Abstract

Much has been discussed about the use of the vocative "γύναι" to address the mother of Jesus in the Gospel of John; specifically, whether the term denotes a polite form of address or whether it carries some derogatory meaning. However, most of the above discussion relates to texts that refer to Jesus’ mother in John 2:4 and John 19:26. The current literature has not adequately addressed the implications of the vocative γύναι in relation to the other two Johannine women: the Samaritan woman (4:21) and Mary Magdalene (20:13, 15). In this paper, I will analyse the vocative "γύναι" from a gender perspective in so far as it is used to address all three Johannine women. I will argue that the vocative "γύναι" is always used in gen5 dered contexts and emphasises the identity of the woman precisely as a woman. The vocative "γύναι" draws the attention of the woman and shifts her attention from an immediate concern to something of a revelatory nature. The three Johannine women, the mother of Jesus (2:4; 19:26), the Samaritan woman (4:21), and Mary Magdalene (20:13, 15), who are addressed in the vocative γύναι in John, play evocative roles in Jesus’ self-revelation, his "δόξα" and "ὥρα".