Reading the Gospels Together The Storyline of John’s Gospel – Part 4 Following the events in Cana John tells his readers that Jesus moved on to Capernaum. This is beginning to sound a lot like Mark’s storyline. Readers of John’s gospel must not miss this seemingly insignificant reference. John knows of the ministry of Jesus at Capernaum and that it was near the beginning of his ministry. But then John does a surprising thing. He tells his readers that Passover was approaching and so Jesus returns to Jerusalem. We will remember that in Mark’s storyline once Jesus arrives in Galilee he will not leave again until his makes his journey to Jerusalem and his death which comes at the end of the story. John brings Jesus back to Jerusalem almost immediately. John and Mark stand in stark contrast with one another at this point. We will need to consider how this can be when we begin to place the four storylines side by side. But for now we need to note John’s storyline. Furthermore, this is the first of three Passovers that John will tell his readers about. In Mark’s storyline there is mention of only one Passover and that comes at the very end of Jesus’ life. What happens when Jesus comes to this first Passover in Jerusalem? The very same thing that Mark tells his readers happened when Jesus came to his last and only Passover in Mark’s storyline. Jesus cleanses the Temple. John and Mark have placed this event in very different sequences in their respective gospels. There are those who argue that Jesus must have cleansed the Temple twice but that seems highly unlikely. There is no mention of a Temple cleansing in John’s gospel at the end of Jesus’ ministry. It is more likely that both have the same event in mind and place it at two very different times in their storyline of Jesus. Presumably still in Jerusalem Jesus engages a religious leader named Nicodemus. Only John mentions Nicodemus. He comes to Jesus at night – and this is more than coming under the cover of darkness but part of John’s rich symbolism. Nicodemus is “in the dark” in more ways than one. In the conversation Jesus tells Nicodemus that he must be born from above if he is to have eternal life. Jesus has come from above and will return above to the Father. Only those who are born from above will know Jesus. As we mentioned earlier, very quickly this encounter changes from a story between Jesus and Nicodemus to a theological claim by John. He tells his readers that just as the serpent was lifted up in the wilderness and brought life to those who looked upon that image Jesus will be “lifted up” (an allusion to crucifixion) and those who see will have eternal life. Jesus has come from God and returns to God. All of this is theological language provided by John for his readers to understand the meaning of Jesus.