The faith of women in the Gospel of John

Ivanovo je evanđelje zbog duboke teologije i uzvišenog stila ponijelo naslov cvijet evanđelja. Iako se već na prvi pogled razlikuje od sinoptika, Ivan, baš kao i oni, piše u skladu s potrebama svoje zajednice. Ivanova je zajednica vjerojatno živjela u sukobu s neobraćenim Židovima, stoga je autor hrabri za život u vjeri. Glavna svrha zbog koje Ivan piše je vjera, stoga ono nosi naziv i Evanđelje vjere. Sve susrete i sva znamenja Ivan donosi s ciljem da čitatelj povjeruje da je Isus Mesija. Vjeri koju u Evanđelju ispovijedaju pogani, bolesni, žene i ostale marginalizirane skupine, Ivan suprotstavlja pojam židovske nevjere. Autor posebice ističe vjeru žena pred vjerom muškaraca. Žene su te koje, grješne i odbačene, nailaze na Isusov oprost i milosrđe, te po svojoj vjeri spoznaju da je On obećani Spasitelj. Tri su takve žene protagonistice ovoga rada, to su: Samarijanka (Iv 4, 1 – 42), javna grješnica (8, 1 – 11) i Marija Magdalena (20, 11 – 18). Analizom svake perikope dobiva se uvid u njihove osobitosti, koje se na kraju mogu sintetizirati u najvažniju karakteristiku koja ih povezuje: svaka od ove tri žene je u početku odbačena i prezrena, najprije samim time što je žena, a onda zbog svojih grijeha. U Isusu ove žene pronalaze smisao za kojim tragaju i napuštaju svoj stari način života. One po daru njegovog oproštenja grijeha spoznaju da je Isus Mesija. Isus stoga svakoj od njih namjenjuje posebnu ulogu u širenju svog Kraljevstva: Samarijanka k Isusu dovodi svoj poganski narod, javna grješnica je svjedokinja kako su Božja ljubav i milosrđe iznad svakoga ljudskog zakona, a Marija Magdalena je prva osoba koja je susrela Uskrsloga. Može se dakle zaključiti kako svaka od ovih žena po svojoj vjeri postaje navjestiteljica Radosne vijesti. Ta činjenica predstavlja veliku promjenu s obzirom na dostojanstvo i položaj žene u Starom zavjetu: žena Staroga zavjeta je ili u potpunosti obespravljena i smatrana navoditeljicom na grijeh, ili ona koja rađa nosioce obećanja (Sara, Rebeka, Rahela) i izbavlja narod iz opasnosti (Debora, Betulija, Judita). Promjena započinje kad Bog za Majku Spasitelja svijeta odabire Mariju, koja je i danas najveći uzor vjere. Ženino dostojanstvo vraća sam Isus, čineći ih, od dotada obespravljenih članova zajednice, aktivnim sudionicama Božjeg kraljevstva, te je to jedini ispravan primjer kojeg bi Crkva trebala slijediti i danas.Because of its deep theology and sublime style, the Gospel of John bore the title of the flower of gospels. Although at first glance different from the synoptics, John, just like them, writes according to the needs of his community. John's community probably lived in conflict with unconverted Jews, so the author encourages his people to live in faith. The main purpose for which John writes is faith, therefore the gospel is called the Gospel of faith. John brings all the encounters and all the signs in order to make the reader believe that Jesus is the Messiah. The faith espoused in the gospel by the Gentiles, the sick, women and other marginalized groups contrasts the Jewish unbelief. The author particularly emphasizes the faith of women before the faith of men. It is women who, sinful and rejected, come to Jesus' forgiveness and mercy, and by their faith they know that He is the promised Savior. Three such women are the protagonists of this work, and those are: the Samaritan woman (John 4: 1 – 42), the public sinner (8: 1 – 11), and Mary Magdalene (20: 11 – 18). The analysis of each pericope gives insight into their peculiarities, which can eventually be synthesized into the most important characteristic that connects them: each of these three women is initially rejected and despised, first by being a woman and then by her sins. In Jesus, these women find the meaning they seek and abandon their old way of life. They, through the gift of his forgiveness of sins, realize and believe that Jesus is the Messiah. Jesus therefore assigns a special role to each of them in the expansion of His Kingdom: the Samaritan brings gentile Samaritans to Jesus, the public sinner witnesses the love and mercy of God are above every human law, and Mary Magdalene is the first person to meet the Risen One. It can therefore be concluded that each of these women, by their faith, becomes a herald of the Good News. This fact is a major change considering the dignity and position of the woman in the Old Testament: the woman of the Old Testament is either completely disenfranchised and considered a sinner, or one who gives birth to the promise holders (Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel) and saves the people from danger (Deborah , Betulia, Judith). The change begins when God chooses Mary for the Mother of the Savior of the World, who is still the greatest model of faith today. The women's dignity restores Jesus himself, making them, from disenfranchised members of the community, to active participants in the kingdom of God, and this is the only proper example the Church should follow today