Words

Last semester I took a class on the Gospel of John. For the final paper of that class I did a brief narrative analysis of the trial of Jesus by Pilate. This begins a series of posts on that analysis. First I will give a short introduction on what the paper (series of posts) is about, then the passage itself from the NASB, and finally a brief look at structure and textual issues. Tomorrow we will look at some rhetorical aspects of this passage.

John 18:28 – 19:16a (NASB)

Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas into the Praetorium, and it was early; and they themselves did not enter into the Praetorium so that they would not be defiled, but might eat the Passover. Therefore Pilate went out to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this Man?” They answered and said to him, “If this Man were not an evildoer, we would not have delivered Him to you.” So Pilate said to them, “Take Him yourselves, and judge Him according to your law.” The Jews said to him, “We are not permitted to put anyone to death,” to fulfill the word of Jesus which He spoke, signifying by what kind of death He was about to die.

Therefore Pilate entered again into the Praetorium, and summoned Jesus and said to Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Are you saying this on your own initiative, or did others tell you about Me?” Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests delivered You to me; what have You done?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.” Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?”

And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews and said to them, “I find no guilt in Him. “But you have a custom that I release someone for you at the Passover; do you wish then that I release for you the King of the Jews?” So they cried out again, saying, “Not this Man, but Barabbas.” Now Barabbas was a robber.

Pilate then took Jesus and scourged Him. And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and put a purple robe on Him; and they began to come up to Him and say, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and to give Him slaps in the face. Pilate came out again and said to them, “Behold, I am bringing Him out to you so that you may know that I find no guilt in Him.” Jesus then came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Behold, the Man!” So when the chief priests and the officers saw Him, they cried out saying, “Crucify, crucify!” Pilate said to them, “Take Him yourselves and crucify Him, for I find no guilt in Him.” The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and by that law He ought to die because He made Himself out to be the Son of God.”

Therefore when Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid; and he entered into the Praetorium again and said to Jesus, “Where are You from?” But Jesus gave him no answer. So Pilate said to Him, “You do not speak to me? Do You not know that I have authority to release You, and I have authority to crucify You?” Jesus answered, “You would have no authority over Me, unless it had been given you from above; for this reason he who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.” As a result of this Pilate made efforts to release Him, but the Jews cried out saying, “If you release this Man, you are no friend of Caesar; everyone who makes himself out to be a king opposes Caesar.”

Therefore when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out, and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabbatha. Now it was the day of preparation for the Passover; it was about the sixth hour. And he said to the Jews, “Behold, your King!” So they cried out, “Away with Him, away with Him, crucify Him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.” So he then handed Him over to them to be crucified.

Introduction and Justification

This paper is a narrative critical look at the trial of Jesus before Pilate (John 18:28 – 19:16a). Emphasis will lie on the rhetorical devices employed by the evangelist because he relied heavily upon them to illustrate his point of view. Additionally, this paper will look at setting, character, and plot. Narrative criticism is useful because it 1) views the text as a whole, 2) examines the complexities and nuances of a text, and 3) emphasizes the effects on the reader.¹ Through a narrative critical look at the text one can find the point of view of the author, which “is the narrator’s attitude towards or evaluation of characters, dialogue, actions, settings, and events….”² Thus, as this paper examines these narrative elements to find the evangelist’s point of view, it will uncover the meaning in the text.

Narrative Analysis

Structure

Most scholars are in agreement concerning the structure of this particular drama. The pericope is divided into seven episodes denoted by movement from inside to outside and vice versa.³ Rudolf Schnackenburg points out that as the drama unfolds the two locations (inside and outside) move closer together until everyone is gathered together around the judgment-seat; in this way it is a “well-considered and dramatically-developed play.”⁴ He considers this pericope to be the heart of the Johannine Passion account because of its length alone.⁵ Raymond Brown notes parallelism in this sevenfold structure. The first and seventh, second and sixth, third and fifth each relate to its pair (even in narrative length) and point to the center fourth scene.⁶

Textual Issues

There is one textual issue that should be noted. The UBS⁴ points out that kakon poion in 18:30 has several variants – kakon poiesas, kakopoion, kakopoiwn, and kakopoios.⁷ The committee decision was not easy, but it was also not the extremely difficult to make as the rating of “B” points out.⁸ Brown points out that the variants are most likely due to scribes attempting to improve the awkwardness Semitism of the phrase.⁹ J. H. Bernard also notes the variant but concludes that “[i]n any case, the reply of the Jews is an insolent one.”¹⁰ The variant in this text has little if no impact on the meaning of the pericope.

¹ Resseguie, James L. Narrative Criticism of the New Testament: An Introduction. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2005, 38-40.

² Resseguie, James L. The Strange Gospel: Narrative Design & Point of View in John. Biblical Interpretation Series. Edited by Rolf Rendtorff R. Alan Culpepper. Vol. 56. Boston: Brill, 2001, 1.

³ Of the commentators examined only one is radically different. Carson, D.A. The Gospel According to John. Grand Rapids, MI: Eermans Publishing Company, 1991divides it into four parts, encompasing the last four scenes of the traditional seven scene episode into one part. All the others are in fair agreement (although the start and ending points may vary slightly) about the divisions. Moloney, Francis J. The Gospel of John. Sacra Pagina Series. Edited by Daniel J. Harrington. Vol. 4. Collegeville, Minnesota: The Liturgical Press, 1998 adds an introduction and conclusion and Bultmann, Rudolf. The Gospel of John: A Commentary. Translated by R.W.N. Hoare, J.K. Riches G.R. Beasley-Murray. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1971 has only six scenes instead of seven combing the traditional fourth and fifth scenes into one.

⁴ Schnackenburg, Rudolf. The Gospel According to St. John. Herder’s Theological Commentary on the New Testament. Edited by Lucien Cerfaux, Beda Rigaux, Rudolf Schnackenburg, Anton Vogtle Serafin de Ausejo. Vol. III. New York: Cross Road, 1990, 242. Duke, Paul D. Irony in the Fourth Gospel. Atlanta, GA: John Knox Press, 1985, 127 notes that the seven scene narrative is closely aligned with the drama of the man born blind.

⁵ Ibid., 241.

⁶ Brown, Raymond E. The Gospel According to John. The Anchor Bible. Vol. II. Garden City, New York: Doubleday & Company Inc., 1970, 859.

⁷ The Greek New Testament. 4th Edition. Edited by Barabara Aland, Kirt Aland, Johannes Karavidopoulos, Carol M. Martini, Bruce M. Metzger. D-Stuttgart: Deutsche Dibelgesellschaft, 2001, 394.

⁸ Ibid., 394.

⁹ Brown 1970, 848. Bultmann 1971, 652 also notes this is probably a Semitism.

¹⁰ Bernhard, J.H. Gospel According to St. John. The International Critical Commentary. Edited by A.H. McNeile. Vol. II. New York: Charles Scribner’s & Sons, 1929, 607

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