Johannine Discipleship As a Covenant Relationship

Rekha Chennattu breaks new ground in Johannine scholarship—and offers a first-class study of Old Testament covenant theology. Presenting a detailed exegetical analysis of the discipleship narratives and discourses in John’s gospel, she gleans further insight through her investigation into Old Testament discipleship motifs. While not ignoring Hellenistic influence and the presence of the Samaritan and Greek Christians in the community, Chennattu sets the Johannine community firmly within the Jewish world. Opening a new chapter in Johannine studies, she concludes that, according to the Gospel of John, the relationship with God that had defined Israel as a people of God also defines the disciples of Jesus. "Working on the literary, theological, and historical levels, Rekha Chennattu has produced a remarkably fine example of modern Gospel study. Her approach to biblical theology—embracing close readings of the Johannine discipleship texts, the biblical motif of covenant, Johannine theology in general, and the historical situation of the Johannine community—is a model of how this discipline can be carried out effectively and fruitfully. Her scholarly study of discipleship in John’s Gospel has important implications for understanding Christian life today." —Daniel J. Harrington, S.J., Professor of New Testament, Weston Jesuit School of Theology