God’s Promise: Covenant Relationship in John

Both the texts that narrate the story of Israel and its relationship with God and the prophetic literature that communicates God’s will and summons Israel to live rightly in that relationship are replete with accounts of and references to God’s covenantal activity in the world. In addition to detailed recounting of covenant-making and -renewing rituals, this literature preserves the broader imagery and themes of the covenant metaphor. These storytellers and prophets integrate this language into their larger works in order to share their message of life in unique relationship with God. Like his scriptural predecessors, the Fourth Evangelist incorporates the covenant metaphor in the telling of his message, weaving its thematic language and symbolism throughout his story of God’s activity in the world in Jesus as a literary technique to draw his audience into his sacred narrative of true relationship with God. God’s Promise explores the role of this Old Testament covenant metaphor in the literary fabric of the Gospel and Letters of John. The Johannine literature and the community of the beloved disciple are presented against the background of the covenant relationship between God and Israel. By grasping this fabric, the richness of the dialogue and imagery interwoven through John’s story is allowed to have its full voice in terms of God’s promises of covenant relationship and the ongoing commitment of God in the fulfilment of those promises through Christ.