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 Structure of the Gospel of John

John’s Gospel follows a clear yet deeply symbolic structure. The narrative can be broadly divided into two main sections: the Book of Signs (John 1–12) and the Book of Glory (John 13–21). Influenced by Rudolf Bultmann, C. H. Dodd affirmed the two-fold division of the Gospel. He considered chapters 2-12 as containing the account of the public life of Jesus characterized by miracles recorded by the Evangelist only as “signs” and thus called it “The Book of Signs.” Chapters 13-20 which contain the account of the passion as the culminating moment of the life and the mission of Jesus, Dodd called “The Book of the Passion.”[1]

I. Introduction (Prologue): The Word Made Flesh in Jesus Christ (1:1–18) 

 II. The Gospel Proper: From John’s to the Evangelist’s Witness (1:19–20:31) 
  A. Act I (Sign Drama): The Messiah’s Signs and Rejection by His Own (1:19–12:50) 
 1. From John to Jesus: The Beginnings of Jesus’ Ministry (1:19–50) 
 2. From Cana to Cana: The Cana Cycle (2:1–4:54; Signs 1–3)
 SIGN 1: The changing of water into wine (2:1–11) SIGN 2: The clearing of the temple (2:13–25) 
 SIGN 3: The healing of the nobleman’s son (4:46–54) 
 3. From Jerusalem to Bethany: The Festival Cycle (5:1–10:42;
 Signs 4–6) 
 SIGN 4: The healing of the lame man (5:1–15) 
 SIGN 5: The feeding of the multitude (6:1–15) 
 SIGN 6: The healing of the blind man (9:1–41)
4. From Bethany to Jerusalem: The Climactic Sign (11:1–12:36; 
 SIGN 7: The raising of Lazarus (11:1–57) 
 5. Conclusion: Jewish Rejection of the Messiah despite His Many Signs (12:37–50). 

 B. Act II (Crucifixion Drama): The Messiah’s Passion and Preparation of His Own (13:1– 20:31). 
 1. Jesus Anticipates His Exaltation: The Foot washing, the Farewell Discourse, and Jesus’ Final Prayer (13:1–17:26). 
 2. Jesus Completes His Earthly Mission: The Passion Narrative (18:1–20:29) 
3. Conclusion: Believe in Jesus the Messiah on Account of His Signs (20:30–31)

 III. Conclusion (Epilogue): Jesus’ Third and Final Resurrection Appearance and His Commissioning of Peter and “the Disciple Whom Jesus Loved” (21:1–25) 

[1] C.H. Dodd, The Interpretation of the Fourth Gospel, (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1953), 390.


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