The Incarnation Mystery in the Writings of John of the Cross as a Reverberation of Johannine Christology

Abstract

The article focuses on the influence of bible tradition and especially of Johannine Christology in the writings of John of the Cross, a Spanish Carmelite from the 16th century known for his mystical doctrine. It will be focused on the role of the mystery of the Incarnation during the process of uniting the soul with God. After explaining the method of analysis, the author presents conclusions on Johannine influence in Romances based on the Gospel ‘In principio erat verbum’ – a poetic paraphrase of the Gospel of John revealing John of the Cross’s conception of the Incarnation mystery. Findings concerning his presentation of the Incarnation mystery in his prosaic commentaries follow next. Finally, the article offers a brief overview of the impact of John 14–17 on the saint’s teaching about the anticipation of celestial glory.