From a Tabor Research Center Member’s post. https://tabor-research-center.circle.so/c/christian-origins-d4ace7/dating-john-s-gospel. Below that is a response from ChatGPT.
Hugh Schonfield, the British biblical scholar active in the 1960’s, observed that the opening section of John, starting, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God”, if re-punctuated, makes a “call-and-response” song, i.e., an “antiphonal hymn”. [see about antiphonal hymns more below]
a In the beginning was the Word.
b And the Word was with God.
a And the Word was God.
b The same was in the beginning with God.
a All things were made by him.
b And without him was not anything made that was made.
a In him was life.
b And the life was the light of men.
a And the light shineth in darkness.
b And the darkness comprehendeth it not.
(Skip verses 6-9, connective material. See quote below)
a He was in the world, and the world was made by him.
b And the world knew him not.
a He came unto his own.
b And his own received him not.
An antiphonal hymn is a hymn or sacred song performed responsively by two groups of singers, usually alternating with one another. The word antiphonal comes from Greek antiphōnia, meaning roughly “sounding in response” or “answering voice.”
In Christian worship, the basic pattern is:
Group A: sings a line or stanza
Group B: responds with another line or stanza
Group A: responds
Group B: answers
…and so forth.
John 1:6-9 (NRSVue)
6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. 9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
James Tabor’s comment to the post.
Interesting post Clark. I have taught this for years in my classes, dividing them in two groups and reading this antiphonally…it is very effective in its intentions…and the Pliny references are valuable on so many levels…In my classes I work through ALL of these Greek/Roman authors on the Christians. Robert Wilken’s book, The Christians as the Romans Saw Them. Robert died last month, retired from the U. of VA for years. I knew him well as a close friend at Notre Dame. https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300098396/the-christians-as-the-romans-saw-them/
Also, see my own layout of the core texts:
The Christians as the Romans Saw Them: Superstituious, Obstinate, Depraved, and Foolish
https://jamestabor.com/the-christians-as-the-romans-saw-them-superstituious-obstinate-depraved-an…
