Table Of ContentDining with John
Biblical Interpretation Series
Editors
Paul Anderson
YvonneSherwood
AssociateEditor
Rolf Rendtorff
EditorialAdvisoryBoard
Janice Capel Anderson – Phyllis A. Bird
Erhard Blum – Werner H. Kelber
Ekkehard W. Stegemann – VincentL. Wimbush
Jean Zumstein
VOLUME109
Thetitlespublishedinthisseriesarelistedatbrill.nl/bins
Dining with John
Communal Meals and Identity Formation
in the Fourth Gospel and its Historical
and Cultural Context
By
Esther Kobel
LEIDEN•BOSTON
2011
Thisbookisprintedonacid-freepaper.
LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData
Kobel,Esther,1977-
DiningwithJohn:communalmealsandidentityformationintheFourthGospelandits
historicalandculturalcontext/byEstherKobel.
p.cm.–(Biblicalinterpretationseries,ISSN0928-0731;v.109)
Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
ISBN978-90-04-21778-2(hardback:alk.paper)
1.Bible.N.T.John–Socio-rhetoricalcriticism.2.DinnersanddiningintheBible.3.
Identification(Religion)–History.I.Title.
BS2615.6.D56K632011
226.5'067–dc23
2011034518
ISSN0928-0731
ISBN9789004217782
Copyright2011byKoninklijkeBrillNV,Leiden,TheNetherlands.
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CONTENTS
ListofAbbreviations................................................... xiii
Preface ................................................................. xix
. Introduction ....................................................... 1
.. HypothesisStatement....................................... 1
.. LineofArgumentation...................................... 2
.. Socio-RhetoricalMethodology............................. 4
.. BriefOutlineoftheChapters ............................... 11
.. Presuppositions ............................................. 15
... GospelofJohn ...................................... 15
... Identity .............................................. 33
.. Contribution ................................................ 36
. TheStateoftheQuestion.......................................... 37
.. SociologicalImportanceofMealsinIdentityand
CommunityFormation ..................................... 37
.. CommunalMealsinNewTestamentScholarship ......... 40
.. FoodIssuesinJohannineScholarship...................... 61
.. Conclusion:DemonstrationofGapandDefinitionof
Question..................................................... 65
PARTI
NARRATIVE
. RoleofMealScenesandDiscoursesonFoodandDrinkinthe
NarrativeoftheFourthGospel ................................... 69
.. Introduction................................................. 69
.. MealScenesPunctuatetheJohannineNarrative........... 70
.. BriefDiscussionofEachMealScene....................... 72
... TheWeddingatCana,John:–................. 72
... JesusandtheWomanofSamaria,John:– .... 73
... TheFeedingoftheFiveThousand,John:– ... 74
... TheBreadofLifeDiscourse,John:–......... 75
... RiversofLivingWater,John:–............... 77
viii contents
... TheMealinBethany,John:– ................ 77
... Jesus’LastMealwithHisDisciples,John– ... 78
... Jesus’DrinkontheCross,John:.............. 79
... TheMealontheShoreoftheSeaofTiberias,
John .............................................. 80
.. MeaningsandMotifs........................................ 80
... TheJohannineMeal-Inclusio....................... 81
... SymbolismaroundWhatIsConsumed............ 82
... Jesus’“Guests”:GroupIdentityofJesusandHis
Disciples............................................. 86
... CommunityExperiencesTiedtoMealScenes..... 91
... TheologicalorSpiritual............................. 95
.. Conclusion .................................................. 104
PARTII
MEALACCOUNTSANDDISCOURSES
ABOUTFOODANDDRINKINTHELIFEOF
THEJOHANNINECOMMUNITY
. MealsasConstructionSitesforIdentityintheHellenistic
Mediterranean:ComparisonwithOtherGroups ................ 111
.. Introduction................................................. 111
.. QumranCommunity/EsseneCommunity................. 112
... Introduction......................................... 112
... MealsintheCommunitybehindtheDeadSea
Scrolls ............................................... 114
... MealsintheEsseneCommunity/Communities ... 122
... Conclusion .......................................... 125
.. Therapeutae ................................................. 127
... Introduction......................................... 127
... Philo’s“DeVitaContemplativa” .................... 127
... Conclusion .......................................... 131
.. Haburoth .................................................... 132
... Introduction......................................... 132
... MishnaDemaiandToseftaDemai ............. 133
... FurtherRabbinicSourcesonHaburoth............ 138
... PassoverHaburah................................... 140
... Conclusion .......................................... 140
contents ix
.. PaulineCommunities....................................... 141
... Introduction......................................... 141
... Corinth.............................................. 142
... Galatia............................................... 145
... Rome ................................................ 146
... Conclusion .......................................... 147
.. CommunalMealsintheActsoftheApostles.............. 148
... Introduction......................................... 148
... Acts:–;:–;:,–..................... 149
... Acts:–: ..................................... 150
... Acts............................................... 152
... Acts:–,–;:–;:–.......... 154
... Conclusion .......................................... 155
.. DidacheCommunity........................................ 156
... Introduction......................................... 156
... TheMealinDidache–.......................... 158
... TheMealinDidache............................. 164
... Fasting,Didache:;:;: ....................... 165
... SustenanceofProphetsandtheGivingof
First-Fruits,Didache– ........................ 166
... EschatologicalGatherings,Didache ............ 167
... Conclusion .......................................... 168
.. Conclusion .................................................. 169
. DiscursiveI:Johnand“theEucharist”............................ 173
.. Introduction................................................. 173
.. EucharisticAllusionsinJn:TheFeedingofthe
andtheBreadofLifeDiscourse ............................ 175
... John:– ......................................... 175
... John:– ........................................ 177
... John:–a....................................... 177
... John:b–....................................... 178
... John:– ........................................ 186
.. Excursus:ReadingJohnagainstJewishTraditions....... 188
... TracesofRabbinicTraditions....................... 189
... TracesofWisdomTradition........................ 191
.. FootwashingasaReplacementoftheEucharistinJesus’
LastMeal(John) ......................................... 192
... FootwashinginAntiquity........................... 200
... MeaningoftheFootwashinginJohn ........... 203
