Abstract:

As a rule, exegetes consider John 5:14a merely as the geographical and chronological setting for Jesus' admonition to the previously lame man in 5:14b. However, by combining the methodological approaches of narrative criticism and history of tradition, some implicit narrative and theological motifs are revealed. These relate to the emotional state and way of thinking of the healed man as a narrative character, as well as to the theological meaning of his encounter with Jesus in the Temple-area. Mutatis mutandis, by noticing these implicit motifs, the implied readers can potentially understand this encounter as being in line with the Old Testament Temple-epiphanies.

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