Eschatology in the Gospel of John and in the Johannine Epistles

Abstract

With regard to eschatology, the Johannine Writings have always been considered unique in the New Testament, more focused on the spiritual presence, rather than on apocalyptic expectations of Jesus's parousia or a last judgement. While modern scholarship has often tried to purge the Gospel of John from the relics of such apocalyptic views, such a procedure is considered inappropriate in more recent research. The present chapter interprets Johannine eschatology from the experiences and the traditions of the Johannine communities, discusses the relationship between Christology and eschatology and explains the reason for the focus on the presence of eternal life and judgement from the Christology developed in the Johannine community. The most characteristic aspect of Johannine expectation is, then, the hope for a reunion with Christ, without any local or temporal specification.