Mark Jennings, «The Fourth Gospel’s Reversal of Mark in John 13,31‒14,3», Vol. 94 (2013) 210-236
I argue that the author/s of the Fourth Gospel knew Mark, based on the reversal of certain Markan themes found in John. No attempt is made here to suggest the kind of literary dependence which is the basis of the Synoptic problem. Rather, my thesis is that the author/s of John may have used Mark from memory, writing deliberately to reverse the apocalyptic tendencies found in the Second Gospel. Isolated incidents of this possible reversal demonstrate little, but this paper proposes that the cumulative force of many such reversals supports the thesis of John's possible knowledge of Mark.
212 MARK JENNINGS
Jesus’ darkest hour on earth is, to the eyes of faith, the hour of
his glorification 11. This passage is rich in irony, because on the
level of “the flesh†Jesus will experience ultimate shame and hu-
miliation in his death on the cross. However, to those who perceive
on the level of “the spiritâ€, it is through the cross that Jesus com-
pletes his mission and reveals the glory and love of the Father, and
returns to the glory he shared with his Father (17,5).
In Johannine thinking, there is one movement of revelation in
Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension, whereby he completes his
mission and returns to the Father 12. “The Father and the Son, united
in love, act in a reciprocity of glorification†13. The whole mission of
Jesus has been a revelation of this glory, and it will reach its climax
in the imminent crucifixion and resurrection. In this event Jesus will
be truly lifted up, and his glorified humanity will be taken up into his
Father’s presence 14.
Raymond Brown has suggested that this section bears compari-
son to eschatological strands in the Synoptic tradition, and cites the
example of the Son of Man coming in the clouds in Mark 13,26 15.
Indeed it is Mark 13,24-27 which presents the most obvious parallel,
and it is now appropriate to turn to an examination of this passage.
1. Mark 13,24-27: The glorious return of the Son of Man
In the literary context, the Markan Jesus completes his descrip-
tions of the tribulation and the desolating sacrilege, and then moves
into this section. This is marked by the transitional “In that dayâ€,
indicating a time following the terrible events he has discussed.
This is the Markan pattern in the discourse — tribulation followed
SCHNACKENBURG, John, III, 49-50. Segovia suggests that there is a chi-
11
astic structure, indicating that 13,31c and 32c specify the time of this glori-
fication (cf. νῦν and εá½Î¸ÏÏ‚); 13,31c and 32b show different aspects of Jesus’
glorification and 13,31d and 32a indicate the glorification of God by Jesus
— F.F. SEGOVIA, The Farewell of the Word. The Johannine Call to Abide
(Minneapolis, MN 1991) 70.
MOLONEY, Son of Man, 195.
12
A.J. KELLY – F. J. MOLONEY, Experiencing God in the Gospel of John
13
(New York, NY 2003) 283.
D.A. CARSON, The Gospel According to John (Grand Rapids, MI 1991)
14
483.
BROWN, John, 611.
15
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