# Commentary on the Gospel of John **1:1-18** The Prologue functions like a musical overture, introducing the main themes of the Gospel to be developed in subsequent chapters: light (1:4), life (1:4), darkness (1:5), testimony (1:7), faith (1:12), glory (1:14), truth (1:17). This network of images and ideas is held together around Jesus the Word, who is portrayed as the Creator and Redeemer of all things. Similar poetic passages are found in Col 1:15-20 and Heb 1:1-4 **1:1 In the beginning:** John traces the origin of the Word into eternity past, where God the Son was present with God the Father before time itself began (17:5). • This opening verse of John is a direct allusion to the opening verse of the Bible. As in Genesis 1, the evangelist draws attention to light, darkness, life, and the spoken Word that brought all things into existence (1:1-5). It is implied that the universe, once *created* through the Word of God, is now being *renewed* through that same Word come in the flesh as Jesus Christ (1:14; Rev 21:15; *Catechism of the Catholic Church* *hereafter CCC* 241, 291). **was with God:** Distinguishes the Word from the Father. They are not the same Person, yet they share the same nature in the family of the eternal Godhead (17:25-26) (CCC 254-56). **was God:** Or, \"was divine\". This is the first and clearest assertion of the deity of Jesus in the Fourth Gospel (5:18; 10:30-33; 20:28) (CCC 242) **1:4 life:** Earthly life is a gift that is given and sustained by God through his eternal Word (Heb 1:3). Ultimately, natural and biological life points beyond itself to the supernatural and divine life that Jesus grants in abundance to the children of God (10:10; 2 Pet 1:4; CCC 1997). This new life comes to us when we give ourselves to Christ in faith (3:16; 20:31), and Christ gives himself to us through the sacramental action of the Church (3:5; 6:53) **1:5 light . darkness:** Symbolic of the struggle between good and evil (1 Jn 2:8-11). Jesus himself is the true light (1:9) that drives away death, deception, and the devil (1 Jn 3:8). Other contrasts in the Gospel include flesh and Spirit (3:6), truth and falsehood (8:44-45), heaven and earth (3:31), and life and death (5:24) **1:6 John:** John the Baptist, who fulfilled a divine mission to Israel (1:31) but was not the divine Messiah (1:20). Emphasis on John\'s subordinate role to Jesus runs throughout the Fourth Gospel, suggesting that one of the aims of the evangelist is to win over the remaining band of John\'s disciples who had not yet accepted Jesus (3:25-30; 5:36; 10:41). Support for this is found in Acts 19:1-7, where we learn that a contingent of John\'s followers lived in Ephesus ---the same city that tradition links with the publication of the Fourth Gospel. See introduction: *Author.* . **1:10 the world:** One of several concepts in John with multiple meanings. The world can refer **(1)** to the universe created by God (1:10), **(2)** to the fallen family of man in need of redemption (3:17), **(3)** and to the sphere of the devil that opposes God and hates the truth (15:18-20) Word Study > [!NOTE] Word Study > *Word* (Jn 1:1) – *Logos* (Gk.): \"word\", \"statement\", or \"utterance\". The term is used 330 times in the NT. The background of this concept in John is both philosophical and biblical. **(1)** Ancient Greek philosophers associated the Word with the order and design of the universe or with the intelligible expression of the mind of God as he sustains and governs it. **(2)** In biblical tradition the Word is the powerful utterance of God that brought all things into being at the dawn of time (Gen 1:3; Ps 33:6; Wis 9:1). **(3)** Another biblical tradition links the Word of God with the Wisdom of God, who was depicted as God\'s eternal companion (Prov 8:23; Sir 24:9), the craftsman who labored alongside God at creation (Prov 8:30; Wis 7:22), and the one who remains a source of life for the world (Prov 8:35). John, it seems, has pulled these traditions together to say something entirely new: the Word of God is not so much an abstract principle or an audible power as it is a Divine Person: God the Son (Rev 19:13). This eternal Word, once a mediator of creation, has now become a mediator of salvation through his Incarnation (Jn 1:14; 3:17). ^95rx6g **1:11 received him not:** Jesus\' ministry to Israel was often resisted and sometimes rejected (8:56-59; 10:31; Lk 4:28-30) **1:12 believed in his name:** i.e., believed that Jesus is the Messiah of Israel and the eternal Son of God (20:31; 1 Jn 5:1, 13). Names are inseparable from persons in Semitic thinking. So, for instance, the Lord himself is invoked when his name is called upon in worship (Gen 4:26; 12:8) and when covenants are ratified by swearing an oath in his name (Gen 21:23; 24:3). **children of God:** By the grace of divine generation we are filled with divine life and reborn as sons and daughters of the Father (1 Jn 3:1, 9). This transformation requires faith and takes place in Baptism (3:5-8; Gal 3:26-27) (CCC 2780-82) **1:13 not of blood . flesh . man:** Three means or processes that bring about natural birth into the world, i.e., women, the sexual impulse, and men. John is stressing that natural birth does not establish us in a supernatural relationship with God. • A similar cluster of ideas is found in Wis 7:1-2, where human existence is said to depend on the blood of prenatal gestation, the pleasure of marital relations, and the seed of man **1:14 the Word became flesh:** Asserts the mystery of the Incarnation. It means that Christ, who is fully divine, eternal, and equal in being with the Father, came from heaven to earth and entered history as a man. The word \"flesh\" signifies all that is natural, earthly, and human (3:6; 6:63; 1 Jn 4:2) (CCC 423, 456-63). **dwelt among us:** The Greek means that Jesus \"tabernacled\" or \"pitched his tent\" among us (Rev 21:3). • John is making a link between the Incarnation of Jesus and the erection of the wilderness Tabernacle in the OT (Ex 25:89). The Tabernacle, once the architectural expression of Yahweh\'s presence in Israel, is a prophetic image of Jesus dwelling in our midst as a man. Likewise, as the Wisdom of God once tabernacled in Israel in the Torah of Moses (Sir 24:8), so Jesus is the embodiment of divine Wisdom in the flesh (1 Cor 1:24). See word study: **Word.** **grace and truth:** Equivalent to the \"mercy and faithfulness\" of God celebrated in the OT (Ex 34:6; Ps 25:10; 89:1; Prov 20:28; CCC 214). **his glory:** The magnificence of God\'s presence and Being once visible in the fiery cloud that indwelt the wilderness Tabernacle (Ex 40:34-35) and later the Jerusalem Temple (1 Kings 8:10-11). The glory of Christ is veiled behind his humanity and becomes visible only when he manifests it through his miracles (2:11; 11:40) (CCC 697) **1:15 ranks before me . was before me:** The preeminence of Jesus over John is deduced from his preexistence. Although his ministry followed that of John, his life with the Father predated the foundations of the world itself (1:1; 8:58; 17:5) **1:16 grace upon grace:** Or \"grace in place of grace\". As implied in the next verse, the graces of the Old Covenant have been superseded by the blessings of the New (1:17; CCC 504) **1:18 No one has ever seen God:** God is pure spirit and thus invisible to human eyes (4:24; 1 Tim 6:16). Even still, the face of the Father can be seen in the face of Christ, who is the visible image of the invisible God (14:9; Col 1:15). Only in eternity will we see God as he truly is (1 Cor 13:12) (CCC 151). **the only-begotten Son:** A significant textual variant reads \"God, the only begotten\", which directly asserts the deity of Jesus. The reading followed in the translation can **(1)** refer to the eternal generation of Christ within the Trinity or **(2)** mean \"unique\" and \"precious\", as Isaac was the beloved of his father, Abraham (Heb 11:17) (CCC 444) **1:19 Jews:** The term has a geographical tint and can sometimes be translated \"Judeans\". It has negative connotations in the Fourth Gospel because Jesus encounters great resistance in Judea (4:43-44) from the Judean leaders of Jerusalem who orchestrate his death (11:47-53; 19:12-16). The term is not a derogatory epithet directed at ethnic Jews in general; after all, Jesus was a Jew, as was his Mother, his disciples, and most of the earliest Christians (CCC 597). See note on Jn 4:47 **1:20 the Christ:** i.e., the Messiah (1:41). See word study: **Christ** at Mk 14 **1:21 Elijah?:** Israel anticipated the return of the prophet Elijah. • Malachi foretold that Elijah would make final preparations for the arrival of Israel\'s messianic Lord (Sir 48:10; Mal 4:5). John is not Elijah come again in the flesh, but he fulfills his mission in spirit (Lk 1:17) (CCC 718). See note on Mk 9:11. **the prophet?:** Israel awaited the coming of a prophet in the likeness of Moses. • That the authorities question whether John is *the* prophet and not simply *a* prophet suggests they are thinking of this Mosaic figure foretold in Deut 18:15-19. John is not the messianic prophet; it is Jesus who fulfills this role as the new Moses (4:20-26; 6:14; 7:40) **1:23 I am the voice:** A quotation from Is 40:3. See note on Lk 3:4-6 **1:24 the Pharisees:** The influential leaders of a Jewish renewal movement in NT Palestine. They are fierce opponents of Jesus and his message (7:45-53). *See topical essay: *Who Are the Pharisees?** at Mk 2 **1:26 I baptize with water:** The water baptism of John is merely a sign of the sacramental Baptism of Jesus. The former signified our need for cleansing and renewal; the latter effects this by an infusion of the grace and new life of the Spirit (Acts 2:38; Tit 3:5) (CCC 720, 1262) **1:28 Bethany:** An unknown location east of the Jordan River (10:40). It is distinct from the Judean village of Bethany near Jerusalem (11:18) **1:29 Lamb of God:** Points to the sacrificial dimension of Jesus\' mission. • This was *prefigured* by the Passover lambs of the Exodus, whose blood was a mark of divine protection for Israel and whose flesh was eaten in a liturgical meal (Ex 12:1-27), and *prophesied* by Isaiah, who portrayed the suffering Messiah as an innocent lamb slain for the sins of others (Is 53:7-12; CCC 608). See notes on Jn 12:32 and 19:36 **1:32 the Spirit descend as a dove:** The Baptism of Jesus, which initiates his manifestation to Israel (1:31) and prefigures the effects of sacramental Baptism (3:1-13). See notes on Mt 3:15 and Mk 1:10. **remain:** The Greek expression is used often in John (also translated \"dwell\" or \"abide\") for the enduring bond between the Father and Son (14:10; 15:10) and for the indwelling of the Trinity in the believer (6:56; 14:17; 15:4-7) **1:35 two of his disciples:** One of these is identified as \"Andrew\" (1:40), while the other is probably the evangelist himself. See introduction: *Author.* . **1:39 the tenth hour:** About 4 P.M. See note on Mt 20:1 **1:41 the Messiah:** A rendering of the Hebrew word for \"Anointed One\". This title is rendered into Greek as **Christ** (4:25). See word study: **Christ** at Mk 14 **1:42 Cephas:** A rendering of the Aramaic word *kepha\',* meaning \"rock\". With one exception from the fifth century B.C., this term was not generally used as a personal name before Jesus renamed Simon. The name **Peter** is its Greek equivalent. See word study: **Peter** at Mt 16 **1:44 Bethsaida:** A village on the northern edge of the Sea of Galilee. **Nathanael:** Also called \"Bartholomew\" in the Synoptic Gospels. *See chart: *The Twelve Apostles** at Mk 3 **1:45 Moses . The prophets:** Introduces a theme of scriptural fulfillment that runs throughout the Gospel narrative (2:22; 5:46; 7:38; 10:35; etc.) **1:46 Nazareth:** A small and secluded Galilean village considered unimportant to many in Israel **1:47 an Israelite indeed:** i.e., a descendant of the patriarch Jacob, who was renamed \"Israel\" (Gen 32:28). Ironically, Jacob himself was known for his beguiling ways, especially when he intercepted the family blessing intended for his older brother Esau (Gen 27:35) **1:49 Son of God . King of Israel:** Titles closely connected in ancient Israel, where King David and his successors are called the \"sons\" of Yahweh (2 Sam 7:14; Ps 2:7; 89:26-27). Unlike his Davidic predecessors, however, Jesus is the Son of God by nature and not by a covenant of divine adoption (1:18) (CCC 441-42). • Nathanael speaks from his knowledge of the OT. **(1)** That he was \"called\" while sitting \"under the fig tree\" (1:48) recalls how neighbors will \"invite\" one another under their \"fig tree\" in the messianic age (Zech 3:10). Judaism linked this hope with the coming of the royal \"Branch\", a messianic figure mentioned by Zechariah (Zech 3:8; 6:11-13) and modeled on his contemporary Zerubbabel, who rebuilt the Temple after the Exile (Hag 1:14; Zech 4:9). **(2)** Mention of Jesus\' hometown suggests a connection with Is 11:1, where the \"branch\" that will sprout from David is a term (Heb. *netser*) linked to the word \"Nazareth\" (1:46). Once these oracles converged in the mind of Nathanael, he could reason that Jesus is the messianic \"Branch\" and thus the royal Son of God. • *Allegorically* (St. Augustine, *Tract. on John 7,* 21): the shade of the fig tree is the shadow of sin and death. Nathanael is the Church, who is known in advance by the mercy of God, cleansed of all guilt and impurity, and summoned by the apostles to come forth from darkness to live in the light **1:51 ascending and descending:** An allusion to Jacob\'s dream in Gen 28:11-15. • Jacob dreamed of a ladder spanning heaven and earth that enabled the angels to pass in and out of the world. Moved by the experience, he renamed the place where he slept \"the house of God\" and \"the gate of heaven\" (Gen 28:17). Jesus puts himself in the center of this vision, claiming that **(1)** he is the place where heaven touches down to earth; **(2)** he is the true house of God; and **(3)** he is the mediator through whom the angels exercise their ministry. See notes on Jn 2:19 and Heb 1:14. **the Son of man:** Alludes to the heavenly figure of Dan 7:13. *See topical essay: *Jesus, the Son of Man** at Lk 17 **2:1 the third day:** Chronologically, this refers to the third day since Jesus\' encounter with Nathanael (1:43-51). Theologically, it has two levels of significance. **(1)** The third day is actually the seventh day of Jesus\' opening week of ministry. The evangelist hints at this when he delineates the successive days in 1:29, 35, 43, and 2:1, implying that the creation fashioned in seven days (Gen 1:1-2:3) is being transformed and renewed through Jesus (2 Cor 5:17; Rev 21:1-5). **(2)** Jesus manifests his glory on the third day at Cana (2:11), just as he reveals his glory by rising on the third day after his death (1 Cor 15:4). See word study: **Signs.** **marriage at Cana:** Jewish weddings, like this one five miles north of Nazareth, could be celebrated for an entire week or more (Judg 14:12; Tob 11:19). Curiously, the young couple is never identified, leaving Jesus and his Mother to hold center stage for the entire episode (2:1-11). • Traditional exegesis holds that Jesus sanctifies the covenant of marriage by his presence at the wedding at Cana (CCC 1613) **2:3 the mother of Jesus:** Mary is never called by her personal name in the Fourth Gospel (2:12; 19:25). **no wine:** An embarrassing predicament for the young couple. Mary\'s concern for the situation may suggest she is a relative of the wedding party. • Vatican II affirms the propriety of the title \"Advocate\" for the Mother of Jesus (*Lumen Gentium,* 62). It means that just as Mary intervened at Cana for the needs of others, so she continues to make heavenly intercession for the needs of the saints on earth (CCC 969) **2:4 woman:** Although it might offend the standards of modern etiquette, this was a title of respect and endearment in antiquity (4:21; 8:10; 20:13). There is, however, no ancient example of a son addressing his mother in this way. • Genesis 3 is the reverse image of the Cana episode. As Eve prompted Adam to defy the Lord and drag the human family into sin, so Mary prompts Jesus, the new Adam, to initiate his mission of salvation. The description of Mary even alludes to Gen 3:15, where Yahweh speaks of a \"woman\" whose son will trample the devil underfoot (CCC 489, 494). **what have you to do with me?** The expression is a Hebrew idiom rendered in Greek (literally, \"what to me and to you?\"). It typically presupposes some perceived tension between two parties having contrary perspectives (Judg 11:12; 1 Kings 17:18; Mk 5:7), though not always (2 Chron 35:21). When the idiom is used in response to a person\'s request, either stated or implied, the speaker sometimes capitulates to the expressed will of the other (2 Kings 3:13) and sometimes not (2 Sam 16:10). Here the former pattern is evident: Jesus complies with Mary\'s request (Jn 2:7-8), and Mary herself appears perfectly confident that Jesus will respond favorably to her petition (2:5). In effect, Jesus would not have initiated the miracle at Cana, but neither does he refuse his Mother\'s prompting. **My hour has not yet come:** The assertion hides an important assumption. The statement would seem exaggerated unless the provision of wine was somehow connected with Jesus\' appointed \"hour\". This points beyond the historical hour of his Passion to the commemoration of that hour in the eucharistic liturgy, where Christ is present behind the visible sign of wine (CCC 2618). *See topical essay: *The \"Hour\" of Jesus** at Jn 4 **2:5 Do whatever he tells you:** The final words of Mary in the NT, which ring out as her spiritual testament for all disciples of Jesus. • The command to follow Jesus echoes the command to follow Joseph in Gen 41:55. As the patriarch went on to provide bread in abundance during a time of famine, so Jesus supplies wine in abundance at a time of need **2:6 six stone jars:** Together holding over 120 gallons of water. • The purpose of these water jars is outlined in Num 19:11-22, which stipulates that any Israelite defiled by contact with the dead must be purified with water on the third day and then again on the seventh day. Curiously, the Cana miracle takes place on the third day (2:1), which, according to John\'s chronology, is also the seventh day. See note on Jn 2:1. • The first sign performed by Jesus (water into wine) recalls the first sign performed by Moses (the first plague, water into blood, Ex 7:19). Note that wine is called the \"blood\" of the grape in Hebrew poetry (Gen 49:11; Deut 32:14) **2:9 the bridegroom:** The unidentified groom at the wedding. Jesus fulfills this role on a spiritual level (3:29; Mt 25:1-13; CCC 796) **2:10 the good wine:** A biblical symbol capable of many associations. **(1)** An abundance of wine is a sign of the messianic age (Is 25:6; Joel 3:18; Amos 9:13). **(2)** It signifies the joys of marital love (Song 1:2; 4:10; 7:9). **(3)** The transformation of water into wine anticipates the transubstantiation of wine into blood when Jesus gives himself to the world in the eucharistic liturgy (6:53; 1 Cor 10:16). **(4)** The wine of the marital celebration looks beyond this life to the marriage supper of the Lamb in heaven (Rev 19:7-9) (CCC 1335) **Word Study** > [!NOTE] Word Study > *Signs* (Jn 2:11) – *Semeion* (Gk.): a \"sign\" or \"miracle\". The term is used 17 times in John and 60 times in the rest of the NT. Since the signs in the Fourth Gospel are concentrated mainly in chaps. 1-12, the first half of John has been called the \"Book of Signs\". For the evangelist, the signs of Jesus are not just mighty works, but miracles that unveil the glory and power of God working through Christ. The signs of Jesus also recall the signs performed by Moses during the Exodus, signs that likewise revealed the glory of Yahweh (Num 14:22) working through Moses (Ex 3:12; 4:28-31; Deut 34:11). The Fourth Gospel draws attention to seven signs: **(1)** the miracle at Cana (2:1-11), **(2)** the healing of the official\'s son (4:46-54), **(3)** the healing of the paralytic (5:1-9), **(4)** the multiplication of the loaves (6:1-14), **(5)** the restoration of the blind man (9:1-41), **(6)** the raising of Lazarus (11:17-44), and, most important of all, **(7)** the Resurrection of Jesus, which is the second sign mentioned in the Gospel (2:18-22) but the final and climactic sign to be accomplished (20:1-10). Jesus elsewhere calls this the \"sign of the prophet Jonah\" (Mt 12:39). ^al9djb **2:12 Capernaum:** A village on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee and the headquarters of Jesus\' Galilean ministry (Mt 4:13). **his brethren:** Not full brothers of Jesus but his close relatives (CCC 500). See note on Mt 12:46 **2:13 The Passover:** Celebrated every spring to commemorate Israel\'s rescue from Egyptian slavery (Ex 12). Three times the Passover is mentioned in John, indicating that Jesus\' ministry extended beyond two years (6:4; 13.1). See note on Jn 6:4. **Jerusalem:** Nearly 80 percent of John\'s narrative places Jesus in Jerusalem. The Synoptic Gospels give greater attention to the ministry of Jesus in Galilee **2:14-22** The cleansing of the Temple is recorded in all four Gospels. One difference among them is that John places the event at the *beginning* of Jesus\' ministry, while the other Gospels place it at the *end* of his ministry. Two explanations for this are possible. **(1)** All four accounts may refer to the same event. If so, John moved the episode to the beginning of his narrative to highlight an important truth. As it stands, the Temple cleansing makes the same theological point as that in the preceding Cana episode: Jesus brings a New Covenant that supersedes the institutions of the Old. **(2)** Jesus may have cleansed the Temple twice. In fact, some have dated the episode in John around A.D. 27 or 28, calculating \"forty-six years\" from the time Herod the Great began renovating the Temple in 19 or 20 B.C. (2:20). This date fits more easily into the early period of Jesus\' ministry than the latter part of it **2:14 In the temple:** The Jerusalem Temple was divided into several courts. The outermost court, open to Gentile pilgrims, was used for selling sacrificial animals and exchanging foreign currency for the appropriate coins needed to pay the annual Temple tax. Jesus is angry that the merchants are robbing Israel through inflated rates of exchange and robbing the Gentiles of the opportunity to worship and pray (CCC 583-84). See note on Mt 17:24 **2:15 poured out . overturned:** The aggressive actions of Jesus are a prophetic sign of the Temple\'s imminent destruction (Mk 13:1-2). The expulsion of oxen, sheep, and pigeons (2:14) from the precincts likewise signifies the termination of animal sacrifice in the Temple (4:21-24). See note on Mk 11:15. • *Allegorically* (Origen, *Comm. in Jo.* 10, 16): the sanctuary is the undisciplined soul, filled, not with animals and merchants, but with earthly and senseless attachments. Christ must expel them with the whip of his divine doctrine to make spiritual worship possible **2:17 Zeal for your house:** A reference to Ps 69:9. • Psalm 69 depicts the suffering of the righteous, who are pained by the insults that sinners heap upon God. Jesus, burning with righteous indignation, is outraged that business dealings have taken the place of prayer in the Temple courts **2:19 Destroy this temple:** Jesus challenges his critics to destroy, not the sacred building, but his own body (2:21-22). Ironically, the latter is destined to replace the former: after the Crucifixion, the Temple of Jerusalem will be razed to the ground in divine judgment while the temple of Jesus\' body will be raised from the grave in divine glory (CCC 586, 994) **2:25 he knew all men:** The supernatural knowledge of Jesus is often highlighted in the Gospels (4:39; 16:30; Mt 9:4; 17:27; Mk 11:2-4; Lk 22:9-13). Here he detects deficient faith in those who marvel at his miracles but fail to grasp the significance of his mission. In the next episode, Nicodemus is representative of such inadequate belief (3:1-15) (CCC 473) **3:1 Nicodemus:** Probably a member of the Jewish court, the Sanhedrin. See note on Mk 14:55 **3:2 by night:** Nicodemus comes to Jesus under the cover of darkness because he fears persecution from the unbelieving leaders of Israel (12:42; 19:38). Symbolically, he is walking in spiritual darkness and lacks the enlightenment of true faith (8:12) **3:3 anew:** The Greek expression can mean either \"again\" or \"from above\". Nicodemus takes it to mean \"again\", as though Jesus required a physical rebirth to enter his kingdom. This is a misunderstanding. Jesus instead calls for a spiritual rebirth \"from above\" (CCC 526). The Greek expression always means \"from above\" elsewhere in John (3:31; 19:11, 23) **3:5 born of water and the Spirit:** The syntax of this verse in Greek suggests that Jesus is speaking, not of two separate births, one by water and another by the Spirit, but of a single birth through the working of water and Spirit together. Several observations suggest the verse refers to the Sacrament of Baptism. **(1)** A close link between water and Spirit is forged elsewhere in John\'s writings (7:38-39; 1 Jn 5:8). This is most explicit in 1:33, where the Spirit descends upon Jesus at the very moment he is baptized in the waters of the Jordan. **(2)** Immediately following this episode Jesus and the disciples begin a baptismal ministry in Judea (3:22). **(3)** Other NT passages describe Baptism as a sacrament of salvation through the Spirit (Acts 2:38; 1 Cor 6:11; Tit 3:5; 1 Pet 3:21). • The OT envisions Yahweh pouring out his Spirit from above in the messianic age (Is 32:15; Ezek 39:29; Joel 2:28-29). This was depicted as water being poured upon the Israelites to wash away their iniquities and renew their hearts (Is 44:3; Ezek 36:2526). These prophetic hopes should have prepared Nicodemus to understand the thrust of Jesus\' teaching (3:10). • The Council of Trent declared in 1547 that Jn 3:5 refers to Baptism. It was said that \"water\" is no mere metaphor, but a visible sign of the Spirit\'s invisible work in the sacrament (Sess. 7, can. 2) (CCC 694, 1215, 1257) **3:6 flesh . spirit:** A significant contrast in John. Flesh represents all that is natural, earthly, and human, while spirit signifies all that is supernatural, heavenly, and divine. The distance once separating these realms has been bridged by Jesus Christ, whose flesh (1:14) is an instrument that conveys the life and Spirit of God to the world (5:21; 6:51-53; 20:22) **3:8 The wind blows:** Or \"The Spirit blows\" (see textual note f). By capitalizing on the double meaning of this expression, Jesus reasons that if the direction and destiny of the wind is mysterious, then the mission of the Holy Spirit is even more so in the lives of believers (CCC 691) **3:11 our testimony:** i.e., the twofold witness of Jesus and John the Baptist (1:7, 19; 3:28) **3:14 the serpent:** A reference to the episode in Num 21:4-9. • Moses hoisted a bronze serpent upon a pole as a remedy for faithless Israel. Although God punished them with poisonous serpents, he promised to save everyone who looked to the bronze serpent in search of his mercy. Jesus sees this relic as an image of his own Crucifixion and the healing it will bring to a rebellious world (CCC 2130). **be lifted up:** A shorthand reference to the Paschal Mystery, when Jesus is lifted up *on* the Cross, *from* the grave, and *into* heaven (8:28; 12:32) **3:16 gave his only-begotten Son:** The earthly mission of Jesus is part of the heavenly plan of the Father, who displays the depth of his love through the sacrifice of his Son (Rom 5:8; 1 Jn 3:16; CCC 219). This verse marks a transition from the dialogue between Jesus and Nicodemus (3:1-15) to an extended monologue by either Jesus or the evangelist himself (3:16-21). **eternal life:** The expression refers both to the *divine* quality of new life in Christ as well as its *duration.* We receive this gift already on earth in the hope that we will possess it irrevocably in heaven (10:10; 1 Jn 5:13) **3:18 condemned already:** Unbelief is a form of rebellion that puts offenders outside the safety of the covenant. To reject the Son of God is to reject the light of faith in preference to spiritual darkness, death, and disinheritance (3:20; CCC 679) **3:22 baptized:** Clarification is made in 4:2 that only the disciples of Jesus were baptizing **3:23 Aenon:** An uncertain location, probably in either Samaria (central Palestine) or the Jordan Valley (eastern Palestine) **3:24 put in prison:** John is imprisoned for reprimanding Herod Antipas, ruler of Galilee. See note on Mk 6:18 **3:25-30** The ministry of John the Baptist is of real but secondary importance compared to the saving mission of Jesus. John humbly recognizes this and so directs his disciples to become followers of Christ. See note on Jn 1:6 **3:29 the bridegroom:** Jesus, whose bride is the Church (2 Cor 11:2; Eph 5:21-32). John the Baptist is the friend or \"best man\" of the groom who, in Jewish custom, arranges and manages the wedding celebration. John is content to fade into the background now that his duties are fulfilled (3:30). • The marital covenant between Jesus and the Church is an extension of the spousal relation between Yahweh and Israel under the Old Covenant (Is 54:5-8; Jer 2:2; Hos 2:16-20; CCC 796; 1612) **3:31 earth . heaven:** A contrast between the earthly origin and ministry of John the Baptist and the heavenly origin and ministry of Jesus Christ **3:34 not by measure:** As the Messiah, Jesus possesses the fullness of the Spirit (Is 11:2) and his graces (1:16) (CCC 504) **3:36 believes . does not obey:** Faith is exercised when we trust in God and entrust ourselves to God. Because it involves both the *assent* of the mind and the *consent* of the will, it can never be a purely intellectual decision that exists independently of one\'s behavior (Jas 2:14-26). It is because faith and faithfulness are two sides of the same coin that the opposite of faith is not just unbelief, but disobedience (CCC 161) **4:4 had to pass through:** A divine necessity, dictated not by geography but by the missionary schedule given to Jesus by the Father. Jews normally traveled a longer route from Judea to Galilee by skirting around the eastern side of Samaria along the Jordan River **4:5 Sychar:** Probably ancient Shechem, where Jacob purchased a field (Gen 33:18-20) **4:6 Jacob\'s well:** Nowhere mentioned in the OT but traditionally located at the foot of Mt. Gerizim in central Samaria. • The setting recalls the marital arrangements described in the Pentateuch. As the wives of Isaac (Gen 24:1067), Jacob (Gen 29:1-30), and Moses (Ex 2:15-21) were first encountered at a well, so Jesus is the divine bridegroom in search of believers to be his covenant bride (3:29). **the sixth hour:** About noon **4:7-42** Centuries of animosity between Jews and Samaritans loom in the background of this episode. It began with the devastation of northern Palestine by Assyria in the eighth century B.C., when masses of Israelites were deported out of the land and foreign peoples were forcibly resettled in the region (2 Kings 17:6, 24-41). According to the Jews of southern Palestine, the remaining Israelites (Samaritans) had defiled themselves by assimilating the practices of these pagan peoples and intermarrying with them. The enmity between Jews and Samaritans was very much alive in NT times, and both groups took steps to avoid interaction with one another, especially in matters of food and drink **4:9 How is it . ?** Jesus oversteps the boundaries of Jewish tradition, which discouraged men from conversing with women in public (4:27), sharing a drink with a Samaritan (4:7), or associating with a recognized sinner (4:18) **4:10 living water:** An expression with two levels of meaning. The woman takes it to mean \"flowing\" water, i.e., a preferable alternative to stagnant well water (4:11-12). Jesus, however, is speaking of the life and vitality of the Spirit (7:38-39; CCC 728, 2560). • Several prophetic texts depict the blessings of the Lord as life-giving \"water\" (Is 12:3; 44:3; Ezek 47:1-12; Zech 14:8). See note on Jn 3:5. • Christian tradition associates living water with baptismal waters, which lead us to \"eternal life\" (4:14). Paul, in fact, describes Baptism in terms of drinking from the Spirit (1 Cor 12:13; CCC 694) **4:15 Sir:** A respectful term of address. As the episode progresses, the perception of Jesus\' identity becomes ever more clear: by 4:19 he is a \"prophet\", by 4:29 he is the \"Christ\", and by 4:42 he is the \"Savior of the world\" **4:18 five husbands:** The woman has endured multiple marital struggles. • The woman\'s personal life parallels the historical experience of the Samaritan people. According to 2 Kings 17:24-31, the five foreign tribes who intermarried with the northern Israelites (Samaritans) introduced five male deities into their religion. These idols were individually addressed as *Baal,* a Hebrew word meaning \"lord\" or \"husband\". The prophets denounced Israel for serving these gods, calling such worship infidelity to its true covenant spouse, Yahweh. Hope was kept alive, however, that God would show mercy to these Israelites and become their everlasting husband in the bonds of a New Covenant (Hos 2:16-20). This day has dawned in the ministry of Jesus, the divine bridegroom (3:29), who has come to save the Samaritans from a lifetime of struggles with five pagan \"husbands\". See note on Jn 4:6 **4:20 on this mountain:** In OT times the Samaritans worshiped in a sanctuary built on Mt. Gerizim. Although it was destroyed in 128 B.C., they continued to worship on the mountain during NT times and even to the present day **4:22 what you do not know:** Samaritan religion was an admixture of Israelite faith and pagan idolatry (2 Kings 17:29-34). • Jesus speaks from the perspective of the OT, which describes idol worship as ignorant worship (Wis 13:1-2, 10-19; Is 44:9-20). **from the Jews:** The Messiah was expected to come from the line of King David, who belonged to the royal tribe of Judah (Gen 49:8-12) **4:23 in spirit and truth:** Christian worship contrasts with Jewish and Samaritan worship. It will be in *spirit,* not confined to a single Israelite sanctuary where the ritual sacrifice of animals has continued since the days of Moses. It will also be in *truth,* not tainted by the errors of idolatry that have plagued the Samaritans since the days of the divided kingdom. See topical essay: **The \"Hour\" of Jesus** **4:26 I . am he:** Jesus accepts the title \"Messiah\" (4:25) only here and at his trial (Mk 14:61-62). See note on Mk 1:44 **4:28 left her water jar:** The woman becomes both a believer and a missionary, accepting Jesus as the Messiah and sharing that belief with her hometown (4:39-42). • *Morally* (St. Augustine, *Tract. on John* 15, 16, 30): the water jar is the fallen desire of man that draws pleasure from the dark wells of the world but is never satisfied for long. Conversion to Christ moves us, like the Samaritan woman, to renounce the world, leave behind the desires of our earthen vessels, and follow a new way of life **4:34 My food:** The Father\'s will is always the driving force behind Jesus\' mission (5:19; 6:38; 12:49; 14:10; etc.) **4:35 white for harvest:** Suggests that the world in general and the Samaritans in particular are ripe and ready to be gathered by the missionary efforts of the Church (Acts 8:4-25; Rev 14:14-16) **4:42 the Savior:** A title for Jesus also in Lk 2:11 and 1 Jn 4:14. Although salvation comes *from* the Jews (4:22), it is *for* all the nations of the world (3:17; 1 Jn 2:2) **4:44 a prophet has no honor:** A similar proverb is uttered when Jesus is rejected by his hometown of Nazareth (Lk 4:24). The remark resonates with bitter irony: although Jesus is a Jew (4:9), he is rejected by kinsmen from his own country of Judea (4:3, 47). See note on Jn 1:19 **4:46 Capernaum:** This village was more than 15 miles from Cana. The official from the town was probably a royal officer under Herod Antipas, ruler of Galilee. A similar episode where Jesus heals from a distance appears in Mt 8:5-13 and Lk 7:1-10 **4:47 Judea to Galilee:** Geography plays a symbolic role in John. For the most part, the northern regions of Samaria and Galilee accept Jesus in faith (1:43-49; 2:11; 4:39, 53-54), whereas the southern region of Judea with its capital in Jerusalem is persistently antagonistic toward him (5:18; 7:1; 9:22; 10:33; 11:7-8, etc.). This tension between north and south is underscored by repeated emphasis on Jesus\' withdrawal from Judea to Galilee (4:3, 45, 46, 54) and elsewhere when the Judean opponents of Jesus make derogatory remarks about Galileans and Samaritans (7:52; 8:48). It is against this background that John classifies the enemies of Christ as \"the Jews\", i.e., the unbelieving leaders of Judea and Jerusalem. See note on Jn 1:19 **4:52 the seventh hour:** About 1 P.M. See note on Mt 20:1 [[the-hour-of-jesus|The "Hour" of Jesus]] **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 **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) **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 **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) **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 **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 **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) **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 **5:18 equal with God:** By calling God his Father, Jesus 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) **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) **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) **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) **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) **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 **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 **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) **6:1-14** The multiplication of the loaves is the only miracle, 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) **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 **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 **6:7 Two hundred denarii:** About 200 days\' wages for a laborer (Mt 20:2) **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 **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 **6:14 the prophet:** i.e., the messianic prophet foretold by Moses. See note on Jn 1:21 **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 **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) **6:23 from Tiberias:** i.e., from the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. See note on Jn 6:1 **6:25 Rabbi:** A Hebrew title for respected Jewish teachers (1:38) **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) **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) **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) **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 6:35-47, then believing leads to eating in 6:48-58 (CCC 161, 1381) **6:37 All that the Father gives:** Alludes to the mystery of predestination. See note on Rom 8:29 **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) **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) **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.** . **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 **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) **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) **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) **6:62 the Son of man:** The heavenly figure described in Dan 7:13. See topical essay: *See topical essay: *Jesus, the Son of Man** at Lk 17 **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) **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) **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) **6:71 Judas:** Anticipates the defection of the betrayer during the Last Supper (13:21-30) **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 **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 **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 **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 **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) **Word Study** > [!NOTE] Word Study > *Eats* (Jn 6:54) – *Trōgō* (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. ^7ohzkq **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 **7:14 middle of the feast:** Either the third or fourth day of the week-long festival. See note on Jn 7:2 **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) **7:18 the glory of him:** i.e., of his heavenly Father (5:44; 17:5) **7:21 I did one deed:** The healing of the lame man in 5:1-9 **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) **7:26 the authorities:** Probably members of the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem. See note on Mk 14:55 **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) **7:30 his hour:** *See topical essay: *The \"Hour\" of Jesus** at Jn 4 **7:32 officers:** Temple police in Jerusalem (Acts 4:1-3; 5:24-26) **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) **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 **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 **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) **7:40 the prophet:** The awaited prophet like Moses from Deut 18:15-19. See note on Jn 1:21 **7:41 the Christ:** The awaited Messiah and king of Israel. See word study: **Christ** at Mk 14 **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 **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) **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 **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) **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 **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 **8:9 the eldest:** i.e., the wisest, who were the first to detect the brilliance of Jesus\' reply (8:7) **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) **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 **8:15 according to the flesh:** i.e., on the basis of limited human reason. See note on Jn 6:63 **8:17 it is written:** Deut 17:6 and 19:15 require two or three witnesses to establish credible legal testimony in court **8:20 his hour:** *See topical essay: *The \"Hour\" of Jesus** at Jn 4 **8:23 from below:** Not from hell but from the earth. Jesus comes from heaven above (3:31) **8:24 you will die:** An assurance not simply of bodily 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\" **8:28 lifted up the Son:** i.e., in his Passion, Resurrection, and Ascension. See note on Jn 12:32 **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) **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) **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 **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) **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) **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) **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) **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 **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) **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 11:17-19). **(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) **8:57 not yet fifty years old:** Jesus is only in his early thirties (Lk 3:23) **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 **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 **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 **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 **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 **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) **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 **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) **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) **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) **9:24 Give God the praise:** An oath formula that binds a witness to speak the truth (Josh 7:19) **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) **9:33 he could do nothing:** Mirrors the logic of Nicodemus in 3:2 **9:35 the Son of man:** The heavenly figure from Dan 7:13. *See topical essay: *Jesus, the Son of Man** at Lk 17 **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) **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) **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 **10:6 they did not understand:** The Pharisees, who are blind to the spiritual dimension of Jesus\' teaching (9:39-41) **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) **10:10 have life:** Divine life. See note on Jn 3:16 **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) **10:12 the wolf:** A traditional symbol of spiritual enemies (Mt 7:15; 10:16; Acts 20:29) **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 (21:15-17; 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) **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) **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) **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 **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) **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 **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) **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 **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) **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) **10:40 where John . baptized:** An unknown location near Bethany, east of the Jordan River (1:28) **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) **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 **11:2 Mary who anointed the Lord:** Anticipates the following episode in 12:1-8nbsp;. **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) **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 **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) **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 **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) **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 **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 **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 **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) **11:32 if you had been here:** Mary\'s initial disappointment mirrors that of Martha (11:21) **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) **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) **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) **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 **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 596-97, 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) **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) **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 **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 **11:54 Ephraim:** A village of uncertain location, but probably north of Jerusalem in the lower region of Samaria **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) **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 **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) **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) **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) **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) **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) **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) **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 **12:15 Fear not, daughter of Zion:** A reference to Zech 19:9. • 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 **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) **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) **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) **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) **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) **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) **12:31 ruler of this world:** Satan, whose dominion over the world began with Adam\'s rebellion in the garden (Gen 3:1-19). **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) **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) **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 **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 **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 **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 **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) **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) **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 **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) **13:2 during supper:** The Synoptic Gospels specify that it was a Passover meal (Mt 26:19; Mk 14:16; Lk 22:15) **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) **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 **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 **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) **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) **13:16 a servant is not greater:** Similar statements occur in Mt 10:24 and Lk 22:27 **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) [[when-did-jesus-celebrate-the-last-supper|When Did Jesus Celebrate the Last Supper?]] **13:19 believe that I am:** The foreknowledge of Jesus is further evidence that he is God from true God, the true \"I am\". See note on Jn 6:20 **13:22 uncertain of whom:** Judas successfully camouflages his malice from the other disciples **13:23 whom Jesus loved:** i.e., the Apostle John. See introduction: *Author.* **lying close:** Festal meals were eaten, not in a sitting position, but in a reclining position on cushions spread around a short table. See note on Lk 7:36 **13:27 after the morsel, Satan:** Although Judas is sharing a meal with Jesus, he is feeding on the lies of the devil (8:44). The darkness that fills him draws him out into the \"night\" (13:30) **13:31 God is glorified:** It is precisely when Christ accepts his suffering at the hands of evil men that he shows us the dimensions of God\'s love for the world (Rom 5:8; Jn 3:16) **13:34 new commandment:** The Torah commanded *human* love for ourselves and our neighbor (Lev 19:18). Jesus commands *divine* love for one another that is modeled on his own acts of charity and generosity (15:13; 1 Jn 3:16-18). This supernatural love comes not from us but from the Spirit (Rom 5:5; CCC 1822-29). See note on 1 Cor 13:4-7 **13:37 lay down my life:** Peter is probably sincere but certainly overconfident. Soon his bravery will be crushed under the weight of human fear (18:25-27) **14:1 Let not your hearts:** Jesus wants to protect his disciples from despair at his death and from discouragement when persecution comes their way (14:27; 16:33). Only the peace of God that surpasses understanding can calm their anxieties (Phil 4:6-7) **14:2 my Father\'s house:** A similar expression is used in 2:16 for the Jerusalem Temple, hinting that the Father\'s house is a heavenly sanctuary (Rev 21:22) perched high above in the heavenly Jerusalem (Gal 4:26; Rev 21:1). This is the eternal dwelling where the glorified angels and saints worship the Lord in the eternal liturgy (Heb 12:22-24; Rev 4-5) (CCC 2795). **many rooms:** Similar to the Herodian Temple in Jerusalem, which had several courts for worship, chambers for storage, and living quarters for priests **14:6 I am the way:** A claim to be the sole Savior of the world (Acts 4:12). He is the one mediator chosen by the Father to bring the human family to glory. Earlier Jesus made this claim when he compared himself to Jacob\'s ladder (1:51) (CCC 661, 2466) **14:9 has seen the Father:** Jesus is the visible image of the invisible God (Col 1:15), his human flesh (1:14) being an icon of divine spirit (4:24). Through faith we see how Christ\'s entire life shows us the heart of the Father and his love for the world (3:16; 5:19-23; CCC 516) **14:13 Whatever you ask:** The Ascension of Jesus will not be his retirement, since even now he lives to make priestly intercession for the Church on earth (Heb 7:25; 9:24). **I will do it:** A promise to grant whatever is needed to facilitate our salvation (Mt 7:7-11). To pray in the name of Jesus is to pray that the Father will bless us through him (Jn 16:23-24; CCC 2614, 2615) **14:15 If you love me:** Our commitment to Christ is proved by works and not merely by words (14:23-24; 1 Jn 3:18) **14:17 with you . in you:** The first expression refers to the Spirit\'s *ecclesial* presence within the Church as a whole, and the second to his *personal* presence dwelling within each of God\'s children individually. For this reason both the universal Church (Eph 2:19-22) and individual Christians (1 Cor 6:19) can be called \"temples\" of the Spirit (CCC 797) **14:18 desolate:** Literally, \"orphans\". **I will come to you**: i.e., with the Father and the Spirit (14:23). • When Jesus withdraws his visible presence from the world, he does not withdraw his spiritual presence. Christ is always present in his Church, especially in the liturgy, where he ministers through his priests, speaks through the Scriptures, and sanctifies us through the sacraments (CCC 788, 1380) **14:22 Judas (not Iscariot):** Presumably \"Judas the son of James\" (Lk 6:16), also called \"Thaddaeus\" (Mt 10:3). *See chart: *The Twelve Apostles** at Mk 3 **14:23 our home with him:** Through grace the living presence of the Trinity inhabits the hearts of the faithful (14:17; Gal 2:20). From John\'s perspective, God dwells in the saints on earth before the saints dwell in God in heaven (14:2-3; Rev 21:22; CCC 260) **14:26 the Holy Spirit:** Sent from heaven to complete the teaching ministry of Jesus and give the apostles an accurate understanding of the gospel (16:12-13). The Spirit also works through the sacraments to renew the world with the graces and blessings that Christ died to give us (3:5; 6:63; 20:22-23) (CCC 243, 729). See note on Jn 16:13. **teach you . bring to your remembrance:** The terms \"you\" and \"your\" in this verse are plural. It is thus a promise to guide and instruct the ordained leaders of the Church, here represented by the eleven apostles. It is not a promise that the Spirit will grant every individual Christian supernatural insight into the full meaning of the gospel or the Scriptures (2 Pet 1:20-21) **14:27 my peace:** Not worldly peace, which is often procured by violence and is always unstable, but a spiritual serenity that comforts us regardless of our outward circumstances. See word study: **Peace** at Col 3 **14:28 the Father is greater:** The Son is equal to the Father in his divinity but less than the Father in his humanity. • Although no one of the Divine Persons exceeds the others in greatness or glory in the eternal Trinity, there is a relational hierarchy among them, where, unlike the Son and the Spirit, the Father alone possesses divine Paternity and has the distinction of being entirely without origin **Word Study** > [!NOTE] Word Study > *Counselor* (Jn 14:16) – *Paraklētos* (Gk.): an \"advocate\" or \"helper\". The word is used five times in John\'s writings, always with reference to Jesus or the Holy Spirit. It is a legal term for an attorney or spokesman who defends the cause of the accused in a courtroom. Jesus uses it for a heavenly intercessor who is called to the side of God\'s children to offer strength and support. Jesus is a \"Paraclete\" because in heaven he pleads to the Father for believers still struggling on earth (1 Jn 2:1). The Spirit, too, is a \"Paraclete\" because he is sent to strengthen the disciples in Jesus\' absence (Jn 14:16), instruct them in the truth (Jn 14:26; 15:26), and defend them against the prosecutions of the devil (Jn 16:7-11), who is the \"accuser\" of the family of God (Rev 12:10). ^6qsbm6 **14:30 ruler of this world:** Satan. See note on Jn 12:31 **14:31 I love the Father:** This is the only place in the Gospels where Jesus verbalizes his love for the Father. The fact is never in doubt, however, since his every deed is done to honor the Father (8:29; 15:10), and he will soon make a loving gift of himself to the Father on the Cross (15:13) (CCC 606). • Christ reveals through his humanity the mystery of his divinity. The life and death of Jesus are thus a visible expression of the invisible life of the Trinity, where the Son eternally pours himself out in love to the Father **15:1-11** The metaphor of the vine underscores Jesus\' union with the disciples and their absolute dependency on him for life and growth. It assumes that because the vinedresser (the Father) seeks an abundant harvest, he trims back the vine stock (Jesus) to rid it of fruitless branches (apostates) and to invigorate the other branches (disciples) to become even more fruitful. • Several times the OT depicts Israel as a vineyard planted and tended by the Lord (Ps 80:8-16; Is 5:17; 27:2-6; Jer 2:21). When Jesus clothes himself with this same imagery, he is stressing that Israel finds its life and vigor no longer in the Old Covenant but in the New Covenant ratified by its Messiah. • The delivery of this sermon during the Last Supper gives it a sacramental coloring. Note how the invitation to \"abide\" in Christ (15:4-5) picks up a theme from the Bread of Life discourse (6:56) and how the Synoptic Gospels make an explicit link between the \"fruit of the vine\" and the eucharistic meal (Mt 26:29; Mk 14:25; Lk 22:18) (CCC 787) **15:2 he prunes:** The Father must trim away our selfishness to increase our growth in love. Pruning probably refers to the trials and fatherly discipline we experience in this life (Heb 12:5-11; Jas 1:2-4; 1 Pet 1:6-7) **15:5 bears much fruit:** The fruits of righteousness are borne in us by the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23; CCC 737). Without this lifegiving sap, which flows into the branches through the vine, we can do absolutely nothing to please the Father or move closer to salvation (CCC 308, 2074) **15:6 thrown into the fire:** Damnation awaits every branch that withers away from Christ and becomes worthless (Mt 3:10; Heb 6:4-8). • Ezekiel similarly described the residents of Jerusalem as vine branches that failed to yield *fruit* and so became *fuel* for the fires of divine judgment (Ezek 15:18). Vines, the prophet reasoned, are useless to the craftsman as wood and thus have no value apart from the grapes they bear **15:10 my Father\'s commandments:** Love for the Father expresses itself through obeying his commandments as Jesus did (1 Jn 3:23-24). It was common in ancient society for younger siblings to look up to the eldest brother for guidance on how to honor and obey one\'s parents **15:13 Greater love:** The fullest expression of love consists in pouring out our lives to God as Jesus Christ did on the Cross (1 Jn 3:16). See notes on Jn 13:34 and 14:31 **15:14 my friends:** The promise of intimacy with Jesus is conditional because it can be fulfilled only if we commit ourselves to his teaching. • Abraham, the man of faith, was the first to be called a \"friend\" of God in the Bible (2 Chron 20:7; Is 41:8) **15:18-27** Jesus cautions the disciples against the hostility and persecution of the world. The hatred it has for Jesus will likewise fall on them for preaching his gospel and living as he lived. The wording of 15:24-25 and 16:2 suggests that by \"world\" Jesus is referring to unbelieving Israel. See note on Jn 1:10 **15:22 no excuse:** Revelation entails the responsibility of embracing it. Had Jesus not spoken the truth to the world, its culpability would be lessened; since he did, however, scoffers and unbelievers face the dreadful consequences of rejecting the voice of the living God (12:47-50) **15:25 their law:** Refers to the entire OT, not only to the Pentateuch (10:34; 12:34). **They hated me:** Echoes Ps 35:19 and 69:4. • In both verses the Psalmist pleads for Yahweh\'s vindication because wicked men harass him for no justifiable reason. The disciples must learn from this word of caution from Jesus that the world\'s hatred will not go unnoticed by the Father, but he will one day deliver them from the malice of their oppressors **15:26 whom I shall send:** The Spirit comes forth from the Father (14:16, 26) and the Son (16:7). • The mission of the Spirit in history is a reflection of the procession of the Spirit in eternity. This is expressed in the Nicene Creed, which says that the Holy Spirit \"proceeds from the Father and the Son\" (CCC 244-48) **16:2 out of the synagogues:** i.e., excommunicated from the fellowship of Israel. **service to God:** Or \"worship to God\". According to rabbinic meditations on the Phinehas episode of Num 25:1-13, to slay apostates from Judaism is to sacrifice unto the Lord **16:5 Where are you going?:** Although both Peter (13:36) and Thomas (14:5) asked this question earlier, they were too troubled by the prospect of Jesus\' departure to press for information about his destination **16:7 to your advantage:** Greater blessings will come when the Spirit dwells *within* them at Pentecost (14:17; Acts 2:1-4). Chief among these benefits will be the power **(1)** to proclaim the gospel with boldness (Acts 1:8; 4:31), **(2)** to preserve and understand the truth in its fullness (16:13), **(3)** to give witness to Jesus in times of persecution (Lk 12:11-12), and **(4)** to fulfill the just requirements of God\'s Law (Rom 8:4) **16:8 he will convince:** The Spirit exposes the sin of unbelief for what it is (3:20), convinces the world that Christ, though condemned as a criminal, was truly righteous (8:46), and makes it known that Satan and every enemy of Christ will face judgment for rejecting him (5:26-29; 12:31; CCC 388, 1433). The mission of the Spirit, here described in juridical language, shows that while he acts as an advocate or defense lawyer for the disciples, he is also a prosecutor who indicts the unbelieving world. See word study: **Counselor** at Jn 14 **16:13 he will guide you:** The work of the Spirit counteracts the work of Satan. The former discloses the full meaning of the gospel (14:26); the latter spreads deception and falsehood throughout the world (8:44). The point here is that the Spirit continues the teaching mission of Jesus to bear witness to the truth (8:31-32; 18:37; CCC 687). • Vatican II outlined the doctrine of magisterial infallibility, meaning that the pope alone or the pope and the bishops united with him are divinely protected from teaching error when they define matters pertaining to faith and morals (*Lumen Gentium,* 25). The guidance of the Spirit is Christ\'s guarantee that the gospel will not be corrupted, distorted, or misunderstood by the ordained shepherds of the Church during her earthly pilgrimage (CCC 768, 889-92). See note on Jn 14:26 **16:15 declare it to you:** The Spirit gives us a share in the divine life and authority of Jesus (6:63; Rom 8:14-16; CCC 690) **16:18 A little while:** The disciples will again see Jesus at his Resurrection (20:19-30), and after his Ascension they will await his visible return in glory (Acts 1:9-11) **16:21 her hour has come:** The hour of Christ\'s Passion is compared to the pangs of childbirth. The disciples, like a woman in labor, will experience extreme distress that soon gives way to joy when Christ is reborn to a new life on Easter morning. • The Prophets similarly compare times of divine testing and judgment to the onset of labor pain (Is 13:6-8; 26:17; Mic 4:10) **16:23 ask nothing . ask anything:** Two different Greek verbs are translated \"ask\" in this verse: the first means \"to question\", and the second \"to request\". So the disciples must not interrogate Jesus when they see him risen, but they may petition the Father for their needs (CCC 2614) **16:25 in figures:** Refers back to the metaphor of the true vine (15:1-6) and probably to numerous parables in the Synoptic Gospels that tell us about the Father (Mt 21:33-41; 22:1-14; Lk 13:6-9) **16:30 you know all things:** Amounts to a confession of faith in the divinity of Jesus, since only God is omniscient (21:17; Ps 139:1-6) **16:32 you will be scattered:** Jesus foretells his abandonment with the help of Zech 13:7 in the Synoptic Gospels (Mt 26:31; Mk 14:27). His words come to fulfillment with his arrest in Gethsemane (Mk 14:50) **17:1-26** The high priestly prayer of Jesus, who turns attention from his disciples (chaps. 13-16) to his heavenly Father (chap. 17). The prayer has three parts: Jesus offers up his approaching sacrifice to the Father (17:1-5), pleads for the preservation of his disciples (17:6-19), and prays for the unity of the universal Church (17:20-26). This is the longest extended prayer recorded in the Gospels (CCC 2746-51) **17:1 lifted up his eyes:** A traditional prayer gesture (Ps 123:1; Mk 6:41). **the hour:** The time of Christ\'s Passion begins in earnest. Because it involves his rejection and the aggressive assault of the devil, it is also called the hour of \"darkness\" (Lk 22:53). *See topical essay: *The \"Hour\" of Jesus** at Jn 4 **17:3 eternal life:** To possess life is to **know** the living God in his triune glory. Although this knowledge has a cognitive and intellectual dimension, it also includes a relational bond of love, friendship, and communion with God that grows steadily until our union with him is complete in heaven (Eph 1:17; 1 Jn 4:7). • Personal knowledge of God is a sign of the New Covenant, according to Jer 31:33-34. **the only true God:** The NT doctrine that God is a Trinity is built on the OT doctrine that Yahweh alone is God (Deut 6:4; 32:39). This ancient belief, held dear both in Israel and in the Church, stands in sharp contrast to the pagan notion that many gods exist and deserve our recognition (Ex 20:3-6; Is 43:10; 1 Cor 8:5-6) **Word Study** > [!NOTE] Word Study > *Glorify* (Jn 17:1) – *Doxazo* (Gk.): to \"praise\", \"honor\", or \"give glory\". The verb is used 23 times in John and 38 times in the rest of the NT. From a biblical perspective, the glory of God is the weight and magnificence of his Being (2 Cor 4:17). John shows that Jesus, the eternal Son, possesses the divine glory of his Father (Jn 1:14). This glory shines through his miracles (Jn 2:11) and especially through his loving acceptance of the Cross (Jn 12:23-24). The Son\'s obedience to his mission glorifies the Father (Jn 13:31; 14:13), and in return, the Father glorifies the Son (Jn 8:54; 11:4). Before his death, Jesus petitions the Father to glorify his humanity that it may rise again to participate in the eternal glory that he already possesses in his divinity (Jn 17:5, 24). ^gebo9k **17:6 manifested your name:** Possibly the divine name \"I am\", which is shared by Jesus (8:58; 18:6). Or, too, it may refer to the general revelation of the Father\'s life and love through the Incarnation (14:6-11) (CCC 2812). See note on Jn 6:20 **17:11 as we are one:** The family unity of the apostles is to reflect the family oneness of the Divine Persons in the Trinity (10:30) **17:12 the son of perdition:** Judas Iscariot, whose betrayal of the Messiah was foretold in passages such as Ps 41:9 (13:18) and Ps 69:25 (Acts 1:20). See note on Mt 26:56 **17:14 not of the world:** The disciples remain *in* the world after Jesus returns to the Father, but they are not *of* the world, because they are not allied with the godless forces that fight against the kingdom of God (15:18-24). See note on Jn 1:10 **17:15 from the evil one:** The prayer of Jesus becomes our prayer every time we utter the Our Father (Mt 6:13; CCC 2850-54) **17:17 Sanctify them:** To \"sanctify\" means to consecrate for a holy purpose, which here concerns the spread and preservation of divine truth. The task of the apostles is to speak the **word** of the Lord both orally (1 Thess 2:13; 1 Pet 1:25) and in writing (2 Thess 2:15; 1 Tim 3:14-15). • Similar language is used in the OT for the consecration and ordination of Aaronic priests (Ex 29:1; 40:12-13). Here the disciples are set apart for \"the priestly service of the gospel\" (Rom 15:16) (CCC 611) **17:18 so I have sent them:** The mission of Christ becomes the mission of the Church once he returns to the Father. Although cooperation in this work is incumbent upon all baptized believers (CCC 1268-70), the apostles are sent forth in a special way for the ministry of preaching the word and sanctifying the world. This missionary mandate continues to be fulfilled by the bishops, who are the ordained successors to apostles (1 Tim 4:13-16; 2 Tim 2:1-2) (CCC 858-62) **17:20 those who believe:** Jesus\' prayer reaches into the future to bless believers of every age (20:29) **17:23 that the world may know:** Envisions unity that is not only spiritual, but also visible and organizational, so that even the world can see it clearly (Eph 4:4-13). The indivisible unity of the Trinity is the source and pattern of this ecclesial oneness (17:11, 21-22). See note on Jn 10:16 **17:24 may be with me:** A prayer for the salvation of believers (14:2-3) **18:1 the Kidron valley:** The deep ravine directly east of Jerusalem, separating the city from the Mount of Olives. The garden area on the western slope of the mount is called \"Gethsemane\" (Mt 26:36) **18:3 band of soldiers:** A detachment (cohort) of several hundred Roman troops accompanied by Temple policemen (Acts 5:24-26). The authorities must have anticipated resistance from Jesus and his followers as they came armed in such large numbers **18:6 I am:** Jesus unleashes the power of the divine name, \"I am\", simply by uttering it (Ex 3:14). See note on Jn 6:20 **18:10 a sword:** Peter\'s zeal unsheathes the weapon in defense of Jesus. Here and elsewhere he fails to understand how the betrayal and suffering of Christ are part of the Father\'s plan (Mt 16:21-23). Luke notes how Jesus rectifies his wrong by healing the slave\'s ear (Lk 22:51) **18:11 the chalice:** The chalice of suffering that Jesus will drink on the Cross (Mk 10:38; CCC 607). See note on Lk 22:17 **18:13 Annas:** The high priest of Israel from A.D. 6 to 15. Because the Romans deposed and replaced him with another priest contrary to the regulations of the Torah, many Jews still revered him as the rightful head of Israel even after he was relieved of his duties (18:19; Acts 4:6). **Caiaphas:** The son-in-law of Annas and the officiating high priest from A.D. 18 to 36 **18:14 one man should die:** A reminder of the prophecy in 11:47-53. See note on Jn 11:51 **18:15 another disciple:** Probably John the evangelist, who never reveals his name in the Gospel but often calls himself the disciple \"whom Jesus loved\" (13:23; 19:26; 20:2; 21:7). One tradition preserved by Eusebius holds that the Apostle John was born of a Jewish priestly family, which could explain his familiarity with the high priest (18:15), the name of the high priest\'s slave (18:10), and the family of the slave (18:26). *See introduction to John: *Author.** . **18:24 bound to Caiaphas:** John summarizes Jesus\' nighttime trial before the Sanhedrin in this one statement (Mt 26:57-68; Mk 14:53-65). He gives greater attention to Jesus\' interrogation before Pilate (Jn 18:33-38) **18:27 again denied it:** Three times Peter denies his association with Jesus (18:17, 25), just as three times he fell asleep while Jesus prayed in agony (Mk 14:32-42) and three times he will renew his commitment to Jesus after the Resurrection (Jn 21:15-17). **the cock crowed:** Possibly the Roman bugle call that signaled the end of the \"cockcrow\" at about 3 A.M. See note on Mk 13:35 **18:28 the praetorium:** The official residence of the Roman governor in Jerusalem. It served as his headquarters during Israel\'s annual feasts and other occasions that required his presence to maintain civil order in the city. **It was early:** On the morning of Good Friday. **did not enter:** Jews generally declined to enter the home of a Gentile for fear of ritual defilement (Acts 10:28). This was all the more important during Passover, since defilement disqualified a Jew from eating the initial Seder meal (Num 9:6-11), as well as from the paschal peace consumed throughout the week of the festival (Lev 7:19-20) **18:29 Pilate:** The Roman governor of Judea from A.D. 26 to 36. See note on Mt 27:2 **18:31 It is not lawful:** The Romans denied the authorities of Israel the right to administer capital punishment. Only the Romans themselves could put a condemned criminal to death, either by beheading (Roman citizens) or by crucifixion (non-citizens and insurrectionists). That Jesus was a Jewish peasant charged with sedition made crucifixion inevitable (CCC 596) **18:32 what death:** Jesus was alluding to crucifixion when he spoke of being \"lifted up\" (3:14; 12:32) **18:33 King of the Jews?:** The accusation of Jesus\' enemies (Lk 23:2). The title functions as a slogan that is meant to resonate with Pilate as a threat to Roman rule (Jn 19:12) **18:36 My kingship:** Jesus does not deny his royal mission, but he disassociates it from the political form of government that concerns Pilate. He thus turns the focus toward heaven, where he will be crowned not with gold but with glory and honor (Heb 2:9) and where homage is paid to him not in taxes but in worship (9:38) and allegiance to the truth (8:31-32). The coronation of Jesus begins with his Passion and culminates with his Ascension (Eph 1:20-23), from which time his dominion extends over the earth through the preaching and sacramental ministry of the Church (Mt 28:18-20) **18:38 What is truth?:** The cynical response shows Pilate to be politically disinterested in the otherworldly perspective of Jesus. The irony here is that, while Pilate sees \"truth\" as a harmless abstraction, the acceptance of the gospel throughout the Roman world will eventually lead to the downfall of the Empire and the rise of a Christian civilization in its place (CCC 2471) **18:40 a robber:** Or \"revolutionary\". Elsewhere Barabbas is described as an insurrectionist and a murderer (Mk 15:7) **19:1 scourged:** Flogging was a cruel prelude to crucifixion in Roman practice. Tied to the ends of the whip were fragments of bone or metal designed to tear up the skin, causing injuries that were sometimes fatal. Pilate may have ordered this measure to appease the Jews, since he already felt there were no legal grounds to execute Jesus (18:38) **19:2-3** The royal tribute of the soldiers is both an act of mockery and an ironic witness to the kingship of Jesus (1:49; 18:36) **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) **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 **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) **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 **19:13 The Pavement:** A stone slab platform. The Semitic expression **Gabbatha** refers to some sort of elevation **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 **19:15 no king but Caesar:** A compromise so extreme that the Jerusalem authorities deny even the kingship of Yahweh (1 Sam 8:7) **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 **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) **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) **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) **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 **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) **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.** . **19:28 I thirst:** Recalls Ps 22:15 and Ps 69:21 **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) **19:32 broke the legs:** A mallet was used to crush the leg bones and hasten the processes of death **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 **19:35 he tells the truth:** The evangelist verifies the historical facts of the Crucifixion as an eyewitness (19:26) **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) **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 **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) **19:39 Nicodemus:** Also a member of the Sanhedrin (3:1) **19:40 the burial custom:** For the procedure, See note on Jn 11:17 **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) **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) **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 **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 **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 **20:9 the Scripture:** For important resurrection passages, See note on Lk 24:46 **20:12 two angels:** Luke likewise mentions two angels (Lk 24:4, 23) **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) **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) **20:19 that day:** The evening of Easter Sunday **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) **20:21 Peace:** A traditional Hebrew greeting. See note on Jn 14:27 **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 **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) **20:26 Eight days later:** The second Sunday of the Easter octave **20:28 My Lord and my God!:** The climactic confession of faith in John\'s Gospel (CCC 448, 644) **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) **21:1 Sea of Tiberias:** Another name for the Sea of Galilee. See note on Jn 6:1 **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 **21:3 that night:** Net fishing was done at night (Lk 5:5). The most popular fish were tilapias, now called \"Peter\'s fish\" **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 **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) **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) **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 **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 **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 **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 **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 **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 **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 **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) [[the-seven-i-am-sayings-of-jesus|The Seven I AM Sayings of Jesus]] --- > Scott Hahn and Curtis Mitch, *The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: New Testament*, Revised Standard Version, Second Catholic Edition (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2010).