................................................................................................... - 52 - 7.2 Hellenistic and Hellenistic-Jewish mysticism ........................................................................... - 53 - 7.3 Palestinian mysticism ................................................................................................................ - 54 - ii 7.4 John’s Gospel and Merkabah mysticism ................................................................................... - 55 - 7.5 Kanagaraj on Merkabah mysticism and John ............................................................................ - 57 - 7.5.1 The ascent motif in John ..................................................................................................... - 59 - 7.5.2 A vision of God’s glory on the throne ................................................................................ - 60 - 7.5.3 The sending of the Son ....................................................................................................... - 60 - 7.5.4 Indwelling ........................................................................................................................... - 61 - 7.5.5 The light motif .................................................................................................................... - 61 - 7.5.6 The Logos ........................................................................................................................... - 61 - 7.5.7 Esotericism .......................................................................................................................... - 62 - 7.6 Views on a mystical reading of John’s Gospel .......................................................................... - 62 - 7.6.1 A positive approach towards John’s Gospel ....................................................................... - 62 - 7.6.2 Questioning the link with mysticism .................................................................................. - 64 - 7.6.3 as mystical motif and John’s Gospel .................................................................... - 66 - 8. Implications for a mystical reading of John ..................................................................................... - 67 - CHAPTER 4 THE LITERARY CONTEXT OF MENEIN IN JOHN 15 ................................................... - 70 - 1. Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... - 70 - 2. in John 1-14 ........................................................................................................................ - 70 - 2.1 within positive settings ................................................................................................ - 70 - 2.1.1 John 1: Indwelling and discipleship .................................................................................... - 70 -