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19:6 Crucify him: The Jerusalem authorities incite a chanting mob in order to crush remaining sympathies for Jesus and bend the will of Pilate in the direction of their own (CCC 597, 600). I find no crime: The third time Pilate acquits Jesus of the charges laid against him (18:38; 19:4). Luke's trial narrative likewise stresses the innocence of Jesus (Lk 23:4, 15, 22, 41, 47). Back to text.
19:7 he ought to die: A charge of blasphemy, which was a capital crime in Israel (Lev 24:16). Similar accusations are made at Jn 5:18 and 10:33. Back to text.
19:11 no power over me: Jesus, not Pilate, controls the situation, and so death cannot be forced upon him unwillingly (10:18). from above: Ultimately, authority over the temporal affairs of society is granted to civil officials by God, not by governments themselves or by the consent of those they govern (Rom 13:1). the greater sin: Implies that Pilate shares the blame for Jesus' death, even though Judas and the Jerusalem leaders are even more culpable (Acts 4:27). Back to text.
19:12 not Caesar's friend: An attempt to blackmail Pilate, who could face charges of disloyalty to the emperor if he lets a (supposed) royal claimant like Jesus go unpunished. Back to text.
19:13 The Pavement: A stone slab platform. The Semitic expression Gabbatha refers to some sort of elevation. Back to text.
19:14 day of Preparation: This chronological statement has been read in two different ways. Some, including the RSV, understand it to mean that Jesus was sentenced to die on "the eve" of the Jewish Passover, which would begin at sundown. Others note that the Greek term is one that normally means "Friday", the day before the Jewish Sabbath (as in 19:31 and Mk 15:42). In this case, the point is that Jesus was condemned on the Friday that fell during Passover week. the sixth hour: Noon. Back to text.
19:15 no king but Caesar: A compromise so extreme that the Jerusalem authorities deny even the kingship of Yahweh (1 Sam 8:7). Back to text.
19:17 bearing his own cross: Refers to the wooden crossbeam to be fixed horizontally to an upright stake at the execution site. See note on Mk 15:24. Back to text.
19:18 one on either side: The four Gospels agree that Jesus was crucified between two criminals (Mt 27:38; Mk 15:27; Lk 23:33). • John's description is similar to that in the Greek version of Ex 17:12, where Moses' arms were suspended in the air by Aaron and Hur as they stood on either side of him. This was to ensure for Israel a military victory over the Amalekites. Jesus' arms are similarly stretched out between two men as he triumphs over the unseen armies of the devil (Col 2:14-15). Back to text.
19:20 this title: Signs were hung around the necks of crucified victims and then fastened to their crosses. Listed on these placards was a brief inventory of the criminal charges brought against them. The trilingual inscription of Pilate could be read by everyone in the region: Hebrew was the religious language of Israel still known by some Palestinian Jews; Latin was the official language of the Roman occupiers of Palestine; and Greek was the commercial language of the eastern Mediterranean world (CCC 440). Back to text.
19:23 the tunic: A one-piece garment worn next to the skin. • The seamless tunic of Christ recalls the linen vestment worn by the high priest of Israel (Lev 16:4), which was not to be torn (Lev 21:10) and which, according to the historian Josephus, was seamless. This implies that Christ acts as a high priest when he makes himself a sacrifice on the Cross (Heb 2:17; 9:11-14). • Allegorically (St. Cyprian, The Unity of the Catholic Church 7): the seamless tunic signifies the indivisible kingdom of Christ. Although Solomon's kingdom was rent asunder like a garment and its glory passed away (1 Kings 11:29-32), the Church of Christ is forever glorious and will always remain intact (Jn 19:24). Back to text.
19:24 They parted my garments: A quotation from Ps 22:18, a psalm that runs parallel to the entire plot of the Passion narrative. See note on Mt 27:46. Back to text.
19:25 his mother's sister: Possibly "Salome", the mother of the apostles James and John, the sons of Zebedee (Mt 27:56; Mk 15:40). Back to text.
19:26 Woman: The address sounds impersonal to modern readers but was considered polite in biblical antiquity. •Jesus probably alludes to Gen 3:15, which describes the mother of the Messiah as the "woman" whose offspring conquers the devil (CCC 726, 2618). See note on Jn 2:4. behold your son!: Jesus honors his Mother by entrusting her to the protective care of the Apostle John, presumably because Mary had no other children to assume the responsibility. See note on Mt 12:46. • John is not just an individual disciple, he is portrayed by the evangelist as an icon of every disciple whom Jesus loves. In this sense, Mary is given to all beloved disciples of Christ, just as every disciple is given to the maternal care of Mary. The assumption here is that family relations are extended beyond the limits of natural lineage, so that every baptized believer has God as a Father, Christ as an eldest brother, Mary as a Mother, and the saints as brothers and sisters (CCC 501, 964, 2679). See introduction: Themes and Characteristics. Back to text.
19:28 I thirst: Recalls Ps 22:15 and Ps 69:21. Back to text.
19:29 vinegar: Sour wine. This was not the narcotic drink that Jesus earlier refused (Mk 15:23). • The use of hyssop to lift the sponge to Jesus suggests a connection with the original Passover, when the Israelites used hyssop branches to smear blood on their doorposts as a mark of divine protection (Ex 12:21-23). Back to text.
19:32 broke the legs: A mallet was used to crush the leg bones and hasten the processes of death. Back to text.
19:34 blood and water: Stresses the reality and finality of Jesus' death. • The episode is reminiscent of Num 20:10-13 as read in Jewish tradition. In the original story only water issued from the rock struck by Moses, but in the Aramaic rendition both blood and water gushed forth (Palestinian Targum on Num 20:11). Paul similarly interprets this rock as a symbol of Christ, from which flows the spiritual drink of the Eucharist (1 Cor 10:4) and the Spirit (1 Cor 12:13). • Allegorically (St. John Chrysostom, Baptismal Instructions 3, 16-19): the water and blood streaming from the side of Christ are symbolic of the new life we receive in Baptism (3:5) and the nourishment we receive in the Eucharist (6:53) (CCC 1225). It indicates, moreover, that the Church constituted by these sacraments is the bride of Christ that issues from his side, just as Eve came forth from the side of Adam (Gen 2:21-23). In another sense (Tertullian, On Baptism 16,2), the blood and water signify the two baptisms of martyrdom and Christian initiation. Back to text.
19:35 he tells the truth: The evangelist verifies the historical facts of the Crucifixion as an eyewitness (19:26). Back to text.
19:36 Not a bone: A reference to Ex 12:46. • This restriction was part of Israel's Passover legislation that disqualified lambs with blemishes and broken bones from being slaughtered and eaten for the liturgical celebration (Ex 12:5; Num 9:11-12). Jesus, whose bones are left intact, is the unblemished Lamb (Jn 1:29) fit to be consumed in the eucharistic liturgy (6:53-58; CCC 608). Back to text.
19:37 They shall look: A reference to Zech 12:10. • Zechariah describes a day of mourning for Jerusalem, which will weep with remorse that its sins have pierced the Messiah. It is also a day of compassion, when Yahweh opens a fountain to cleanse the city of its iniquities (Zech 13:1). John may be suggesting, in light of the full context of this prophecy, that there is a close connection between the piercing of the Messiah and the opening of the fountain of divine mercy. Back to text.
19:38 Joseph of Arimathea: A wealthy follower of Jesus who provided the tomb (Mt 27:57-60). He is a member of the Jewish Sanhedrin, although he did not consent to its condemnation of Christ (Lk 23:50-51; CCC 596). Back to text.
19:39 Nicodemus: Also a member of the Sanhedrin (3:1). Back to text.
19:40 the burial custom: For the procedure, See note on Jn 11:17. Back to text.
19:42 day of Preparation: The Sabbath is fast approaching (sundown Friday). By then labor must cease (Lk 23:56), and so corpses must be quickly buried (Deut 21:22-23). Back to text.
20:1 the first day: Sunday, the first day of the Jewish week. Mary Magdalene: A devoted disciple of Christ, who was delivered of demonic possession (Lk 8:2) and whose love for Jesus carried her all the way to the Cross (19:25; CCC 641). Back to text.
20:2 out of the tomb: The empty tomb is the indisputable fact of Easter morning, as testified to even by the Roman soldiers who guarded the site (Mt 28:11-15). The disappearance of Jesus is the first indication that he has risen as he said (Mt 20:17-19). This is confirmed by several appearances throughout the next 40 days (Jn 20:19-21:1; Acts 1:3; CCC 640). we do not know: Presumes that Mary has come to the tomb with other women, as in Mt 28:1, Mk 16:1, and Lk 23:55-24:1. Back to text.
20:4 the other disciple: John, the evangelist himself. Luke makes similar mention of certain disciples, including Peter, running to the tomb on Easter morning (Lk 24:12, 24). See introduction: Author.
reached the tomb first: John defers to Peter by letting him enter the tomb first (20:6). This is more than a polite gesture, as it reflects his deference to the preeminent honor and authority that Jesus has bestowed on Simon (Mt 16:16-19). • Allegorically (John Scotus Erigena, Hom. in Prol. Jn.): the tomb is the Sacred Scriptures. Peter is faith, which is the first thing we bring to its pages, and John is understanding, which afterward enters and penetrates their meaning more deeply. Morally, Peter and John represent the active and contemplative missions of the Church, so that even when contemplatives are the first to arrive at a deeper understanding of the faith, deference is given to the hierarchical leadership, who later defines and promulgates their authentic insights. Back to text.
20:7 the napkin . . . the linen cloths: Corroborating evidence of the Resurrection. No thief would have taken the time to unwrap Jesus' corpse and fold his burial clothes neatly in the tomb. In any case, the grave robbers of antiquity usually stole the expensive linens and left the body behind, not the other way around. Back to text.
20:9 the Scripture: For important resurrection passages, See note on Lk 24:46. Back to text.
20:12 two angels: Luke likewise mentions two angels (Lk 24:4, 23). Back to text.
20:14 she did not know: Failure to recognize the risen Jesus immediately is also noted in 21:4 and Lk 24:16 (CCC 659). Back to text.
20:17 Do not hold me: Mary wants to keep Jesus with her, but he must first ascend to the Father. Only then will he come again to his disciples in spiritual and sacramental ways. See note on Jn 14:18. my Father and your Father: Jesus is the Son of God by nature (1:18); believers are sons and daughters by grace (1:12); and all have the same Father (CCC 443, 654). Back to text.
20:19 that day: The evening of Easter Sunday. Back to text.
20:20 his hands and his side: The point is that Jesus is raised not simply with a body, but with the same body that was crucified and died only days earlier (20:25, 27). He carries these marks of his earthly sacrifice with him even when he ascends into heaven (Rev 5:6) (CCC 645). Back to text.
20:21 Peace: A traditional Hebrew greeting. See note on Jn 14:27. Back to text.
20:22 he breathed on them: Anticipates the coming of the Spirit on Pentecost, which will take place 50 days later (Acts 2:1-4). Here we see that the risen humanity of Jesus has become a sacrament of the divine Spirit (6:53-58; CCC 1116). • John uses an expression that recurs in significant contexts in the Greek OT. It appears in Gen 2:7, where the Lord breathes life into Adam; in 1 Kings 17:21, where the Greek version specifies that Elijah resuscitated a boy with his breath; and in Ezek 37:9, where God raises an army of corpses to new life by the breath of the Spirit. Back to text.
20:23 forgive the sins: Jesus' ministry of mercy and reconciliation will continue through the apostles (2 Cor 5:18-20; Jas 5:14-15). The power to "forgive and retain" sins in the name of Jesus is elsewhere described as the authority to "bind and loose" (Mt 16:19; 18:18; CCC 553, 730). • The Council of Trent connects this episode with the institution of the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Sess. 14, chap. 1), by which Christ distributes divine forgiveness to the world through the successors of the apostles (bishops) and their assistants in the presbyterate (priests) (CCC 976, 1441, 1461). Back to text.
20:26 Eight days later: The second Sunday of the Easter octave. Back to text.
20:28 My Lord and my God!: The climactic confession of faith in John's Gospel (CCC 448, 644). Back to text.
20:30-31 A statement of purpose by the evangelist. He has written the Fourth Gospel both as history and as witness, in the hope that a factual portrayal of the Christ's life will not just inform readers, but challenge them to accept him and his claims with true faith (Lk 1:1-4). Back to text.
21:1 Sea of Tiberias: Another name for the Sea of Galilee. See note on Jn 6:1. Back to text.
21:2 At least five of these seven disciples are apostles. John, who is one of the sons of Zebedee (Mt 10:2), remains consistent until the end in withholding his name from the Gospel narrative. See introduction: Author and chart: The Twelve Apostles at Mk 3. Back to text.
21:3 that night: Net fishing was done at night (Lk 5:5). The most popular fish were tilapias, now called "Peter's fish". Back to text.
21:7 It is the Lord!: John is the first to recognize Jesus on the shore. It is unclear whether his identity was veiled because of the distance, the lingering darkness, or a dullness of spiritual insight (20:14, Lk 24:16; CCC 645). • Allegorically (St. Gregory the Great, Hom. in Evan. 24): the presence of Christ on land signifies the stability and peace of his Resurrection life, as distinct from the instability and commotion of mortal life still experienced by the disciples as they labor upon the waves of the sea. Back to text.
21:9 charcoal fire: This expression, used only here and in 18:18 in the NT, sets up the following conversation between Jesus and Peter. The point is that Peter is given a second chance to affirm his love for Christ in front of a fire after three times denying him in front of a fire (18:15-18, 25-27). Back to text.
21:11 a hundred and fifty-three: The number of fish hauled ashore is symbolic. St. Jerome claims that Greek zoologists had identified 153 different kinds of fish (Comm. in Ez. 14, 47). If this is the background, the episode anticipates how the apostles, made fishers of men by Christ (Mt 4:19), will gather believers from every nation into the Church (Mt 28:18-20). Back to text.
21:13 took . . . gave: The breakfast recalls the feeding of the 5,000 in 6:1-14, since these are the only two meals in John eaten beside the Sea of Galilee and the only two where bread and fish are served. See note on Jn 6:11. Back to text.
21:14 the third time: i.e., that Jesus appears risen to the group of disciples. Individual encounters like the one in 20:16 are not included in this numbering. Back to text.
21:15-17 Three times Peter reaffirms his love for Jesus as personal restitution for the three times he denied him (13:38; 18:15-18, 25-27). The dialogue in Greek makes use of several synonyms: two different nouns are used for sheep, and two different verbs are used for feed, know, and love. Although this may be a stylistic feature to avoid redundancy, others think it more significant, especially with the verb love. In his first two questions, Jesus asks Peter if he loves him with "willing love" (Gk. agapaō), but in the third question he asks if Peter loves him with merely "friendly affection" (Gk. phileō), which is the word Peter uses in all three of his responses. An intended distinction between these terms would indicate that Jesus, desirous of a complete and heroic love from Peter, was willing by the end of the conversation to settle for his friendship. Back to text.
21:15 more than these?: Peter is challenged to live up to his own words, since earlier he declared that even if the other disciples should fall away from Christ, his commitment would never falter (Mt 26:33). Feed my lambs: Jesus entrusts to Peter the task of shepherding his entire flock. This supreme leadership position over the Church gives him a unique share in the authority of Christ, who is still acknowledged by Peter as the "chief Shepherd" (1 Pet 5:4). It is important to recognize that no tension exists in the mind of Jesus between his own role as the "good shepherd" and the delegation of pastoral authority to Peter (Jn 10:11; CCC 553, 881). • Vatican I declared that in this episode Christ made Peter the visible head and chief pastor over the universal Church (Pastor aeternus, chap. 1). See note on Mt 16:13-20. Back to text.
21:18 stretch out your hands: An allusion to Peter's martyrdom by crucifixion. Tradition holds that it took place in Rome around A.D. 67. Back to text.
21:23 The saying spread: This verse is included to correct a misunderstanding among believers that the Apostle John would remain alive until Christ returns in glory. Back to text.
21:24 This is the disciple: Equivalent to the evangelist's personal signature. See introduction: Author. we know: Apparently this comment was inserted, not by the evangelist, but by other Christians who knew the facts about Jesus as John did and willingly testified to the veracity of his Gospel. Back to text.
21:25 many other things: John claims that his Gospel is accurate, not that it is comprehensive or exhaustive (19:35). He has given enough information about the life and ministry of Jesus to elicit faith from his readers (20:30-31; CCC 515). Back to text.
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