A Passion for the Living Christ: The Gospel of John, Play Scripted with Exposition

Front Cover
Trafford Publishing, 2007 - Drama - 262 pages

A Passion for the Living Christ: The Gospel of John, Play Scripted with Exposition, lays out the entire gospel verbatim (NRSV), with its scenes intertwined with exposition. This unique approach to a study of the Eagle's Gospel reaches out both to those who are well versed in this beloved book of the Bible, and to others who feel led to deepen their understanding of the Fourth Gospel. Both groups are encouraged to be in prayer agreement with the author of this book that we all may deepen our passion for the living Christ through the presence of the Holy Spirit.

During the past half century while William Yanney has maintained a memorization of the Gospel of John (RSV), he has dramatized Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol to over 300 audiences. Motivated by his impression that both works feature a logical sequence of scenes under the control of a Narrator, he has play scripted the gospel so that a reader may visualize the episodes as a drama, indeed as the greatest nonfiction play ever written. Though not intended for theatrical production, individual scenes lend themselves to group Bible study, segments of corporate worship, and sermons.

Beyond the vividness of the gospel's scenes with the Narrator's guidance, exposition of the episodes is vital to an understanding of the nuances of the Johannine writer and his selection of the scenes. Not intended as a commentary, the exposition focuses on the uniqueness of John as compared to the vocabulary and historical content of the Synoptics. The I AM sayings and signs are emphasized. In it all and through it all the purpose of the Fourth Gospel is emphasized, "These are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name." (20:31)

From inside the book

Selected pages

Contents

1118
21
Recruitment of Disciples 13551
31
Healing of Officials Son Sign Two 44354
71
Jesus Defense 51647
78
Jesus Walks on the Water Sign Five 61621
87
Rejection of Jesus 66071
99
Jesus First Discourse 71136
106
First Half of Second Discourse 73744
113
Spiritual Blindness and Sight 93541
142
Festival of the Dedication Rejection and Acceptance 102242
149
Lazarus Mary and Martha 11157
161
ACT II
181
The High Priestly Prayer 17126
217
ACT III
226
Jesus before Pilate 18281916a
232
Copyright

Man Born Blind Receives Sight 9141
133

Common terms and phrases

About the author (2007)

William Strome Yanney (the family name is Swiss German, Jenni) is a retired Presbyterian minister with a half-century of Christian ministry intertwined with ministry to civilian congregations and 35 years of military service on active duty and in the National Guard as an Army Chaplain. He has degrees from the College of Wooster, Princeton Theological Seminary, and the University of Illinois in the Classics.

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