The anointed community : Christ, Christians and the Spirit according to the Fourth Gospel
Despite the absence of the term 3kklho ia&d12;&d12; in the Fourth Gospel, it is. clear that the gospel's communal images, the prayer for unity in chapter 17, and especially the undertone of the Farewell Discourse point to the assumption that after the death of Jesus the disciples were to constitute a continuing community. Alan Culpepper has pointed to this as well as to the role of the Beloved Disciple in John and the presence of distinctive historical traditions and concluded that there was a Johannine community in the first century which shared the essential characteristics of other ancient schools in Hellenism, Qumran, and contemporary Judaism. The aim of this thesis is to examine one feature of this community's belief and experience namely, the rote of the Spirit in its view both of Christ and of Christian experience. It will be argued that the Johannine community was a pneumatic community in that the anointing of each member was an important distinctive of community life. This meant that the experience of Christ was paradigmatic: he was the Spirit-anointed man whose model was to be emulated. He was the source of the Spirit for the church. And his Spirit was the Spirit that sustained the church in power.
Burge, Gary Mitchell
Fourth Gospel's communal immage
The anointed community : Christ, Christians and the Spirit according to the Fourth Gospel. Despite the absence of the term 3kklho ia&d12;&d12; in the Fourth Gospel, it is. clear that the gospel's communal images, the prayer for unity in chapter 17, and especially the undertone of the Farewell Discourse point to the assumption that after the death of Jesus the disciples were to constitute a continuing community. Alan Culpepper has pointed to this as well as to the role of the Beloved Disciple in John and the presence of distinctive historical traditions and concluded that there was a Johannine community in the first century which shared the essential characteristics of other ancient schools in Hellenism, Qumran, and contemporary Judaism. The aim of this thesis is to examine one feature of this community's belief and experience namely, the rote of the Spirit in its view both of Christ and of Christian experience. It will be argued that the Johannine community was a pneumatic community in that the anointing of each member was an important distinctive of community life. This meant that the experience of Christ was paradigmatic: he was the Spirit-anointed man whose model was to be emulated. He was the source of the Spirit for the church. And his Spirit was the Spirit that sustained the church in power.
anoint community christ christians spirit accord fourth_gospel despite absence term fourth_gospel clear gospel communal image prayer unity especially farewell discourse point assumption death_jesus constitute continue community point well role disciple john presence distinctive historical tradition conclude johannine community share essential characteristic ancient school hellenism qumran contemporary judaism aim_examine feature community belief experience namely spirit view christ christian experience argue johannine community community anoint member important distinctive community life meant experience christ paradigmatic spirit man whose model emulate source spirit church spirit spirit sustain church power