TSP 17: Leroy Huizenga on the Fourth Gospel

This week's episode of The Sacred Page Podcast features New Testament scholar, Leroy Huizenga. Dr. Huizenga teaches Scripture at the University of St. Mary in Bismarck, North Dakota. He is also the Director of the Christian Leadership Center. 

Of course, in this cycle of the lectionary we begin to hear a number of Gospel readings from the Fourth Gospel. Here Dr. Huizenga provides us with an overview of the Gospel according to John, offering reflections on its major themes. As Leroy explains, the Gospel gives us much to meditate on during this Lenten season: God's relationship to the world, the Person of Jesus Christ and the Incarnation, the sacraments, etc. 

During the interview we frequently make mention of Leroy's excellent article, "Preaching John," which is posted over at Christian Leadership Center's website.

Listen on iTunes or click the link below. Look for more information on this podcast over at the corresponding post at TheSacredPage.com 

Finally, a huge amount of thanks to Saint Joseph's Communications, who support this podcast. They are also offering our listeners a free copy of Archbishop Fulton Sheen's CD on Easter. Also, again, during this Lent as you're making your almsgiving plans, please consider calling them up and giving them a donation, 1-800-526-2151. (And don't forget to thank them for supporting the show!)

Other great audio resources on the Gospel of John from Saint Joseph's Communications include:

• Scott Hahn's audio series on the Gospel of John
• West Coast Biblical Studies Conference on John, the Sacramental Gospel (with Scott Hahn, Brant Pitre and myself)

I'm not sure how to get these sets via mp3 download. Just give them a call and they can help you out. (800-526-2151).

Feel free to leave your comments below.





TSP 17: "Leroy Huizenga on the Fourth Gospel"

Why are there no Parables in the Fourth Gospel?

A reader of this blog from Papillion, Nebraska, asked the following via email:

Dear. Dr. Barber,
I was going over a list of parables when I notice that there are none in John. (I'm not a scholar!). I then read your article on the authorship of John. Do you think that the lack of parables says anything about the authorship? Do you know why there are no parables in John? I tried to do a search on it and couldn't find anything.

This is a good question.

Ultimately, I have to say: I'm not sure. However, I do have some assorted thoughts on the matter that might combine together to equal some sort of answer. This is sort of "half-baked", but let me just offer a couple of ideas.

Did John Write the Fourth Gospel?

Since today is the feast of St. John the Apostle, I thought I'd look at a question many will be talking about: Is the Fourth Gospel written by John?

I've written on this before, but I thought I'd revisit this again in two posts today. Indeed, I've been revisiting this material lately. I am currently preparing for a graduate level course on the Gospel of John at JP Catholic, which I will be co-teaching with Dr. Scott Hahn at JP Catholic.

Patristic Sources

Once again, I'm feeling a little overwhelmed by the weight of the earliest testimony regarding the question of authorship.

Clearly the unanimous testimony of the early Church was that John the Apostle wrote the book. Two of the clearest references are found in Irenaeus and the Muratorian fragment.

“Afterwards, John, the disciple of the Lord, who also had leaned upon His breast, did himself publish a Gospel during his residence at Ephesus in Asia.”--Irenaeus, Adv. Haer. 3. 3. 4 (~180 A.D.)