St. John's Gospel

Conclusion to the first part of the Gospel (The Book of Signs) (12:37-50)

Posted on May 29th 2011 in St. John's Gospel

After Jesus had indicated how He was to die, and how this death would bring salvation, He disappears. The Evangelist now draws the first part of the Gospel to a close with a summary of the reasons for the unbelief of the Jews, thus bringing to completion another aspect of the Prologue: ‘He came to His own home and his own people received him not’ (1:11). This rejection of Jesus has strong biblical precedents, it becomes a revelation of the divine necessity that the ‘Jews’ were unable to believe. The Prophet Isaiah’s vision (6:1) of God’s glory includes that of the Word in God. (Jn 1:1-2) Some of the leading Jews do in fact believe but their faith is not strong enough to resist the opposition of the Jews. The Evangelist both grasps God’s will and the wilful unbelief of ‘the Jews’ who cannot break through their messianic expectations and search for religious approval from each other. To St John this is nothing other than human glory. On the other hand, the believer seeks the glory of God found in Jesus Christ.

After the editorial explanation, Jesus now emerges and gives the crowds a summary of His mission, the revelation of His origin from the Father, the bringing of light into a formerly darkened world, and the necessity for accepting faith as a gift. The rejection of Jesus and consequent rejection of His mission brings down divine judgement upon that person because the origin of all life, God the Father, is being rejected.

The journey that started out to Bethany to visit Martha and Mary on account of their sick brother Lazarus, but which required the raising of Lazarus from the dead, has now come to a conclusion with a triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Now the hour, to which the first part of the Gospel has been leading, is at hand. The last days of Jesus’ life will begin with a final meal and the washing of the Apostles’ feet. (To be continued). 

Jesus foretells His death and subsequent glorification (12:20-36)

Posted on May 22nd 2011 in St. John's Gospel

The final sentence in the account of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday) is the cry of the Pharisees that ‘the whole world is running after him’. This becomes obvious in the next section when John records that ‘some Greeks’ came to Philip to ask to see Jesus. These ‘Greeks’ were pagan converts to Judaism and are symbolic of all people seeking God. Their request is never explicitly granted. Jesus speaks to them through Philip and Andrew, in other words through the Church. The glorification of Jesus through His death, Resurrection and Ascension will be made known through the community’s existence and worship.

The application to Himself of the parable of the grain of wheat dying in order to bring new life, a theme common to the other Gospels as well, will become the outline of every Christian life. This dying to self and rising to new life gives the structure to following Jesus, which itself is the Christian form of monotheism. Jesus is troubled by this transition, of dying for others to gain life, yet recognises that this hour will give the fullest meaning to all that went before, the signs and the words. Jesus’ request to glorify the Father’s name reflects back on His own identity as the Son. The voice from heaven recognises this, and confirms what those who already believe know about Jesus, that He has come from God (v.28). For those to whom Jesus’ identity is an enigma, the voice is just a mysterious sound.

The final act of self-offering by Jesus will become a judgement upon the world, as it will distinguish between those who accept Him as the Son of God, and those who do not. The gift of salvation is offered to all but an immediate declaration of faith is advised since the death of Jesus on the Cross is a moment of revelation and thus of light. The Cross becomes the light to enlighten the gloom of the world, and the path to which the Christian must adhere.

The fact that Jesus will die on the Cross and rise to new life will result in Him staying forever in His perfect resurrected humanity. (The Ascension), thus fulfilling the expectations of the Jews and the prophecies of the Old Testament.

The anointing at Bethany and entry into Jerusalem (11:55-12:19)

Posted on May 1st 2011 in St. John's Gospel

The anointing of Jesus by Mary immediately precedes His triumphal arrival into Jerusalem. The road from the house of Lazarus to Jerusalem would be the final stretch of road prior to seeing the city itself for the final time. The sense of foreboding is increasing; Lazarus himself has become a target of violence. However, despite the danger the crowds are still looking out for Him. Jesus spends the evening with his friends at which Mary, who has listened to the Lord at the time of His previous visit, now undertakes an act of generosity that points towards the symbolic nature of His death. This death will have a special purpose, as it will fill the house (the world) with perfume (the offer of salvation and the gift of the Holy Spirit). The death of Jesus will have a unique value so the ointment has been used wisely, something that Judas with his restricted financial viewpoint cannot comprehend. The reference to helping himself to the common fund demonstrates that he has failed to grasp the teaching of Jesus, and the common life to which his disciples are called. This reference to Judas’ dishonesty points to his future betrayal of Jesus for money, and thus lends credibility to his motives.

Throughout the account of the Gospel the actions of Jesus have retained their mysterious quality. Even His closest disciples are unsure as to the full meaning of His signs and miracles. The full meaning of Jesus’ teaching cannot be exhausted by their literal meaning. This would only be possible once the Holy Spirit had been given to the Church. Therefore the Scriptures contain both a literal sense and a symbolic meaning which the Church Fathers understood as the moral, and analogical (how each part connects to make a coherent whole), senses of the scriptures.

The symbolic meaning of Jesus’ action in riding a colt into Jerusalem in a conscious allusion to Zechariah’s account on the coming of the Messiah corrects the crowd’s use of Psalm 118 (which could allude to a political kingship) for His triumphant entry into the city. This combination would not be understood till after His crucifixion and Resurrection. The crowds that lined the streets had heard about the raising of Lazarus. Confronted by His popularity the Pharisees looked utterly powerless. The popularity of Jesus has proved Caiaphas right, and Jesus’ own prediction about the Good Shepherd laying down His life will be fulfilled.