Metaphor, Ritual, and Order in John 12-13: Judas and the Prince

Research output: Book/ReportBookpeer-review

Abstract

The book begins with a critical rethinking of the Johannine Jesus’ prediction of the expulsion of ‘the ruler of this world’ (John 12:31), defends a widely overlooked alternative interpretation, and uses a combination of linguistic and comparative methods to develop a fresh reading whose implications are traced throughout John’s Gospel The most consequential finding of the analysis is the presence of a prophecy-fulfilment scheme wherein the exorcistic event anticipated by Jesus as imminent in John 12:31 is, contrary to the standard readings of that verse, subsequently implied to have taken place in the withdrawal of Judas from the Jesus circle (John 13:30). As for why Jesus is less interested in expelling the satanic ruler from Judas than he is in evicting the possessed Judas from the circle of faithful disciples, the behaviour of Judas at the meal in Bethany (John 12:1-8) is interpreted as a negative honour-challenge that insults every other named participant at the event. Judas’s uncooperative behaviour, when seen from a comparative perspective informed by ancient Mediterranean banquet-symposium traditions, would have invited disciplinary intervention by the group and its leader, something Jesus achieves by a combination of ritual and verbal means in John 13:1-30.
Original languageEnglish
Place of PublicationLondon
PublisherRoutledge
Number of pages120
ISBN (Electronic)9781003359319
ISBN (Print)9781032394510
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 3 Jul 2023

Publication series

NameRoutledge Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Biblical Criticism
PublisherRoutledge

Keywords

  • Bible
  • New Testament
  • Gospel of John
  • Jesus
  • Judas
  • exorcism
  • Satan
  • devil
  • demonology
  • magic
  • eucharist
  • metaphor
  • discourse analysis
  • association meals
  • ritual
  • spirit-possession

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