Structural Outlines of the Fourth Gospel
by Rev. Felix Just, S.J., Ph.D.


The Wedding at Cana (2:1-12)
[full NAB text] [see related art] [see Johannine Signs]

A) 1-2:  Temporal & Geographical Setting: "on the third day" - "a wedding in Cana in Galilee"
     Characters Introduced: 1: "the mother of Jesus was there"; 2: "Jesus and his disciples were also invited."

B) 3-4:  Mother tells Jesus about lack of more wine; Jesus responds: "...My hour has not yet come."

C) 5:  Mother tells servants to do what Jesus says.

D) 6:  Mention of six stone water jars: holding 2 or 3 "measures" (20-30 gallons) each, for Jewish purity rituals.

C') 7-8:  Jesus tells servants what to do, and they do it.

B') 9-10:  Chief Steward tells Bridegroom about quality of new wine; he says: "...you have kept the good wine until now."

A') 11-12: Theological Summary: "the beginning of his SIGNS in Cana in Galilee"; "he revealed his glory; his disciples believed in him"
      Characters Reviewed: 11: Jesus and his disciples; 12: "he and his mother and his brothers and his disciples"
      Geographical & Temporal Transition: "...went down to Capernaum and stayed there only a few days"


The Incident in the Jerusalem Temple (2:13-22)
[full NAB text] [see related art]

A) 13: Temporal and Geographical Introduction: "Passover was near; Jesus went up to Jerusalem"

B) 14-17: Prophetic/Symbolic Action: Jesus in the Jerusalem Temple 

14) He finds animal sellers and moneychangers in the Temple.
   15) He drives the animals (but not the merchants?) out of the Temple.
16) He alludes to scripture: don't make my Father's house a marketplace (cf. Zech 14:21).
  17) His
disciples remember another scripture: "zeal for your house will consume me" (Ps 69:10). 

C) 18: "The Jews" (temple authorities?) challenge Jesus: "What SIGN will you show us?"

B') 19-22: Prophetic/Symbolic Discussion: Raising the Temple of Jesus' Body

19) Jesus asserts: "Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up."
   20) Jews respond: "This temple is being built for 46 years; you will raise it up in three days?"
21) Narrator clarifies: he was speaking about "the temple of his body."
   22) The disciples remember Jesus' words, and believe the scriptures (cf. Mal 3:1).

A') 23-25: Temporal and Geographical Transition: "While he was in Jerusalem, for the feast of Passover"

Note: John 2:23-25 really function as the introduction to the first episode in John 3.

 

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