Paul and John in Harmony
- Biblical Studies & Commentaries
- Publisher: Baker Academic (Baker Publishing Group)
- Published: 2026
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Publisher's Description
Since the earliest days of the church, scriptural interpreters have noticed similarities between the writings of Paul and John. These similarities have become a topic of intense debate among biblical scholars. In Paul and John in Harmony, world-renowned New Testament scholar Michael Gorman looks in depth at significant parallels between the Gospel of John and 1 John and the Pauline letters. Gorman explores texts such as Philippians 2, John 13, and John 15 and themes such as participating in Christ and the Father's double sending of the Son and the Spirit, Gorman argues that the similarities in these writings express some of the most important aspects of New Testament theology and spirituality. Although most modern scholars claim that Paul and John represent independent traditions, some have recently argued that Paul's letters influenced the later Johannine writings, while others contend that there was mutual influence. Gorman considers these proposals in light of the parallels he has examined and offers a proposal of his own that rethinks the relationship between John and Paul: Could John have influenced Paul?
Endorsements (7)
“Scholars have long studied John and Paul as though they inhabited mutually exclusive theological worlds. But recent work on both writers is now raising afresh the possibility that they are in fact closely related, even mutually dependent. Michael Gorman is one of the wisest and most seasoned guides in these areas, and this new book will open the eyes of a new generation of scholars and preachers to exciting and fruitful study and proclamation.”
“Gorman has produced another scholarly masterpiece. The importance of this groundbreaking book cannot be overstated. While Gorman's explanation of the commonalities in the theologies of John and Paul is pioneering, it is his innovative explanation of this phenomenon—namely, that John influenced Paul—that is truly revolutionary. This magisterial book is poised to challenge several long-standing scholarly consensuses.”
“In this stimulating and provocative book, Michael Gorman brings a lifetime of careful scholarship to bear on the intriguing question of the relationship between Paul and John. Attentive to both textual detail and the big picture, engaging a wide range of scholarly literature, and demonstrating theological sensitivity and historical reflection, Gorman's proposals will push readers to rethink their assumptions about, and reframe their answers to, a number of vexed questions, including not only the relationship of Paul and John but also the dating of the Gospels and the theological coherence of the New Testament.”
“In this creative new volume, Michael Gorman advances a bold thesis: Paul knew and relied upon the Fourth Gospel's presentation of Jesus for the development of his own Christological vision. Whether or not you agree with Gorman on the dating of these texts or the direction of their influence, this book has the potential to challenge current scholarly boundaries. The strength of this work is Gorman's careful attention to the nuances of and significant thematic overlap between Johannine and Pauline Christologies. This book is a must-read.”
“In debates on unity and diversity within the New Testament, scholarship has tended to accentuate the latter. But in this book, Gorman shows how early Christianity's theological heavyweights are united concerning early Christianity's most salient themes. With exegesis that is both detailed and theological, Gorman challenges long-standing assumptions while offering life-giving reflections. Paul and John in Harmony is a landmark work showing the fruits of comparative study, especially when plied with the courage to think beyond the walls of consensus.”
“In this provocative new book on the relationship between John and Paul, Michael Gorman launches a bold new thesis, showing how the historical basis for the Christ-hymn of Philippians 2:6–11 might actually have been the self-effacing example and teachings of Jesus in John 13:1–20. In that light, Gorman here contends not that John is a Pauline Gospel but that Paul is a Johannine theologian. Let the fireworks begin!”
“Professor Gorman here makes a strong case for thinking that John's theology lies behind much of Paul's. In so doing, he integrates Paul's letters and John's Gospel in a unified (but not uniform) theological discourse that potentially began with the Synoptic Gospels (or perhaps, more precisely, Jesus himself) and ran on to Nicaea and beyond. The evidence mustered and the wide-ranging implications are such that historians of Christian origins neglect his hypothesis at significant peril.”
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