The Style of the Gospel of John.
The style of the fourth Gospel differs widely from the ecclesiastical writers of the second
century, and belongs to the apostolic age. It has none of the technical theological terms of
post-apostolic controversies, no allusions to the state of the church, its government and worship,
but moves in the atmosphere of the first Christian generation; yet differs widely from the style of
the Synoptists and is altogether unique in the history of secular and religious literature, a fit
expression of the genius of John: clear and deep, simple as a child, and mature as a saint, sad and
yet serene, and basking in the sunshine of eternal life and love. The fourth Gospel is pure Greek in
vocabulary and grammar, but thoroughly Hebrew in temper and spirit, even more so than any other
book, and can be almost literally translated into Hebrew without losing its force or beauty. It has
the childlike simplicity, the artlessness, the imaginativeness, the directness, the circumstantiality,
and the rhythmical parallelism which characterize the writings of the Old Testament. The sentences
are short and weighty, coordinated, not subordinated. The construction is exceedingly simple: no
involved periods, no connecting links, no logical argumentation, but a succession of self-evident
truths declared as from immediate intuition. The parallelism of Hebrew poetry is very apparent in
such double sentences as: "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you;" "A servant is not
greater than his lord; neither one that is sent greater than he that sent him;" "All things were made
by him, and without him was not anything made that hath been made." Examples of antitheticMatt. 9:6: Arise, and take up thy bed, and go unto thy house. Cf. Mark 2:9; Luke 5:24.
6:20: It is I, be not afraid.
Matt 14:27: It is I, be not afraid. Cf. Mark 6:50.
6:35: He that cometh to me shall not hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
Matt. 5:6; Luke 6:21: Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
6:37: All that which the Father giveth me shall come unto me; and him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out.
Matt. 11:28, 29: Come unto me, an ye that labor and are heavy laden, ... and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
6:46: Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is from God, he hath seen the Father. Cf. 1:18: No man hath
seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
Matt. 11:27: And no one knoweth the Son, save the Father, neither doth any know the Father, save the Son, and he to
whomsoever the Son willeth to reveal him.
12:8: For the poor ye have always with you; but me ye have not always.
Matt. 26:11: For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always. Cf. Mark 14:7.
12:25: He that loveth his life loseth it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.
Matt. 10: 39: He that findeth his life shall lose it; and he thatloseth his life for my sake shall find it. Cf. 16:25; Mark 8:35;
Luke 9:24; 17:83.
12:27: Now is my soul troubled; and what shall say? Father, save me from this hour. But for this cause came I unto this
hour.
Matt. 26:38: Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death. Cf. Mark 14:84.
13:3: Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands ....
Matt. 11:27: All things have been delivered unto me of my Father.
13:16: Verily, verily I say unto you, A servant is not greater than his lord.
Matt. 10:24: A disciple is not above his master, nor a servant above his lord. Cf. Luke 6:40.
13:20: He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
Matt. 10:40: He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
14:18: I will not leave you desolate; I come unto you. Cf. 14:23: We will ... make our abode with him.
Matt. 28:20: I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.
15:21: But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake.
Matt. 10:22: And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s make.
17:2: Even as thou gavest him authority over all flesh.
Matt. 28:18: All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth.
20:23: Whosover sins ye forgive, they are forgiven unto them.
Matt. 18:18: What things soever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.A.D. 1-100.