Pat Arensberg: Introduction to John

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”  -John 1:1

From the very “beginning” John makes it very clear that his Gospel is going to be a bit different.  John’s Gospel tells the same story, namely the good news of Jesus Christ, but he does so in a much more theological way.  By all accounts, John’s is the last Gospel written.  On average scholars date its composition to about the year 95 a.d.  John, the beloved disciple of Jesus, has had more time to reflect on the events than did his Evangelist predecessors.  Some Protestant scholars call John’s the “Catholic Gospel” because some of the Church’s doctrines are more explicit there.  Many scholars call John’s the “Book of Signs” because it is built around signs that Jesus works.

In John notes throughout his Gospel that Jesus is in control of events.  He is not just being swept passively along to an untimely death (see 19:28 when he is fully aware that everything is finished he proclaims that he thirsts just before dying.)  He is often aware of people’s thoughts or truths even though they have not been spoken (see Jn 4 and his conversation with the Samaritan woman).  

Another very beautiful feature of John’s Gospel is his use of the image of light and darkness, “What came to be through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it (1:5).”  John carries this theme through his account.  I love the image because it is a reminder that evil is not as “real” as the good.  In other words, when darkness and light come together in battle light always wins.  In fact, darkness is not a thing in itself; it is simply the deprivation of light.  Darkness cannot even define itself without light.  

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About Pat Arensberg Patrick Arensberg is the Director of Religious Education for the Archdiocese of Mobile. Previously, he taught for 17 years at McGill-Toolen Catholic High School, where he served as Chairman of the Theology Department. He attended the Gregorian University in Rome and holds an M.A. in Theology from Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans. He is married to Connie and they live in Mobile with their 5 children.