Texts in Conversation
In John, Jesus uses the language of Isaiah 56 and its description of gathering the exiles to describe the unity of believers. The gospel expands this vision to highlight the unity of both Jews and Gentiles under one leader.
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Isaiah 56:8
Hebrew Bible
7 I will bring them to my holy mountain; I will make them happy in the temple where people pray to me. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar, for my temple will be known as a temple where all nations may pray.” 8 The Sovereign Lord says this, the one who gathers the dispersed of Israel: “I will still gather them up.” 9 All you wild animals in the fields, come and devour, all you wild animals in the forest! 10 All their watchmen are blind, they are unaware. All of them are like mute dogs, unable to bark. They pant, lie down, and love to snooze.
Date: 7th-5th Centuries B.C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
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John 10:16
New Testament
15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that do not come from this sheepfold. I must bring them too, and they will listen to my voice, so that there will be one flock and one shepherd. 17 This is why the Father loves me—because I lay down my life, so that I may take it back again.
Date: 90-110 C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
"... John’s Gospel features numerous Old Testament (OT) allusions and verbal parallels with the OT. The range of allusions spans virtually the entire OT. Particularly frequent are allusions to the Pentateuch, Psalms, and OT prophetic literature, particularly Isaiah (see also Ezekiel and Zechariah). In some cases, a given Johannine reference presupposes a foundational passage in the OT (e.g., 19:31 with reference to Deuteronomy 21:22–23). At times, reference is made to a particular OT event (e.g., 3:14; 6:32; 7:22–23). In yet other instances, a given statement in John’s Gospel employs OT language (e.g., 16:22 with reference to Isaiah 66:14). More significant still are verifiable OT allusions and verbal parallels that draw on the theology of a particular OT passage (e.g., 10:16 with reference to Isaiah 56:8; Ezekiel 34:23; 37:24). Together with the direct OT quotations and references to broader OT themes (including the Johannine replacement motif), the OT allusions found in John’s Gospel create a web of intertextuality that grounds the theology of the Fourth Gospel profoundly in the Hebrew Scriptures ..."
Köstenberger, Andreas J.
"John" in Beale, G. K., and D. A. Carson, editors. Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament
(p. 1004) Baker Academic, 2007
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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