The Jewish Targums and John's Logos Theology

If I were to recommend five books on the Gospel of John this would be in my top five. After reading near thirty works on John's Gospel over the course of this last year I can say that this book is one of those works that I will go back to again and again as I teach the scripture. Dr. John L. Ronning has written a masterpiece on Johannine literature and it's interaction with the Aramaic Targum. Dr.Ronning who teaches Aramaic at a University gives clear insight into both the language and the background that defined John's writings. I believe that John as a Jewish boy growing up in the synagogue would have likely been extremely well versed in the Aramaic understanding of scripture. While other scholars I have read touch on this aspect, it is here that Dr. Ronning opens up his discussion.Most books on the Gospel of John interact with the logos theology of John by appealing to either the writings of Philo, the wisdom writings, or the Qumran community. While we know that this idea of "the Word" was not unique to John, it is hard to know exactly how John was using this idea and where it sprang from. Many recent scholars have came to the conclusion that John and Philo were actually sharing a similar Palestinian tradition with little to no roots in Greek thought. Dr. Ronning picks up at this point by showing that this tradition came from the Targum. There is more than one version of the Targum and each one is nuanced in a different way. A couple used by Dr. Ronning may not have been used at the time John was writing but shortly after. However, these slightly later editions seem to reflect traditions alluded to in John.Dr. Ronning goes through the Old Testament showing that many times where the Word "Lord" is used the term "Word of the Lord" is used in the Targum. In these instances the "Word of the Lord" is seen to be more than an intangible idea, but rather a strong personal being who is one with God and yet distinct. He is seen as the Angel who guided the Israelites out of bondage and the one who spoke to Moses from the Ark of the Covenant. Starting as far back as he can we see Dr. Ronning burrows his way into the thought of Aramaic readers of the Old Testament. In fact, I have never seen anyone bring so much Old Testament background into a study of John's Gospel. He brings out less obvious typologies in Joshua, and with Jesus as a warrior. The woman at the well in John 4 is connected with a story about Jacob. However, the Targum gives a rich background to that story that is not seen outside the Aramaic translations. In fact, rich is the best word to describe Dr. Ronning's understanding of the Old Testament. His understanding of the Old Testament itself is astonishing.When I finished about 2/3 of the book several things were clear to me: First, it was easy to see how a young Palestinian boy growing up under the readings of the Aramaic scripture would have come to think about Jesus the way he did. Second, it became clear that John saw the entire Old Testament contained in the life of Jesus. So many more books of the Bible are engaged through this gospel then is evident to Gentile readers living in the 21st Century. Third, that typology is far more replete in the Gospel of John once the Aramaic is engaged. Every couple of paragraphs Dr. Ronning would introduce a new idea or concept that was astonishing and eye opening. His comments were not only insightful for the Gospel of John but also gives us clues to understanding John's style of thought while reading John's Epistles and the book of Revelation.The end of the book makes a nice summation of the information although the last two chapters seem to drag more than the rest of the book. I like the fact that he also interacted with the audience or intended audience. No doubt a number of John's readers were not Jews and would not have understood these references that would have been apparent to Jewish audiences. He basically says that the Jewish believers there would no doubt have helped the Gentile Christians to catch these clues. He also dialogues with the other gospels to show that understanding the Targum not only enhances their message as well but in fact, it also shows the affinity between them and the fourth Gospel. I wish that I could offer some constructive criticism but I really have nothing negative to say about this book. His assessment of John's Gospel was so revolutionary that I don't know why more people are not becoming better acquainted with this material. If one is teaching a series on John, researching, or just spending devotional time on John this book will fill all those categories. I am not one who enjoys reading books more than one time but this is a book that I will no doubt revisit again in the future.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in deep Bible study and seeing how Jesus fulfills and ties to more of the Old Testament than you may have ever understood in the past. This doesn't come without some warnings though: • I don't believe most people will be able to pick this book up and just read in it. I found it far better as a guide for studying things out further, and I found myself flipping a lot between the index and various portions of the book. • The material is very dense. • It's hard to validate what the author has written, because many of the Targums aren't easy to access and may not even be translated into English. • The idea that Aramaic Targums may give us more insight into some Old Testament passages may challenge your thinking, and some will probably find this hard to digest.I bought this book to supplement a deep group Bible study of the book of John, and, frankly, I wish I had used it more. I am nearing the end of this study now, and I see how much I missed by not referencing this more earlier.It's really an outstanding resource, but the 4-star rating is because it isn't an easy read.

I am a serious student of the Bible and can't believe I had not found this book sooner. Along the way I have met individuals who have had some serious questions for which I just could not provide any answer. This book, I believe could clear up lots of confusion for many who still wrangle with the whole "Who is God" thing.I highly recommend it as a companion to studying. I always knew there was something a little more special about the Gospel of John. Now I know why!!!Update 7-28-2014It is taking me a long time to get through this book, not because it is poorly written, but because it is just chocked full of revealing information that I have read and reread in order to fully absorb it. Being an avid reader, many books authored by many who have something to offer, typically end up with their opinions rather than straight data. Not in this case. John Ronning's study of the Targums far surpasses anything I have read to date and I have been studying since the early 90s.If you know anyone who struggles at all with the whole concept of the "I and the Father are One"; Jesus as God or any other aspect of Christianity or even Judaism; even an atheist if they are truly seeking; this book is a must read. It's the best companion study book I have read so far.

I hate to give a book on this subject 3 stars, because the subject matter is so intriguing and rarely dealt with elsewhere. I was very excited about getting the book, but after reading only 25 pages or so, began skipping through the book and losing interest... I find the information scattered and felt like the author was trying to make connections to the fourth gospel that were iffy at best. The beginning, where he contasted and compared Philo and the Targums, was a gem, although I don't agree with his conclusion. I was pleased to find the author contrast differences in the Word in the Targums and the Son of God in the New Testament, however I think his conclusions were underdeveloped. I appreciate his effort, but I would like to see the subject more clearly dealt with... Maybe list all the targum instances that deal with the Memra and add those of Philo and other Semitic sources, like the LXX variants. Make it more of a reference book than a read through. My opinion. Nice topic though and kudos for addressing it