Is Rome anywhere in view in John’s Gospel? In light of the discussion in the previous five posts (here, here, here, here, and here), the answer to this question must necessarily be, “Yes.” There is no doubt that the Gospel was written in a Roman context and contains some Roman images and characters. In that light, perhaps the more important question is, “To what degree is Rome in view in John’s Gospel?” There are places in John that show contact with the Roman world. For example, the title, “Savior of the world” (ho sōtēr tou kosmou, 4:42) is not a distinctly Jewish or Samaritan phrase and therefore is likely meant to serve as a vehicle for some kind of counter-imperial sentiment. That example is debatable but there are a few places where Rome is clearly visible. The audience learns that Rome is complicit in the death of Jesus (18:1-11). Also, Jesus has a lengthy interaction with Pilate (18:28-19:16) in a scene which provides our conversation partners with an unassailable example of Rome’s place in the narrative. In short, Rome is not completely absent from the Fourth Gospel and we are indebted to Thatcher, Carter, and Richey for pointing out some of the ways John intends Rome to be visible to the literary audience. Even in the face of evidence that John’s Gospel contains some interest in Rome, interpreters must proceed with hermeneutical and exegetical caution.
In all types of literature, secular and sacred, ancillary features of a narrative are often used to make a point loosely related to the main thrust(s) of the story. The presence of secondary or tertiary themes need not detain the exegete to the same degree as the story’s plotline, character development, and recurring motifs. As an example from English literature, no one familiar with James Joyce’s Ulysses would assume that bar patrons in the town of Dublin constitute a major area of interest for the story. The bar patrons, along with the other residents of Dublin, help to create a realistic picture of the physical setting in which the story takes place. To spend too much time focusing on these ancillary elements of the story would be to badly misread Joyce’s intent. Joyce is concerned to a much greater degree with issues like sexual desire, anti-semitism, and death. The authenticity of the Dublin scenery merely serves as a backdrop to the story.
In the same way, the Fourth Gospel is largely concerned with the incarnate Logos who has come down from above. The Johannine Jesus steps down into a specifically Jewish context which is admittedly within a wider Roman context, but his conversations, discourses, and signs are all related to distinctly Jewish concerns. Jesus has come to fulfill and transcend Jewish expectations. The Roman scenery serves as the realistic backdrop to the wider story but it is not the story and should not be confused with the story. The studies of Thatcher, Carter, and Richey insist that we pay attention to Roman concerns and remain open to the fruit of future research in this area. While we must ultimately recognize that Rome is present in John, specific points of contact with Roman characters and images are minimal and do not constitute a major emphasis for the Fourth Gospel.
