Persecution, revelation and charismatic crisis in the Johannine community

My chief interest in this paper is to suggest that two themes played a central role in the life of the Johannine church. These themes ultimately stood side by side in the end, but initially, they shared a developmental connection. The first theme is persecution. The fact that this church lived in the heyday of synagogue/church tension is commonplace. But stemming from this persecution came an interest in the Spirit who would sustain and strengthen the church\u27s case. The second theme stemming from the first is revelation. In the midst of a desperate need for strength of witness, the Johannine community embraced the Spirit Paraclete as an aid to witness: one who would advance the material case for Christ with substance and conviction