The Gospel of John and Imagery

About this video

Richard Burridge discusses how Jesus is portrayed in the Gospel of John and how it compares to the other gospels. He proposes that John's perspective is eagle-like, offering a sweeping, all-encompassing vision of Jesus, as seen in works like C.S. Lewis's "Narnia" and J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings." He discusses the start of John's Gospel with its cosmic view of Jesus as the Word, echoing Genesis and ancient wisdom traditions. Unlike the Synoptic Gospels, John emphasizes Jesus's divine nature, long discourses, and significant personal encounters. The Gospel's distinctiveness lies in its theological depth and the unique portrayal of Jesus's mission and identity.

Background

Produced in August 2009. Provisional captions.

Richard Alan Burridge is the dean of King’s College London and has held a personal Chair in Biblical Interpretation at King’s since 2008. 

He is the author of Four Gospels, One Jesus? A Symbolic Reading (SPCK, 2013).