This paper argues that in writing his account of the Passion of Jesus the author of the Fourth Gospel recognized the Hellenistic culture of his audience and their knowledge of the much discussed nature of true sovereignty. With this material in mind John presents Jesus as the friendly, suffering, servant sovereign who would be particularly familiar to those acquainted with Cynicism or Stoicism. For the Stoics every wise person was a sovereign. For John Jesus is a more inspiring model than any of those found in non-Christian religions: e.g., Heracles, Cleanthes, Socrates, or Odysseus.
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