Rewriting Jesus as the “Son” and “Chosen” of God: A Textual Criticism of John 1:34 By Kim Fromkin Faculty Mentor: Dr. Fred Downing, Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies
Article Abstract: The problem of the literary relationship of the gospel traditions continues to be a debated issue in the scholarship of the New Testament. The relationship of John 1 and the so-called Synoptics is a microcosm of this debate. In translating texts concerning the baptism of Jesus, the Synoptics specify Jesus as the “son” of God by using the Greek term υιός, while the Gospel of John identifies Jesus as the “chosen” of God with the use of the Greek term εκλεκτός. Throughout all of John’s gospel, Jesus is identified as the Son of God as seen in the Synoptic accounts except in the baptismal story in John 1:34. The thesis of this article is that there are two common themes of Jewish tradition surrounding the ideologies of “sonship” and “chosen” in connection with the sacrament of baptism. Therefore, this article will analyze works from various scholars to explore the textual variations in John 1:34. The discussion of the two themes “sonship” and “chosen” provides a heuristic introduction to the Synoptic problem and an opportunity to consider the growth of two ideas concerning Jesus which shaped the early church in the first and second centuries.
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