John’s Gospel

Abstract

Abstract John’s Gospel has been traditionally regarded as a “spiritual gospel,” which is concerned with the revelation of Jesus’ identity as the Messiah and Son of God. An ecological reading of the gospel, however, highlights the close identification of Jesus with the natural world. The prologue states that the world came into being through Jesus. Jesus identifies himself with the natural world in his “I am” sayings: “I am the bread of life,” “I am the light of the world,” and “I am the true vine.” This chapter argues that Jesus’ gift of eternal life is defined in terms of the abundance of the natural world. The gifts Jesus brings are linked to his death on the cross. John’s Gospel is not only concerned with the salvation of human beings. Jesus casts out the “ruler of the world” and liberates the natural world from the power of evil.