Social representation of knowledge in John 13:1–17: A sociological interpretation

Abstract

The washing of feet is one of the most famous biblical narratives recorded in the Gospel. While the narrative has received different interpretations, ‘knowledge’ has been identified as a significant theme. This article presents a sociological interpretation of this narrative through the lens of social representation theory. Furthermore, it reconstructs the passage and demonstrates a sociological interpretation of knowledge leading to an understanding of knowledge as service. I argue that the narrative functions as a communicative mechanism, through which a shared conception and social meaning of knowledge are established as a common ground for a shared identity among Jesus’ disciples.

Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: The article presents an interpretive reading of a biblical text by using a theoretical lens from the fields of sociology and social psychology as an analytical instrument. This implies that the social meaning of biblical narratives can be unveiled through an interdisciplinary dialogue and conversation between biblical and theological studies and the social sciences.