Original Research

Imitatio Christi in the fourth gospel

D.G. van der Merwe
Verbum et Ecclesia | Skrif en Kerk: Vol 22, No 1 | a628 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/ve.v22i1.628 | © 2001 Copyright Status: Not provided. Contact Holding Institution to verify copyright status. Rights Holder: NG Kerk van Transvaal
Submitted: 11 August 2001 | Published: 11 August 2001

About the author(s)

D.G. van der Merwe, Vista University

Full Text:

PDF (1MB)

Abstract

Imitatio Christi is a concept which, although not referred to explicitly in the Fourth Gospel, is clearly spelled out in relation to the agency motif occurring in the Gospel. The disciples of Jesus have been appointed as his agents to continue his mission after his departure to his Father. In giving this message through to his readers, the Fourth Evangelist refers to Jesus' calling of his disciples, [Foreign font omitted]; pictures Jesus as [Foreign font omitted]; uses [Foreign font omitted] (the particle of comparison) to compare the lives of the disciples with that of Jesus; points out the tasks the disciples had to perform after Jesus' ascension and, finally, indicates how Jesus dwells in his disciples through the Paraclete.

Keywords

No related keywords in the metadata.

Metrics

Total abstract views: 5052
Total article views: 4483

 

Crossref Citations

1. Early Christian spirituality of ‘seeing the divine’ in 1 John
Dirk Van der Merwe
HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies  vol: 71  issue: 1  year: 2015  
doi: 10.4102/hts.v71i1.2790

2. The Past and the Future of Time in the Present in 1 John
Dirk G. Van der Merwe
Acta Patristica et Byzantina  vol: 19  issue: 1  first page: 290  year: 2008  
doi: 10.1080/10226486.2008.11745798

3. Teaching by One's Own Example in Buddhism: perspectives from social learning theory and the role of teachers in modern society
Le Khanh Ha
Journal of Religious Education  vol: 74  issue: 1  first page: 65  year: 2026  
doi: 10.1007/s40839-026-00289-4

4. The divinity of Jesus in the Gospel of John: The ‘lived experiences’ it fostered when the text was read
Dirk G. Van der Merwe
HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies  vol: 75  issue: 1  year: 2019  
doi: 10.4102/hts.v75i1.5411

5. The concept and activity of ‘obedience’ in the Gospel of John
Dirk G. van der Merwe
Verbum et Ecclesia  vol: 43  issue: 1  year: 2022  
doi: 10.4102/ve.v43i1.2367

6. Johannine Ethics: An Exegetical-Theological Summary and a ‘Desiderative’ Extension of Mimesis
Paul Anthony Hartog
Religions  vol: 13  issue: 6  first page: 503  year: 2022  
doi: 10.3390/rel13060503

7. A Shared (Graeco-Roman) Model of Mimesis in John and Paul?
Cornelis Bennema
Journal for the Study of the New Testament  vol: 43  issue: 2  first page: 173  year: 2020  
doi: 10.1177/0142064X20961252

8. Conceptualising holiness in the Gospel of John: The en route to and character of holiness (Part 2)
Dirk Van der Merwe
HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies  vol: 73  issue: 3  year: 2017  
doi: 10.4102/hts.v73i3.4610

9. Johannine research in Africa, part 1: An analytical survey
Jan G. Van der Watt
In die Skriflig/In Luce Verbi  vol: 49  issue: 2  year: 2015  
doi: 10.4102/ids.v49i2.1928