A Grammar of the Ethics of John: Reading John from an Ethical Perspective. Volume 1 (Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen Zum Neuen Testament)

After a century of neglect, Johannine ethics has enjoyed a recent surge in interest inspired by new theoretical insights in analysing ethical data in John's Gospel. By closely re-reading the text on the basis of this fresh research, Jan G. van der Watt's aim in the present volume is to reveal ethical data within its structural interrelatedness. The result is a comprehensive overview of basic questions related to ethics, such as what the basis or source of ethics actually is, whether identity plays a role in ethical decision making, how values and ethical requirements are to be recognised, what is expected of an ethical agent, and what ethical behaviour looks like. As a coherent guide to getting deeds done ethically, this first volume on the grammar of the apostle's ethics focuses on his Gospel, while a second is set to concentrate on his letters. Preface Table of Contents Abbreviations 1. What are they saying about ethics in John? 2. Approaching an ethical reading of John: Ethics, morals, ethos and other issues 3. Ethics and narrative 4. A social and historical context for the ethics of John 5. The will of the Father: Faith as the first and basic ethical action 6. Relations as part of the grammar of ethics of John: Its nature and complexity 7. Ethical ‘(A)agents’: Representing and mediating good behaviour 8. Love, light and truth as overarching ethical concepts 9. The Law: Interpretation and discernment 10. Ethos of the Johannine group? 11. Specific ethical issues in John? 12. A grammar of Johannine ethics: A summarized and systematic presentation of Johannine ethics Addenda Addendum 1: Worldview, identity, principles and behaviour. Action formation: A continuum Addendum 2: The role and function of earthly family ties in John Addendum 3: Aspects of friendship in the ancient Graeco-Roman and Jewish worlds Addendum 4: Mimesis Addendum 5: Reciprocity Addendum 6: Theory of language: some brief considerations Addendum 7: Education within ancient families Addendum 8: What does the cleansing of the temple tells us about ethics? Addendum 9: Paradigmatic summary of some of the relevant elements of the grammar of Johannine ethics Addendum 10: Paradigmatic summary of the functional nature of some of the relevant concepts of the grammar of Johannine ethics Addendum 11: Paradigmatic summary of the functional nature of some of the key ethical agents within the grammar of Johannine ethics Bibliography Index of Biblical Sources Index of Non-Biblical Sources Index of Modern Authors