Christology and belief in the ioudaios-nouns of John: Rhetorical self-definition and the ideological breech between Johannine Christianity and 1st century C.E. traditional Judaism

As new methodologies evolve to address the ethical issues arising from the Gospel of. John's particular use of "the Jews," it is appropriate to analyze the narrative text systematically from the perspective of how the 'Ioudai ⌢oz -nouns support the ideological worldview of the gospel (John 20:31). This analysis seeks to create a dialogue between traditional historical-critical and narrative-critical methodologies in order to provide the reader with a representative history of scholarship on the subject of "the Jews" in the Gospel of John.;Following an examination of the history of scholarship that focuses on "the Jews" in the Gospel of John (ch. 1), this study analyzes each of the instances of the 'Ioudai ⌢oz -nouns in their narrative contexts (chs. 2-6). A reading that derives from the perspective of the implied author as the gospel's ideological worldview will reveal a strategic use for each instance that achieves the gospel's ideological goals to develop the Johannine understanding of christology and belief. This study analyzes each instance of the 'Ioudai ⌢oz -nouns first by comparing representative interpretations from the narratological perspective followed by an evaluation of each instance's contribution toward the gospel's ideological worldview. The reader discovers that the 'Ioudai ⌢oz -nouns comprise a critical aspect of the ideological development of what one must believe about Jesus' true identity and how one must live out this belief particularly in relationship to the traditions of the dominate Judaism from which the Johannine community emerged.;A careful study of each instance does not support the argument that a strong anti-Jewish tone pervades the gospel. Rather, from the perspective of the implied author, the aim is to express the ideological uniqueness of Johannine belief and its high christological perspective against its Jewish parent community. A review of rhetoric between contrasting philosophical schools during the first century C.E. will reveal that the Johannine use of the 'Ioudai ⌢oz -nouns is not unique (Conclusion). What emerges from this study is a fresh understanding of the gospel's use of the 'Ioudai ⌢oz -nouns that can serve as a text-based foundation for discussing the ethical implications of interpretation about which modern readers display sensitivity.