Johannine Dualism: life and death, light and darkness, flesh and spirit, falsehood and truth, above and below

Introduction

The Gospel of John is one of the most captivating books of the Bible. It does not only grasp the attention of scholars, but also countless of laypersons: men, women, and young people throughout the world. It’s often-quoted verses mark it as one of the most beloved works of Christian literature. Besides that, the presence of “dualism” makes it unique and interesting for the readers. John Dualistic Theology is known in part for his use of duality to rhetorically drive home his theological message.

1. Concept of Dualism

The word ‘Dualism’ has been variously used in the history of theology and philosophy, but the basic conception is that of a distinction between two principles as independent of one another and in some instances opposed to one another. Thus, in theology, God is set over against some spiritual principle of evil or the material world. And in philosophy – spirit over against matter. In psychology, soul or mind over against body.¹

2. Johannine Dualism

The Fourth Gospel declares its dualism clearly from the very first page: ‘The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not mastered it’ (1: 5).² It is also presented with a series of symbolic divisions: above and below (8:23), life and death (3:36), truth and falsehood or lie (8:44-45), heaven and earth (3:31), God and the devil (8:42-44).³

It is important to note that dualism of the gospel presents the readers with two alternatives by which they may live their lives by faith or by unbelief. It means that the primary function is “existential”. Which means that the impact of the dualistic language is to lead the readers to the point of decision with regard to Christ, i.e., the revelation.⁴

2.1. Two worlds

In 8:23 and 13:1, we see that this world is set over against another realm. In both cases the point is that Jesus’ home is not this world but another. “You are of this world, I am not of this world” (8:23), “Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father (13:1).⁵ The concept of the world is also visible in other verses, and they are two quite distinct oppositions implied by the term [translate:κόσμος], and although these may coincide they also differ significantly. Thus Jesus can say of his disciples: ‘they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world’ (17: 16) and inform Pilate that his kingdom is ‘not of this world’ (18: 36). In these two instances [translate:εκ] of [translate:εκ του κόσμου] indicates the nature of what Jesus confronts; often it expresses origin as well: ‘He who is of the earth belongs to the earth…he who comes from heaven is above all’ (3: 31). This implies ‘You are from below’, ‘I am from above’ – ‘you are of this world, I am not of this world.’⁶

2.2. Darkness and Light

The world below is the realm of darkness, but the world above is the world of light. Christ has come into the realm of darkness to bring the light. Light and darkness are seen as two principles in conflict with each other. “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (1:5). Jesus is himself the light (8:12) and has come that people may not remain in darkness but may have the light of life and be enabled to walk in the light so that they may not stumble (8:12; 9:5; 11:9; 12:35, 46).⁷

Light manifests the power and presence of God. It emanates from the [translate:logos], and it manifests the “life” given to people through God’s word.⁸ Those who receive the light become children of light (12:36). However, in spite of the fact that the light has come into the world, people loved darkness rather than light and refused to come to the light because their deeds were evil. Whoever “does the truth” comes to the light that his or her true nature may be disclosed (3:19- 20). In John the crowning evil is hatred of the light – unbelief in Jesus.⁹

2.3. Flesh and Spirit¹⁰

Another contrast in this dualism, although of more limited usage, is that between flesh and Spirit. Flesh belongs to the realm below; Spirit to the realm above. The flesh is not sinful, as in Paul, but represents the weakness and impotence of the lower realm. Ordinary human life is “born … of the will of the flesh” (1:13), i.e., by natural human procreation. The flesh is not sinful, for “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (1:14). Flesh is synonymous with humanity — humankind. However, the flesh is limited to the lower realm; it cannot reach up to the life of the world above. “That which is born of the flesh is flesh” (3:6); people must be born from above. Being born from above is further described as being born of the Spirit. Humans in and of themselves are weak and mortal; only by an inner work of God’s Spirit can they either understand or experience the blessings of the heavenly realm (3:12). Eternal life is the gift of God’s Spirit; in the light of eternity, the flesh is of no avail. It cannot enable a person to attain to life eternal (6:63).

A different dimension is interjected into the Johannine dualism in the saying about worship. “God is Spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth” (4:24). “Worship in spirit” does not mean worship in the human Spirit in contrast to worship by the use of external forms and rites; it means worship that is empowered by the Spirit of God. The contrast here is not so much between the world above and the world below as between worship in the former time and worship in the new era inaugurated by Jesus. The contrast is between worship in Spirit and truth as compared with worship in Jerusalem or Gerizim. Here is an “eschatological replacement of temporal institutions like the Temple.” The “Spirit raises men above the earthly level, the level of flesh, and enables them to worship God properly.” Here we meet for the first time the joining of the vertical with the horizontal. Because Jesus has come into the world from above, he has instituted a new order of things.

2.4. Blood and Water¹¹

In John 19:34 – 35 we see “blood and water” flowed from Jesus’ side. What does this refer to? There could be several possibilities, none of which are mutually exclusive.

First, the “blood and water” could be the fulfillment of John 7:38 – 39, where Jesus promised that from his body would flow the water of the Spirit. In other words, Jesus’ death (blood) was the means for dispensing the Holy Spirit to his followers (water). This is the language of the new covenant.

Second, the “blood and water,” as found in 1 John 5:6, may be a polemic against the Docetic secessionists from John’s community. Those people taught that the divine Spirit came upon the man Jesus at his baptism but left him before his death on the cross. John, then, would be refuting such a notion in John 19:34 – 35: Jesus was God both in his baptism (water) and at his death (blood). This view would be strengthened if John knew the Gnostic claim that Simon of Cyrene secretly took Jesus’ place on the cross, leaving the latter to escape death (see Irenaeus, Haer. 3.22.2; 4.33.2). This would explain why John does not mention Simon; John wants to avoid any such connotation.

Third, “blood and water” could also be an allusion to the sacraments of the Eucharist (blood) and baptism (water). In light of John 6, such a theory is not out of the question. John, the Beloved Disciple, was an eyewitness of the flowing blood and water from Jesus’ side, attesting to his death (v. 35).

2.5. Life (eternal) and Death

Johannine writings taught us that to those who believe in Jesus, he gives “life” and delivers them from death, the consequences of being in bondage to sin (8:51). He who believes in Jesus already has eternal life (5:24; 3:36). Believing in the Son issues in life eternal ([translate:zōēn aiōnion]), which contains a present element but this does not exclude a future dimension. This sense of the present reality of salvation provides a wonderful sense of assurance (cf. 1 John 5:9-12).¹² Chapter 4 also highlights Jesus as the giver of “life”, as well as chapter 5 which present Jesus as the giver of life and judgement in his quality of being the Son of Man (5:26-27).¹³

This shows that the pre-existent [translate:Logos] had life in Himself and that His life is the light that transforms human being, enabling them to possess a new life lived in the family of God. and only Jesus can give life and resurrection can only be experienced in Jesus. Thus the word “life” is identical to “eternal life”, the divine gift given to those who believe in Jesus, the Son (3:15- 16).

According to W. F. Howard, “eternal life” is life in the age to come as contrasted with life in the present age. It is therefore essentially future, but Dodd regards it as realized in the present experience of believers. It is important to recognize its present appropriation (cf. John 3:16), but the term cannot be emptied of its abiding significance.¹⁴

Whereas “Death” is just the opposite, and it could also connotes darkness. Jewish and Samaritan sources understood that sin led to death – the region of darkness where people were separated from God.¹⁵ John offers no speculations about the origin of either Satan, sin, or death. Apart from the life brought by Christ, the human race is given up to death, and it is responsible for this because it is sinful. Death is the characteristic of this world; but life has come into this world from above that all may escape death and enter into eternal life (5:24).¹⁶

It is also visible that if one does not ‘belief’ or have hatred against Christ, that person will die in his or her sins (8:24). In this context is probably to be understood the saying in 1 John 5:16f. about the sin that is unto death, i.e., the sin of inflexible unbelief that of itself condemns a person to everlasting separation from God. For this reason, belief in Christ ([translate:pisteuo eis]) receives strong emphasis. In the Synoptics, the phrase is found only once (Mt. 18:6). In John the phrase is found thirteen times in Jesus’ words and twenty-one times in John’s interpretation. Unbelief is of the essence of sin (16:9). Unless people believe, they will perish (3:16), and the wrath of God rests upon them (3:36).¹⁷

Conclusion

Using existing Jewish dualities John structures his theological arguments dualistically “to show the theological truth of God, to discuss the human condition of life in this world, and to present the eschatological reality of eternal life after death for those who walk in the light, who find their life in the Son of God.”¹⁸

John’s dualism is biblical, for its message is the proclamation of the divine visitation of human beings in history in the person of the incarnate Jesus; and the final goal is resurrection, judgment, and life in the Age to Come.

Bibliography

• Ashton, John. Understanding the Fourth Gospel: New edition. New York: Oxford University Press, 2007.
• Borchert, Gerald L. The New American Commentary: Volume 25a – John 1–11, General Editor E. Ray Clendenen. Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1996.
• Douglas, J. D. ed. New Bible Dictionary: Second Edition. England: Inter-Varsity Press, 1962.
• Freedman, David Noel. ed. The Anchor Bible Dictionary: Volume 3 H-J. New York: Doubleday, 1992.
• Kanagaraj, Jey J. The Gospel of John: A Commentary. Andhra Pradesh: OM Books, 2005.
• Koester, Craig R. Symbolism in the Fourth Gospel: Meaning, Mystery, Community – Second Edition. Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress, 2003.
• Kysar, Robert. John the Maverick Gospel: Third Edition. Kentucky: Westminster John Knox Press, 2007.
• Pate, C. Marvin. The Writings of John: A Survey of the Gospel, Epistles and Apocalypse. Zondervan Academic: 2011.
• Vellanickal, Matthew. Studies in the Gospel of John. Bangalore: Asian Trading Corporation, 1997.
• Internet source:
  George Eldon Ladd, “The Johannine Dualism”
  http://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/articles/onsite/Ladd_Johannine.html
• https://zondervanacademic.com/blog/johannine-dualism-theology-and-grammar-karen-jobes-commentary

Footnotes

1. J. D. Douglas, ed. New Bible Dictionary: Second Edition (England: Inter-Varsity Press, 1962), 291.
2. John Ashton, Understanding the Fourth Gospel: New edition (New York: Oxford University Press, 2007), 387.
3. David Noel Freedman, ed. The Anchor Bible Dictionary: Volume 3 H-J (New York: Doubleday, 1992), 926.
4. David Noel Freedman, ed. The Anchor Bible Dictionary, 927.
5. Robert Kysar, John the Maverick Gospel: Third Edition (Kentucky: Westminster John Knox Press, 2007), 75.
6. John Ashton, Understanding the Fourth Gospel, 396.
7. George Eldon Ladd, “The Johannine Dualism”, http://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/articles/onsite/Ladd_Johannine.html
8. Craig R. Koester, Symbolism in the Fourth Gospel: Meaning, Mystery, Community – Second Edition (Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress, 2003), 143.
9. George Eldon Ladd, “The Johannine Dualism”, http://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/articles/onsite/Ladd_Johannine.html
10. George Eldon Ladd, “The Johannine Dualism”, http://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/articles/onsite/Ladd_Johannine.html
11. C. Marvin Pate, The Writings of John: A Survey of the Gospel, Epistles and Apocalypse (Zondervan Academic: 2011), 251-254.
12. Gerald L. Borchert, The New American Commentary: Volume 25a – John 1–11, General Editor E. Ray Clendenen (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1996), 118.
13. Matthew Vellanickal, Studies in the Gospel of John (Bangalore: Asian Trading Corporation, 1997), 17-18.
14. Jey J. Kanagaraj, The Gospel of John: A Commentary (Andhra Pradesh: OM Books, 2005), 364.
15. Craig R. Koester, Symbolism in the Fourth Gospel, 145.
16. George Eldon Ladd, “The Johannine Dualism”, http://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/articles/onsite/Ladd_Johannine.html
17. George Eldon Ladd, “The Johannine Dualism”, http://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/articles/onsite/Ladd_Johannine.html
18. https://zondervanacademic.com/blog/johannine-dualism-theology-and-grammar-karen-jobes-commentary

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