(Gospel of John 15:1 - 16:33)
"I, said Jesus," am the genuine grapevine, and my Father is the tender of the vineyard. He cuts off every branch of me that fails to bear fruit and prunes every branch that does bear fruit so that it will produce more. You have already been "pruned" by the message I have given you. Remain in me and I in you, for a branch cannot produce fruit unless it remains on the vine: you cannot be fruitful unless you remain with me. I am the vine; you, its branches. Those that remain in me and I in them will produce much fruit, but separated from me you can accomplish nothing. Whoever does not remain in me will be like a branch discarded to dry up. Such branches are gathered and cast into the fire to be burned. If you remain in me and my message remains with you, then ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you. My Father achieves glory through this: that you bear fruit by being my disciples. As my Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Remain in that love. When you obey my commandments, you remain in that love, just as I have remained in my Father's love by obeying his commandments. I have told you these things so that my joy may remain in you and be complete.
"This is my commandment to you: love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no man than this, that he should lay down his life for his friends. If you do what I command you, then you are my friends. I no longer call you servants, for a servant knows not his master's business. But I call you friends, because I have taught you everything I have learned from the Father. You did not choose me, rather I chose you. I have assigned you to go and bear fruit, enduring fruit, so that the Father may grant you whatever you might ask of him in my name. This is my command: love one another.
"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. The world would love you as its own, if you belonged the world. But you do not belong to the world, because I have chosen to take you out of the world, and that is why the world hates you.
"Remember what I have said to you, 'The servant cannot be greater than the master.' If they have persecuted me, they will persecute you. If they follow my teachings, they will follow yours. They will treat you such because of my name’s sale, for they will not acknowledge the one who sent me. They would not be at fault if I had not come and spoken to them, but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates me hates the Father as well. They would not be at fault if I had not performed the miracles that no else could do, but they have witnessed them and still hate both me and my Father. -- But this is to fulfill what is written in the Scripture, 'They hated me without cause.'
"When the Counselor whom I will send to you from the Father, a spirit of truth from the Father, arrives, he will teach you of me. You are also to teach of me, because you have been with me from the start.
"I have told you these things so that you won't falter, for you will be expelled from the synagogues, and the time will come that those kill you will think they are performing a service to God. They will do this because they have not known me or the Father. I have told you this, for when they do these things, you will remember I had warned you about them. I didn't tell you before, because I was still with you.
"But now that I am about to return to the one who sent me, none of you ask me where I am going. Instead you grieve over what I have told you. Nevertheless, it is best for you that I leave, for if I do not do so the Counselor cannot come to you. But, if I go, I can send him to you. And when he arrives, he will remonstrate the world in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment -- about sin, because the people do not believe in me, about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will not see me again, about judgment, because the ruler of this world has already been condemned. There are still many more things I want to tell you, but they are too much for you to bear just now. When the spirit of truth arrives, he will enlighten you as to the truth in all matters, for he will not speak on his own behalf, but will relate what he has been taught. He will reveal to you future events. He will bring glory to me because what he will make known to you comes from me. All that belongs to the Father is also mine. That is why I have said that whatever he will disclose to you he has received from me."
"After a little while you will no longer see me and then, after a little while, you will see me again."
At that some of the disciples questioned each other, "What does he mean by this statement and by his saying he is going to the Father? And what does he mean by 'a little while.' We don't understand what he's talking about."
Jesus, anticipating what they were going to ask him, told them, "Are you wondering what I meant when I said 'After a little while you will no longer see me and then, after a little while, you will see me again.' To tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn over what will happen to me, while the world rejoices. You will endure great sorrow, but that pain will turn to joy. A woman endures much pain during childbirth while she is in labor, but after the child is born that agony is forgotten in the joy of bringing new life into the world. You will have sorrow now, but I will see you again and when I do, you will know joy -- a joy no one can take away from you. At that time you will have no need to ask me for anything, for, I tell you truly, you will be able to appeal to the Father directly and he will grant any request made in my name. Until now you have asked for nothing in my name. Ask and you will receive! Then your joy will be complete.
"Thus far I have spoken in analogies, but soon the time will come when I will leave off speaking figuratively and tell you of the Father directly, in plain language. At that time you will ask in my name. I'm not saying that I need ask the Father on your behalf, for the Father loves you dearly, because you love me and believe that I have come from him. Yes, I have indeed come into the world from the Father and will leave the world to return to the Father."
His disciples then declared, "Now you are speaking literally and not figuratively. Now we understand that you know all things. No one needs to ask you any questions. This convinces us that you do come from God."
"So you believe now?” Jesus responded. "But the time is coming, in fact, it is already here, when you will be dispersed, each one going his own way, and I will be left alone. But I will not really be alone, for the Father is with me. I have told you all this so that through me you may face serenely the trials and tribulations the world will inflict upon you and take heart -- for I have triumphed over the world!"
Notes
1. The analogy of pruning the grapevine is lost in translation. The Greek verb kathairei means to prune, while kathairo means to cleanse. They are conflated. Thus, the vine is pruned and the disciples are cleansed. Since Jesus was presumably speaking to his disciples in Aramaic, rather than in Greek, one wonders whether the analogy, the play on words, would have been employed by him.
2. Such long passages of dialogue make the reader wonder how they could be verbatim, the gospels being written decades after the events. Did the disciples keep journals and diaries? Did they whip out their wax tablets and styluses every time Jesus spoke, recording his words for posterity in 1st Century shorthand? Or did the gospel writers put into Jesus' mouth the words they wanted him to have said, ascribing to him statements that would conform to the Christian doctrines of the time? (That the gospels disagree with each other in factual matters, that they are often incompatible and contradictory militates against the contention that they could have been authored under divine guidance, or inspired by a single spiritual source.)
3. Jesus reiterates his love for his disciples, but it is not an unconditional love by any means. He will only love them if they do everything he orders them to do. And he has never really confided in them, only imparting cryptic and ambiguous pronouncements. He says he is their friend because he has conveyed to them a message from the Father. Didn’t he impart the same message to the masses he preached to at the Temple?
4. Jesus, knowing everything, did not, according to this account, teach his disciples much of anything, except to indoctrinate them in a belief in his divinity. It is remarkable that he resisted what one would think would be a temptation to enlighten his disciples on simple matters that we today all know and he, if he were divine, must have known, such as the fact that the earth is round or that microorganisms cause disease or a thousand other things of which the ancients were ignorant. Jesus displays no possession of such knowledge. And his incurious disciples, even accepting that he is from God, question him little, even of religious matters such as: where is Heaven, what happens to a man when he dies, what is the punishment for sin, the rewards for being a pious man, and so forth.
5. Jesus declares he will henceforth regard his disciples as friends, equals. He suggests that their former relationship was that of master and servant (or slave) when, quite obviously, it would have been that of teacher and student -- hopefully a distinction there! He orders that they love each other as he has loved them, but this seems inapt. The affection and respect that colleagues may have for one another is different and should be different than that accorded to them by their teacher and master. "Greater love has no man than this, that he should lay down his life for his friends." is a much quoted passage and a noble sentiment, but how applicable is it? Overlooking the possibility of equality between a man and a god, one questions whether Jesus has, in fact, been a friend to his followers. He consistently used them to serve his own ends, rarely considering their own interests, confiding in them, or soliciting their opinions. And he brought Judas Iscariot, a crook, into their midst and blithely and unconcernedly allowed him to steal their money. Some friend. And, it should be pointed out, Jesus is not dying for his friends, but for some far greater purpose.
6. Jesus claims that, in fulfillment of prophecy, he is hated without reason. How could he possibly say that? He shows up and challenges the religious establishment. He more or less tells everybody who doesn’t believe in him that they are not only fools and idiots, but rejectors of God. He makes the most extravagant and outrageous claim any man can make, that he is the Son of God, thereby setting himself above every man, as well as the priests, who are the ordained intermediaries between God and man. He demands that people believe in him, and, if they don’t, they must hate God and are to be damned. Did he really expect not to arouse any antagonism?
7. Jesus does not spell out the future work of his disciples, but one assumes it is to evangelize, to spread his message and the belief that he is the Son of God. He promises that to that end they will be endowed with the power to perform miracles. We don’t know how that worked out, but there is scant reportage of miracles attributed to his disciples. The Counselor will also impart to them knowledge of the future. How they may have used that knowledge is unrecorded.
8. The obtuse disciples never grasp the meaning of Jesus' allegories, analogies, and parables and complain about his not speaking directly and plainly. Although he says nothing differently, they suddenly think he is now being literal when he says he has come from the Father and will return to him, exactly what he has been saying all along. Even so Jesus still seems to want to tantalize his disciples and string them along with unexplained statements rather than being forthcoming. But at the end of this passage the author has the disciples, for some reason, finally “getting it” and coming to believe Jesus. If they didn’t believe before, why were they following someone who could otherwise only be an egregious charlatan?
Saturday, February 14, 2015
Jesus Reassures His Disciples
(Gospel of John 14:1 - 14:31)
"Let not your hearts be troubled," Jesus said to his disciples. "For you believe in God and you believe in me as well. In the home of the Father are many dwelling chambers. If that were not the case, I would not have told you that I am going there to prepare places for you. When I go and have prepared a place for you, I will return and take you with me, so that where I am, you may also be. You know the way to the place I am going."
"But Master," interrupted Thomas, "we don't know where you're going, so how can we know the way there?"
Jesus responded, "I am the way, the way to truth and life everlasting. No one comes to the Father save through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. Henceforth, you do know him -- and have seen him."
"Master," questioned Philip, "show us the Father and we'll be satisfied."
Jesus replied, “You’ve been with me all this time, Philip, and still you don’t know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. So why must you ask, ‘Show us the Father’? Don't you believe that I am in the Father and the Father in me? The words I speak are not my own, but are of the Father, who abides within me and does his work through me. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. At least believe it because of the miracles you have seen me perform. Truly I tell you that those who believe in me will be able to perform the miracles that I have been doing; indeed, they will be able to work greater wonders because I am going to the Father. I will then accomplish anything you ask in my name, so that the Son might bring glory to the Father. Ask anything in my name, and I will do it!
"If you love me, obey my commandments. I will ask my father and he will send to you another counselor who will be with you always -- the spirit of the truth. The world does not accept him: it neither sees nor recognizes him. But you know him, for he lives among you and will live within you.
"I will not abandon you to be orphans, for I will come to you. Soon the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you will also live. When I have been resurrected, you will realize that I am in my Father, that you are in me and I, in you. Those who receive my commandments and obey them are the ones who really love me. And because they love me, the Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to them."
Judas (not Judas Iscariot) asked Jesus, "Master, why is it that you will reveal yourself to us, but not to the world?"
Jesus replied, "Those who love me will obey my teachings. My Father will love them. We will come to them and make our home with them. Those who do not love me will not obey my teachings. These words you hear are not mine, but come from the Father who sent me. I have said these things while I am still among you. Later, the Counselor, a holy spirit whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all the things I have said to you. I leave you with peace, the peace I give to you, but not as the world gives. Let not your hearts be troubled or be afraid.
"You have heard me say, 'I am going away, but will come back to you.' If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. I am telling you this now, before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe it. I have little time to speak to you further, for the ruler of the world is approaching. He has no real power over me, but I must do as the Father has commanded, so that the world may know that I love the Father. --- Get up, let’s be on our way!"
Notes
1. Jesus makes it clear that when he dies he will be resurrected and live again, but he does not say he will live again upon the earth as a man. Rather he will ascend to Heaven to be with the Father. In a sense, this is not resurrection at all since it is his spirit, or, at most, his spirit body that will have renewed and continued life. He is not to be resurrected as Lazarus was supposedly resurrected, physically -- a dead man brought back to life. He promises that his disciples will later join him, but he does not say when or how. Is it be when after they have died? It is necessary for Jesus to prepare a place for them, as if he has to reserve a hotel room for them and make sure the bed linen and the towels have been changed before they arrive. What sort of preparation must be done and why hasn't the Father, who presumably knows everything, already taken of it? This place, is it a physical abode, or is the place an office, an honorary position, or something of that nature? And if they are to be in Heaven with Jesus, how will they occupy themselves? Is there a need for evangelists in Heaven?
2. Jesus makes another unfulfillable promise, that he, after he has gone to Heaven, will answer their prayers and give them anything they ask for. And he will do this not out of love for them or out of the need of those whey may pray for, but only so that he, Jesus, may bring glory to the Father. If the Father is God, the universal deity, the Creator, why on earth, or in Heaven, does he need glory and aggrandizement, why does he need to have someone else make him look good?
3. Jesus, as he is wont, refuses to give a direct answer to a direct question, but is evasive and purposefully vague, constantly mixing the literal and the metaphorical so that one is often at a loss as to his meaning. His disciples are often left clueless, (although, in truth, it doesn't seem as if he picked a particularly smart or even canny lot to be his followers). He will not tell them where he is going. (Can't he just be straight and honest with the disciples who love him and give them a satisfying response, like "I'm going to be killed, but I will rise from the dead and go to Heaven.) Nor does he say why he won't be revealing himself to the world, only to his disciples. He dodges like a politician who unfailingly falls back on his talking points when faced with a tough question he doesn't want to answer.
4. After he is gone, Jesus will send to his disciples the Counselor who will instruct them in his message. It is unlikely that this Counselor is actually some sort of entity, even a spirit entity, although it could be. It is a spirit of truth or is it the spirit of truth, that is, the personification of truth. It is probable that Jesus meant the disciples would be divinely inspired and that they would continue to have spiritual guidance, this Counselor being, like Jesus, an intermediary between God and man. Apparently Jesus hasn't tutored and groomed his disciples sufficiently that they will know what to do and say to take his place as evangelists of his message. They will need help, and he promises to send it to them.
5. The Counselor Jesus will send is traditionally interpreted as being the Holy Spirit, the third member of the Trinity. The Greek word is paraclete, meaning comforter, advocate, adviser. However, the Paraclete, as it is defined here, seems a subordinate of Jesus, which would not be the case if it were a member of the Trinity. The Paraclete seems another Greek philosophical abstraction favored by the author of John.
6. Jesus leaves his disciples a gift of peace. It seems unlikely, though, that if they continue to preach his message that they will know anything like peace, more likely harassment, persecution, even martyrdom. But perhaps he means that they will have the peace of mind knowing that their own salvation is assured. Wouldn't satisfaction in knowing that they were spreading the truth, helping others, inspiring people and improving their lives with a positive belief, be a better gift?
7. Among the mind games that Jesus plays with his followers is the continuing rebuke, familiar to nagged spouses, "If you really love me, you will believe me and do what I say. If you don't, it can only be because you don't love me." Once one is committed to love someone, the loved person can use that love as a weapon to get what he wants from the lover. Here, Jesus is in effect saying, "You must not think on your own, you must dismiss logic and critical thought and your own observations and believe unquestioningly what I am telling you. If you don't believe, you obviously don't love me. Those who don't believe me are only those who don't love me." Thus, if you love Jesus, you must believe in what he says. But Jesus goes further by connecting himself with the Father, God. Everything he does and says comes from God, he claims. Therefore, to deny Jesus is to deny God. To love Jesus is to love God, and to love God is to love Jesus. The disciples are shamed into believing and obeying Jesus. If they do otherwise, they are up against God himself. Everything, though, is based on the premise that Jesus is the Son of God, an unproven claim, miracles notwithstanding.
8. Jesus seems resigned to the destiny that, it seems, the Father has allotted him. He is to be in conflict with princes and powers of the world, specifically the provincial government of Rome and the Judaic religious establishment -- although ruler or “Prince of the World" can, and often is interpreted as the Devil, or the evil forces at work in the material world. He has the power to evade that destiny, but chooses not to do so, but to submit to it in order to please the Father. One may question why a father would send his son into the world merely to be killed, but Jesus feels duty bound not to question, but to accept.
9. The identity of Judas the Apostle, a different person from Judas Iscariot, is problematic. He is often called Jude and may be Jude, the brother of Jesus, or could be the same person as the Apostle Thaddeus. And there is Saint Jude who was martyred in Beirut in 65 AD, killed with an ax. This Jude has also been identified in legend as the groom at the wedding at Cana.
"Let not your hearts be troubled," Jesus said to his disciples. "For you believe in God and you believe in me as well. In the home of the Father are many dwelling chambers. If that were not the case, I would not have told you that I am going there to prepare places for you. When I go and have prepared a place for you, I will return and take you with me, so that where I am, you may also be. You know the way to the place I am going."
"But Master," interrupted Thomas, "we don't know where you're going, so how can we know the way there?"
Jesus responded, "I am the way, the way to truth and life everlasting. No one comes to the Father save through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. Henceforth, you do know him -- and have seen him."
"Master," questioned Philip, "show us the Father and we'll be satisfied."
Jesus replied, “You’ve been with me all this time, Philip, and still you don’t know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. So why must you ask, ‘Show us the Father’? Don't you believe that I am in the Father and the Father in me? The words I speak are not my own, but are of the Father, who abides within me and does his work through me. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. At least believe it because of the miracles you have seen me perform. Truly I tell you that those who believe in me will be able to perform the miracles that I have been doing; indeed, they will be able to work greater wonders because I am going to the Father. I will then accomplish anything you ask in my name, so that the Son might bring glory to the Father. Ask anything in my name, and I will do it!
"If you love me, obey my commandments. I will ask my father and he will send to you another counselor who will be with you always -- the spirit of the truth. The world does not accept him: it neither sees nor recognizes him. But you know him, for he lives among you and will live within you.
"I will not abandon you to be orphans, for I will come to you. Soon the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you will also live. When I have been resurrected, you will realize that I am in my Father, that you are in me and I, in you. Those who receive my commandments and obey them are the ones who really love me. And because they love me, the Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to them."
Judas (not Judas Iscariot) asked Jesus, "Master, why is it that you will reveal yourself to us, but not to the world?"
Jesus replied, "Those who love me will obey my teachings. My Father will love them. We will come to them and make our home with them. Those who do not love me will not obey my teachings. These words you hear are not mine, but come from the Father who sent me. I have said these things while I am still among you. Later, the Counselor, a holy spirit whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all the things I have said to you. I leave you with peace, the peace I give to you, but not as the world gives. Let not your hearts be troubled or be afraid.
"You have heard me say, 'I am going away, but will come back to you.' If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. I am telling you this now, before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe it. I have little time to speak to you further, for the ruler of the world is approaching. He has no real power over me, but I must do as the Father has commanded, so that the world may know that I love the Father. --- Get up, let’s be on our way!"
Notes
1. Jesus makes it clear that when he dies he will be resurrected and live again, but he does not say he will live again upon the earth as a man. Rather he will ascend to Heaven to be with the Father. In a sense, this is not resurrection at all since it is his spirit, or, at most, his spirit body that will have renewed and continued life. He is not to be resurrected as Lazarus was supposedly resurrected, physically -- a dead man brought back to life. He promises that his disciples will later join him, but he does not say when or how. Is it be when after they have died? It is necessary for Jesus to prepare a place for them, as if he has to reserve a hotel room for them and make sure the bed linen and the towels have been changed before they arrive. What sort of preparation must be done and why hasn't the Father, who presumably knows everything, already taken of it? This place, is it a physical abode, or is the place an office, an honorary position, or something of that nature? And if they are to be in Heaven with Jesus, how will they occupy themselves? Is there a need for evangelists in Heaven?
2. Jesus makes another unfulfillable promise, that he, after he has gone to Heaven, will answer their prayers and give them anything they ask for. And he will do this not out of love for them or out of the need of those whey may pray for, but only so that he, Jesus, may bring glory to the Father. If the Father is God, the universal deity, the Creator, why on earth, or in Heaven, does he need glory and aggrandizement, why does he need to have someone else make him look good?
3. Jesus, as he is wont, refuses to give a direct answer to a direct question, but is evasive and purposefully vague, constantly mixing the literal and the metaphorical so that one is often at a loss as to his meaning. His disciples are often left clueless, (although, in truth, it doesn't seem as if he picked a particularly smart or even canny lot to be his followers). He will not tell them where he is going. (Can't he just be straight and honest with the disciples who love him and give them a satisfying response, like "I'm going to be killed, but I will rise from the dead and go to Heaven.) Nor does he say why he won't be revealing himself to the world, only to his disciples. He dodges like a politician who unfailingly falls back on his talking points when faced with a tough question he doesn't want to answer.
4. After he is gone, Jesus will send to his disciples the Counselor who will instruct them in his message. It is unlikely that this Counselor is actually some sort of entity, even a spirit entity, although it could be. It is a spirit of truth or is it the spirit of truth, that is, the personification of truth. It is probable that Jesus meant the disciples would be divinely inspired and that they would continue to have spiritual guidance, this Counselor being, like Jesus, an intermediary between God and man. Apparently Jesus hasn't tutored and groomed his disciples sufficiently that they will know what to do and say to take his place as evangelists of his message. They will need help, and he promises to send it to them.
5. The Counselor Jesus will send is traditionally interpreted as being the Holy Spirit, the third member of the Trinity. The Greek word is paraclete, meaning comforter, advocate, adviser. However, the Paraclete, as it is defined here, seems a subordinate of Jesus, which would not be the case if it were a member of the Trinity. The Paraclete seems another Greek philosophical abstraction favored by the author of John.
6. Jesus leaves his disciples a gift of peace. It seems unlikely, though, that if they continue to preach his message that they will know anything like peace, more likely harassment, persecution, even martyrdom. But perhaps he means that they will have the peace of mind knowing that their own salvation is assured. Wouldn't satisfaction in knowing that they were spreading the truth, helping others, inspiring people and improving their lives with a positive belief, be a better gift?
7. Among the mind games that Jesus plays with his followers is the continuing rebuke, familiar to nagged spouses, "If you really love me, you will believe me and do what I say. If you don't, it can only be because you don't love me." Once one is committed to love someone, the loved person can use that love as a weapon to get what he wants from the lover. Here, Jesus is in effect saying, "You must not think on your own, you must dismiss logic and critical thought and your own observations and believe unquestioningly what I am telling you. If you don't believe, you obviously don't love me. Those who don't believe me are only those who don't love me." Thus, if you love Jesus, you must believe in what he says. But Jesus goes further by connecting himself with the Father, God. Everything he does and says comes from God, he claims. Therefore, to deny Jesus is to deny God. To love Jesus is to love God, and to love God is to love Jesus. The disciples are shamed into believing and obeying Jesus. If they do otherwise, they are up against God himself. Everything, though, is based on the premise that Jesus is the Son of God, an unproven claim, miracles notwithstanding.
8. Jesus seems resigned to the destiny that, it seems, the Father has allotted him. He is to be in conflict with princes and powers of the world, specifically the provincial government of Rome and the Judaic religious establishment -- although ruler or “Prince of the World" can, and often is interpreted as the Devil, or the evil forces at work in the material world. He has the power to evade that destiny, but chooses not to do so, but to submit to it in order to please the Father. One may question why a father would send his son into the world merely to be killed, but Jesus feels duty bound not to question, but to accept.
9. The identity of Judas the Apostle, a different person from Judas Iscariot, is problematic. He is often called Jude and may be Jude, the brother of Jesus, or could be the same person as the Apostle Thaddeus. And there is Saint Jude who was martyred in Beirut in 65 AD, killed with an ax. This Jude has also been identified in legend as the groom at the wedding at Cana.
Friday, January 16, 2015
Jesus Foretells His Betrayal
(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.
"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.
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.
Thursday, December 25, 2014
Jesus Speaks of His Death
(Gospel of John 12:27 - 12:36)
Some Greeks who came to Jerusalem to attend the Passover festivities paid a visit to the disciple Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and expressed a desire to see Jesus. Philip told Andrew about it and they in turn informed Jesus.
To these Greeks Jesus said the following: "The time has come when the Son of Man will achieve his glory. I tell you truly that unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains but a single kernel, but if it does die, it then produces more kernels, an abundance of wheat. Those who crave the life of this world will lose that life, but those who care nothing for it will keep their life -- forever. Whoever wishes to serve me must follow me, for where I am, there also should be my servant. And whoever serves me, the Father will honor.
"At present my mind is deeply troubled. Should I pray to my Father and beg him, "Spare me from this moment!" But it was for this very moment that I have come into the world. Father, may your name be glorified!"
And then from the sky a voice spoke. It said, "I have already glorified it and will do so again." The crowd below heard this. Some, though, thought it was only thunder, while others concluded that some heavenly being had spoken to Jesus. Jesus told them, "It was for your sake, not mine that the voice spoke. Now the punishment of this world is at hand; now the ruler of this world will be cast out! And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will then draw all the people to me." (He mentioned this to suggest the means by which he would die.)
The Greeks questioned him. "It is our understanding of the Scriptures that the Messiah will live forever. What do you mean when you say the Son of Man will be 'lifted up'? And who is this 'Son of Man'?"
"The light will remain for you just a little longer," he told them. "Walk while you still have the light, for soon the darkness will overtake you. And when you walk in the darkness, you will not be able to see where you are going. While the light is still with you, believe in it, so you may become children of the light."
After he had finished speaking, Jesus departed and went into seclusion so they could not find him.
Notes
1. The apostle Andrew was from Bethsaida, as was Philip. He was, as the reader might recall, the brother of Simon-Peter.
2. Andrew and Philip tell Jesus about the Greeks who want to see him. The narrative does not say if he grants their request. At first it seems that Jesus is speaking only to his disciples, but then it becomes clear his audience is a crowd, who are, one presumes, the aforementioned Greeks, perhaps augmented by crowds of curious persons.
3. Jesus is aware that he will be crucified and, as a man, he understandably dreads that painful destiny. He admits to being troubled, conflicted, which one might interpret as his divine spirit at odds with his carnal human body. A great deal of the dramatic tension of the Passion narrative would be removed if Jesus experienced no fear or weakness which he must overcome.
4. Jesus often refers to his death as being "lifted up" or "exalted." This is meant not only in a physical way, being raised on a cross in crucifixion, but is to be interpreted metaphorically, a spiritual raising or exaltation. The symbolism is often lost on his audience.
5. At Jesus' request the voice of the Father speaks down to the crowd from the sky. As is common with spirit manifestations, both visual and aural, what is perceived by those who experience them will vary from individual to individual. A good example of this are the manifestations at Fatima, where some saw a second sun dancing in the sky, some felt something numinous, while others saw or felt nothing. In this instance, some hear the celestial sound as a voice speaking, while others think it is just thunder. This leads one to believe that the voice of the Father was not a physical sound, but something akin to an auditory hallucination that those without sufficient psychical sensitivity could not properly hear. Again we have a miracle compelling enough to reassure believers, but not compelling enough to convince unbelievers. It is reminiscent of controversial fields of study, such as such ghosts, UFOs, Bigfoot, etc., where the evidence presented is persuasive, but never constitutes the kind of proof that can win over skeptics.
6. Jesus tells his audience that the world will be punished and its ruler driven out. (Most translations use the word "judgment," but should be taken in the archaic sense of inflicting punishment and not merely assessing guilt.) Modern readers see this as the prediction of the End of Days and identify the ruler of the world as Satan. The Greek word used is archon, which means “ruler” in a fairly generic sense. In both Jewish and Christian theology the “prince of the world” is invariably Satan, the Devil. This may have been the meaning intended by Jesus, but it certainly would have been interpreted differently by most of his audience. For them the ruler of the world would be the Roman emperor; Jesus is obviously prophesying the destruction of that empire. Jesus is also prophesying that his death by crucifixion will draw all the people to him, that is, the Hebrew people, and they will, at his death, rally to overthrow the rule of Rome. This is why the priesthood, who had a vested interest in the status quo and were resigned to rule by Rome, saw Jesus as such a threat, a dangerous incitement to civil unrest. (Since Christians had a desire to live peaceably within the Roman Empire, it is very likely that gospel writers may have softened or censored any remarks Jesus may have made that seemed anti-Roman. First-Century Roman converts to Christianity may have been offended by any specific attacks on Rome and may have wished to squelch remarks that would invite persecution -- or recast them in a spiritual context)
7. Jesus again makes the analogy of light and darkness, spiritual enlightenment and ignorance. He is, of course, the light and he urges people to appreciate him while he is still with them. What he does not say is significant. He does not say that he will bring the people an enlightenment that will remain with them after he is gone. His followers will be children of the light, but the only thing demanded of them seems to be belief, belief in him. Nothing is said about following specific teachings or even being a good person (defining goodness as something more than mere belief in Jesus).
8. The Greeks ask of Jesus some reasonable questions, but as is customary, Jesus does not directly answer them, but, rather like a modern politician, keeps on message and sticks to his talking points. After saying his piece and dodging the questions the Greeks put to him, Jesus went into hiding. Did he wish to avoid interrogation? He is like the politician who loves to give speeches to adoring audiences, but is uncomfortable at press conferences where real questions are put to him and answers demanded.
Some Greeks who came to Jerusalem to attend the Passover festivities paid a visit to the disciple Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and expressed a desire to see Jesus. Philip told Andrew about it and they in turn informed Jesus.
To these Greeks Jesus said the following: "The time has come when the Son of Man will achieve his glory. I tell you truly that unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains but a single kernel, but if it does die, it then produces more kernels, an abundance of wheat. Those who crave the life of this world will lose that life, but those who care nothing for it will keep their life -- forever. Whoever wishes to serve me must follow me, for where I am, there also should be my servant. And whoever serves me, the Father will honor.
"At present my mind is deeply troubled. Should I pray to my Father and beg him, "Spare me from this moment!" But it was for this very moment that I have come into the world. Father, may your name be glorified!"
And then from the sky a voice spoke. It said, "I have already glorified it and will do so again." The crowd below heard this. Some, though, thought it was only thunder, while others concluded that some heavenly being had spoken to Jesus. Jesus told them, "It was for your sake, not mine that the voice spoke. Now the punishment of this world is at hand; now the ruler of this world will be cast out! And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will then draw all the people to me." (He mentioned this to suggest the means by which he would die.)
The Greeks questioned him. "It is our understanding of the Scriptures that the Messiah will live forever. What do you mean when you say the Son of Man will be 'lifted up'? And who is this 'Son of Man'?"
"The light will remain for you just a little longer," he told them. "Walk while you still have the light, for soon the darkness will overtake you. And when you walk in the darkness, you will not be able to see where you are going. While the light is still with you, believe in it, so you may become children of the light."
After he had finished speaking, Jesus departed and went into seclusion so they could not find him.
Notes
1. The apostle Andrew was from Bethsaida, as was Philip. He was, as the reader might recall, the brother of Simon-Peter.
2. Andrew and Philip tell Jesus about the Greeks who want to see him. The narrative does not say if he grants their request. At first it seems that Jesus is speaking only to his disciples, but then it becomes clear his audience is a crowd, who are, one presumes, the aforementioned Greeks, perhaps augmented by crowds of curious persons.
3. Jesus is aware that he will be crucified and, as a man, he understandably dreads that painful destiny. He admits to being troubled, conflicted, which one might interpret as his divine spirit at odds with his carnal human body. A great deal of the dramatic tension of the Passion narrative would be removed if Jesus experienced no fear or weakness which he must overcome.
4. Jesus often refers to his death as being "lifted up" or "exalted." This is meant not only in a physical way, being raised on a cross in crucifixion, but is to be interpreted metaphorically, a spiritual raising or exaltation. The symbolism is often lost on his audience.
5. At Jesus' request the voice of the Father speaks down to the crowd from the sky. As is common with spirit manifestations, both visual and aural, what is perceived by those who experience them will vary from individual to individual. A good example of this are the manifestations at Fatima, where some saw a second sun dancing in the sky, some felt something numinous, while others saw or felt nothing. In this instance, some hear the celestial sound as a voice speaking, while others think it is just thunder. This leads one to believe that the voice of the Father was not a physical sound, but something akin to an auditory hallucination that those without sufficient psychical sensitivity could not properly hear. Again we have a miracle compelling enough to reassure believers, but not compelling enough to convince unbelievers. It is reminiscent of controversial fields of study, such as such ghosts, UFOs, Bigfoot, etc., where the evidence presented is persuasive, but never constitutes the kind of proof that can win over skeptics.
6. Jesus tells his audience that the world will be punished and its ruler driven out. (Most translations use the word "judgment," but should be taken in the archaic sense of inflicting punishment and not merely assessing guilt.) Modern readers see this as the prediction of the End of Days and identify the ruler of the world as Satan. The Greek word used is archon, which means “ruler” in a fairly generic sense. In both Jewish and Christian theology the “prince of the world” is invariably Satan, the Devil. This may have been the meaning intended by Jesus, but it certainly would have been interpreted differently by most of his audience. For them the ruler of the world would be the Roman emperor; Jesus is obviously prophesying the destruction of that empire. Jesus is also prophesying that his death by crucifixion will draw all the people to him, that is, the Hebrew people, and they will, at his death, rally to overthrow the rule of Rome. This is why the priesthood, who had a vested interest in the status quo and were resigned to rule by Rome, saw Jesus as such a threat, a dangerous incitement to civil unrest. (Since Christians had a desire to live peaceably within the Roman Empire, it is very likely that gospel writers may have softened or censored any remarks Jesus may have made that seemed anti-Roman. First-Century Roman converts to Christianity may have been offended by any specific attacks on Rome and may have wished to squelch remarks that would invite persecution -- or recast them in a spiritual context)
7. Jesus again makes the analogy of light and darkness, spiritual enlightenment and ignorance. He is, of course, the light and he urges people to appreciate him while he is still with them. What he does not say is significant. He does not say that he will bring the people an enlightenment that will remain with them after he is gone. His followers will be children of the light, but the only thing demanded of them seems to be belief, belief in him. Nothing is said about following specific teachings or even being a good person (defining goodness as something more than mere belief in Jesus).
8. The Greeks ask of Jesus some reasonable questions, but as is customary, Jesus does not directly answer them, but, rather like a modern politician, keeps on message and sticks to his talking points. After saying his piece and dodging the questions the Greeks put to him, Jesus went into hiding. Did he wish to avoid interrogation? He is like the politician who loves to give speeches to adoring audiences, but is uncomfortable at press conferences where real questions are put to him and answers demanded.
Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem
(Gospel of John 12:12 - 12:26)
On the following day, the masses that had come to Jerusalem for the festival of Passover heard that Jesus would be coming there. Many went out to meet him bearing palm branches and shouting "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of Jehovah. Blessed be the King of Israel!"
Jesus found a young donkey and rode it, fulfilling the prophecy that said, "Fear not, daughter of Zion. Behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey colt."
At that time, the disciples did not understand the significance of these things, but later, after Jesus' resurrection, they realized that what had happened to Jesus had been written of in the Scriptures.
The people who had been with Jesus when he called Lazarus from his tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word of what he had done. Many who heard about this miracle thus came out to meet him. The Pharisees said to each other, "All we've done has been in vain. Look, the whole world is flocking to him!"
Notes
1. Despite, or rather because of the threat to his life, Jesus ends up going to the Passover celebration in Jerusalem, ending speculation about whether or not he would do so. Word of his latest miracle, raising Lazarus from the dead, has increased the buzz surrounding him. Crowds come out to meet him, this time bearing palm branches instead of stones. This is alarming to the Pharisees; they are forced to acknowledge that their efforts to discredit him have, if anything, been counterproductive.
2. Commemoration of Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem is celebrated by Christian churches as Palm Sunday, observed a week before Easter Sunday. Palm branches or fronds are naturally used in the celebrations, but in regions where palm trees are hard to come by, yew branches or pussy willows have been used as substitutes.
3. Jesus is aware of acting so as to seem to fulfill biblical prophecy. This is necessary so that those who believe literally in Old Testament Scripture will accept him as the Messiah he claims to be. Also, one may credit the gospel writers with interpreting the events in Jesus' life so as to conform to every obscure biblical passage that might suggest the coming of a Messiah.
4. By riding on a donkey Jesus shows that he is of humble origins and a man of peace. The donkey, though lacking any kind of heroic mystique, does not have the martial and aristocratic connotations of the horse. Still, the fact that Jesus would ride a donkey is unremarkable and not unexpected and the prophecy (from Zechariah), a rather easy one to fulfill. If, in conformance with Scripture, he had come into Jerusalem riding on an ostrich or an elephant, one might have been more impressed.
5. Palm fronds or branches were used to welcome dignitaries, rather like rolling out the red carpet. The palm here would be the Judean date palm, an iconic symbol of Judea, if not the whole region. Its branches are quite narrow (unlike the luxuriant fronds of the familiar coconut palm) and they would be easy to carry. The palm was also symbolic of victory and gracefulness.
6. "Hosanna" literally means "save," and while it was an interjection expressing an appeal for deliverance, it was also used to convey praise or adoration.
On the following day, the masses that had come to Jerusalem for the festival of Passover heard that Jesus would be coming there. Many went out to meet him bearing palm branches and shouting "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of Jehovah. Blessed be the King of Israel!"
Jesus found a young donkey and rode it, fulfilling the prophecy that said, "Fear not, daughter of Zion. Behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey colt."
At that time, the disciples did not understand the significance of these things, but later, after Jesus' resurrection, they realized that what had happened to Jesus had been written of in the Scriptures.
The people who had been with Jesus when he called Lazarus from his tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word of what he had done. Many who heard about this miracle thus came out to meet him. The Pharisees said to each other, "All we've done has been in vain. Look, the whole world is flocking to him!"
Notes
1. Despite, or rather because of the threat to his life, Jesus ends up going to the Passover celebration in Jerusalem, ending speculation about whether or not he would do so. Word of his latest miracle, raising Lazarus from the dead, has increased the buzz surrounding him. Crowds come out to meet him, this time bearing palm branches instead of stones. This is alarming to the Pharisees; they are forced to acknowledge that their efforts to discredit him have, if anything, been counterproductive.
2. Commemoration of Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem is celebrated by Christian churches as Palm Sunday, observed a week before Easter Sunday. Palm branches or fronds are naturally used in the celebrations, but in regions where palm trees are hard to come by, yew branches or pussy willows have been used as substitutes.
3. Jesus is aware of acting so as to seem to fulfill biblical prophecy. This is necessary so that those who believe literally in Old Testament Scripture will accept him as the Messiah he claims to be. Also, one may credit the gospel writers with interpreting the events in Jesus' life so as to conform to every obscure biblical passage that might suggest the coming of a Messiah.
4. By riding on a donkey Jesus shows that he is of humble origins and a man of peace. The donkey, though lacking any kind of heroic mystique, does not have the martial and aristocratic connotations of the horse. Still, the fact that Jesus would ride a donkey is unremarkable and not unexpected and the prophecy (from Zechariah), a rather easy one to fulfill. If, in conformance with Scripture, he had come into Jerusalem riding on an ostrich or an elephant, one might have been more impressed.
5. Palm fronds or branches were used to welcome dignitaries, rather like rolling out the red carpet. The palm here would be the Judean date palm, an iconic symbol of Judea, if not the whole region. Its branches are quite narrow (unlike the luxuriant fronds of the familiar coconut palm) and they would be easy to carry. The palm was also symbolic of victory and gracefulness.
6. "Hosanna" literally means "save," and while it was an interjection expressing an appeal for deliverance, it was also used to convey praise or adoration.
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