The story of the final week of Jesus’ life takes up almost half of the Gospel of John. Jesus’ Great Farewell in the upper room covers four full chapters—ending with his most famous prayer in John 17. This fall semester we will explore Jesus' words of farewell (John 16), his prayer for the church (John 17), and finally his arrest and crucifixion (John 18-19). The cross in John is unlike anything we read in the other gospels. It is the “final sign,” in John—and an epic example of John’s love for irony: Jesus will be crowned, celebrated, robed, and “lifted up” as Israel’s king. These are some of the most famous passages in John’s gospel and we do well to study them closely. This course is a continuation of our study of the Gospel of John from previous semesters. All are invited to join even if you are new. We always review so that anyone can join with the discussion at any time.

Subject: biblical studies, theology

Gary M. Burge, PhD, is professor emeritus of New Testament at Wheaton College & Graduate School and adjunct professor of New Testament at Calvin Theological Seminary. He has written extensively on both the New Testament and the intersection of theology and history in modern Israel. His specialty is exploring the cultural context of the gospels, particularly the Gospel of John, about which he has written four books. He specializes in the ancient cultures of the New Testament world.