4:54 the second sign: Despite numerous signs performed in Jerusalem (2:23), this is only the second performed in Galilee (2:11). See word study: Signs at Jn 2:11. Back to text.
5:1 a feast of the Jews: John usually identifies the religious festivals that Jesus attends, whether it is Passover (2:13), Tabernacles (7:2), or Dedication (10:22). Here the unnamed feast may be Pentecost (Weeks), which celebrates the spring harvest as well as the giving of the Torah to Israel. It is one of three pilgrim feasts that required Israelite men to travel to Jerusalem (Deut 16:16; 2 Chron 8:13) (CCC 583). Back to text.
5:2 the Sheep Gate: An entryway in the northeastern wall of Jerusalem used in bringing sheep to the Temple for sacrifice (Neh 3:1). Two pools were built in the same area of the city; they were surrounded by four colonnade walkways and separated by a fifth portico running between them. One of these pools was called Bethzatha and was believed to possess healing properties. Back to text.
5:5 thirty-eight years: The man's protracted suffering is evident to Jesus (5:6). • The duration of the man's illness, due to some unspecified sin (5:14), recalls the duration of Israel's wandering in the wilderness after rebelling against Yahweh at Kadesh (Num 13:25-14:11). The grueling journey from Kadesh to the threshold of Canaan lasted 38 years (Deut 2:14). Back to text.
5:8 Rise . . . and walk: According to Jewish tradition, medical attention could be given on the Sabbath only when someone's life was in danger. The boldness of Jesus in neglecting this convention reflects his own theological stance that giving rest to suffering souls, whether or not they are on the brink of death, fulfills the true intent of the Sabbath (CCC 2173). See note on Lk 6:1. Back to text.
5:13 Jesus had withdrawn: i.e., from the man just cured of paralysis. • Morally (St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Sermon on the Paralytic 16): Jesus disappears into the crowd to teach us to shun worldly praise. Though we are inclined to boast of our accomplishments, or at least be recognized for them, humility must turn us away from whatever acclaim might lead us to pride. Back to text.
5:14 Sin no more: The Bible reveals a link between sin and suffering, with the former being the cause of the latter (Ps 107:17). This general truth, however, does not extend to every individual case (9:3). Back to text.
5:17 My Father is working: God the Son imitates God the Father and obeys all that he hears from him (5:19-21). Jesus thus depicts himself as the apprentice of Yahweh, drawing on the familiar custom of sons learning by observation and imitation the trade skills of their fathers. Back to text.
5:18 equal with God: By calling God his Father, Jesus kilkJ claims a status of divine Sonship for himself. • The three Persons of the Trinity equally possess the same fullness of divine life and Being. Although the Son is less than the Father in his humanity (14:28), he is equal to the Father in his divinity (10:33) (CCC 253-54). Back to text.
5:24 from death to life: Signifies a spiritual transfer from the curses of the Old Covenant to the blessing of the New (Deut 30:15-20; Eph 2:1-5). Believers are rescued from the fallen family of Adam and reinstated in the divine family of God (Rom 5:12-21) (CCC 580, 1470). Back to text.
5:26 life in himself: The Father is the first link in a chain of supernatural life, since he alone has not received divine life from anyone else. His capacity to give life, however, is shared by Christ, who receives life from the Father and gives it to the world through the sacraments (6:53; 10:10). Back to text.
5:27 execute judgment: The Son is given absolute sovereignty over life and death, being authorized by the Father to judge the living and the dead and decide their eternal destiny (Mt 25:31-46; Acts 10:42; CCC 679). Back to text.
5:29 the resurrection: Christ claims the authority to raise all men from death, the righteous and wicked alike (Acts 24:15). • Two oracles from the OT stand in the background of Jesus' teaching. (1) Dan 12:2 envisions a final separation of saints and sinners once their bodies have awakened from the sleep of bodily death. (2) Ezek 37:1-4 envisions the resurrection, where bones and flesh are reassembled and made to live again. Rising from the grave is made possible by the spoken words of Ezekiel, called the Son of man, and the life-giving breath of the Spirit. Jesus casts himself in the lead role of these prophetic narratives: he is the "Son of man" (5:27) whose powerful "voice" (5:25) raises the dead from their "tombs" (5:28) and separates them for everlasting "life" or eternal "judgment" (5:29) (CCC 997-1001). Back to text.
5:30-47 Jewish legal tradition required two or three witnesses to sustain a claim in court (Deut 19:15). Jesus has a list of witnesses beyond the required number: (1) John the Baptist (5:33), (2) his miracles (5:36), (3) the Father (5:37), (4) the Scriptures (5:39), (5) and Moses (5:46) all bear witness to his divine authority and mission. Back to text.
5:35 burning and shining lamp: The ministry of John the Baptist lights the way for Israel to see and accept its Messiah (1:31). • Elijah is similarly depicted as a fiery torch in Sir 48:1. See note on Jn 1:21. Back to text.
5:46 he wrote of me: Jesus follows the Jewish tradition that Moses authored the Pentateuch (Gen—Deut). Moses thus described the Messiah as a Redeemer (Gen 3:15), a universal King (Gen 49:10), and a Prophet like himself (Deut 18:15-19). Back to text.
6:1-14 The multiplication of the loaves is the only miracle, kilkJ besides the Resurrection, that is recorded in all four Gospels. John's account forms the preface to Jesus' extensive discourse on the "bread of life" in 6:35-59. • The two food miracles in John involve bread (6:1-14) and wine (2:1-11). Together they anticipate the eucharistic liturgy, where Jesus gives himself as food under the visible signs of bread and wine (CCC 1335). Back to text.
6:1 Sea of Tiberias: Also known as the "Sea of Galilee" (Mk 1:16) or the "lake of Gennesaret" (Lk 5:1). The city of Tiberias, then the administrative capital of Galilee, was built by Herod Antipas on its western shore about A.D. 20 in honor of the Roman emperor Tiberias Caesar. Back to text.
6:4 the Passover: Three times this feast is mentioned in John (2:13; 11:55). It was celebrated annually in Jerusalem to commemorate Israel's deliverance from Egyptian slavery (Ex 12). Central to the feast is a liturgical meal, called a seder, in which the story of the Exodus is retold, psalms are sung, and a lamb is eaten with unleavened bread and other condiments. The evangelist mentions this upcoming feast to hint that Jesus will give new and greater meaning to the Passover. He is the true "Lamb of God" (1:29), whose redeeming work will accomplish a new deliverance from the slavery of sin (8:31-36) in a sacramental and liturgical meal (6:53-58; 1 Cor 5:7-8). The significance of Passover, here placed in the background of John 6, will move to the foreground when Jesus transforms this feast into the memorial meal of the New Covenant at the Last Supper (Mt 26:17-29; CCC 1340). See note on Jn 19:36. Back to text.
6:7 Two hundred denarii: About 200 days' wages for a laborer (Mt 20:2). Back to text.
6:9 barley loaves: The food of the poor. • This detail recalls the similar miracle of Elisha, who multiplied 20 loaves of barley for 100 men with some left over (2 Kings 4:42-44). The miracle of Jesus is comparatively greater: he begins with fewer loaves (5), multiplies them for a larger crowd (5,000), and likewise has bread left over (6:13). • Allegorically (St. Bede, Hom. in Evan.): the five loaves are the five books of the Torah, the two fish are the Prophets and Psalms, and the young boy is the Jewish people. When Jesus receives these OT Scriptures from the Jews, he breaks open their deeper, spiritual meanings to refresh the multitudes. Back to text.
6:11 given thanks: Renders the Greek verb eucharisteō, from which the English word "Eucharist" is derived. The miracle of the loaves thus foreshadows the institution of this sacrament at the Last Supper. See note on Mk 6:35-44. Back to text.
6:14 the prophet: i.e., the messianic prophet foretold by Moses. See note on Jn 1:21. Back to text.
6:15 make him king: Israel hoped for a militant Messiah to overthrow the Romans and reestablish their national independence in Palestine. Jesus backs away from these aspirations, knowing that his kingdom is heavenly and spiritual (CCC 439). See note on Jn 18:36. Back to text.
6:20 It is I: Or "I am". • The reassurance that Jesus gives to the disciples is also an act of self-revelation. His words recall the holy name "I am" that Yahweh revealed to Moses at the burning bush (Ex 3:14). The claim to divinity inherent in this name is substantiated by Jesus' exhibition of power over the laws of nature (6:19; Job 9:8). Several times Jesus claims this divine name for himself in the Fourth Gospel (8:24, 58; 13:19; 18:6) (CCC 213). do not be afraid: Words often spoken when God reveals himself to his people, whether directly or through an angel (Gen 26:24; Judg 6:22-23; Lk 1:30). Back to text.
6:23 from Tiberias: i.e., from the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. See note on Jn 6:1. Back to text.
6:25 Rabbi: A Hebrew title for respected Jewish teachers (1:38). Back to text.
6:27 food which perishes: Earthly food is necessary to sustain earthly life, but because it is perishable it does not suffice to give us supernatural life or to safeguard against death (6:49). Only Christ can give us food that satisfies our spiritual hunger and gives everlasting life. The subsequent narrative will identify this heavenly food as the Eucharist (6:50-58). Back to text.
6:31 He gave them bread: A reference to Ex 16:4. • Jesus is challenged to match the provision of manna by Moses. He responds by stressing that although the manna had a heavenly origin (6:32), it did not bring the Israelites to their heavenly destiny (6:49). Manna is rather a food that perishes, since it melted away every morning (Ex 16:21) and turned foul if it was stored overnight (Ex 16:19-20). Back to text.
6:32 the true bread: The wilderness manna was not false bread; it was merely a sign of the imperishable eucharistic bread that the Father sends down from heaven in Jesus (6:51; CCC 1094). Back to text.
6:35-59 The Bread of Life discourse. Interpretations of this sermon often take one of two positions. Some think of the discourse as an extensive invitation to faith, so that eating the bread of life is seen as a metaphor for believing in Jesus. Others interpret the discourse along sacramental lines, so that eating the bread of life means partaking of the Eucharist. Both of these views are true and can be correlated with a natural and symmetrical division of the sermon into two parts. (1) Invitation to Faith (6:35-47). The first half of the discourse opens with the statement "I am the bread of life" (6:35). This is followed by a string of invitations to come to Jesus and believe in him for salvation. The metaphorical import of Jesus' teaching is so obvious that it stands out in the response of the Jews, who ask him, not why he calls himself bread, but how he can claim to have descended from heaven (6:42). (2) Invitation to the Eucharist (6:48-58). The second half of the discourse likewise opens with the statement "I am the bread of life" (6:48). This is followed by a string of invitations to eat the flesh of Jesus and drink his blood. Here the literal import of Jesus' teaching is so obvious that it, too, stands out in the response of the Jews, who ask how it is possible to consume his flesh (6:52). In the end, these two halves of the sermon work in tandem, since without faith we can neither be united with Christ nor recognize his presence in the Eucharist. If eating is believing in 6:3547, then believing leads to eating in 6:48-58 (CCC 161, 1381). Back to text.
6:37 All that the Father gives: Alludes to the mystery of predestination. See note on Rom 8:29. Back to text.
6:38 not . . . my own will: The human will of Jesus and the divine will of the Father are in such perfect harmony that there is never any tension or competition between them (4:34; 8:29; Mk 14:36; CCC 475, 2824). Back to text.
6:41 Jews then murmured: Recalls how the Israelites complained against the Lord and Moses in the wilderness (Ex 16:2; 17:2-3; Num 11:1). Back to text.
6:45 taught by God: A paraphrase of Is 54:13. • Isaiah envisions the messianic age as a time when Yahweh will restore, prosper, and teach the children of Israel. Other passages, such as Jer 31:34, may be included in Jesus' broad reference to the prophets. Back to text.
6:51 I shall give: The future tense points both to the Cross, where Jesus surrenders his life for human sins, and to the eucharistic liturgy, where Jesus offers himself as living bread to a starving world. Back to text.
6:52 his flesh to eat?: The crowd is thinking of cannibalism, i.e., the sin of eating a human corpse, an idea thoroughly repugnant to them (Deut 28:53). This is a misunderstanding. Jesus gives us, not his mortal flesh as it was during his earthly ministry, but his glorified humanity as it was after rising from the dead. This is why he calls himself the "living bread" (6:51). Back to text.
6:53 eat the flesh . . . drink his blood: Jesus is speaking literally and sacramentally. If he were speaking metaphorically or figuratively, his words would echo a Hebrew idiom where consuming flesh and blood refers to the brutalities of war (Deut 32:42; Ezek 39:17-18). no life in you: i.e., divine life. • Drinking the blood of animals is forbidden under the Old Covenant (Gen 9:4; Lev 17:10-13; Deut 12:16). To do so is to consume "life" that is merely natural and of a lower order than human life. Jesus' injunction does not fall under these prohibitions. The "life" he imparts is not natural but supernatural; it does not pull us down to the level of animals; it elevates us to become sharers in his divine nature (2 Pet 1:4) (CCC 1391). Back to text.
6:58 will live for ever: The expression occurs rarely in the Bible, only twice in John (6:51, 58) and once in the Greek version of Gen 3:22. • A comparison is thus implied between the Tree of Life, which bore the fruit of immortality, and the Bread of Life, which tradition calls the "medicine of immortality" (CCC 1331). Back to text.
6:62 the Son of man: The heavenly figure described in Dan 7:13. See topical essay: Jesus, the Son of Man at Lk 17. Back to text.
6:63 the Spirit . . . the flesh: A contrast between the Spirit's ability to enlighten our minds (14:26) and human reason's inability to comprehend revealed truths apart from faith (8:15). It is this earthbound perspective that is profitless in the face of divine mysteries. Note that Jesus is not speaking of his own "flesh", which does in fact give life to the world (6:51; Eph 2:13-16; Heb 10:10) (CCC 737). Back to text.
6:66 his disciples drew back: This is the only instance in the Gospels where followers of Jesus abandon him in such large numbers. Even so, Jesus still makes no effort to soften his words or clear up potential misunderstandings about his eucharistic teaching (CCC 1336). Back to text.
6:69 the Holy One: A title for Jesus also in Mk 1:24, Lk 4:34, and Acts 3:14. Here it is a confession of faith by Peter, who believes the words of Christ from the heart, even though his head does not yet understand the mysteries revealed in the discourse (6:35-58). Back to text.
6:71 Judas: Anticipates the defection of the betrayer during the Last Supper (13:21-30). Back to text.
7:2 feast of Tabernacles: Also called the "feast of Booths" (Lev 23:33-43; Deut 16:13-16). It is a seven-day fall festival held annually in Jerusalem. The feast of Tabernacles commemorates both the completion of the autumn harvest and Yahweh's provisions for Israel during their Exodus journey through the wilderness. Throughout the week, Jewish pilgrims dwelled in small huts made of tree branches called "booths". Two liturgical ceremonies from this feast hang as a backdrop behind Jesus' teaching in chaps. 7 and 8. (1) Each morning Levitical priests drew water from the pool of Siloam in the southern quarter of Jerusalem, carried it in procession into the Temple, and poured it out as a libation next to the altar of sacrifice. This is connected with Jesus' teaching about "water" in 7:37-39. (2) Giant candelabras burned in the sanctuary (Court of Women) that illuminated the Temple courts; at the same time dancers with flaming torches processed through the Temple amid singing and music. This is linked with Jesus' teaching about "light" in 8:12. Back to text.
7:3 his brethren: Close relatives of Jesus, but not biological siblings. Although lacking in faith here, they later become believers (Acts 1:14). See note on Mt 12:46. Back to text.
7:6 My time: Jesus is not scheduled to manifest the fullness of his glory until the "hour" of his Passion (7:30; 13:1). His earthly relatives, therefore, cannot dictate the timing or direction of his heavenly mission. Back to text.
7:7 The world: i.e., the family of sinful man. The relatives of Jesus are still part of the world because they are not hated by it as he is (15:18-19). See note on Jn 1:10. Back to text.
7:8 I am not going up: The expression has two levels of meaning: (1) It is not yet time for Jesus to travel up to Jerusalem, (2) nor is it time for him to ascend in glory to the Father (20:17). Back to text.
Word Study
Eats (Jn 6:54)
TrÅgÅ (Gk.): A verb meaning "chew" or "gnaw". It is used five times in the Fourth Gospel and only once elsewhere in the NT. Greek literature used it to describe the feeding of animals such as mules, pigs, and cattle, and in some cases for human eating. In John, the verb is used four times in the second half of the Bread of Life discourse (Jn 6:54, 56, 57, 58). This marks a noticeable shift in Jesus' teaching, which up until Jn 6:54 made use of a more common verb for eating (Gk. esthio, Jn 6:49, 50, 51, 53). The change in vocabulary marks a change of focus and emphasis, from the necessity of faith to the consumption of the Eucharist. The graphic and almost crude connotation of this verb thus adds greater force to the repetition of his words: he demands we express our faith by eating, in a real and physical way, his life-giving flesh in the sacrament.
7:13 fear of the Jews: Rumors had leaked out that the Jerusalem authorities were plotting against Jesus (7:1, 11, 19). The crowds were thus reluctant to be associated with him or his teaching. Back to text.
7:14 middle of the feast: Either the third or fourth day of the week-long festival. See note on Jn 7:2. Back to text.
7:15 never studied: Jewish students were normally tutored by older rabbis in the interpretation of Scripture and in the traditions of their revered teachers. Jesus exhibits such profound insight into Scripture and spiritual things that many are shocked that he has no formal training (Mk 6:1-3; Lk 2:47). Back to text.
7:18 the glory of him: i.e., of his heavenly Father (5:44; 17:5). Back to text.
7:21 I did one deed: The healing of the lame man in 5:1-9. Back to text.
7:22 circumcision: A sign of the Abrahamic covenant (Gen 17:10-14) that was later incorporated into the Mosaic covenant (Lev 12:3). According to Jewish tradition, the duty to circumcise newborn boys on the eighth day overrides the duty to observe the Sabbath rest when it falls on the same day. Jesus reasons that if part of the body may be lawfully tended to, then how much more should the whole body participate in the blessings of the covenant on the Sabbath (7:23) (CCC 2173). Back to text.
7:26 the authorities: Probably members of the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem. See note on Mk 14:55. Back to text.
7:27 no one will know: Two traditions regarding the birth and origin of the Messiah circulated in ancient Judaism. (1) Some expected the Messiah to grow up in obscurity and be manifested to the world only as an adult. (2) Others expected the Messiah to come from Bethlehem in accordance with the prophecy of Mic 5:2. The irony here is that both are true of Jesus: his heavenly origin in the Trinity is unknown to his audience (8:14), as is his birth in Bethlehem (Lk 2:4-7). Back to text.
7:30 his hour: See topical essay: The "Hour" of Jesus at Jn 4. Back to text.
7:32 officers: Temple police in Jerusalem (Acts 4:1-3; 5:2426). Back to text.
7:35 Dispersion among the Greeks: i.e., among the Jews and Gentiles scattered throughout the Mediterranean world. Although Jesus himself never undertakes such a mission, his disciples will do precisely this, showing that the advance of the gospel beyond the borders of Israel is unwittingly announced by Christ's adversaries (Mt 28:18-20; Acts 1:8). Back to text.
7:37 the great day: The seventh and final day of Tabernacles. come to me and drink: Jesus is the source of the spiritual "water" (4:10) that quenches our deepest "thirst" (6:35). The symbolic meaning of this is that Christ is the source of the Spirit poured out upon the world (7:39; 20:22). Jesus is probably alluding to the water-drawing ceremony of the feast, thus inviting us to think of him as the heavenly counterpart to the pool of Siloam. See notes on Jn 7:2 and 9:7. Back to text.
7:38 Out of his heart . . . living water: Not a verbatim reference to any one OT passage, but a summary or synthesis of at least three. • (1) In Num 20:10-13, Yahweh quenched Israel's thirst in the wilderness by making water gush forth from a rock. (2) In Ezek 47:1-12, the prophet sees water streaming forth from the Temple and bringing new life everywhere it flows. (3) In Zech 14:8, Jerusalem of the last days is depicted as a spring of living water that flows when the Lord becomes king over the earth and the nations come to celebrate the "feast of booths" (Tabernacles) year after year (Zech 14:9, 16). These traditions point forward to Jesus: he is the rock that slakes our thirst (1 Cor 10:4), the true temple that channels life to the world (2:21), and the Lord who reigns as king over the world (12:13; 18:36). See note on Jn 19:34. Back to text.
7:39 not yet glorified: i.e., through his Passion and Resurrection (12:23; 17:1). Only then will the Spirit be poured out through the risen humanity of Christ (20:22) (CCC 728, 1287). Back to text.
7:40 the prophet: The awaited prophet like Moses from Deut 18:15-19. See note on Jn 1:21. Back to text.
7:41 the Christ: The awaited Messiah and king of Israel. See word study: Christ at Mk 14. Back to text.
7:42 the Scripture: The Davidic lineage of the Messiah is mentioned in 2 Sam 7:12-14, Is 9:6-7, Jer 23:5, and Ezek 34:23-24, while his birthplace in Bethlehem is noted in Mic 5:2. Back to text.
7:51 a hearing: Nicodemus pleads for due process and legal justice, only to be ridiculed by the Pharisees, just as the officers (7:47) and the people were (7:49). Back to text.
7:53-8:11 Some ancient manuscripts of the Fourth Gospel omit this episode entirely. Other manuscripts place it elsewhere in John or even in the Gospel of Luke. According to the Council of Trent in the sixteenth century, the official canon of the Scriptures corresponds to everything included in the Latin Vulgate edition (Sess. 4, Dec. 1). This translation includes the episode as canonical. Back to text.
8:6 to test him: The Pharisees are not seeking legal advice from Jesus. Their question in 8:5 is a trap designed to incriminate or discredit him. (1) If Jesus authorizes the stoning, the Pharisees will report him to the Romans for criminal wrongdoing, for the Jews were not permitted to administer capital punishment under Roman rule (18:31). (2) If Jesus forbids the stoning, the Pharisees will discredit him as a false messiah who contradicts Moses, for the Torah classifies adultery as a capital crime (Lev 20:10; Deut 22:22). Back to text.
8:7 Let him who is without sin: Many popular interpretations of this verse are unworkable because they lead Jesus straight into the trap set by the Pharisees in 8:4-5. (1) Some argue that Jesus is overturning the death penalty for adultery prescribed in the Torah. This could not have been so because the Pharisees would have immediately discredited him for contradicting Moses. In fact, Jesus is not addressing the status or legality of the death penalty at all; he is simply dodging the Pharisees' trap. (2) Others argue that Jesus permits the adulteress to walk free because no witnesses are present to testify against her. This could not have been so, first, because it wrongly implies that Jesus would have been caught off guard if the witnesses who caught the adulteress in the act did come forward and, second, because it wrongly implies that Jesus would then have authorized the stoning. (3) Others argue that Jesus brings the examination to a halt because the woman's partner is absent and so the process of incrimination cannot proceed. This could not have been so, first, because of a clear precedent in the OT where Susanna is falsely condemned for adultery without first establishing who and where her partner was (Dan 13:34-41) and, second, because it wrongly implies that Jesus would have authorized the stoning if the woman's partner had eventually been found. Against these views, it must be stressed that Jesus eludes the trap entirely—he neither authorizes the stoning (incriminating himself) nor contradicts Moses (compromising his teaching). The genius of his response is that it turns the tables on the Pharisees and forces them into their own trap. Although the Pharisees probably considered themselves sinless (like Saul, Phil 3:5-6), and thus qualified to administer the stoning, they realize that executing the adulteress will bring Rome's reprisal on them instead of Jesus, who is not truly authorizing the stoning because he does not truly think the Pharisees are without sin (9:40-41). On the other hand, by restraining themselves and walking away, the Pharisees are made to look like sinners and compromisers in the eyes of the crowd. Back to text.
8:8 wrote . . . on the ground: What Jesus inscribes in the dirt is unknown but probably symbolic. • The gesture may recall Jer 17:13, a warning that those who forsake the Lord "shall be written in the earth" because they have rejected the "fountain of living water". The Pharisees fall into this category for rejecting Jesus, who has just been identified as the source of "living water" (7:38). • Morally (St. Bede, Hom. in Evan.): Christ, who twice bends down to write on the ground, teaches us to bend low in humility to examine ourselves both before and after addressing the faults of our neighbor. If his example becomes our practice, we will avoid as he did the extremes of being unjust and unmerciful toward others. Back to text.
8:9 the eldest: i.e., the wisest, who were the first to detect the brilliance of Jesus' reply (8:7). Back to text.
8:11 do not sin again: Jesus neither condemns the woman nor condones her sins. He rather forgives her past and challenges her to live a life of purity in the future (see also 5:14). Back to text.
8:12 the light of the world: Christ enlightens the world with truth as the golden candelabras illuminated the Temple courts with fire during the feast of Tabernacles. The location of Jesus as he delivers these words supports this symbolism: he is standing in the "treasury" adjacent to the Court of Women (8:20), precisely where the lamp-lighting ceremony was recently conducted. See note on Jn 7:2. • Several OT themes prepared the way for Jesus, the "true light" (1:9). (1) Ex 13:21 describes how Yahweh, enthroned in a pillar of fire, enlightened the way for Israel to travel through the wilderness toward the Promised Land. (2) Ps 119:105 describes the Law of the Lord as a light for our path. (3) Is 42:6 and 49:6 call Israel to be a light to the nations. Back to text.
8:15 according to the flesh: i.e., on the basis of limited human reason. See note on Jn 6:63. Back to text.
8:17 it is written: Deut 17:6 and 19:15 require two or three witnesses to establish credible legal testimony in court. Back to text.
8:20 his hour: See topical essay: The "Hour" of Jesus at Jn 4. Back to text.
8:23 from below: Not from hell but from the earth. Jesus comes from heaven above (3:31). Back to text.
8:24 you will die: An assurance not simply of bodily i death, which is the fate of everyone, but of spiritual death, which irrevocably separates sinners from God for all eternity. I am: Recalls the name of Yahweh revealed to Moses at the burning bush. See note on Jn 6:20. • Jesus stresses in this context the importance of believing (8:24) and knowing (8:28) that he is the great "I am". This evokes Is 43:10-11, where witnesses from Israel come to "know" and "believe" that the Lord is truly the God of their forefathers, the sovereign "I am". Back to text.
8:28 lifted up the Son: i.e., in his Passion, Resurrection, and Ascension. See note on Jn 12:32. Back to text.
8:32 truth will make you free: Jesus embodies divine truth (14:6) and has come to bear witness to the truth (18:37). Acceptance of him liberates us from the slavery of sin, ignorance, and deception (8:12; CCC 2466). Back to text.
8:33-47 The exchange between Jesus and the Jewish authorities turns around the question of family identity. Jesus is the Son of his heavenly Father, who extends the gift of sonship to those who accept his word (1:12; 8:36). Those claiming that Abraham is their father are denied the status of Abrahamic sonship, not because they have no genealogical ties to the patriarch, but because they do not imitate his faith (8:39-40). They are rather sons of Satan, for the character traits of their father, the devil, are manifest in them as they reject the word of Jesus and seek to kill him (8:40, 44). Back to text.
8:33 never been in bondage: An almost ridiculous response. Throughout biblical history, Israel had been enslaved by the Egyptians, subjugated by the Philistines, Assyrians, Babylonians, and Persians, and was now in the grip of Imperial Rome. These forms of political domination were merely symptoms of Israel's slavery to sin. Back to text.
8:34 slave to sin: Man is powerless to break free from the devil and the bondage of his own weaknesses. This predicament entangles everyone, Israelites and Gentiles alike (Rom 3:9). Christ alone can liberate slaves of the devil and make them sons of the Father (Gal 4:3-7) (CCC 549, 1741). Back to text.
8:35 The slave . . . the son: Jesus alludes to the story of Abraham's two sons, Ishmael and Isaac, to demonstrate that genealogical descent from the patriarch does not guarantee the blessing of divine sonship in the New Covenant. • Ishmael was born to Abraham by a slave woman, Hagar (Gen 16:15), while Isaac was born to Abraham by his lawful wife, Sarah (Gen 21:3). Though both were the natural sons of Abraham, Ishmael was later expelled from Abraham's family, disinherited, and excluded from the blessings of the covenant (Gen 17:19-21; 21:10-14). Jesus applies this narrative to the sons of Abraham in his own day: Unless they accept him in faith and become sons of God (1:12), they will follow the way of Ishmael, being driven out from the house of Abraham and cut off from the blessings promised to his descendants (Gal 4:21-31). Back to text.
8:44 your father the devil: A bold indictment of Israel's leadership. They are sons neither of Abraham (8:40) nor of God the Father (8:42), but are the offspring of a murderer, liar, and deceiver (CCC 391, 2482). Back to text.
8:46 convicts me of sin?: Jesus is completely unstained by sin, as is his conscience (Heb 4:15; 1 Pet 2:22; CCC 578). Back to text.
8:48 a Samaritan: An insult implying that Jesus was born of mixed racial parentage and followed a deviant form of religion. See note on Jn 4:7-42. have a demon: A common charge leveled at Jesus (7:20; 10:20; Mt 9:34; 12:24). • Morally (St. Gregory the Great, Homily 18): Jesus sets the example of perfect composure in the face of insults, since he denied the charge of being a demoniac but did not counter it with an abusive response. If Jesus did not avenge himself, then neither should we return injury for injury when reviled by our neighbor. Back to text.
8:51 never see death: Not that Jesus exempts believers from the experience of bodily death, but that he saves their souls from spiritual death by the gift of eternal life (Rom 6:23). Back to text.
8:56 to see my day: Probably a reference to the events in Gen 22:1-18. • (1) When Abraham nearly sacrifices Isaac as a holocaust, only to receive him back alive, the patriarch witnessed a preview of the Father surrendering his Son to death and receiving him back in the Resurrection (Heb 11:1719). (2) In response to this act of faith, Yahweh rewarded Abraham with a sworn covenant promise that one of his descendants would arise to bless all nations (Gen 22:16-18). This oath is fulfilled in the dying and rising of Jesus, who offers blessings to every nation (Mt 28:18-20; Gal 3:14; CCC 706). Back to text.
8:57 not yet fifty years old: Jesus is only in his early thirties (Lk 3:23). Back to text.
8:58 before Abraham was, I am: Jesus takes for himself the divine name of Yahweh, "I am" (Ex 3:14). He thus claims to be one with God (10:30), whose life in eternity has neither beginning nor end. The Pharisees hear this claim loud and clear and, thinking it outrageous, stand ready to stone him for blasphemy (8:59; Lev 24:16) (CCC 590). See notes on Jn 1:1 and 6:20. Back to text.
9:2 Rabbi, who sinned . . . ?: Sickness was thought to be a direct consequence of sin (Job 31:3; Ps 107:17). Responsibility for physical ailments was imputed either to one's parents (Tob 3:3) or to the earliest period of one's life, since certain rabbis taught that infants could sin before birth (9:34). Jesus does not deny the principle that sickness is brought on by sin, but that a personal link can be established in every case. Back to text.
9:3 the works of God: The man's blindness was part of the providential plan of God (11:4). Giving physical sight to the blind is a sign that Jesus gives us spiritual sight to see earth in light of heaven, time in light of eternity, and our lives in light of our destiny. Back to text.
9:5 I am the light: Jesus is the source of all truth, faith, and life (1:9; 14:6; 18:37). See note on Jn 8:12. Back to text.
9:6 made clay of the spittle: The use of common materials to serve a holy purpose anticipates Jesus' institution of the seven sacraments. See note on Mk 6:56. Back to text.
9:7 Go, wash: Recalls the miracle of Elisha in 2 Kings 5:10-14. • Elisha commanded Naaman the Syrian to "go and wash" in the Jordan River to be restored to health. the pool of Siloam: A rock-hewn reservoir in the southern district of ancient Jerusalem. The pool was built by King Hezekiah to serve as a water supply for the city (2 Kings 20:20; 2 Chron 32:30). The editorial comment that Siloam means Sent suggests that the pool is a symbol of Jesus, the source of living water (4:10) and the One sent by his Father (9:4; 12:44). Its contents are symbolic of the Spirit, who is the living water poured out by Christ (7:38-39) and the One who is sent by the Father and the Son (14:26; 15:26). • The miracle anticipates the administration of Baptism, where catechumens are washed (9:7) in water, anointed (9:6) with oil, and enlightened with grace and truth (9:5; Eph 1:18; Heb 6:4; CCC 1216). Back to text.
9:11 The man called Jesus: The perception of Jesus deepens as the story unfolds: here he is a "man"; by verse 9:17 he is a "prophet"; by 9:33 he is "from God"; and by 9:38 he is the "Lord" worthy of worship. The narrative challenges our minds to make the same conclusion and our hearts to make the same response. Back to text.
9:14 sabbath day: Instead of rejoicing with the man cured of blindness, the Pharisees haggle over the supposed illegality of the miracle on the sacred day of rest. They are missing the fact that Jesus fulfills the true intent of the Sabbath by offering the man "rest" after long years of being handicapped (CCC 2173). Back to text.
9:19 Is this your son . . .?: The testimony of the man's parents would be the most credible of all since they would have known him from birth (9:20). Back to text.
9:22 put out of the synagogue: i.e., excommunicated from the fellowship and worship of the Jews (Ezra 10:8). This was a frightful prospect for many Jewish Christians in the early Church (12:42; 16:2). Back to text.
9:24 Give God the praise: An oath formula that binds a witness to speak the truth (Josh 7:19). Back to text.
9:32 Never . . . opened the eyes: Even Tobit, whose eyesight was temporarily lost and later restored, was not blind from birth (Tob 2:9-10; 11:7-15; 14:1-2). Back to text.
9:33 he could do nothing: Mirrors the logic of Nicodemus in 3:2. Back to text.
9:35 the Son of man: The heavenly figure from Dan 7:13. See topical essay: Jesus, the Son of Man at Lk 17. Back to text.
9:39 may see . . . become blind: To the humble and childlike, Jesus reveals the Father and his will, but to the wise and understanding, he withholds the light necessary to see the truth (Mt 11:25-27; 13:13-16). The Pharisees fall in the latter category because, while they claim to see clearly, they are blind to their deepest spiritual needs (9:41). Back to text.
10:1 the sheepfold: Probably a stone wall enclosure with a single entryway, used to protect flocks at night from thieves and predators. Only the shepherd would be recognized and admitted by the designated gatekeeper (10:3). The whole illustration gives a realistic portrayal of pastoral conditions in ancient Palestine (10:1-16). Back to text.
10:3 calls . . . by name: A mark of intimacy and familiarity (Is 43:1; 49:1). leads them out: To graze and find pasture (10:9). The sheep are disciples who hear the voice of Jesus and follow him wherever he goes. • The expression "to lead out" recalls how Joshua was appointed to lead Israel out of the wilderness (Num 27:17) and how Yahweh promised to recover the lost sheep of Israel by leading them out of their exile among the nations (Ezek 34:13). See note on Jn 10:11. Back to text.
10:6 they did not understand: The Pharisees, who are blind to the spiritual dimension of Jesus' teaching (9:39-41). Back to text.
10:8 All who came before: Refers to the shepherds of Israel, many of whom were denounced by the prophets as worthless and evil (Jer 23:1-3; Ezek 34:1-10; Zech 11:17). The Pharisees are their spiritual descendants (Mt 23:29-36). Back to text.
10:10 have life: Divine life. See note on Jn 3:16. Back to text.
10:11 I am the good shepherd: Jesus leads his flock away from dangers and into safe pastures. He is so committed to the welfare of each one of his sheep that he is willing to die for them (10:17-18; CCC 609). • Although Yahweh was the divine shepherd of Israel (Ps 23:1; Is 40:11), he exercised his rule through earthly shepherds like Joshua and David (Num 27:16-18; 2 Sam 5:2). A similar arrangement was expected for the last days, when the Lord would shepherd the flock of his people through the Davidic Messiah (Ezek 34:11-24). Note that David himself was a good shepherd, who, before his kingship over Israel, risked his life to deliver his flock from predators that tried to kill them (1 Sam 17:34-36). Back to text.
10:12 the wolf: A traditional symbol of spiritual enemies (Mt 7:15; 10:16; Acts 20:29). Back to text.
10:16 other sheep: A reference to the Gentiles, who are gathered into the Messiah's flock alongside the restored sheep of Israel (11:52). one flock, one shepherd: Jesus Christ is the supreme Shepherd over the one universal Church (Heb 13:20). The spiritual authority of other shepherds like Peter and the apostles is derived entirely from Christ, who gives disciples a share in his saving mission to different degrees (21:1517; CCC 553, 754). • The Nicene Creed delineates the four marks of the Church as "one, holy, catholic, and apostolic". The first mark, oneness, means that the Church is unified in her faith, worship, and leadership and receives her life from the one true God (17:11; Eph 4:4-6) (CCC 813-22). Back to text.
10:17 lay down my life . . . take it again: Only God himself, who has absolute power over life and death, could make such a claim and hope to fulfill it (2:19; CCC 609). Back to text.
10:22 feast of the Dedication: Also called "Hanukkah". It is an eight-day winter festival that celebrates Israel's deliverance from Syrian oppression as well as Judas Maccabeus' cleansing and rededication of the Jerusalem Temple in 164 B.C. (1 Mac 4:36-59; 2 Mac 10:1-8). the portico of Solomon: Colonnade walkways surrounded the outer perimeter of the Temple. The section running along the eastern side was named after King Solomon (Acts 3:11). Back to text.
10:24 tell us plainly: The antagonism between Jesus and his enemies kept him from broadcasting his messianic mission openly. See note on Mk 1:44. Back to text.
10:28 out of my hand: The protection that Jesus provides for his sheep is equivalent to the Father's divine protection (10:29). • This means, from the perspective of the OT, that Christ wields the sovereign power of Yahweh to shield the righteous from the threats of their enemies (Deut 32:39; Wis 3:1; Is 43:13). Back to text.
10:30 I and the Father are one: The Father and the Son are united in the loving embrace of the Spirit. We cannot, therefore, divide the essential unity of the Trinity when we distinguish between the three Divine Persons. See notes on Jn 1:1 and 5:18. Back to text.
10:34 your law: Sometimes this expression refers to the OT in general and not just to the Pentateuch (12:34; 15:25; 1 Cor 14:34). I said, you are gods: A citation from Ps 82:6. • The psalm is a prayer for Yahweh to punish the corrupt shepherds of Israel. These leaders, who are charged with teaching and enforcing divine Law, are called "gods" by the Psalmist because of the divine authority they wield over the people. The abuse of this power makes their corruption all the more insidious. Jesus reasons that if sinful authorities are given a divine title because of their duties, how much more is he entitled to it who is guiltless and who speaks the words of God (8:45-47). Back to text.
10:35 Scripture cannot be nullified: Three implications can be drawn from this statement. (1) Scripture cannot be set aside, since its teaching is as trustworthy and true as God himself (17:17). (2) The OT, represented in this context by a psalm, has permanent authority even under the New Covenant (Mt 5:17). (3) The authority of Scripture extends even to individual words, as in this context where Jesus' whole argument rests on the import of a single word ("gods") from Ps 82:6. Back to text.
10:36 consecrated: The Greek means to be "sanctified" or "set apart as holy". Christ is set apart by the Father to consecrate the world in truth (17:19). • Jesus' words resonate against the background of the Feast of the Dedication, which celebrates the consecration of the Second Temple by the Maccabees (1 Mac 4:48), just as its predecessors, the wilderness Tabernacle (Num 7:1) and the Solomonic Temple, had been consecrated (1 Kings 9:3). These sanctuaries of old are replaced by the new and consecrated temple of Jesus' body (2:20-21). Back to text.
10:38 believe the works: The miracles of Jesus are meant to authenticate his mission in the eyes of Israel (5:36; 14:11) and to corroborate his claims to divinity (5:18; 10:33). The Jews knew that only God, who has absolute power over creation, can suspend the laws of nature in a miraculous way (3:2; 9:33) (CCC 548). Back to text.
10:40 where John . . . baptized: An unknown location near Bethany, east of the Jordan River (1:28). Back to text.
11:1-44 The raising of Lazarus is the sixth of seven "signs" that Jesus performs in John (12:18), giving emphatic support to his claim to give "life" (5:25-29; 6:40). There is a dark side to the episode as well, as it provokes Jewish opposition that will precipitate Jesus' death (11:45-53). Similar miracles are recorded in the Synoptic Gospels, such as the raising of Jairus' daughter (Mk 5:21-43) and the raising of the widow's son from Nain (Lk 7:11-17) (CCC 994). See word study: Signs at Jn 2. • Precedent for raising the dead was set by the prophets Elijah (1 Kings 17:17-24) and Elisha (2 Kings 4:32-37). Back to text.
11:1 Lazarus: A beloved friend of Jesus (11:5). Bethany: A small village about two miles east of Jerusalem (11:18). Mary . . . Martha: Possibly the friends of Jesus mentioned in Lk 10:38-42. The personalities of these two women in John, with Martha as the busy hostess (12:2) and Mary giving her attention to Jesus (12:3), make this identification probable. Back to text.
11:2 Mary who anointed the Lord: Anticipates the following episode in 12:1-8. Back to text.
11:4 not unto death: Lazarus will in fact die (11:14). But this will not be his ultimate fate because Jesus will raise him to new life, affording an opportunity for others to glorify God by means of the miracle (9:3). Back to text.
11:6 two days longer: The delay of Jesus proves fatal for Lazarus. This period of waiting is not a mistake or miscalculation, but part of his plan to generate faith in the disciples (11:15, 42). Raising the dead to new life will have a more profound effect on them than raising the sick to health. Back to text.
11:9 walks in the day: Jesus can travel safely in Judea so long as his "hour" lies in the future (see 7:30; 8:20; 10:39). Back to text.
11:11 fallen asleep: A euphemism for biological death (Mt 27:52; Acts 7:60; 1 Cor 15:6). The disciples take Jesus' words literally, thinking Lazarus has only to be awakened. Back to text.
11:16 die with him: An obscure statement. It may be that Thomas, like Peter in 13:37, is full of confidence that will prove to be rash when Jesus is later arrested and the disciples scatter for their lives (16:32). Back to text.
11:17 in the tomb four days: Decisive confirmation of Lazarus' death, since by this time the process of bodily decay was thought to begin in earnest. Martha thus expected the tomb to emit an unpleasant "odor" (11:39). Jews during NT times customarily wrapped the dead with a shroud, tied strips of cloth around their extremities (11:44), and anointed their bodies with fragrant oils and spices (19:39-40). The procedure was not strictly equivalent to embalming, but it helped to delay temporarily the stench of bodily corruption (CCC 627). • Allegorically (Glossa Ordinaria): four days in the tomb signifies four stages of spiritual death. Original sin is the first death of the human race; violation of the natural law is the second; violation of the written Law of Moses is the third; and despising the gospel of grace is the fourth. A preview of man's resurrection from this fourfold death is seen as Christ brings Lazarus to life after his four-day entombment. Back to text.
11:22 even now: Martha's faith fills her with confidence. Although she neither begs nor even asks Jesus to intervene for Lazarus, she knows that God's love is more powerful than death and leaves Jesus to handle the situation as he sees fit. Back to text.
11:24 the resurrection: A doctrine already current in Judaism (Dan 12:2-3; 2 Mac 7:9). Only the Sadducees denied that our bodies would live again on the last day (Mt 22:23; Acts 23:8). See topical essay: Who Are the Sadducees? at Mk 12. Back to text.
11:25 I am the resurrection: Jesus places all hopes for a future resurrection upon himself. He possesses the absolute sovereignty over life and death that was always believed to be the sole prerogative of Yahweh (1 Sam 2:6; Wis 16:13; CCC 994). Back to text.
11:32 if you had been here: Mary's initial disappointment mirrors that of Martha (11:21). Back to text.
11:33 troubled: Literally, "angered". Though left unexplained, Jesus is probably angry with the Jews who are now weeping with Mary but who will soon betray him to hostile authorities (11:46). In other words, he foresees that the raising of Lazarus, while strengthening the faith of some, will also occasion the unbelief and treachery of others (11:53; 12:10). Back to text.
11:35 Jesus wept: Tears, not of despair, but of love and sympathy for Lazarus and his family. This small narrative detail points to an awesome theological mystery: Jesus, who became man in every respect except sin, experienced a full range of human emotions (CCC 478). Back to text.
11:43 with a loud voice: Dramatizes what will take place at the general resurrection on the last day, when the dead will hear the "voice" of the Son of man and come forth from their tombs to live again (5:25-29; CCC 988-91). Back to text.
11:47 the council: The Sanhedrin, the supreme court of the Jews. Though many reasons underlie their conspiracy against Jesus (11:53), the raising of Lazarus was particularly insulting to the Sadducees, who did not believe such a thing was possible in the first place (Acts 23:6-8). See notes on Jn 11:24 and Mk 14:55. Back to text.
11:48 the Romans will come: The statement is brimming with historical irony. The Romans did in fact destroy both Jerusalem and its Temple in A.D. 70, not because the Jewish authorities let Jesus continue his ministry in peace, but precisely because they condemned him to a violent death. In the end, it was not the acceptance of Jesus that threatened the city but the rejection of him that made its demise inevitable (CCC 59697, 1753). See note on Jn 2:19. our holy place: A reference to the Temple or to Jerusalem more generally (Acts 6:13; 21:28). Back to text.
11:49 Caiaphas: The high priest of Israel from A.D. 18 to 36. As such, he was the recognized head of the Jewish "council" (11:47). Back to text.
11:51 he prophesied: Caiaphas unwittingly announces that Jesus will die for the salvation of the nation. This is not his own insight, but the grace of prophecy speaking through him in virtue of his priestly office and position as chief teacher of Israel. Back to text.
11:52 the children of God: Recalls the "other sheep" that Jesus promised to gather into his "one flock" (10:16). It indicates that Christ calls to himself not only Israelites living in the land of Judea, but Israelites and Gentiles who are scattered throughout the Mediterranean world and beyond (Is 43:5-7; 66:18-21; Jer 31:10). The gospel of Christ thus reunifies the human family by gathering believers from every nation into the divine family of God (CCC 706, 2793). See note on Jn 1:12. Back to text.
11:54 Ephraim: A village of uncertain location, but probably north of Jerusalem in the lower region of Samaria. Back to text.
11:55 the Passover: The third mention of this feast in John (2:13; 6:4). to purify themselves: Jews underwent a process of ritual purification before the Passover, since it was forbidden to celebrate the festival in a state of ceremonial uncleanness (Num 9:9-11; 2 Chron 30:18-21). Back to text.
12:1-8 The anointing of Jesus at Bethany is also narrated in Mt 26:6-13 and Mk 14:3-9. The episode is similar but distinct from the earlier anointing at the house of Simon the Pharisee in Lk 7:36-50. Back to text.
12:1 Six days before the Passover: The chronology of the Fourth Gospel places this event on Saturday evening just before Holy Week. The following day is Palm Sunday (12:12). Back to text.
12:3 pure nard: An imported spice from India. anointed the feet: Matthew and Mark have her also anoint the "head" of Jesus (Mt 26:7; Mk 14:3). the house was filled: The detail suggests John is testifying to what he himself smelled on the occasion. It may be symbolic of what Jesus says explicitly in the Synoptic tradition: the spread of the fragrance throughout the house anticipates the news of this event spreading throughout the world (Mt 26:13; Mk 14:9). Back to text.
12:5 three hundred denarii: Nearly an entire year's income for a laborer, since a single denarius was equivalent to a single day's wage (Mt 20:2). It is tragic that Judas complained about Mary's extravagance when he himself betrayed Jesus for much less—a mere "thirty pieces of silver" (Mt 26:15). Back to text.
12:6 not that he cared: Judas wants to pocket the proceeds of the sale for himself, not to give it away as alms for the needy. the money box: Suggests that Judas was the treasurer in charge of the disciples' funds (13:29; Lk 8:3). Back to text.
12:8 The poor: Jesus is not indifferent toward the poor. Elsewhere he promotes almsgiving in no uncertain terms (Mt 6:2-4; Lk 6:30; 12:33). • The words of Jesus echo the words of Deut 15:11, which states that the unceasing presence of the poor offers countless opportunities to give generously to less fortunate neighbors. The disciples, too, will have plenty of chances to give alms, but only a brief time remains to be generous toward Jesus while he remains among them (CCC 2449). Back to text.
12:12 The next day: Palm Sunday. come to the feast: Three times a year the nation of Israel traveled to Jerusalem to celebrate the great festivals of Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles (Acts 2:5-11). Even Gentiles were known to make the pilgrimage from considerable distances (12:20; Acts 8:27). Back to text.
12:13 branches of palm: Recalls how the Israelites waved bundles of palm branches for the feast of Tabernacles (Lev 23:40; 2 Mac 10:6-7). Hosanna!: A Hebrew acclamation meaning "Save us!" (Ps 118:25). Blessed . . . name of the Lord: An excerpt from Ps 118:26, one of the Hallel Psalms (113-118) customarily sung at Israel's great feasts. See note on Mk 11:8-10 and CCC 559. Back to text.
12:15 Fear not, daughter of Zion: A reference to Zech 1 9:9. • Zechariah depicts the royal procession of the Messiah into Jerusalem in a manner that recalls King Solomon's coronation ceremony in 1 Kings 1:38-40. Though a victorious king and leader, he will be mounted on a humble donkey instead of a powerful war horse; indeed, the Messiah will banish the instruments of warfare and proclaim "peace" to Israel and all nations (Zech 9:10). This text provides one of the clearest indications that the Messiah would not be a military general, poised to fight against Israel's political oppressors, but a peaceful king who calls for an end to retaliation and bloodshed. Back to text.
12:16 they remembered: The Holy Spirit inspired the memory of the apostles not only to recall the prophecies and events of the past, but to understand them in terms of the Father's saving plan (2:22; 14:26). Back to text.
12:19 the world has gone after him: A sweeping assessment of Jesus' popularity. Since John 7, the evangelist has noted a steady stream of Jews believing in him despite opposition from the Jerusalem authorities (7:31; 8:30; 9:38; 10:42; 11:45). Back to text.
12:20 some Greeks: Either Gentile converts to Judaism or "God fearers" who were attracted to Judaism but were not circumcised (Acts 13:26; 17:4). Their request for an audience with Jesus anticipates his prophecy that "all men" will be drawn to him (Jn 12:32). Back to text.
12:23 The hour has come: A decisive turning point in the Gospel narrative, when the awaited "hour" of Jesus has finally arrived (2:4; 4:23; 5:25; 7:30; etc.). The inquiry of the Greeks sets this in motion, indicating that the forthcoming suffering of Jesus will secure blessings not only for Israel but for the whole world (1:29; 4:42; 1 Jn 2:2). Back to text.
12:24 unless a grain of wheat: As a planted seed must decay before it sprouts new life, so Jesus must endure death to bring us eternal life. This principle also holds true for disciples, who must die to themselves to receive the fullness of life from God and be channels of life to others (12:25; 2 Cor 4:11-12). Back to text.
12:28 a voice: Three times the Father speaks to Jesus from heaven: here, at his Baptism (Mt 3:17), and at his Transfiguration (Mt 17:5). These announcements were made audible for the sake of his followers (12:30). Back to text.
12:31 ruler of this world: Satan, whose dominion over the world began with Adam's rebellion in the garden (Gen 3:119). cast out: Christ will defeat the devil when he mounts the Cross (Heb 2:14-15) and will destroy him when he comes again in glory (Rev 20:10) (CCC 550, 2853). Back to text.
12:32 when I am lifted up: Refers primarily to the Crucifixion of Christ, as indicated in the next verse, but also hints at his Resurrection and Ascension (CCC 662). See note on Jn 3:14. • The expression recalls the opening line of Isaiah's fourth Servant Song, which runs from Is 52:13 to 53:12. The whole song is a prophetic depiction of the suffering of the Messiah, who will be exalted and lifted up in the sight of the nations, but only after he is cast down by his own people. Isaiah interprets the humiliation and death of this Servant as a redemptive sacrifice for sin. draw all men to myself: Points to the worldwide acceptance of the gospel (Mt 28:18-20; Acts 1:8). • As Isaiah envisioned the Davidic Messiah as an "ensign" posted for the ingathering of the "nations" and the "outcasts of Israel" (Is 11:10-12), so Jesus sees the world gathering around the "sign" of the Cross (CCC 542). Back to text.
12:34 the law: A reference to the entire OT (10:34; 15:25). • Several passages indicate that the Messiah will reign forever as a priest and king (Ps 110:4; Ezek 37:25; Dan 7:14). the Son of man: The royal figure of Dan 7:13. See topical essay: Jesus, the Son of Man at Lk 17. Back to text.
12:36 sons of light: i.e., followers of Jesus, who is the light (1:9; 8:12; 12:46). Paul echoes this teaching in Eph 5:8 and 1 Thess 5:5. Back to text.
12:38 Lord, who has believed: A quotation from Is 53:1. • Isaiah bemoans the unbelief of Israel, to whom the Messiah comes as a Savior but by whom he is rejected. This is an explicit citation from the same Servant Song to which Jesus made an implicit reference in 12:32. Back to text.
12:40 He has blinded: A reference to Is 6:10. • Isaiah's mission to Israel in the eighth century B.C. parallels Jesus' mission to Israel in the first century A.D. Both confront a rebellious generation whose unbelief calls down the covenant judgment of Yahweh; and, in both cases, God responds to unbelief by blinding and hardening the rebels, making them unresponsive to the warnings of the Prophets. See note on Mk 4:12. Back to text.
12:41 saw his glory: Alludes to the context of Is 6:10 cited in the preceding verse. • Isaiah's prophetic mission began with a vision of Yahweh enthroned in glory, "high and lifted up" (Is 6:1). It is possible that John is connecting this with Isaiah's later vision of the messianic Servant, who is likewise "exalted and lifted up" (Is 52:13) (CCC 712-13). Back to text.
12:44 him who sent me: Because Jesus is the image of the Father (14:9) and speaks the words of the Father (8:28), our response to him is a measure of how we respond to the Father (1 Jn 2:23). Back to text.
13:1-16:33 Begins the second half of the Gospel, called the "Book of Glory", with four chapters devoted to the final instructions that Jesus gives to the apostles on the night he is betrayed. Back to text.
13:1 feast of the Passover: The original meaning of this feast, celebrating the passing of the angel of death over the Israelites and their escape from Egypt (Ex 12:13), is being reshaped by the works and words of Christ, who will "pass over" to the Father through the upcoming events of his Passion, Resurrection, and Ascension. This saving work of Jesus will inaugurate a new Exodus, liberating the human family from sin, selfishness, and Satan (1:29; 8:34-36) (CCC 1340). See note on Jn 6:4. to the end: i.e., "completely" or "to the fullest extent" (CCC 609). Back to text.
13:2 during supper: The Synoptic Gospels specify that it was a Passover meal (Mt 26:19; Mk 14:16; Lk 22:15). Back to text.
13:4 his garments: Symbolic of Christ's human life. John's carefully worded narrative makes this clear: the same Greek verbs that Jesus uses for laying down his life and taking it up again in 10:17-18 are here employed to describe how Christ "laid aside" his garments (13:4) in service and has "taken" them up again (13:12). Back to text.
13:5 wash the disciples' feet: A gesture of hospitality normally performed by a household slave, not the presiding host. Jesus thus shows himself a model of humility (1 Tim 5:10) and, at the same time, gives a preview of the heroic service he will render when he accepts the humiliation of the Cross (Mk 10:45; Phil 2:5-8). • The foot washing may be a sign of priestly ordination as in the OT (Ex 40:12, 30-32). Against this background, Jesus washing Peter and the disciples parallels the scene of Moses washing Aaron and his sons on the day of their consecration to the priesthood (Lev 8:6). Likewise, the apostles' receiving a "part" (Gk., meros) in Jesus (Jn 13:8) recalls how the Levites had their "portion" (Gk., meris) in the Lord God alone (Num 18:20 and Deut 10:9 in the LXX). On the institution of Holy Orders in the upper room, See note on Lk 22:19. Back to text.
13:8 no part in me: Peter cannot be a disciple of Christ on his own terms but must submit himself to the divine plan already determined by the Lord. Back to text.
13:10 He who has bathed: Seems to imply that the QfcJ apostles have already been baptized, although this is not explicitly stated in the Gospels. • Jesus' words hint at the distinction between Baptism, which washes away every stain of sin committed (actual) and contracted (Original), and the Sacrament of Reconciliation, which cleanses us of the accumulated dust of sins committed after our baptismal washing (20:23; 1 Jn 1:9; CCC 1446). Back to text.
13:15 an example: Jesus says with words what was already expressed in his deeds: we must pattern our lives after Jesus, whose actions show us how to love and honor our heavenly Father (Mt 11:29; CCC 520). Included in this is the willingness to serve others even to the point of death (15:13). Back to text.
13:16 a servant is not greater: Similar statements occur in Mt 10:24 and Lk 22:27. Back to text.
13:18 He who ate my bread: A quotation from Ps 41:9. • The Psalmist laments the treachery of his enemies but even more that of his trusted companion, who ate at his table as a friend only to betray him as a foe. As the psalm progresses, however, the turmoil of the Psalmist gives way to the confidence that Yahweh will vindicate him in due time (Ps 41:11-12). Back to text.
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