Acknowledgements
Abbreviations

Chapter One Prolegomena
1.1. Introduction
1.2. The Fourth Gospel as Narrative Literature
1.3. Method
1.3.1. Literary Origins of Narrative Criticism
1.3.1.1. Russian Formalism
1.3.1.2. New Criticism
1.3.1.3. Structuralism
1.3.1.4. Post-Structuralism
1.3.2. The Development of Narrative Criticism in Biblical Studies
1.3.3. Exploring the Temporal Mechanics of the Fourth Gospel
1.3.3.1. A Semantic Approach
1.3.3.2. A Traditional Approach
1.3.3.3. A Historical Approach
1.3.3.4. A Holistic Approach
1.4. Overview

Chapter Two The Mechanics of Time
2.1. Time in World
2.1.1. Time as a Line: Conventional Views of Time
2.1.2. Time as a Circle: Sacred versus Profane Time
2.1.3. Time as a Structure: The Philosophies of Time
2.1.4. Time as an Axis: Newton’s Absolute Time
2.1.5. Time as a Dimension: The Relativity of Time
2.1.5.1. Time is Finite: The Edges of Time
2.1.5.2. Time is Dimensional: The Shape of Spacetime
2.1.5.3. Time is Deterministic: The Probability of Time
2.1.5.4. Time is Warped: The Distortion of Spacetime
2.1.5.5. Time is Restrictive: The Limits of Time
2.2. Time in Narrative
2.2.1. Narrative Time: A Paradigm of Relativistic Temporal Hermeneutics
2.2.1.1. Narrative Time is Finite
2.2.1.2. Narrative Time is Dimensional
2.2.1.3. Narrative Time is Deterministic
2.2.1.4. Narrative Time is Warped
2.2.1.5. Narrative Time is Restrictive
2.2.2. Afterword: Narrative Time

Chapter Three Time is Finite
3.1. The Beginning of Time
3.1.1. The Temporal Function of the Prologue
3.1.2. The Temporal Function of Ἐν ἀρχῇ
3.2. The End of Time
3.2.1. The Temporal Function of Closure
3.2.2. Temporal Closure in the Epilogue
3.3. Afterword: Finite

Chapter Four Time is Dimensional
4.1. Pre-Modern Temporal Confi gurations
4.1.1. The Problem of a Pre-Modern Confi guration
4.1.2. The Solution: Demonstrable in Anthropology
4.1.3. The Solution: Demonstrable in Narratology
4.1.4. The Solution: Demonstrable in Historiography
4.1.5 The Solution: Demonstrable in Biblical Studies
4.2. A Temporal Confi guration of the Fourth Gospel
4.2.1. The Function of Temporal Markers
4.2.2. Temporal Markers in the Fourth Gospel
4.2.2.1. Temporal Marker: Μετὰ ταῦτα
4.2.2.2. Temporal Marker: Τῇ ἐπαύριον
4.2.2.3. Temporal Descriptor: Ἐγγὺς τὸ πάσχα
4.3. Afterword: Dimensional

Chapter Five Time is Deterministic
5.1. Narrative Determinism
5.2. The Deterministic Nature of the Fourth Gospel
5.2.1. Diegetic Determinism
5.2.2. Diachronic Determinism
5.2.3. Anachronic Determinism
5.3. Afterword: Determinism

Chapter Six Time is Warped
6.1. The Tempo of the Text
6.1.1. The Variability of Narrative Tempo
6.1.2. The Tempo of the Fourth Gospel
6.2. Temporal Events and Temporal Discontinuities
6.2.1. The Function of Temporal Events
6.2.1.1. Macro-Events: Episodes
6.2.1.2. Events-Like Object: Temporal Value Words
6.2.1.3. Events-Like Object: Temporal Process Words
6.2.2. The Function of Temporal Discontinuities
6.3. The Temporal Geodesic of the Fourth Gospel
6.4. Afterword: Warped

Chapter Seven Time is Restrictive
7.1. The Limits of Narrative
7.2. Possible Worlds
7.3. The Possible Worlds of the Fourth Gospel
7.3.1. The Witness World
7.3.2. The Epic World
7.4. The Function of Metalepsis in the Fourth Gospel
7.5. Afterword: Restrictive

Chapter Eight Conclusion

Bibliography
Index of Passages
Index of Authors
Subject Index

Few books in biblical scholarship can truly be called groundbreaking. This is one of them.
David Rensberger, Biblical Interpretation 2010

All those interested in the interpretation of the Gospels, biblical theology, postmodern hermeneutics, time and temporality, science and religion, ancient historiography and modern literary/narrative theory.

Douglas Estes, Ph.D. (2006) in Theology/Biblical Studies, University of Nottingham, currently teaches at Western Seminary-San Jose, and serves as Lead Pastor at Berryessa Valley Church in San Jose, CA. He has a background in chemistry.