A Missional Reading of the Fourth Gospel: A Gospel-Driven Theology of Discipleship

The Fourth Gospel has contributed to the Church’s thinking on several theological themes. This book studies the missiology of the Gospel by reading the Fourth Gospel from a missional perspective. The author does not seek to find a pre-defined mission within the Gospel, but seeks instead to discover the central message of the Gospel from a missional point of view. Thus, the author reads the whole story of the Gospel from a missional perspective. The author divides the Gospel into four parts: 1:1-2:12 provides a Johannine grand narrative of the missional God as an introduction for the rest of the Gospel; 2:13-12:50 reveals a two-fold ministry of Jesus (his encounters with the Jews demolishing the pride of their natural descent) and his interactions with individuals, particularly the marginalized, building a new community through those who believe in him; 13:1-17:26 addresses Jesus’ exclusive interaction with his disciples where Jesus explains what is expected of the discipleship community; 18:1-21:25 includes the achievement of Christ through his crucifixion and resurrection. The implications of these readings for mission, particularly for the concept of missio Dei, form a conclusion.