This comes from Pheme Perkins, "Johannine Traditions in Ap. Jas."
https://www.jstor.org/stable/3260352
The parallels seem much less impressive than the listing of their verse numbers would indicate, but the reference to the "paraclete" does stand out to me as redactional Johannine vocabulary, especially since the author of the Apocryphon of James employs it in a negative way (deprecating the idea of a need for a "paraclete"). There seems to be a side-swipe at Paul simultaneously (who talked a lot about "grace").
"But when he saw us rejoicing, he said, 'Woe to you who need an advocate! Woe to you who need grace! Blessed will be those who’ve spoken out and acquired grace for themselves!'"
I don't really see the evidence for literary dependence on John or Paul as secure yet, if we count "secondary orality" (where the vocabulary from a literary text can enter oral tradition about that author/text/subject) as a separate thing. But maybe there's something I haven't noticed yet.
https://www.jstor.org/stable/3260352
| Five hundred and fifty days after he had risen from the dead, we told him, “You went away and left us!” But Jesus said, “No, but I’ll return to the place from which I came. If you want to come with me, come on!” They all replied and said, “We’ll come if you tell us to.” He said, “Truly I tell you, no one will ever enter the kingdom of heaven because I ordered it, but because you yourselves are full. Leave James and Peter to me so that I may fill them.” | John 1:16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. John 7:33 Jesus then said, “I will be with you a little longer, and then I am going to him who sent me. 34 You will seek me and you will not find me. Where I am you cannot come.” John 13:36 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward.” 37 Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” 38 Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times. John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. |
| The Savior said, “You’ve received mercy. 3 […] they [haven’t] understood. Don’t you want to be filled? Your hearts are drunk. Don’t you, then, want to be sober? Then be ashamed! From now on, awake or asleep, remember that you’ve seen the Son of Humanity, and have talked to him in person, and have heard him in person. Woe to those who have seen the Son of Humanity! Blessed are those who haven’t seen that man, mingled with him, spoken to him, or heard a thing he’s said. Yours is life! Know, then, that he healed you when you were sick, so that you might reign. Woe to those who’ve found relief from their sickness, because they’ll relapse into sickness. Blessed are those who haven’t been sick and have found relief before getting sick. Yours is the kingdom of God! So I tell you, be full and leave no space within you empty, because the one who is coming will be able to mock you.” Then Peter replied, “Three times you’ve told us 4 to be [full, but] we are full.” In [response the Savior] said, “That’s why I [told] you [‘be full’] – so that you won’t [be lacking. Those who are lacking] won’t [be saved]. It’s good to be full [and] bad [to be lacking]. So just as it’s good for you to be lacking and bad for you to be full, whoever is full is also lacking. One who’s lacking isn’t filled the same way that someone who’s lacking is filled, and anyone who’s full gets everything they need. So it’s right to be lacking while it’s possible to fill you, and to be filled while it’s possible to be lacking, so that you can [fill] yourselves more. So [be] full of the Spirit but lacking in reason, because reason is of the soul – in fact, it is soul.” | John 20:22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. John 20:29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 21:17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. 1 John 1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— |
| In response I told him, “Lord, we can obey you if you want us to, because we’ve abandoned our fathers, our mothers, and our villages, and have followed you. So help us not to be tempted by the devil, the evil one.” In response the Lord said, “What good is it to you if you do the will of the Father, and he doesn’t give it to you as a gift when you’re tempted by Satan? But if you’re oppressed by Satan and persecuted and do (God’s) 5 will, I [say] that he’ll love you, make you my equal, and regard [you] as having become beloved through his forethought by your own choice. So won’t you stop loving the flesh and being afraid of sufferings? Or don’t you know that you haven’t yet been abused, unjustly accused, locked up in prison, illegally condemned, crucified by reason, nor buried in the sand as I myself was by the evil one? Do you dare to spare the flesh, you for whom the Spirit is a surrounding wall? If you consider how long the world existed <before> you, and how long it will exist after you, you’ll find that your life is a single day and your sufferings a single hour. For the good won’t come into the world. So scorn death and take thought for life! Remember my cross and my death, and you’ll live!” But in response I told him, “Lord, don’t teach us about the cross and death, because they’re far 6 from you.” In response the Lord said, “Truly I tell you, no one will be saved unless they [believe] in my cross, [because] the kingdom of God belongs to those who’ve believed in my cross. So become those who seek death, like the dead who seek life; because what they seek is revealed to them. So what do they have to worry about? When you turn to the subject of death, it will teach you about election. Truly I tell you, no one who’s afraid of death will be saved, because the kingdom of <God> belongs to those who are put to death. Become better than I; be like the child of the Holy Spirit.” | John 5:24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. 25 “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. John 5:28 Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice John 14:12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. John 14:23 Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 1 John 3:2 Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. |
| At first I spoke to you in parables, and you didn’t understand. Now I speak to you openly, and you still don’t perceive. But to me you were a parable among parables and something visible out in the open. “Be eager to be saved without being urged. Rather, be ready on your own and, if possible, get there before me, because the Father will love you. “Come to hate hypocrisy and evil intention, because intention is what produces hypocrisy, and hypocrisy is far from the truth. “Don’t let the kingdom of heaven wither, because it’s like a date palm shoot whose fruit has poured down around it. It sent out some leaves, and after they sprouted, they made their productivity dry up. This is also what happened with the fruit that came from this single root; when it was picked, many acquired fruit. Wouldn’t it truly be good if you could produce the new plants now? <You> would find it. “Since I’ve already been glorified like this, why do you hold me back in my eagerness to go? 8 For after the [labor], you’ve made me stay with you another eighteen days because of the parables. For some people, it was enough <to listen> to the teaching and understand ‘The Shepherds,’ ‘The Seed,’ ‘The Building,’ ‘The Lamps of the Young Women,’ ‘The Wage of the Workers,’ and ‘The Silver Coins and the Woman.’ “Be eager about the message! The first stage of the message is faith, the second is love, and the third is works, because from these comes life. | John 14:12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. John 15:3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. John 15:4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. John 16:25 “I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech but will tell you plainly about the Father. John 16:29 His disciples said, “Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative speech! John 17:2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 4 I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed. John 20:17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” |
| “So I tell you, be sober! Don’t be deceived. And many times I told you all together – and also to you alone, James, I’ve said – ‘Be saved!’ And I’ve commanded you to follow me, and I’ve taught you what to do in the face of the rulers. “See that I’ve come down, spoken, been torn, and taken my crown 9 when I saved you, because I came down to dwell with you so that you’ll dwell with me. And when I found your houses without ceilings, I lived in the houses that could receive me at the time I came down. “Trust me about this, my brothers (i.e., Peter and James). Understand what the great light is. The Father doesn’t need me, because a father doesn’t need a son, but it’s the son who needs the father. I’m going to him, because the Father of the Son doesn’t need you. “Listen to the message, understand knowledge, love life, and no one will persecute or oppress you other than you yourselves. | John 1:9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. John 14:4 And you know the way to where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 16:27 for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. 28 I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father.” John 19:2(?) And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple robe John 20:17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ |
| 10 “Truly I tell you, it’s easier for a holy person to fall into defilement, and for an enlightened person to fall into darkness, than for you to reign – or not reign. “I’ve remembered your tears, your grief, and your pain. They’re far from us. But now, you who are outside of the Father’s inheritance, weep where it’s necessary, grieve, and proclaim what’s good as the Son is ascending as he should. “Truly I tell you, if I had been sent (only) to those who would listen to me and had spoken to them (alone), I wouldn’t ever have gone up from the earth. Now, then, be ashamed for these things! “Look, I’ll leave you and go away. I don’t want to continue with you anymore, just as you yourselves don’t want that. Now, then, follow me eagerly. That’s why I tell you that I came down for you. You’re beloved; you’ll bring life for many. Call on the Father. Pray to God often, and (God) will be generous with you. “Blessed is the one who has seen you with (God) when (God) was proclaimed among the angels and given glory among the holy ones; yours is life. Rejoice and be glad as 11 children of God. Keep (God’s) will so that you may be saved. Accept my warning and save yourselves. I’m pleading for you with the Father, who will forgive you much.” | (John 14:14) If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. John 14:28 You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. John 15:15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. John 16:5 But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. John 16:20 Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. John 16:22 So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. 23 In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. 24 Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. John 16:27 for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. John 16:28 I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father.” John 17:20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, John 20:17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 1 John 2:1-2 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. 1 John 3:9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. |
| And when we heard these things, we were delighted, because we had been depressed about the things we mentioned before. But when he saw us rejoicing, he said, “Woe to you who need an advocate! Woe to you who need grace! Blessed will be those who’ve spoken out and acquired grace for themselves! “Be like foreigners. How are they viewed in your city? Why are you disturbed when you cast yourselves out on your own and separate yourselves from your city? Why do you leave your dwelling on your own and make it available for those who want to live in it? You outcasts and runaways! Woe to you, because you’ll be caught! “Or do you think that the Father is a lover of humanity, or is persuaded by prayers, or grants grace to one on behalf of another, or puts up with one who seeks? “(God) knows about desire and what the flesh needs. It’s not this (flesh) which desires the soul, because without the soul, the body doesn’t sin, just as 12 the soul isn’t saved without the spirit. But if the soul is saved without evil, and the spirit is also saved, then the body becomes sinless. For it’s the spirit that raises the soul, but the body that kills it; that is, (the soul) kills itself. “Truly I tell you, (God) won’t ever forgive the sin of the soul or the guilt of the flesh, because no one who’s worn the flesh will be saved. Do you think that many have found the kingdom of heaven? Blessed is the one who’s seen oneself (at) the fourth (stage) in heaven.” | John 6:63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. (John 16:29) His disciples said, “Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative speech! 30 Now we know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that you came from God.” 1 John 2:1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. |
| When we heard these things, we felt depressed. But when he saw that we were depressed, he said, “I’m telling you this so that you may know yourselves. For the kingdom of heaven is like an ear of grain after it had sprouted in a field. And when it had ripened, it scattered its fruit, and again it filled the field with ears of grain for another year. You, too, be eager to reap an ear of the grain of life for yourselves so that you may be filled with the kingdom! “And as long as I’m with you, pay attention to me and trust in me, but when I leave you, remember me. And remember me because when I was with you, you didn’t know me. Blessed are those who’ve known me. Woe to those who’ve heard and haven’t believed! Blessed will be those who 13 haven’t seen, [but …]! “And once again I [appeal to] you, because I’m revealed to you building a house very valuable to you when you take shelter under it, just as it will be able to support your neighbors’ house when it threatens to fall. Truly I tell you, woe to those for whom I was sent down to this place! Blessed will be those who go up to the Father. Again I warn you, you who are. Be like those who are not so that you may be with those who are not. “Don’t let the kingdom of heaven become a desert within you. Don’t be haughty because of the light that enlightens, but behave toward yourselves the way that I’ve behaved toward you. I’ve put myself under the curse for you, so that you may be saved.” | (John 10:25) Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name bear witness about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. John 1:10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. John 3:18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. John 12:16(?) His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him. John 12:35 So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. John 14:2 In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. John 14:9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. John 16:5 But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; 11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. John 16:12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. John 17:24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. |
| But in response to these comments Peter said, “Sometimes you urge us on to the kingdom of heaven, and again at other times you turn us away, Lord. Sometimes you persuade and draw us to faith and promise us life, and again at other times you cast us out of the kingdom of heaven.” But in response the Lord told us, “I’ve given you faith many times. Moreover, I’ve revealed myself to you, 14 James, and you haven’t known me. Now again, I see you rejoicing often. And when you’re delighted about the promise of life, nevertheless you’re sad and depressed when you’re taught about the kingdom. “But through faith and knowledge, you’ve received life. Despise rejection when you hear it, but when you hear the promise, rejoice all the more. Truly I tell you, whoever will receive life and believe the kingdom will never leave it – not even if the Father wants to banish them! “This is all I’m going to tell you up to this point, but now I’ll go up to the place from which I came. But when I was eager to go, you cast me out, and instead of accompanying me, you’ve chased me away. But be attentive to the glory that awaits me, and when you’ve opened your hearts, listen to the hymns that await me up in heaven, because today I need to sit at the right hand of the Father. “Now I’ve spoken (my) last word to you, and I’ll leave you, because a chariot of the Spirit has taken me up, and from now on I’ll strip myself so that I may clothe myself. | John 1:9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. John 3:15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. 16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 6:47 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. John 6:63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. (John 14:6) Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:24 Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me. John 14:25 “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. John 16:4 But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you. “I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. 5 But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ John 16:12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. John 16:28 I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father.” John 17:3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. |
| But pay attention: Blessed are those who’ve proclaimed the Son before his coming down so that when I’ve come, I might go up. Blessed three 15 times over are those who [were] proclaimed by the Son before they came to be, so that you may have a portion with them.” When he said these things, he left. But Peter and I knelt down, gave thanks, and sent our hearts up to heaven. We heard with our ears, and saw with our eyes, the cacophony of wars and a trumpet blare and a great commotion. And when we passed beyond that place, we sent our minds up higher and heard with our ears hymns and angelic praises and angelic rejoicing. And heavenly majesties were singing hymns, and we rejoiced too. After this again, we wanted to send our spirit up to the Majesty. And after we went up, we weren’t allowed to see or hear anything, because the other disciples called us and asked us, “What did you hear from the Teacher?” And, “What did he tell you?” And, “Where did he go?” But we responded, “He went up.” And, “He’s given us his right hand and promised us all life, and he revealed to us children who are to come after us, after telling 16 [us] to love them, as we’d be [saved] because of them.” And when they heard, they believed the revelation indeed, but were angry about those to be born. So, not wanting to give them a scandal, I sent each of them to a different place. But I myself went up to Jerusalem, praying to acquire a portion with the beloved ones who will be revealed. And I pray that the beginning may come from you, because this is how I can be saved, since they’ll be enlightened through me, by my faith – and through another (faith) that’s even better than mine, because I want mine to be the lesser. So do your best to be like them, and pray that you acquire a portion with them. Apart from what I’ve said, the Savior didn’t disclose a revelation to us for them. We do indeed proclaim a portion with those for whom the proclamation was made – those whom the Lord has (accepted as) children. | (John 3:13) No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. John 17:23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. John 17:20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me John 17:24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. John 17:26 I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.” |
The parallels seem much less impressive than the listing of their verse numbers would indicate, but the reference to the "paraclete" does stand out to me as redactional Johannine vocabulary, especially since the author of the Apocryphon of James employs it in a negative way (deprecating the idea of a need for a "paraclete"). There seems to be a side-swipe at Paul simultaneously (who talked a lot about "grace").
"But when he saw us rejoicing, he said, 'Woe to you who need an advocate! Woe to you who need grace! Blessed will be those who’ve spoken out and acquired grace for themselves!'"
I don't really see the evidence for literary dependence on John or Paul as secure yet, if we count "secondary orality" (where the vocabulary from a literary text can enter oral tradition about that author/text/subject) as a separate thing. But maybe there's something I haven't noticed yet.
Statistics: Posted by Peter Kirby — Thu Oct 31, 2024 6:04 pm