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The whole of the New Testament is occupied with God and the discussion of him. New Testament scholarship, however, barely treats God the Father as a separate subject. Because His significance is not to be neglected, the contributors to this volume turn their attention to illuminating God the Father from various angles.

Bible. --- Criticism, interpretation, etc. --- Jean (Book of the New Testament) --- Johanisi (Book of the New Testament) --- Johannesevangelium --- John (Book of the New Testament) --- Yohan pogŭm --- Yohane den (Book of the New Testament) --- Yūḥannā (Book of the New Testament) --- Ioganaĭ (Book of the New Testament) --- Иоганай (Book of the New Testament) --- Religion / Theology --- Religion --- Religion, Primitive --- Atheism --- Irreligion --- Religions --- Theology --- Corpus Iohanneum --- Theo-Logie --- Gott-Vater --- Neues Testament

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The Narrative Studies in the Fourth Gospel have recently focused on character and characterisation approaches. Among the objects of these studies, Nicodemus’ character is noticeable. Scholars on polarised sides wonder whether he turns to discipleship life, clings to darkness or is ambiguous. This Essay proposes that such an approach is incomplete because Nicodemus’ characterisation goes much beyond such a dualistic approach that sees him as an object instead of a being in the world and, consequently, misses the primary objective of his story: that he must be interpreted in the light of John’s meta-narrative, whilst his story and ambiguity also shed light on the Only Son of God. Thus, based on the fresh approach of Drama and Cognitive rhetoric studies, Nicodemus’ character is perceived as a being in the world and the hearers of the Gospel are invited to creative interpretations of his story. This approach, after all, demonstrates a certain proximity between Jesus and Nicodemus’ character proposing a reading that resignifies Nicodemus’ narrative and, consequently, the entire Fourth Gospel. From this viewpoint, Nicodemus is seen as a character ‘in-between’ that cannot be understood without the broader Johannine narrative. Still, at the same time, his characterisation is also what shapes such an entire narrative. Then, he is not an end in himself, but instead, his construction is placed in the elementary moments of the Fourth Gospel to present Jesus’ identity and to pave the way for one’s encounter with him. In the first appearance, he is a leader of the Jews who does not understand Jesus’ words; he does not understand since he cannot once the revelation surpasses any human comprehension. In the second appearance, he plays very well the social game, cunningly using his position and the law to Jesus’ side. Finally, in the last scene, although he does not say anything, he performs acts that strongly indicate a profound change in his life. Whether he is a disciple or only is feeling guilty and, therefore, did not embrace the faith is a mystery that will be disclosed insofar as the fresh approach used in this Essay is developed. An approach that, at the end of the day, will suggest that the limit of human reason is the beginning of the revelation and that Nicodemus’ character, and characterisation are at the centre of such construction.