Part Three Crucifixion Analysis
For the third part of this assignment, you need to build on your work in the first two parts to explore how the crucifixion narrative you are studying might be relevant to specific audiences.
First, apply what you know about the situation of the original audience of John to propose why John’s version of the crucifixion might be particularly meaningful for his audience. (Note: by “original audience” I mean those who first heard the gospel, not those who were present at the crucifixion.) If you were working with Mark’s account of the crucifixion, for example, after noting the emphasis that Mark places on Jesus’s suffering as an essential part of his Messianic identity, you might explore how that portrayal would be particularly meaningful for a community that has recently suffered persecution in Rome. *****
*****Second, suggest how the unique emphases of the crucifixion narrative in John might be meaningful for a specific present-day community. You can explore what it might mean for a Christian community of which you are a part, or you can imagine another specific community. For example, if you were working with Mark’s account, you might note that Mark’s emphasis on Jesus’s suffering offers a critique/corrective for a present-day community that tends to ignore Jesus’s weakness in favor of emphasizing his power and glory. *****
**********To satisfactorily complete this part of the assignment, your submission should include:
1)A robust paragraph (200–300 words) describing the meaning of the crucifixion narrative for its original audience. In this analysis, you should demonstrate an understanding of the situation of John’s original audience as it is described in the assigned readings.
2)A robust paragraph (150-200 words) describing the meaning of John’s particular crucifixion narrative for a present-day audience. In your description, you should be specific about the present-day community that you are imagining. Also, focus on the ways that this specific crucifixion narrative (rather than the fact of the crucifixion itself) would be meaningful for that community.
