'My Father's Name': A Survey of Research on the Use of onoma with Respect to the Father in the Fourth Gospel. (February 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Coutts, Joshua
• Is Part Of: Currents in biblical research. Volume 15:Number 2(2017:Feb.)
• Page Start: 248
• Page End: 260
• Publication Date: 2017-02
• Subjects: Divine name -- Father -- God -- Gospel of John -- I am -- Isaiah -- Johannine Christology -- Johannine theology -- name Angel -- narrative criticism -- Targums -- Tetragrammaton; Jews -- History -- 953-586 B.C -- Periodicals; Jews -- History -- 586 B.C.-70 A.D -- Periodicals; 220
• DOI: 10.1177/1476993X15602148
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1476-993X

Abstract

This essay provides a survey of research for one distinctive feature of the Fourth Gospel, namely, the striking emphasis on 'name' ( onoma ) language used with reference to the Father. The small existing body of research on John's divine name concept may be situated in the context of a resurgent interest in the question of 'God' in the Fourth Gospel, and alongside broader New Testament research focused on the application of ' kyrios ' to Jesus or on the divine functions attributed to Jesus' own name. The research that has focused on John's use of the divine name may be divided into two groups: there are attempts to identify the background to John's name concept, including proposals for a Jewish hypostatic name concept, targumic tradition or the text of Isaiah; and studies which analyse John's name language have sought to locate its meaning within the context of the Gospel itself.