요한복음 21:24-25에 나타난 인칭 변화 연구와 οίμαι의 번역 재고

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In this paper, I discuss who the author of John’s Gospel is with a study of the changes of personal pronouns in 21:24-25, and point out the problem of the translation of οἶμαι in 21:25 in the New Korean Revised Version (NKRV). These two verses, the final conclusion of the Gospel of John refer to the author who is testifying and writing about the things Jesus has done. The changes in personal pronouns, however, appear in these verses. The author as the witness and the writer of the Gospel is presented with the third-person singular pronoun “his” (αὐτοῦ), then the first-person plural pronoun “we” (the subject of οἴδαμεν), and finally the first-person singular pronoun “I” (the subject of οἶμαι). The problem here is who “we” and “I” are. The debate is generally divided into two distinctly contrasting claims. One is the view that “we” is the plural of real persons (Johannine community) and “I” is a rhetorical expression. The other is the opposite view that “we” is a rhetorical expression and “I” is a real, individual person (author). I accept the second view, and believe that the author of this Gospel is the apostle John who is one of the Twelve.<BR> The three changes in personal pronouns are made according to the author’s intention. The author wants to present himself as “the disciple whom Jesus loved” in the third-person singular form, describing himself as an objective person in the narrative. He also tries to tell the readers that his testimony is true because he had the closest relationship with Jesus compared with others and fully understood what Jesus said. Then, the author changes a personal pronoun into the first and plural “we.” The purpose of such a change is intended to convey the sincerity of the testimony of “the disciple whom Jesus loves.” The narrator of John’s Gospel is expressed with “we” while developing the narrative from beginning to end (e.g. 1:14, 16; 21:24). Here, the use of “we” not only functions to increase the authority of the testimony, but also makes those who have faith participate in the author’s testimony. Finally, the author addresses himself as “I” with freedom and humility, praising Jesus for the greatness and vastness of his works. The author