The use of πιστεύω in the Gospel of John: Some considerations on meaning and issues of consistency and ambiguity

Abstract

John uses the verb πιστεύω (to believe) more often than do the Synoptic Gospels. The action of believing is important and central to John. There are references to people who are said to believe in Jesus and follow him. However, there are others who also believe but then turn away from Jesus. John uses the same verb πιστεύω throughout his gospel to indicate true believers in Jesus, but sometimes this identification appears unclear and/or ambiguous. The verb πιστεύω is also used synonymously within a wider semantic range that encompasses other action words such as knowing, receiving, and believing in Jesus, God, and the Scripture, doing the will and work of God, seeing, hearing, accepting, remaining, coming to, abiding, and so on. πιστεύω is also subsumed under various descriptors such as being born of God, being chosen and drawn by the Father, and given to Jesus, producing fruit, receiving the Spirit, obeying Jesus as his sheep, and worshipping him. The methodology in this work is to examine various passages in John that employ the verb πιστεύω and assess how John uses this word and its other word associations and descriptors in the given context of the passage(s) under consideration. John seems to be challenging his readers on the question of what constitutes a true believer in Jesus. John challenges his reader(s) on what it means, and what it looks like, to be a genuine believer in Jesus as opposed to a counterfeit believer.