Mc Hugh IHWL 1992

In this essay, the author, John McHugh claims that in the Synoptic Gospels, Jesus is presented as preaching the Good News of the kingdom of God to basically Jewish audiences, and that at least part of Jesus' purpose must have been to correct or refine the contemporary idea that most Jews had of that kingdom. McHugh makes the point however, that by the time of their writings, the Gospels reflected at least some of the interpretation of the early church, so that what those former adherents of Judaism which heard Jesus' words, and what amount the Gospels reflect of this is hard to determine. Most scholars will admit though that there is an aunthentic link between the teaching of Jesus and the early church's teaching.

The main premise of the essay however, is that in comparing the Gospel of John's teaching about the kingdom to the others, John is referring to "life;" and this author discusses whether or not there is a "discernible continuity between the teaching of Jesus and the concept of life presented in the Fourth Gospel"(123), hoping that this exercise will throw more light on the parting of the ways between Jews and Christians.

McHugh, does in fact present the Gospel of John as one in which Jesus is teaching about himself as the revelation which came from God, and to offer himself as the source of that "living water"(Jn.4:4; 7:37-8) which leads to "eternal life." This Gospel also makes clear that this is instead of the Torah as the source of "living water"(Ezek.47:1-12?). This seems to be the author's conclusion: that the Gopel of John portrays the parting of ways between Judaism and followers of Jesus as occurring because Judaism saw Torah as "life" and the followers of Jesus saw him as "life." When this point was stressed as primary, then it began to force decisions which in effect began to result in a continuing rift between the two ways.