Johannine Portrayal of Jesus

This book introduces a new methodological framework based on the theory of Systemic Functional Linguistics which can examine the linguistic features of the New Testament text. By applying a two-step discourse analysis model that includes a functional-semantic analysis and a rhetorical-relational analysis, this book argues that the twenty-eight occurrences of "e;I am"e; in Jesus's utterances throughout the Gospel of John reinforce John's portrayal of Jesus's divinity. In the light of John's construing of Jesus's divinity, this new analysis of the Johannine "e;I am"e; phrases demonstrates how Johannine Christology is expressed through the narrative of John's Gospel with various textual characteristics.