(Gospel of John 13:18 - 13:38)
"I do not speak to all of you; I know the ones I have chosen. This is a fulfillment of the scripture that says, 'He with whom I have shared my food will turn against me.' I tell you this in advance, so that when it happens you will believe that I am the One. I tell you truly that whoever receives someone I have sent receives me, as anyone who receives me, receives the one who sent me."
Jesus then become deeply perturbed. He announced, “Truly I must tell you -- one of you will betray me!"
The disciples looked querulously at each other, wondering which one of them he meant. One of them, the disciple Jesus loved most, was reclining at the table next to him. Simon-Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus who it was he was talking about. That disciple, leaning closely to Jesus, asked of him, "Master, who is it?"
"It is the one to whom I give this piece of bread after I have dipped into the bowl," Jesus replied. Jesus dipped the piece of bread into the bowl and gave it to --- Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan took possession of him. “Do quickly what you are to do." Jesus bid him. (None at the table knew what Jesus meant; some thought that since Judas was their treasurer, Jesus was instructing him to go out and buy food for the festival or make a donation to the poor.) After Judas had taken the piece of bread, he immediately departed into the night.
After he had left, Jesus said, "Now the Son of Man has been glorified and God has been glorified through him. Since God has received glory from his son, he will give glory to his son. ... Dear children, I will be with you only a little while longer. You will search for me, but I will tell you what I told the Judean people, 'Where I am going, you cannot come.' But I am giving you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so must you love one another. Your mutual love will show to the world that you are my disciples."
Simon-Peter asked him, "Master, where are you going?"
Jesus answered, "Where I am going, you will not now be able to follow, but will do so later on."
"But why can't I follow you now, Master?" he demanded. "I'm ready to give my life for you!"
"Will you really give your life for me?" Jesus asked. "I tell you truly that the cock will not crow this morn before you have denied even knowing me -- three times!"
Notes
1. Jesus has foreknowledge of the disciple who will betray him, yet there is no explanation why he persisted in tolerating the company of a disloyal disciple. Would such a one not hinder his efforts, undermine his teachings, and bring disgrace upon the loyal followers? Why does Jesus allow, if not abet the act of betrayal, if it is not in his interests? And if it is in his interests, why should the betrayer be vilified if he is actually acting in accordance to Jesus' will?
2. Upon taking the bread, Judas becomes possessed by Satan -- metaphorically or literally? If the latter, then this simply means that Judas had just then changed sides, defected to those oppose Jesus and has become an antagonist, which is what the word Satan or Shaitan means. When Judas takes the bread and leaves their company, he departs into the night, as one would expect since they are partaking of the evening meal. The night, the darkness, is probably mentioned as a symbolic reference. Judas is leaving the light of Jesus' company and his enlightened teachings to go into the spiritual darkness.
3. The best-loved disciple, the one sitting, or rather reclining (on one’s left side) next to Jesus at the table, who is availed upon by the disciple-leader Simon-Peter to ask Jesus who the betrayer is, is not here named, but is generally thought to be John, the presumed author of this gospel. Jesus tells him the betrayer is the one who will take the piece of bread Jesus has dipped into the bowl. (Bread would have been used in lieu of dinner utensils: a piece of bread would scoop up pieces of food like a spoon or fork and convey them to the mouth or be used as a sop to soak up a sauce. What was in the bowl was not mentioned and, apparently, not of any significance, symbolic or otherwise.) Obviously this remark had to be a confidential one, not heard by the other disciples, especially by Judas, who takes the bread, presumably eats it, and then leaves. The fact that Judas departs without explanation but on what seems to be a cue from Jesus suggests that the whole act of betrayal has been contrived by Jesus.
4. Jesus prophecies the denial of Peter, but it seems only a put down of that disciple's enthusiastic support of Jesus and the claim that he would willingly die for him.
5. Jesus makes clear he is leaving them to rejoin his Father in Heaven, but hints that at some future point the disciples will able to be with him there. One surmises that this would be after the resurrection of the dead and the Day of Judgment.
Friday, January 16, 2015
Jesus Washes the Feet of His Disciples
(Gospel of John 13:1 - 13:17)
Before the Passover celebration, Jesus was aware that the time was imminent when he should leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his time on earth and continued to love them until the end. (Even so, the Devil had already inspired Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray him.) Jesus knew that the Father had given him control of all things, that he had come from God, and that he would soon be returning to God. Therefore, during supper he got up from the table, took off his robe, and tied a towel around his waist. He poured some water into a basin and washed the feet of his disciples, drying them off with the towel that he had wrapped round himself.
When Jesus came to Simon-Peter, he was questioned by him, "Master, you’re going to wash my feet?"
Jesus replied, "You do not understand now the significance of what I am doing, but someday you will."
Peter protested, "You must never wash my feet!"
Jesus explained, "Unless I wash you, you cannot be a part of me."
"Well, then Master, don't just wash my feet, but wash my hands and face as well."
"A person who has already bathed has no need to wash anything but his feet to be clean. You, the disciples, are clean -- but not all of you are." (Jesus knew who was going to betray him and that was why he suggested that not all his disciples were clean.)
After washing their feet, Jesus put his robe back on and again sat down at the table. He asked the disciples, "Do you understand what I have done for you? You call me ‘rabbi' and ‘master,' and indeed you should, for I am such. But since I am your rabbi and master and have washed your feet, you should then wash each other's feet. I have set for you an example -- to do for others what I have done for you. I tell you truly, the servant is not greater than the master, nor the messenger greater than the one who has sent him. Now that you are aware of these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
Notes
1. At a time when men generally went barefooted or wore open sandals, washing the feet would have been a common hygienic practice and one with ritual significance. But an inferior washes the feet of a superior and not the other way around. Here, Jesus, who is, on every level, superior to his disciples, lowers himself to wash their feet. It is a symbolic gesture and also a signal expression of his feeling for them. Simon-Peter, the "rock," who is literal minded and somewhat hard headed, doesn't get it. The mutual washing of the feet that Jesus urges means he wished for the disciples to take care of one another after he has left them.
2. We have more reference to the upcoming betrayal of Jesus by Judas. When the text says that Judas had already been inspired by the Devil to commit the act of betrayal, the meaning is not clear. Is this a figure of speech ("the Devil made me do it" kind of thing) or is it meant that a specific entity known as the Devil has influenced or compelled Judas to betray Jesus? If the latter was the case, if the Devil really made him do it, would Judas be morally culpable?
Before the Passover celebration, Jesus was aware that the time was imminent when he should leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his time on earth and continued to love them until the end. (Even so, the Devil had already inspired Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray him.) Jesus knew that the Father had given him control of all things, that he had come from God, and that he would soon be returning to God. Therefore, during supper he got up from the table, took off his robe, and tied a towel around his waist. He poured some water into a basin and washed the feet of his disciples, drying them off with the towel that he had wrapped round himself.
When Jesus came to Simon-Peter, he was questioned by him, "Master, you’re going to wash my feet?"
Jesus replied, "You do not understand now the significance of what I am doing, but someday you will."
Peter protested, "You must never wash my feet!"
Jesus explained, "Unless I wash you, you cannot be a part of me."
"Well, then Master, don't just wash my feet, but wash my hands and face as well."
"A person who has already bathed has no need to wash anything but his feet to be clean. You, the disciples, are clean -- but not all of you are." (Jesus knew who was going to betray him and that was why he suggested that not all his disciples were clean.)
After washing their feet, Jesus put his robe back on and again sat down at the table. He asked the disciples, "Do you understand what I have done for you? You call me ‘rabbi' and ‘master,' and indeed you should, for I am such. But since I am your rabbi and master and have washed your feet, you should then wash each other's feet. I have set for you an example -- to do for others what I have done for you. I tell you truly, the servant is not greater than the master, nor the messenger greater than the one who has sent him. Now that you are aware of these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
Notes
1. At a time when men generally went barefooted or wore open sandals, washing the feet would have been a common hygienic practice and one with ritual significance. But an inferior washes the feet of a superior and not the other way around. Here, Jesus, who is, on every level, superior to his disciples, lowers himself to wash their feet. It is a symbolic gesture and also a signal expression of his feeling for them. Simon-Peter, the "rock," who is literal minded and somewhat hard headed, doesn't get it. The mutual washing of the feet that Jesus urges means he wished for the disciples to take care of one another after he has left them.
2. We have more reference to the upcoming betrayal of Jesus by Judas. When the text says that Judas had already been inspired by the Devil to commit the act of betrayal, the meaning is not clear. Is this a figure of speech ("the Devil made me do it" kind of thing) or is it meant that a specific entity known as the Devil has influenced or compelled Judas to betray Jesus? If the latter was the case, if the Devil really made him do it, would Judas be morally culpable?
Unbelief Among the People
(Gospel of John 12:36 - 12:50)
After making these pronouncements, Jesus departed and went into seclusion from them. Even though he had performed many miracles, which the people had witnessed, there were still many who would not believe in him. This was a fulfillment of what had been foretold by the prophet Isaiah when he said, "Jehovah, who has believed our message? To whom has the power of Jehovah been revealed?" And because they could not believe, Isaiah also said (elsewhere), "Jehovah has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so that they cannot see with their eyes or understand with their hearts. Nor will they be converted, so I can heal them." Isaiah said these things because he foresaw the glory of the Messiah and foretold his coming.
Nevertheless, many people, even among the religious establishment, believed in Jesus. But they would not acknowledge it publicly for fear the Pharisees might expel them from the synagogue. For they craved the approval of men more than the approval of God.
Jesus proclaimed, "He who believes in me believes not only in me alone, but in the one who sent me. Those who look at me are seeing the one who sent me. I have come into the world to be a light so that those who believe in me need not remain in darkness. If someone hears my message and rejects it, I will not judge that person, for I have come into the world not to judge it, but to save it. But those who reject me and will not accept my message will be judged on the Last Day -- and be condemned by the truth I have spoken. Indeed, I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me told me what to say and how to speak. I know that following his commandments leads to life everlasting, so I say exactly what the Father bids me to say."
Notes
1. The author suggests, rather weakly, that the prophet Isaiah foretold the coming of Jesus, but the passages offered are so vague as to pertain to anything. But this highlights the strong desire of gospel writers to fit Jesus into traditional Judaic belief, mostly by finding biblical passages that might be interpreted as referring to him. It is easy to make present events seem to conform to ancient prophecy. This was done by gospel writers, as it is done today by enthusiasts of the 16th-Century prophet Nostradamus.
2. It is admitted that many who believed in Jesus were too cowardly, too cowed by the Pharisees, and too fearful of being kicked out of the synagogue to openly proclaim their beliefs. One would think that Jesus' message, one that promised forgiveness of sins and life everlasting, would be compelling enough to trump material concerns, that those who accepted it would acknowledge it proudly, especially considering that later followers would endure martyrdom and cruel death rather than renounce their beliefs.
3. Jesus reiterates the conviction expressed earlier by Martha that there will be a Last Day, or Day of Judgment during which all souls will be resurrected and divinely judged. The commonly held Christian notion, that one goes to Heaven or Hell immediately after death, is not here suggested and would be an obvious contradiction to this belief.
After making these pronouncements, Jesus departed and went into seclusion from them. Even though he had performed many miracles, which the people had witnessed, there were still many who would not believe in him. This was a fulfillment of what had been foretold by the prophet Isaiah when he said, "Jehovah, who has believed our message? To whom has the power of Jehovah been revealed?" And because they could not believe, Isaiah also said (elsewhere), "Jehovah has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so that they cannot see with their eyes or understand with their hearts. Nor will they be converted, so I can heal them." Isaiah said these things because he foresaw the glory of the Messiah and foretold his coming.
Nevertheless, many people, even among the religious establishment, believed in Jesus. But they would not acknowledge it publicly for fear the Pharisees might expel them from the synagogue. For they craved the approval of men more than the approval of God.
Jesus proclaimed, "He who believes in me believes not only in me alone, but in the one who sent me. Those who look at me are seeing the one who sent me. I have come into the world to be a light so that those who believe in me need not remain in darkness. If someone hears my message and rejects it, I will not judge that person, for I have come into the world not to judge it, but to save it. But those who reject me and will not accept my message will be judged on the Last Day -- and be condemned by the truth I have spoken. Indeed, I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me told me what to say and how to speak. I know that following his commandments leads to life everlasting, so I say exactly what the Father bids me to say."
Notes
1. The author suggests, rather weakly, that the prophet Isaiah foretold the coming of Jesus, but the passages offered are so vague as to pertain to anything. But this highlights the strong desire of gospel writers to fit Jesus into traditional Judaic belief, mostly by finding biblical passages that might be interpreted as referring to him. It is easy to make present events seem to conform to ancient prophecy. This was done by gospel writers, as it is done today by enthusiasts of the 16th-Century prophet Nostradamus.
2. It is admitted that many who believed in Jesus were too cowardly, too cowed by the Pharisees, and too fearful of being kicked out of the synagogue to openly proclaim their beliefs. One would think that Jesus' message, one that promised forgiveness of sins and life everlasting, would be compelling enough to trump material concerns, that those who accepted it would acknowledge it proudly, especially considering that later followers would endure martyrdom and cruel death rather than renounce their beliefs.
3. Jesus reiterates the conviction expressed earlier by Martha that there will be a Last Day, or Day of Judgment during which all souls will be resurrected and divinely judged. The commonly held Christian notion, that one goes to Heaven or Hell immediately after death, is not here suggested and would be an obvious contradiction to this belief.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)