This study attempts to analyse the narrative function and the theological significance of Jesus\u2019 mother for the overall theology of the fourth gospel, mainly based on the exegetical method of narrative criticism.In the first part, the problem of the anonymity of Jesus\u2019 mother in juxtapposition with the anonymity of the beloved disciple is dealt with. The second part consists of a detailed exegetical approach to the narrative of Jesus\u2019 first sign in Cana within the Johannine narrative context as a whole. On this basis, in the third part a response to further relevant questions about the significance of Jesus\u2019 mother according to the overall fourth gospel\u2019s witness is attempted. The article is concluded with a summary of exegetical and theological positions, including a hypothesis about a possible Johannine background of the current Orthodox understanding of Theotokos.<\/p>\n

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The fourth evangelist presents the mother of Jesus quite differently from the synoptic gospels. Specifically, he never mentions her name, and omits the nativity stories altogether, although apparently having some knowledge of at least parts of the synoptic tradition.1<\/span> \u00a0Instead, he refers to her in two incidents that are unknown to the synoptic gospels, namely the miraculous change of water into wine at Cana of Galilee (John 2:1-11), and her presence along with the beloved disciple at the foot of the cross (John 19:26-27). Through these two stories the fourth evangelist apparently complements the synoptic tradition and at the same time interprets it anew. The obvious question arising from these observations regards the particular significance of the \u2018mother of Jesus\u2019 in the Johannine narration and theology.\u00a0In my attempt to answer to this question, I will base my analysis on a relatively new method in New Testament studies, namely narrative criticism.2<\/span><\/p>\n

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1 \u00a0For the problem of John\u2019s knowledge of the synoptic tradition, see for instance Ian D. Mackay, John\u2019s Relationship with Mark: An Analysis of John 6 in the Light of Mark 6\u20138, WUNT 2\/182 (T\u00fcbingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2004); John Amedee Bailey, The Traditions Common to the Gospels of Luke and John (Leiden: Brill, 1963); Andrew Gregory, \u2018The Third Gospel? The Relationship of John and Luke Reconsidered\u2019 in Challenging Perspectives on the Gospel of John, WUNT 2\/219, ed. John Lierman (T\u00fcbingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2006), 109\u2013134.<\/p>\n

2 \u00a0On the use of narrative criticism in New Testament studies, see for instance James L. Resseguie, Narrative Criticism of the New Testament. An Introduction (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic Press, 2005).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The fourth evangelist presents the mother of Jesus quite differently from the synoptic gospels. Specifically, he never mentions her name, and omits the nativity stories altogether, although apparently having some knowledge of at least parts of the synoptic tradition.1 Instead, he refers to her in two incidents that are unknown to the synoptic gospels, namely the miraculous change of water into wine at Cana of Galilee (John 2:1-11), and her presence along with the beloved disciple at the foot of the cross (John 19:26-27). Through these two stories the fourth evangelist apparently complements the synoptic tradition and at the same time interprets it anew. The obvious question arising from these observations regards the particular significance of the \u2018mother of Jesus\u2019 in the Johannine narration and theology.\r\n
\r\nThe fourth evangelist presents the mother of Jesus quite differently from the synoptic gospels. Specifically, he never mentions her name, and omits the nativity stories altogether, although apparently having some knowledge of at least parts of the synoptic tradition.1 Instead, he refers to her in two incidents that are unknown to the synoptic gospels, namely the miraculous change of water into wine at Cana of Galilee (John 2:1-11), and her presence along with the beloved disciple at the foot of the cross (John 19:26-27). Through these two stories the fourth evangelist apparently complements the synoptic tradition and at the same time interprets it anew. The obvious question arising from these observations regards the particular significance of the \u2018mother of Jesus\u2019 in the Johannine narration and theology...","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[42],"tags":[43],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/admin.analogiajournal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2386"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/admin.analogiajournal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/admin.analogiajournal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/admin.analogiajournal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/admin.analogiajournal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2386"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/admin.analogiajournal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2386\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/admin.analogiajournal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2386"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/admin.analogiajournal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2386"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/admin.analogiajournal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2386"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}