Thomas Tops
Biographic Data
| ID | 6029429 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Thomas Tops |
| GIVEN NAMES | Thomas |
| FAMILY NAME | Tops |
| SIGNATURE | TOPS T |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Groningen |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-4399-7045 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 7 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 0 |
| WORKS AS AUTHOR | 7 |
| WORKS AS EDITOR | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2020 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 0 |
The Sublimity of the Language of Jesus in the Gospel of John
This article employs Longinus’ concept of the sublime to interpret and explain aspects of the sublime in the characterisation of Jesus’ language as found in the Fourth Gospel. It begins by observing that two things – the elusiveness of Jesus’ language and Jesus’ presentation as being above ‘earthly’ speakers (John 3:31, 34) – suggest that Jesus’ language is sublime in the rhetorical sense that we find in Longinus’ De sublimitate . To test this hy…
Ναζαρέτ and ναζωραῖος in the Gospel of John
The article examines the meaning of the words Ναζαρέτ and ναζωραῖος in the Fourth Gospel. It argues that the first word plays an important role in the incarnational logic of the Gospel, while the second word is significant for John’s Christology. Through the literary device of reader entrapment, John corrects the reader’s initial misjudgement that ὁ ναζωραῖος in John 18,5.7; 19,19 depicts Jesus as coming from Nazareth. To explain the Christologic…
Paroimia and Parrēsia in the Gospel of John
Thomas Tops examines the complexity of Johannine language. In the past it was described as contradictory, obscure, confusing, and mysterious. By reading Johns use of paroimia and parrēsia in its ancient rhetorical and philosophical context, the author provides a historical approach to the Johannine language.
Paroimia and Parrēsia in the Gospel of John
The language of the Gospel of John is known for its complexity. On the basis of the modern standards of transparency and logic, previous scholars have depicted this language as obscure, confusing, and mysterious. Thomas Tops goes beyond these oversimplifications by providing an in-depth historical study of John's characterisation of Jesus' language with the terms paroimia and parrēsia . By providing original insights in these terms, the author of…
A Historical-Comparative Study of the Authorization of παρρησία in Philo’s Quis rerum divinarum heres sit and Quod omnis probus liber sit
The article studies and compares how Philo authorizes παρρησία in Quis rerum divinarum heres sit and Quod omnis probus liber sit . After critically evaluating the scholarly literature on παρρησία in Philo, I go beyond the limitations of this literature by situating Philo’s views on παρρησία within the context of the ancient conventions of παρρησία , as well as in the changing socio-historical context of Philo’s writings. I argue that Philo creati…
A Philological Study of the Reflexive-Possessive Use of Personal Pronouns in the Fourth Gospel
This study provides a philological analysis of all the occurrences of personal pronouns with reflexive-possessive meaning in the Gospel of John. Here, the author argues that the Gospel highly conforms to the rule of Classical Greek that the deictic force of the article suffices to identify the possessor when it is clear in the literary context who the possessor is. This high conformity enables the author to specify in which cases personal pronoun…
The Orientation of the Teaching of the Paraclete in the Gospel of John
Past scholarly literature has interpreted the orientation of the teaching of the Paraclete in the Fourth Gospel as either retrospective or prospective. First, I will argue that it is prospective, but that this does not imply that the Paraclete teaches things that have not yet been taught by Jesus. The Gospel text challenges us to conceive the teaching of the Paraclete as prospective, but also as repeating Jesus’ teaching. A synthesis of the retro…
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The Orientation of the Teaching of the Paraclete in the Gospel of John
Past scholarly literature has interpreted the orientation of the teaching of the Paraclete in the Fourth Gospel as either retrospective or prospective. First, I will argue that it is prospective, but that this does not imply that the Paraclete teaches things that have not yet been taught by Jesus. The Gospel text challenges us to conceive the teaching of the Paraclete as prospective, but also as repeating Jesus’ teaching. A synthesis of the retro…
A Philological Study of the Reflexive-Possessive Use of Personal Pronouns in the Fourth Gospel
This study provides a philological analysis of all the occurrences of personal pronouns with reflexive-possessive meaning in the Gospel of John. Here, the author argues that the Gospel highly conforms to the rule of Classical Greek that the deictic force of the article suffices to identify the possessor when it is clear in the literary context who the possessor is. This high conformity enables the author to specify in which cases personal pronoun…
Paroimia and Parrēsia in the Gospel of John
Thomas Tops examines the complexity of Johannine language. In the past it was described as contradictory, obscure, confusing, and mysterious. By reading Johns use of paroimia and parrēsia in its ancient rhetorical and philosophical context, the author provides a historical approach to the Johannine language.
Paroimia and Parrēsia in the Gospel of John
The language of the Gospel of John is known for its complexity. On the basis of the modern standards of transparency and logic, previous scholars have depicted this language as obscure, confusing, and mysterious. Thomas Tops goes beyond these oversimplifications by providing an in-depth historical study of John's characterisation of Jesus' language with the terms paroimia and parrēsia . By providing original insights in these terms, the author of…
A Historical-Comparative Study of the Authorization of παρρησία in Philo’s Quis rerum divinarum heres sit and Quod omnis probus liber sit
The article studies and compares how Philo authorizes παρρησία in Quis rerum divinarum heres sit and Quod omnis probus liber sit . After critically evaluating the scholarly literature on παρρησία in Philo, I go beyond the limitations of this literature by situating Philo’s views on παρρησία within the context of the ancient conventions of παρρησία , as well as in the changing socio-historical context of Philo’s writings. I argue that Philo creati…
Ναζαρέτ and ναζωραῖος in the Gospel of John
The article examines the meaning of the words Ναζαρέτ and ναζωραῖος in the Fourth Gospel. It argues that the first word plays an important role in the incarnational logic of the Gospel, while the second word is significant for John’s Christology. Through the literary device of reader entrapment, John corrects the reader’s initial misjudgement that ὁ ναζωραῖος in John 18,5.7; 19,19 depicts Jesus as coming from Nazareth. To explain the Christologic…
The Sublimity of the Language of Jesus in the Gospel of John
This article employs Longinus’ concept of the sublime to interpret and explain aspects of the sublime in the characterisation of Jesus’ language as found in the Fourth Gospel. It begins by observing that two things – the elusiveness of Jesus’ language and Jesus’ presentation as being above ‘earthly’ speakers (John 3:31, 34) – suggest that Jesus’ language is sublime in the rhetorical sense that we find in Longinus’ De sublimitate . To test this hy…
Biblical Studies and Interpretation (6 works) · Philosophy (6 works) · Gospel (5 works) · Theology (5 works) · Art (3 works) · Historical and Linguistic Studies (3 works) · Linguistics (3 works) · Literature (3 works) · Ancient philosophy (2 works) · Ancient Rhetoric (2 works)