Scaling Gaius and Diotrephes: Socio-economic Stratification in 1 and 3 John
The Johannine epistles offer a glimpse into the real-life struggles of early Jesus followers. And yet, for all the insight these letters provide into the goings-on of such communities, what they may say regarding the issue of socio-economic scaling and/or stratification is seldom pursued. Though sch...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Sage
[2020]
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| In: |
Journal for the study of the New Testament
Year: 2020, Volume: 43, Issue: 1, Pages: 28-43 |
| Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
Fight
/ Conflict
/ Affluence
/ Johannine writings
/ Bible. Johannesbrief 1. 3,17
/ Bible. Johannesbrief 3. 9-10
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| IxTheo Classification: | HC New Testament KAB Church history 30-500; early Christianity |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | The Johannine epistles offer a glimpse into the real-life struggles of early Jesus followers. And yet, for all the insight these letters provide into the goings-on of such communities, what they may say regarding the issue of socio-economic scaling and/or stratification is seldom pursued. Though scholars do occasionally make mention of the presence of wealthy members in the community on the basis of language in 1 Jn 3.17 and the presence of Gaius and Diotrephes in 3 John, little is said beyond the fact that there might be some ‘wealthy’ church members. Thus, in the present study I propose to take what little can be said about the Johannine epistles regarding their socio-economic setting and bring it into conversation with Longenecker’s work on wealth scaling in order to help put as fine a point as possible on what one might ascertain about social stratification in 1-3 John. Furthermore, the claim that Gaius is a wealthy householder, a position generally assumed rather than argued, is bolstered through an analysis of demographic data and the financial costs associated with hospitality. |
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| ISSN: | 1745-5294 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Journal for the study of the New Testament
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1177/0142064X20949029 |