Counselor Study Bible [Preview - John]

The Good News Bible

A Study Bible

r o l e s n u Co My Wonderful

The Gospel of John

Refuge – Reflection – Renewal

Introduction The book that you have in your hands is the first result of a much larger project. A group of Christian therapists and members of the Brazilian Body of Christian Psychiatrists and Psychologists (CPPC), supported by the Brazilian Bible Society (SBB), have worked with great effort to identify and explain the various fostering elements of mental, physical, and spiritual health that exist in the Holy Scriptures. As an initial goal, after much prayer and many encouraging experiments, the editorial team and SBB decided to complete the Gospel of John, then proceed to other parts of the Bible.

We are satisfied with this first result, and we hope that God blesses all the readers of the biblical text, the commentaries, and the explicative boxes — and hope that this work helps the reader to grow in physical, emotional, and spiritual health. We would appreciate any comments or suggestions that readers have, so that we can improve our work — after all, our objective is to cover the entire Bible, and there will certainly be much that needs improvement as we tackle this difficult yet enriching task that has blessed our lives so far. We solicit your prayers for our work team, that this Bible will be an instrument that brings refuge, reflection, and renewal from God to our people in need.

Jairo Miranda (team coordinator) Karl Kepler (editor, My Wonderful Counselor: A Study Bible)

The Gospel according to

John

The gospel of John is based on one certainty: God came to the world in the person of Jesus Christ, to meet humanity as a human being (1.14). It was an autonomous and free decision made by God. Nobody had suggested it nor ordered it. Mankind had certainly not asked for help.

John interprets the birth of Jesus by making it the absolute base of the Christian faith. It is from this base that the ministry, passion, resurrection, and ascension of the Lord come forth.

This is why the commentary of John is centralized in love (3.16), which is highlighted as the cause of every divine action. Love appears as the actions of approaching, caring, assisting, and defending. Psychologically, this fact is a powerful factor of tranquility, trust, and hope. We can even say that the love of God is a powerful anti­‑stress factor. It is this love that most facilitates the integration of the human personality, giving it more power of self­‑knowledge, communication, creativity, and achievement. The basis of God's action is not in logic, but in active love — the fact that God cares about humanity to the point of coming to rescue us through Christ.

So, the Gospel of John can be called the “Gospel of Faith,” having a clear reference (11.25‑26; 20.30‑31). The evangelist does not emphasize the “explanation,” but the “belief:” believing in the love of God, who sent Jesus to save humankind from eternal death.

Thus, faith is the way to have eternal life, also known as new and abundant life. What God brou‑ ght us through Christ are not rules of life — as the Pharisees wanted; nor ideas — as the Greek wanted. God has offered Himself! (14.8‑9).

In John, we can see clearly that God, through His action of placing Himself in the human envi‑ ronment through Christ, offers emotional and even affective support to humankind, more concrete than everything he had done before with the patriarchs and prophets. Actually, everything God did with them and through them was a prelude of what he did in Christ that was visible and tangible.

The words of Jesus in John 15.9,13 clarify this: “I love you just as the Father loves me; remain in my love… The greatest love you can have for your friends is to give your life for them.”

All of this becomes a beautiful and strong base of psychological support to keep fear, depression, panic, exhaustion, and other evils away from us. It also shows that God is the One who gives us the best in terms of self­‑esteem, in the words of Jesus in John 15.15: “I do not call you servants any longer, because servants do not know what their master is doing. Instead, I call you friends, because I have told you everything I heard from my Father.”

This echoes Isaiah 41.8, when God says that Israel is “descendent of Abraham, my friend”.

How wonderful is to be called by God Himself, “friend!” Well, in the Gospel of John we can see clearly that this treatment is extended to everyone who believes and loves Christ. This is a real “cure” for the human soul; it is literally psychotherapy.

In the darkest moment of depression, or in the midst of anguish, we deeply feel the need of someone we can call “friend.” We invite you to follow with us this report of life and teachings of our friend Jesus, written by his disciple and closest friend: John, the apostle.

John 1 4

John and Genesis In the Gospel of John, different from Genesis, the Lord is not in front of the dust of the world (a material thing), but is “indwelling the Life that He Himself created”, and it brings a new and unique dimension to human sub‑ jectivity. In the beginning — in the origin — is the God and Father of Jesus Christ; both Father and Son watch the “beginning.” That’s why the central text of the Gospel (John 3.16) reveals that Love is manifested in Him when He gives His only “begotten” Son in order to, through Him and through the new biology that the Holy Spirit reveals to us, united to the Son in our new condition as “children” — experience the love of the Father, paternal love that restores all of our emotions. Emotions which were tinged by sin and installed the fear of death; emotions which, in the biology of resurrection, are developed based on the relief and rest of feeling saved and protected by the outstretched arm of the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!

The Word of Life 1 In the beginning the Word already existed; the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 From the very beginning the Word was with God. 3 Through him God made all things; not one thing in all creation was made without him. 4 The Word was the source of life, and this life brought light to people. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has never put it out.

6 God sent his messenger, a man named John, 7 who came to tell people about the light, so that all should hear the message and believe.

8 He himself was not the light; he came to tell

about the light. 9 This was the real light—the light that comes into the world and shines on all people.

10 The Word was in the world, and though God made the world through him, yet the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to his own country, but his own people did not receive him. 12 Some, however, did receive him and believed in him; so he gave them the right to become God's children. 13 They did not be‑ come God's children by natural means, that is, by being born as the children of a human fa‑ ther; God himself was their Father.

14 The Word became a human being and,

1.1 In the beginning. As we turn to God, we are drawing near to someone greater than us, who is not mortal like us, who already existed before us, and will continue existing forever — in other words, an extremely solid foundation on which we can lean. This eternal God came in contact with us, and continues communicating Himself to us, through the Word that became a human being, the “Word that became flesh.” Word. A delicious richness of the biblical text can be savored here, as Evaristo Miranda explains: In Greek, “word” is logos, spiritual source of reason, discern‑ ment, intelligence, and wisdom. The Word of God, in He‑ brew davar, also means “bee.” It is the Word that nourishes like bread and honey, luminous food that sustains the trav‑ eler in the desert. John the Baptist, the man of the inspired word (davar), prophet, lived in the desert (mi­‑davar), nour‑ ishing himself with the energy of the bee, dvorá. For every moment of life, even now, we can be sustained by the word of God, which inspires us and directs us to God's presence.

1.2 was with God. To introduce Jesus to us, John returns to and amplifies the message of Genesis 1, where, since eternity, the one who is the Word (the Divine Word) al‑ ready existed. He was with God and was God. The author of life and the light of men lovingly bonds himself with hu‑ manity. He comes from eternity, appears in human time, incarnates himself, and makes history with us, calling us to his companionship in the eternal future.

1.4 source of life. What is life? What is your life? The an‑ swer will be found in Jesus; he brings light to our living ex‑ perience.

1.5 darkness. There is a kind of “cosmic struggle” involving

the person and work of Jesus on earth. Ever since human‑ ity chose not to believe in God, humanity, along with all of nature, lives in a kind of darkness, and is overpowered by it all the way to death. Jesus was sent by God to reverse this situation and make it possible for God's light to ultimately shine over a freed humanity. John here makes it clear that the darkness has lost the fight to the light of Jesus.

1.10‑11 did not receive him. Excluded: Jesus also suffered the experience of being despised by those who should have recognized him, of being rejected by his peers, of no one believing him.

1.12 did receive him. The Word is the living expression of the incarnation and renews the covenant between God and humanity. Ever since the incarnation of the Word, those who received Him became part of the family of God. We could say that the sons of God possess the DNA of the incarnate Word. Jesus was not accepted by the ma‑ jority, but by some who received him; in these, a very powerful process took place — they were transformed into children of God, because they believed who Jesus was.

Here we encounter the most extraordinary and necessary transformation possible for any person. No one becomes a child of God by natural means, i.e. it is not reincarnation, or a second birth from a human mother and father, but another kind of birth: taking Jesus into one's innermost being and following him on the way to glorious eternity.

See the box “Family in God's family.”

1.14 became a human being. The God who is friend and present in the world with humanity is a fundamental point in Christianity, especially remembering that the pa‑

1

5

John 1

Family in God's family It is the birth of a new family: the family of the Word that became flesh. From this point forward, a new relation‑ ship of kindred emerges, in two dimensions: the horizontal — of those who are born again, with a relationship of fraternal love among the members of this new family, united by the binding ties of God, demonstrated clearly in Jesus' priestly prayer: “I pray that they may all be one. Father! May they be in us, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they be one, so that the world will believe that you sent me” (Jn 17.21); and the vertical — the divine/ human relationship, manifested through the covenant of grace. After the incarnation of the Word, it is no longer the law given by Moses that predominates, but grace, love, and truth, that came through Jesus Christ (Jn 1.17).

This new family system enters into history with a great healing and therapeutic power, manifested in the expres‑ sion: “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (Jn 1.29). The law that embittered hate and rancor between people, where “an eye for an eye” and “a tooth for a tooth” predominated, relentless in its application and impossible to be fulfilled in all its paragraphs, gives way to redemptive grace, permeated with healing and saving power. The vertical dimension makes us think of the importance of the family of origin in transmitting fundamental values in the Word of God, such as hierarchy, boundary, belonging, individuality, and commitment, and transgenerationally transmitting these values to the nuclear family (father, mother, and children), contributing to the development of a healthy family.

full of grace and truth, lived among us. We saw his glory, the glory which he received as the Father's only Son. 15 John spoke about him. He cried out, “This is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘He comes after me, but he is greater than I am, because he existed before I was born.’”

16 Out of the fullness of his grace he has blessed us all, giving us one blessing after an‑ other. 17 God gave the Law through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

18 No one has ever seen God. The only Son, who is the same as God and is at the Father's side, he has made him known.

gan gods did not draw near to human beings unless they wanted to exploit and humiliate them. For the pagans, divinity could not be a friend, because it would thereby not be considered a divinity. The Judeo­‑Christian God is friend, is near, because this is his fundamental character‑ istic, coming to live at our side, to feel our drama, our pains, our bewilderment. The incarnate Word possessed the same human feelings, such as: agony (Lk 22.4), hun‑ ger (Mt 4.22), sleep (Mt 8.24), compassion (Mt 9.36), anger (Mk 3.5), anguish (Jn 12.27), tears (Jn 11.35), fa‑ tigue (Lk 1.35), thirst (Jn 19.28), rejection (Mt 26.69‑74; Jn 6.66), and death (Jn 19:30). When you face any of these feelings, or similar ones, remember that Jesus, the Lord of life, has also experienced them. and lived among us. Literally, “pitched his tent among us.” God came to live with us so that we could go live with him.

The idea of living together with God through Jesus is very strong in this book, especially here in the begin‑ ning: Jesus is the house of God, present among us. The question that John's disciples posed (v. 38), the reference to Bethel, “house of God,” in v. 51, the temple as “my Father's house” of that time (2.16) and its substitution by His resurrected body (2.21), as well as the final promise to prepare a place for His disciples in the Father's house (14.2) — everything expresses God's intention in sealing an intimate and permanent relationship with his daugh‑ ters and sons through Jesus. An authentic relationship, without staging or concealment, which only those who live together can experience. We saw. The eternal God, omnipresent since before creation, became a human be‑ ing, visible to us, and only thus could he also become the “Lamb of God” who takes away the sins of the world

(v. 29), this sin that inhabits all of humanity since Adam and Eve. the glory which he received as the Father's only son. The greatest glory of the Divine Word is not his miracles, but his personality, his lifestyle, the quality of his relationship and the fruits of this relationship in the lives of those who draw near to him. His cures were of body and of soul, of feelings, of attitude facing life; this was what stood out most to all those who were healed.

This is his glory: to change the soul, the attitude of peo‑ ple. grace and truth. Only the Son of God can show that these two dimensions work well only when they are together. Grace (or love) without truth would create a great situation, yet imaginary and unreal. Truth without grace does not construct anything good; it would only serve to destroy (because it would only reveal our im‑ perfections). But Jesus is able to transmit the truth in a loving, gracious, non­‑judgmental way, and is able to be helpful and merciful without hiding the truth. We have here a beautiful example to guide us in our relationships: truth always with grace, and grace always with truth.

1.15 he is greater than I am. From the beginning, John knew very well what his place was, and was content with it. It is John the Baptist, and not the Pharisees, who served as a perfect example of transition between the Law and Jesus Christ, between old and new covenant.

1.17 the Law…but grace and truth. Here John makes it clear how important Jesus is, to the point of inaugurating a new era, celebrating a new covenant between God and humanity. He also makes clear the superiority of this new relationship, because Jesus is the only one who has seen God, and shows us as he is (v. 18). See the box “Old Cov‑ enant and New Covenant.”

John 6

Old Covenant and New Covenant When John, at the beginning of his gospel, says “God gave the Law through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (1.17), he wants to make clear the difference between the two ways of relating to God: before Christ (the old covenant) and after the death and resurrection of Christ (the new covenant). It is not exactly the difference between the Old and New Testaments in the Bible, although there is some relationship. The main point that makes all the difference between the two covenants is the death of Jesus on the cross and what it means to us and to God. Before the death of Jesus, God revealed his law to govern human life until the Messiah would come. This was necessary because of the serious problem of human beings: sin. With the coming of the Messiah and his sacrifice for the sins of humanity, faith in Jesus takes the place of obedience to the law, and all the doors are open to a direct and loving relationship between God and us, as father and son/daughter. Unfortu‑ nately, many believers in Christ suffer the frustrated life of those who still seek to follow the old covenant, unable to believe or perceive the grand reach of Jesus’ death on the cross, and thus do not enjoy the fullness of the new covenant, inaugurated by his blood, where even suffering gains a new significance.

In sum, the principal differences are: Old Covenant: 1) Human behavior (obedience or disobedience of God’s commands) determines if we receive blessing or pun‑ ishment in this life, according to God’s law (Dt 28).

2) The basic motivation for human conduct is the awe of God (fear, according to Ex 20.18‑20, in the episode of the giving of the 10 Commandments). The duty of obedience to the Law dominates the heart and practice, but always with many flaws.

3) The covenant guarantee: animal blood, indicating that the death produced by sin was “paid,” thus producing provisional purification in sinners (Ex 24.4‑8).

4) The administration of sin: animal sacrifices (Lv 1—7) and separation between human beings and God, through Temple courtyards and curtains and the use of priests and Levites as intermediaries. In relation to the rest of humanity, the members of God’s people should take care to not mix themselves with other peoples and not contaminate themselves with “impurities,” and purify themselves frequently through ceremonial washings.

5) Life model: the servant (=slave), who makes a great effort to please his master in everything he does, and concerns himself especially to not displease him, in order not to be punished.

New Covenant: 1) “The person who is put right with God through faith shall live” (Rm 1.17), without depending on that which he is able to do — works (Rm 1—5). It is faith specifically in Jesus, in his death on the cross.

2) The basic motivation: the love of God (Rm 5.8; 1Jo 4.18), “perfect love drives out all fear” — a paradigm of substitution of the old covenant for the new one. Incapable of giving, we need first of all to receive — “We love because God first loved us” (1Jo 4.19).

3) The covenant guarantee: the blood (death) of Christ (Mt 26.28), as it is remembered in the Lord’s Supper. The death of the son of God in place of sinners.

4) The administration of sin: paid, eternally, on the cross of Christ, and forgotten. The sins of humanity were ulti‑ mately the cause of Jesus’ death, which brought forgiveness and life to those who believed, as was typified by the bronze serpent during the wilderness wanderings (Jn 3.14‑15). Now God is totally accessible (the Temple curtain was torn in two at the instant of Jesus’ death), with no intermediaries, becoming a Father to all who believe in Jesus (Jn 1.12; Cl 2.13‑14; 1Jo 2.2; Hb 4.14‑16). In relation to the rest of humanity there is freedom and flexibility in contact — which calls for wisdom — since the source of impurities is not outside, but inside, of us. Instead of trying not to sin/to avoid sin, we can dedicate ourselves to do good (for example, to love!).

5) Life model: child, and no longer slave; friend of God (Jn 15.15), without fear (Rm 8.15‑17).

For life in this world: We now experience the simultaneous life of two natures in the same person: the new life already begun, and the old life that has not entirely ceased.

1) The new covenant is completely fulfilling. The Holy Spirit dwells in the believer’s heart, and does not stop his work. We, in spite of this, continue alive as the “old man,” sinners, until our resurrection. At the same time, by the merits of Christ, we are considered saints and without sin.

2) The base of peace with God. God is no longer demanding that we first improve ourselves before he accepts us. He trusts in the work of Christ, and invites us to trust as well: “Now that we have been put right with God through faith, we have peace with God” (Rm 5.1‑5, including in our sufferings).

3) An attitude of hope for heaven, with the return of Christ (Jn 14.1‑3).

4) Sanctification in the new covenant happens the same way: by faith, in union with the death and resurrection of Jesus (Ph 3.4‑13 illustrates the difference in the two covenants).

5) Ethics in this life: Jm 1.25; 2.12‑13: the “law that sets us free” (in opposition to “duty”), fertile ground for the growth of love and justice in our hearts.

A text that describes very well the difference between the two covenants is located in the Old Testament (Je 31.31‑34) and is commented further in the New Testament (Hb 10.11‑19).

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John 1 26 John

answered, “I baptize with water, but

among you stands the one you do not know.

27 He is coming after me, but I am not good enough even to untie his sandals.”

28 All this happened in Bethany on the east side of the Jordan River, where John was bap‑ tizing.

John the Baptist's Message (Matthew 3.1‑12; Mark 1.1‑8; Luke 3.1‑18) 19 The Jewish authorities in Jerusalem sent some priests and Levites to John to ask him, “Who are you?”

20 John did not refuse to answer, but spoke out openly and clearly, saying: “I am not the Messiah.”

21 “Who are you, then?” they asked. “Are you Elijah?”

“No, I am not,” John answered.

“Are you the Prophet?” they asked.

“No,” he replied.

22 “Then tell us who you are,” they said.

“We have to take an answer back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself” 23 John answered by quoting the prophet Isaiah: “I am ‘the voice of someone shouting in the desert: Make a straight path for the Lord to travel!’”

24 The messengers, who had been sent by the Pharisees, 25 then asked John, “If you are not the Messiah nor Elijah nor the Prophet, why do you baptize?”

The Lamb of God 29 The next day John saw Jesus coming to him, and said, “There is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘A man is coming after me, but he is greater than I am, because he existed before I was born.’ 31 I did not know who he would be, but I came baptiz‑ ing with water in order to make him known to the people of Israel.”

32 And John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from heaven and stay on him. 33 I still did not know that he was the one, but God, who sent me to baptize with wa‑ ter, had said to me, ‘You will see the Spirit come down and stay on a man; he is the one who bap‑ tizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I have seen it,” said John, “and I tell you that he is the Son of God.”

1.20 I am not the Messiah. John the Baptist reveals great maturity and knowledge of his limitations, avoiding falling into the temptation of making himself more important that he really is. Both “Messiah” and “Prophet” (in the sense of Moses' promised successor) were titles that would fit Jesus Christ. “Elijah,” perhaps the greatest of the Old Testa‑ ment prophets, would return to precede the Messiah, and this was a role that John the Baptist would truly fulfill — it would not be false of him to respond affirmatively to this title. But since it would not be a reincarnation, and John was a different person with his own story, he humbly and sincerely replied, “I am not.” Thus, John the Baptist serves as a model for all servants of Jesus.

1.23 the voice of someone shouting in the desert. Just as John “prepared the way for Christ,” this is also our mis‑ sion. We are preparers of the way of Christ where we are: in family (sometimes the most difficult), at work (per‑ haps more by the quality of relationship than by flaunting words), at leisure, at church (where, like family, oftentimes the obvious doesn’t happen).

1.26 baptize with water. John the Baptist, the most com‑ plete representative of the old covenant, completed his mission by preparing the way for Jesus, the Messiah. This preparation happens through the conscious awareness that we are sinners, through the necessity of a change, of repentance — and that is what baptism with water rep‑ resents. So, in awareness before God of the problem of their sins, people become ready to receive the Messiah, who saves us from our sins and even grants us the life of children of God, through baptism with the Holy Spirit (v. 32). See the box “Sin and Salvation in Jesus (Jn 3), p. ##” 1.29 the Lamb of God. In the Old Testament, the sacrifice

of a lamb was necessary at various important events. Be‑ ginning with the ram that God provided for Abraham in place of his son Isaac (Gn 22), passing to the slaughtered lamb for the first Passover, whose blood freed the Israelite children from being killed along with the children of Egypt (Ex 12), and continuing to the Law of Moses, where daily lamb sacrifices took place (Nm 28), along with special sac‑ rifices such as those on the Day of Atonement (Nm 29).

Jesus encompasses all of these sacrifices and materializes, once and for all, the death that pays for the sins of the entire world. Even in heaven Jesus will be described as the “Lamb who was slain” (Rv 5.6). who takes away the sin of the world. Using the same frankness with which he re‑ sponded to the Pharisees, John the Baptist speaks clearly about just who is this one that God has provided to save humanity from its great problem: sin. According to Jewish law, the sinner, in order to be accepted by God, had to kill an animal (generally a lamb or a goat) and offer it in sac‑ rifice. With this phrase, John the Baptist affirms that God sent Jesus to fulfill, definitively, the function of this lamb that will be sacrificed for the sins of humanity. See the box “Sin and Salvation in Jesus (Jn 3), p. ##.”

1.33 baptizes with the Holy Spirit. Water baptism was relatively common, signifying a public confession of faith.

Baptism with the Holy Spirit was an absolute novelty, just like everything that was being said about Jesus: it repre‑ sents the essential difference between the old and new covenant, an indispensable condition to have eternal life and enter into the Kingdom of God (3.5‑6). the son of God. The Jewish people knew, as the saying goes, “like father, like son,” that to be the son of God meant to be equal to God.

John 1 8

John the Baptist: prophetic personality It had been centuries since a true prophet had emerged, a prophet such as Elijah and others of renown in the land of Palestine. The Jews were under the yoke of the Roman emperor Tiberias, when Pilate was governor of Judea, and fought to preserve their land, Temple, and identity. Suddenly there arose a strange and charismatic man, living as a nomad in the Jordan River region (Lk 3.3), wearing clothes made from camel’s hair, eating locusts and wild honey (Mt 3.1‑4). A prophet, he insisted that the people seek him out for the repentance of sins that would bring God’s forgiveness (Mk 1.4). His wholesome character attracted people from various places, includ‑ ing many from the elite, the Sadducees and Pharisees. Since they called themselves “sons of Abraham,” they believed that they had direct hereditary rights to salvation. To these, John the Baptist emphasized vehemently that they demonstrate the fruits of repentance; if not, they would suffer terrible punishment. John took apart their presumptuousness by affirming that God could make new descendants for himself from stones (Lk 3.7‑8). He did not accommodate his message to the interests of any group, even those of high status who had the power to end his life, and had a ministry very similar to that of the great prophet Elijah.

John the Baptist lived with discernment regarding the issues around him. He knew of the issues facing his coun‑ try and oriented his people on social ethics, such as: share resources with those in need, don’t excessively charge taxes, don’t extort anyone, avoid the abuse of authority, don’t inappropriately use force or deceit (Lk 3.10‑14).

He denounced, and did not compact with, the adultery and other wrong acts of the governor of Galilee, Herod (Lk 3.19), and for this he was put into prison. He was, according to Jesus, the greatest of all in the old covenant, although he could not be compared to the children of the new covenant (Lk 3.28).

John the Baptist also knew of and hoped for the promises of God, and perceived when the Son of God came onto the scene. Jesus presented himself for baptism and, while he prayed, the sky opened, and the Holy Spirit descended in the form of a dove upon him. In this moment, John the Baptist was certain that he was in the pres‑ ence of the Messiah. Moreover, he served as a model to all ministers of the gospel, be they missionaries, pastors, evangelists, prophets, Bible teachers, counselors: from the beginning, and repeatedly, he made it clear that he was not the Messiah, but simply a witness. Every time he had an opportunity to be famous (Jn 1.21,36; 3.26), he spontaneously directed people to Jesus. John the Baptist always presented his identity in relation to Jesus Christ.

He demonstrated full awareness of his mission, described in v. 6‑8. His identity is derived from the identity of Jesus Christ. He is known for the recognition of Jesus Christ as his reference. Many authors have called attention to the fact that self­‑knowledge always has a point of reference exterior to oneself. The alleged autonomy of the ego is put in doubt. If we don’t have Jesus Christ as a point of reference, as the identity that gives us identity, we will find someone or something to occupy his place.

The First Disciples of Jesus 35 The next day John was standing there again with two of his disciples, 36 when he saw Jesus walking by. “There is the Lamb of God!” he said.

37 The two disciples heard him say this and went with Jesus. 38 Jesus turned, saw them fol‑ lowing him, and asked, “What are you looking for?”

They answered, “Where do you live, Rab‑ bi?” (This word means “Teacher.”)

39 “Come and see,” he answered. (It was then about four o'clock in the afternoon.) So they went with him and saw where he lived, and spent the rest of that day with him.

40 One of them was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41 At once he found his brother Simon and told him, “We have found the Messiah.”

(This word means “Christ.”) 42 Then he took Simon to Jesus.

Jesus looked at him and said, “Your name is Simon son of John, but you will be called

1.36 There is the Lamb of God! With this clear preach‑ ing about Jesus, John the Baptist has just transferred the majority of his audience to Christ. Good service to God could not have a better objective than this: to direct peo‑ ple to stop follow us and begin to follow Jesus (v. 37).

1.38‑39 Where do you live, Rabbi? To this introductory question, Jesus offers an opportunity for a close relation‑ ship to be experienced. The invitation “Come and see” demonstrates his openness to being known, to showing himself. Indeed, it has been demonstrated that, when peo‑ ple intend to have a significant personal relationship, this type of openness is necessary. Jesus proposed an up­‑close and personal contact, in a familiar, relaxed environment,

in which subjectivity could flow from beyond formal con‑ versations. The guests accepted the invite, came, and apparently, liked the reception and stayed with him for some time (at least, Andrew became one of his twelve disciples). four o’clock. Literally, the “tenth hour,” which would be 4pm in Hebrew time, or according to Roman time — which may quite possibly have been used by John — 10am (which would allow for a much longer time of familiarity).

1.42 Simon…Cephas. Jesus knows our name very well,, and does not deny it. But his influence can be so great that it ends up giving us a new name. We can expect great changes in our life when we begin to follow Jesus.

Cephas.” (This is the same as Peter and means “a rock.”)

Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael 43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Gali‑ lee. He found Philip and said to him, “Come with me!” (44 Philip was from Bethsaida, the town where Andrew and Peter lived.) 45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one whom Moses wrote about in the book of the Law and whom the prophets also wrote about. He is Jesus son of Joseph, from Naza‑ reth.”

46 “Can anything good come from Naza‑ reth?” Nathanael asked.

“Come and see,” answered Philip.

47 When Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, he said about him, “Here is a real Israel‑ ite; there is nothing false in him!”

48 Nathanael asked him, “How do you know me?”

Jesus answered, “I saw you when you were under the fig tree before Philip called you.”

1.46 Can anything good come from Nazareth? In fac‑ ing the prejudice he encounters about Jesus, Philip does not resort to arguments, nor does he accuse the speaker of disrespect. Instead, he invites him to a life experience — “Come and see!” This seems to be the most effective form of overcoming barriers that separate people and also shows us that contact with Jesus can be direct and per‑ sonal, without intermediaries.

1.48 How do you know me? As we draw near to Jesus, we can have assurance that he already knows us.

1.49 Son of God, King of Israel. In this first chapter alone, there are about 25 different names and descriptions of Jesus Christ. It is worthwhile to take a look at each one, because there is so much to learn about Jesus.

1.50 You will see much greater things than this! Now that prejudice has been overcome, Nathaniel believes that Jesus really is the long­‑awaited Messiah, the Son of God. And this faith is rewarded with even greater revelations (v. 51).

1.51 angels going up and coming down. A reference to the place that the patriarch Jacob called Bethel, “house of God,” when God appeared to him in a dream (cf. Gn 28.22). See 1.14, note on “and lived among us.”

2.2 invited to the wedding. Jesus was not averse to so‑ cial life. He showed up at a party where his family was present, and brought his friends with him. Caught up in the festive moment, he actively participated in the events, showing liveliness and attention to people. He was the key component in the solution to an issue that, for many, would be considered unimportant. So he participates and lives with human emotions, manifested in the social envi‑ ronment, being fully present with his family at the wed‑ ding in Cana. Jesus’ presence with these people tells us that our physical presence with people is important. It is easier to evangelize from a distance with pamphlets, me‑

9

John 1 — 2 49 “Teacher,”

answered Nathanael, “you are

the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”

50 Jesus said, “Do you believe just because I told you I saw you when you were under the fig tree? You will see much greater things than this!” 51 And he said to them, “I am telling you the truth: you will see heaven open and God's angels going up and coming down on the Son of Man.” The Wedding in Cana days later there was a wedding in the town of Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine had given out, Jesus' mother said to him, “They are out of wine.”

4 “You must not tell me what to do,” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.”

5 Jesus' mother then told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

6 The Jews have rules about ritual wash‑ ing, and for this purpose six stone water jars

2

1 Two

dia, without a face­‑to­‑face commitment involving touch, smile, or nearness. Jesus made his presence known.

2.3 They are out of wine. See the box “The use of alco‑ hol.” This dialogue with his mother calls our attention. Like a good homemaker, she perceives the lack of wine and looks for a solution. She looks to her firstborn son as she possibly has accustomed to in the absence of her hus‑ band. However, Jesus the adult son shows that this time has already passed. “You must not tell me what to do.”

This may be shocking to our ears. But he follows his way of seeing things. Jesus acts within the ambient, though he is not the father or brother of the bride or groom. So he makes exceptional wine out of ordinary water. It is his proposal for our life as well. Our “ordinary” can also be “exceptional” as we draw near to Jesus.

2.4 You must not tell me. Jesus said, literally, “What is that to me and to you?” It is a way of showing the event has another significance to Jesus. My time. In taking control of the problem, it is Jesus’ agenda that becomes important.

2.5 Do whatever he tells you. In part, Jesus taught his mother at this event that it was her time to step back and his time to take command of the situation. Mary wisely let him take charge and stepped out of the scene. Before the wedding (v. 1‑2), Jesus’ mother is mentioned first; after the wedding, Jesus’ name appears first (v. 12). Letting Jesus be first, command, and receive due credit is a fundamental step to deal with problems that come our way.

2.6 six stone water jars. About 180 gallons of water, which would be transformed into premium quality wine!

Jesus transformed and multiplied! What abundance! With time, our intimacy with Jesus is bound to transform our personality and life. Ritual washing. The ritual washings before eating were much more than hygiene; they aimed to guarantee the Jews’ “decontamination” in relation to the pagan world in which they circulated. It is very mean‑

John 2 10

The use of alcohol The Christian faith, put into practice, embraces customs, hoping foremost that moderation be a behavior found in all areas of life. Therefore, the issue of the use of alcoholic beverages has always merited the attention of Chris‑ tians. Excessive alcoholics find reprimand in explicit biblical texts and the reproachable examples of some of their personalities. Temperance in the use of ethyl; this has been the tone of Christians throughout history. However, diverse groups in diverse moments, especially in the course of movements that emphasize spiritual renewal, greater consecration, and pious life, have advocated the practice of abstinence from alcohol. This posture is sup‑ posedly more secure, guaranteeing the protection of those more vulnerable to drinking and testifying clearly their disagreement with the devastation that dominates many. A third position is presented by those who, even though not taking a condemnatory position of those who enjoy a drink on special occasions and with due moderation, are willing to remain in abstinence in consideration of their neighbors. If the issue causes controversies in their familiar or religious environment, such people are capable of letting go of a convenience or desire, in order not to cause hindrances over an issue of secondary importance.

12 After this, Jesus and his mother, broth‑ ers, and disciples went to Capernaum and stayed there a few days.

were there, each one large enough to hold be‑ tween twenty and thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill these jars with water.” They filled them to the brim, 8 and then he told them, “Now draw some water out and take it to the man in charge of the feast.” They took him the water, 9 which now had turned into wine, and he tasted it. He did not know where this wine had come from (but, of course, the servants who had drawn out the water knew); so he called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “Everyone else serves the best wine first, and after the guests have drunk a lot, he serves the ordinary wine.

But you have kept the best wine until now!”

11 Jesus performed this first miracle in Cana in Galilee; there he revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him.

Jesus Goes to the Temple (Matthew 21.12, 13; Mark 11.15‑17; Luke 19.45, 46) 13 It was almost time for the Passover Festival, so Jesus went to Jerusalem. 14 There in the Temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and pigeons, and also the moneychang‑ ers sitting at their tables. 15 So he made a whip from cords and drove all the animals out of the Temple, both the sheep and the cattle; he overturned the tables of the moneychang‑ ers and scattered their coins; 16 and he ordered those who sold the pigeons, “Take them out of

ingful that Jesus utilized precisely the liquid that represent‑ ed the fear of contamination and transformed it into a way of livening up the party and guaranteeing its success. Thus he signals that the new covenant will resolve the problem of human impurity (sin) and make way for celebration.

The Law, from the old covenant, can only minimize the damaging effects of sin. The new covenant, with Jesus, resolves this definitively. See the box “Old covenant and New Covenant”. (Jn 1), p. ##.

2.9 the water which had now turned into wine. More than a simple miracle to help relatives, the transformation of the purification water into a marvelous wine showed that since the “house of God” is in the midst of humanity in the new covenant, there is no reason for the follower of Jesus to fear contamination; on the contrary, there are now many reasons to celebrate our dwelling with God. 2.10 But you have kept the best wine until now! The new covenant that Jesus brings is much better than the old one.

2.11 and his disciples believed in him. More than answer‑ ing his mother’s call to solve the problem of running out of wine at the party, Jesus’ miracle revealed that he was in fact God, and aimed to produce faith within his disciples.

2.13‑16 drove all…out of the Temple. It is quite possible that John chose to place this story after the transforma‑ tion of the purification water into wine to indicate the true purification that the Jews needed, and that the “decon‑ tamination of the world” that they practiced did not reach the heart, and did not solve the problem (see notes on 2.6 and 2.22). Jesus became infuriated with the irreverent attitude of the religious people of his time who were trans‑ forming the sacred environment of the Temple into mer‑ chant stands where everything under the sun was sold in the name of the sacred: cattle, sheep, and doves destined for sacrifice, not to mention the money­‑changers and their speculative trading. He repudiated the attitude of the mer‑ chants, but did not keep his feelings to himself; on the contrary, he immediately reprehended them and, invested with divine authority, threw them out. This is the only pas‑ sage in the Gospels that, if interpreted without proper care, could give the idea that Jesus endorses violence. But there is no mention of aggression by him here, not in this passage or in any other part of the Gospel, even when he was threatened for his life. The word translated as “cords” is the Greek word skoinion, which means “reed.” This sug‑ gests that Jesus took some reeds, which the cattle were

11 here! Stop making my Father's house a market‑ place!” 17 His disciples remembered that the scripture says, “My devotion to your house, O God, burns in me like a fire.”

18 The Jewish authorities came back at him with a question, “What miracle can you per‑ form to show us that you have the right to do this?”

19 Jesus answered, “Tear down this Temple, and in three days I will build it again.”

20 “Are you going to build it again in three days?” they asked him. “It has taken forty­‑six years to build this Temple!”

21 But the temple Jesus was speaking about was his body. 22 So when he was raised from death, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the scripture and what Jesus had said.

John 2 — 3 24 But

Jesus did saw the miracles he performed. not trust himself to them, because he knew them all. 25 There was no need for anyone to tell him about them, because he himself knew what was in their hearts.

Jesus' Knowledge of Human Nature 23 While Jesus was in Jerusalem during the Passover Festival, many believed in him as they

Jesus and Nicodemus was a Jewish leader named Nico‑ demus, who belonged to the party of the Pharisees. 2 One night he went to Jesus and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher sent by God. No one could perform the miracles you are doing unless God were with him.”

3 Jesus answered, “I am telling you the truth: no one can see the Kingdom of God without being born again.”

4 “How can a grown man be born again?”

Nicodemus asked. “He certainly cannot enter his mother's womb and be born a second time!”

5 “I am telling you the truth,” replied Jesus, “that no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. 6 A

probably using as bedding, and made knot­‑for­‑knot a whip whose function was more as a symbol of authority than as an instrument of punishment. It is worth noting that he did not hit the animals or the merchants themselves, but the objects that were sustaining their practices. With his refer‑ ence to prayer, Jesus also reaffirms the greater importance of the spiritual over the material. It was time to combat true impurity, which comes from the human heart, and as in this case, makes us want to profit from God’s blessings. my Father’s house. In the previous passage, Jesus takes control over his “mother’s house” (see note on 2.5); here he takes control of defending his Father’s house — two signs of adult maturity.

2.17 burns in me like a fire. Jesus identifies himself with God’s house, including suffering by human hands and the contempt and scorn that we have for God. 2.19 in three days I will build it again. Jesus reveals that he will take the place of the presence of God and the wor‑ ship of God, which in the old covenant belonged to the Temple. With his death and resurrection on the third day, all relationships of humans with God change in manner and place through Jesus Christ and his body, according to the new covenant. See the box “Old Covenant and New Covenant” (Jn 1), p. ## 2.21 his body. The body as a temple; this is a figure of speech encountered throughout the Bible. We can see in this figure of speech the value of the body as a true sanctuary, an expression of adoration, a space for cel‑ ebration. Such a comprehension of the body redeems the dignity of biological life, of instincts, of movements and gestures, of feelings and emotions, of sexuality and pleasure.

2.22 raised from death. Behold the true purification, which no ceremony, man or woman can accomplish… only God. The new covenant functions in a new head‑ quarters, the holy Temple of God, the body of Jesus Christ,

which has already defeated death and is beyond the reach of any sin or contamination.

2.23 believed in him as he saw the miracles he performed.

While the disciples believed in the Word and in what Je‑ sus taught (2.22), the majority of the people “believed” in the power demonstrated by the miracles. It appears that the faith generated by seeing miracles is insufficient, only a timid beginning — it is necessary to draw closer to Jesus, as Nicodemus (3.2) will do, to see the kingdom of God. 3.1 Nicodemus. He certainly was one of those who be‑ lieved in Jesus because of the miracles, but to whom Jesus “did not trust himself.” Nicodemus, however, was not con‑ tent with just recognizing the power demonstrated by the miracles; he wanted to get to know Jesus better.

3.2 one night. As a Pharisee, known by all the people, he would not want to risk his prestige; he looked for Jesus without others knowing about it. Watch how Jesus, always with truth and grace, receives and teaches him.

3.3 without being born again. Nicodemus is disturbed with the apparent absurdity Jesus speaks to him regard‑ ing the necessity of the new birth, and asks him: how can this be? Jesus calls him to follow another logic, that of the Holy Spirit, the only one capable of promoting the type of transformation indispensable to new life. Jesus makes it clear that this has nothing to do with a natural process, returning to the mother’s womb, or with reincarnation or some process of self­‑salvation or self­‑help, but the receiv‑ ing of the Spirit of God who recreates us, a “birth from above.” It is such a radical happening that it creates an ab‑ solutely new reality. no one can see. The kingdom of God is a reality that is here, but is not visible by natural eyesight (Paul speaks of “living by faith, not by sight,” 2Co 5.7).

3.5 of water and the Spirit. Water baptism takes place with the recognition that I am a sinner, that I am a “wan‑ derer,” that I have a sinful nature that will lead me to death, and therefore I cling, believing, to the death of

3

1 There

John 3 12

Sin and Salvation in Jesus One of the major sources of suffering for those who seek to follow Jesus is to face the sad reality of our sins and the fear of just punishment by God for their sake. The good news is that thanks to God’s love for us, the death of Jesus makes all the difference on this issue.

Before the cross of Christ, God’s relationship with his people was based on the Law given to Moses (see the box “Old Covenant and New Covenant”). The people of God were in the position of servanthood, in which obe‑ dience brings reward and disobedience brings punishment. The reality was unfavorable because all inevitably sinned, and thus were slaves to sin, and their human nature “according to the flesh” was condemned, justly, to death and eternal separation from God. God, because he loved humanity so much, became a human being in the person of Jesus Christ and did what none of us could do: live a sinless life and thus certify himself, by his death on the cross, as being able to pay for the sins of the world, like the lamb who was offered in sacrifice under the Law of Moses: “the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” All that God expects of us is to receive this gift, believing in Jesus, the son of God who defeated the supreme punishment for human sin — death — and thus concede life immortal, eternal, to people who believe in him.

These people who believe in Jesus receive the Spirit of God in their heart, the Spirit who generates new life, without sin. But this salvation will only be complete when Jesus returns from heaven to take his own, taking them back to the Father’s house. When the believer in Christ dies, this encountered is immediately anticipated, and they go to paradise (like the thief who believed in his final moment, there on the cross). Yet as long as this does not happen, believers in Christ live a curious situation: they no longer belong to the world, but still continue in the world; they are already born of the Spirit, but are still not totally dead to the flesh; and the way of life in this period “between two kingdoms” is by faith, believing that the sacrifice of Jesus is sufficient to defeat sin, keeping us purified of sins that we have already committed and also of those that we will commit. For this reason, at the same time in which we still occasionally fall into sin, we are also “purified” and united with Jesus and in this sense, as children of God, “we sin no longer.” For this reason, suffering no longer punishes our sins; in reality they are the consequence of living in an evil world that does not recognize Jesus as Lord. The consolation is that all suf‑ fering, just like the cross of Christ, only reaches us if our good Heavenly Father allows it, and are submitted to his good purposes. It is, therefore, an invitation to believe that God is good to us, even when we suffer, and in this way we await our eternal encounter with Jesus, be it at his coming, be it at our death, whichever happens first.

person is born physically of human parents, but is born spiritually of the Spirit. 7 Do not be surprised because I tell you that you must all be born again. 8 The wind blows wherever it wishes; you hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it is going. It is like that with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

9 “How can this be?” asked Nicodemus.

10 Jesus answered, “You are a great teacher in Israel, and you don't know this? 11 I am tell‑ ing you the truth: we speak of what we know and report what we have seen, yet none of you is willing to accept our message. 12 You do not believe me when I tell you about the things of this world; how will you ever believe me, then,

Christ in my place; thus, I sign the “death sentence” to my human nature. By faith in Jesus, then, comes the best part, and the most important: the Holy Spirit comes to live in the Christian and produces a new life, without sin, from the inside out. He is the only one who has the capacity to generate a new life — eternal life — and to keep us linked to God’s love that saves us on the cross. See the box “Sin and Salvation in Jesus.”

3.7 you must. Nicodemus represented a group, the Phari‑ sees, and it was as a Pharisee that he addressed Jesus (v.

2 “We know”). Sometimes, the group to which we belong makes us stumble on the way to seeing Jesus. Jesus him‑ self denounced this (v. 11 — “none of you is willing to accept our message”, v. 12 — “you do not believe”) and at the same time placed himself as the representative of a group: those who believe, the disciples (v. 11 — “we speak of what we know and report what we have seen,” “our message”). Which group are you a part of: one that draws

near or pushes away from Jesus? But just as Jesus did the work of salvation individually (v. 13 “no one has ever gone up to heaven except the Son of Man”), the passage from one group to another can only be done individually, by believing in Jesus (1.12; 3.16). See the box “Sin and Salva‑ tion in Jesus.” be born again. As in 1.12‑13, Jesus is talking about turning us into sons of God, something that cannot happen by natural means. It is life in the new covenant with God: it is not something that can be “done,” we can only “believe” (6.28‑29), and it is absolutely necessary; it needs to happen (v. 7). See the box “Old Covenant and New Covenant” (Jn 1), p. ##.

3.8 The wind blows wherever it wishes. Contrary to life under the old covenant of law, where rules of right and wrong direct everything, in the new life the Spirit conducts the Christian with liberty. Instead of understanding this life as “what ought to be done,” inspiration comes from with‑ in, spontaneously. The Christian’s conduct makes it clear

13

John 3

when I tell you about the things of heaven?

And no one has ever gone up to heaven except the Son of Man, who came down from heaven.”

14 As Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the desert, in the same way the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. 16 For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to be its judge, but to be its savior.

18 Those who believe in the Son are not judged; but those who do not believe have already been judged, because they have not believed in God's only Son. 19 This is how the judgment works: the light has come into the world, but people love the darkness rather than the light, because their deeds are evil. 20 Those who do evil things hate the light and will not come to the light, because they do not want their evil deeds to be shown up. 21 But those

who do what is true come to the light in order that the light may show that what they did was in obedience to God.

that God is present in his/her life, and that this is not a process controlled by rules, principles, or human fears, but above all by God’s love, something difficult for a Pharisee to understand or accept (v. 9).

3.14‑15 the snake in the desert. Nicodemus couldn’t understand very well the freedom and spontaneity of the Spirit, so Jesus, lovingly, provides an illustration from Moses that he knew very well. The event is described in Nm 21.4‑9: the people of Israel were unsatisfied with life in the desert, with such a long time spent traipsing around obstacles, with the “only food” manna, and began to com‑ plain against Moses and against God (sins possibly done in secret). God sent deadly serpents to punish the rebel‑ lion; the people repented and asked Moses to ask God to end the plague. God answered the request not by with‑ drawing the serpents, but by providing a bronze serpent to be put up on a stake; whoever was bit could look up at the bronze serpent and be cured. They looked up in faith (whoever did not look up would die).

3.16 For God so loved the world. This phrase, which begins the most famous verse in the Bible, is the an‑ swer to many questions: Why did Jesus come to earth?

Why did he have to die? Why did God first make the covenant of law, and then the new covenant with the Messiah? It is God who seals the destiny of humanity, and his desire is that no one should perish, but believe in Jesus and receive eternal life. See the box “Sin and salvation in Jesus.”

3.17 to be its savior. God’s intention is not to condemn, or to do away with humanity, but to save it. This serves perfectly as a model for our attitude toward the world: not to judge, not to condemn, but to save, to administer grace together with truth, just as Jesus was doing with Ni‑ codemus.

3.18 Those who believe in the Son are not judged. Or, whoever looks to Jesus up on the cross, believing in him

as the one “who will save me from my mortal wound.” For now, the serpents of our sin continue among us, and the Bronze Serpent also continues among us, every day until the end of time.

3.19‑21 because their deeds are evil. Faith is related to works, and it is the truth — the revelation of our truth — that draws us near to Jesus, “the light that shines on all people” (1.9).

3.23 John. John the Baptist was the “gold standard” of the old covenant, doing everything that he needed to do, effectively preparing the way for Jesus, leading to the rec‑ ognition of our sinfulness.

3.25 arguing with a Jew. Among John’s disciples (and therefore, under his responsibility) arose a discussion with a Jew. The topic was “purification,” a ritual washing that the Jews believed guaranteed their non­ ‑contamination with the sinful world (the same function as the stone pots that held water at the wedding in Cana, in 2.6). Nowa‑ days, this concern is focused on “sanctification.” People who are very invested in the old covenant tend to be con‑ cerned with “sanctification” because they find it too easy to just believe in Jesus (v. 26). Whenever the message of the new covenant is preached, joining truth with grace, speaking of the God who did not come to judge but to save, a “disciple of John” will inevitably ask: what about sanctification? Does the new covenant actually combat sin?

3.27 John answered. He also knew about the “new birth” (see note on 3.3). The issue of being purified or following the Messiah took on a higher meaning.

3.28 I have been sent ahead of him. Namely, the function of the old covenant was not to sanctify (purify, save) any‑ one, but to prepare the way for the Messiah. Purification and sanctification, moreover, will have to be given to us, will have to be made “from above,” will have to occur by faith in that One who came from above to us.

13

Jesus and John 22 After this, Jesus and his disciples went to the province of Judea, where he spent some time with them and baptized. 23 John also was baptizing in Aenon, not far from Salim, be‑ cause there was plenty of water in that place.

People were going to him, and he was baptizing them. (24 This was before John had been put in prison.)

25 Some of John's disciples began arguing with a Jew about the matter of ritual washing.

26 So they went to John and told him, “Teacher, you remember the man who was with you on the east side of the Jordan, the one you spoke about? Well, he is baptizing now, and everyone is going to him!”

27 John answered, “No one can have any‑ thing unless God gives it. 28 You yourselves are

John 3 14 my witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah, but I have been sent ahead of him.’ 29 The bride‑ groom is the one to whom the bride belongs; but the bridegroom's friend, who stands by and listens, is glad when he hears the bridegroom's voice. This is how my own happiness is made complete. 30 He must become more important while I become less important.”

He Who Comes from Heaven 31 He who comes from above is greater than all. He who is from the earth belongs to the

earth and speaks about earthly matters, but he who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He tells what he has seen and heard, yet no one accepts his message. 33 But whoever accepts his message confirms by this that God is truthful.

34 The one whom God has sent speaks God's words, because God gives him the fullness of his Spirit. 35 The Father loves his Son and has put everything in his power. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever disobeys the Son will not have life, but will remain under God's punishment.

3.29 the bridegroom’s friend. Even today, in many cul‑ tures, the “best man” acts as a special godfather, taking it upon himself to organize the feast and to make a cel‑ ebratory discourse. So John shows how the Law, the old covenant, prepared the wedding feast for his friend (not enemy). Jesus solidifies his union with the people who be‑ lieve in him, the holy children of God. And the law is satis‑ fied and rejoices in this preparatory role. Different from the older brother of the prodigal son (Lk 15), here is a “brother” who rejoices at the feast of God’s grace, and feels happy to have contributed, above all knowing that his role ends here. The one who will live and sleep with the bride is Christ, not him. “The one to whom the bride belongs” is the only one that can marry her. This is a very valid pattern for the life of all Christians: the more that our relationship with Christ grows, the importance of laws, rules, rights, and wrongs decreases, and the importance of love for the eternal Bridegroom increases.

3.30 while I become less important. Facing an attempt to create intrigue, wanting to foment jealousy and envy be‑ tween John the Baptist and Jesus, John the Baptist refuses to get involved; on the contrary, he acts as a pacifier. In our daily life it is like this, too: whoever exercises lead‑ ership in church, community, or society will always face those who wish to promote discord among them. John the Baptist leaves us a beautiful lesson of conciliatory hu‑ mility, affirming, “He must become more important while I become less important.” And with this attitude he was, without looking for it, exalted — for on another occasion, while analyzing all the representatives of the old covenant, Jesus said, “John the Baptist is greater than any man who ever lived” (Mt 11.11).

3.31 He who comes from above. As if it were not clear enough (for many it probably isn’t), John adds verses 31‑36, explaining that the difference between the old and new covenant, between John the Baptist and Jesus, is a matter of origin: “He who comes from above is greater than all. He who is from the earth belongs to the earth and speaks about earthly matters, but he who comes from heaven is above all.” (Just as Jesus had said to Nicodemus: “whoever is born of the flesh is flesh, but whoever is born of the Spirit is Spirit,” in the traditional translation). In sum: the Law, the old covenant, is earthly, is carnal. The new covenant is from heaven, is Spirit. It is thus that Jesus will explain in the following chapter, when he speaks of “wor‑ shipping in Spirit and in truth.” Or, as John has already mentioned in 1.17: “God gave the law through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (remember that the law is the “friend of the bridegroom” who pre‑

pared the feast for him — and now is no longer the time of purification pot water, but the time of new wine, the best of them all, for the wedding feast).

3.32 no one accepts his message. Just as in 1.11, no one receives Jesus or his message. But whoever believes in what Jesus says confirms that God is true (parallel to 1.12: “but to those who believed in him…”).

3.34 gives him the fullness. The one who God sent is 100% God, because God does not “restrict” the gift of the Spirit: he loves Jesus and gave everything into his hands.

For this reason, “whoever believes in the Son has eternal life,” is born of the Spirit and does not remain dependent on being in good standing with rules and regulations.

3.35‑36 The Father loves his Son. The purest relationship between Father and Son is revealed in these verses, refer‑ ring to God the Father and Jesus Christ the Son, but also serving as a model for the human family. Later on Jesus af‑ firmed, “I and the Father are one.” In father­‑son relations, true love should predominate. A healthy paternal relation‑ ship is one of total and unrestricted trust, and consequent‑ ly, whatever belongs to the father also belongs to the son.

When love and trust does not exist in the paternal relation‑ ship, the seed of unhappiness finds fertile ground for all types of troubles, provoking the formation of many malad‑ justed families, where sons are disparaged and relegated to second place. In some homes the fathers are giving their attention almost exclusively to work, business trips, accumulation of wealth, political meetings, even to church meetings and social clubs, reserving little or no time for their sons. This is damaging to the father­‑son relationship.

Thus, the way is open, especially in pre­‑adolescence or adolescence, for sons to seek refuge, love, and affection from other people who appear loving and comprehen‑ sive, but who are mostly bad characters, taking advantage of the situation to induce them into drugs and addictions, almost always with no way out. On the other hand, the fa‑ ther who offers love, constant presence, esteem, and trust to his son from his earliest years will certainly have the joy of reciprocal friendship and love when his son reaches adulthood, a relationship they can share for the rest of their lives. In the paternal relationship, love prevails as the highest expression of mutual trust.

3.36 whoever disobeys the Son. Whoever does not be‑ lieve in Jesus, whoever does not look to the bronze ser‑ pent put up on the pole (v. 14), disobeys the Son and will never have eternal life (literally, “will not see life”), just as in the beginning of the conversation with Nicodemus, “cannot see the kingdom of God” (v. 3), but will suffer for‑ ever the punishment of God’s wrath. The end of this verse

15

John 4

Jesus and the Samaritan Woman Pharisees heard that Jesus was win‑ ning and baptizing more disciples than John. (2 Actually, Jesus himself did not baptize anyone; only his disciples did.) 3 So when Jesus heard what was being said, he left Judea and went back to Galilee; 4 on his way there he had to go through Samaria.

5 In Samaria he came to a town named Sychar, which was not far from the field that Ja‑ cob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, tired out by the trip, sat down by the well. It was about noon.

Samaritan woman came to draw some

water, and Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink of water.” (8 His disciples had gone into town to buy food.)

9 The woman answered, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan—so how can you ask me for a drink?” (Jews will not use the same cups and bowls that Samaritans use.)

10 Jesus answered, “If you only knew what God gives and who it is that is asking you for a drink, you would ask him, and he would give you life­‑giving water.”

11 “Sir,” the woman said, “you don't have a

was clearly written in language of the old covenant: not to believe is to disobey, and disobedience is exactly what “believers of the old covenant” fear, because of God’s wrath. Our quest for decontamination, the fear of the sin‑ ful world, the necessity of washing with water, the neces‑ sity of a record of obedience, the search for a certificate of purification — all of this reveals that fear of God still rules the heart, fear created to direct the old covenant. The solu‑ tion to this root evil that is responsible for so much suffer‑ ing among those who seek to obey God (like Nicodemus) is to believe in Jesus, the bridegroom. He invites us to re‑ ceive from above a good, perfect, and impeccable nature, coming directly from God’s love, which offers us a feast of union, of life, of marriage with Jesus. John’s invitation is to believe. One can only have true life by being born again, from above, and this opportunity materializes by believing in Jesus the Son of God (1.12). Whoever does not follow this way of faith in Christ is being disobedient to the salvation offered by the Father and, therefore, “will not come to the light,” will not be born again, keeping them‑ selves in the old covenant, and suffering the just punish‑ ment for their sins. See the boxes “Old Covenant and New Covenant”(Jn 1, p. ##) and “Sin and Salvation in Jesus.”

4.3 when Jesus heard what was being said, he left. Je‑ sus was not naïve; he was aware of the risks that he ran as he gained the people’s admiration, for up to that time they had followed the Pharisees’ recommendations. No‑ tice how Jesus used his good sense and administered his life acknowledging the political situation, in function of fulfilling his mission, and will only die at the right time.

Judea was the principal state of Judaism, with its capital, Jerusalem, and the Temple which centralized the worship of God. Galilee was a peripheral state, also Jewish, but far from the religious center. Samaria (v. 4) was located between the two, with a mixed population and religion, transplanted from other regions. The Jews and Samaritans detested each other, and the more zealous Jews preferred to cross the Jordan River and travel on the other side in‑ stead of passing through Samaria to get from Judea to Galilee. See the map “The Land of Israel in the New Testa‑ ment,” p. ##.

4.4 he had to go through. If the Jews held such strong re‑ jection and prejudice against the Samaritans (to the point of, in 8.48, offend Jesus by calling him a Samaritan and demon­‑possessed), why this obligation on Jesus’ part? It seems that, besides being the most direct route, symboli‑ cally “passing through” the Samaria of his world, “pitching his tent among us,” he transcends ethnic, religious, social,

and conventional barriers, moved by affection. He didn’t need to do this; he did so because he wished, because he loved people, and did not have concerns about “con‑ taminating himself with outsiders” (See note on 2.6, “ritual washing”).

4.6 noon. Literally, the “sixth hour,” which would be midday in Jewish time and 6pm in Roman time, which is quite possible here. tired out by the trip, sat down by the well. Jesus was weary from the journey and rested beside Jacob’s well. He rested when he was tired, which is an important lesson for our life. There are people who give no importance to rest and become weary to the point of exhaustion, stress, and even to more serious situations such as heart attack with risk of death. Rest is just as nec‑ essary for the body as food and water. A tired person can cause serious accidents; a considerable proportion of car accidents are related to the driver’s physical or mental fa‑ tigue. At work it is no different; many accidents with ma‑ chine operators are related to their exhaustion or fatigue.

Jesus Christ gives us a wonderful example: even though he was God, he was tired; he needed to rest. The rested person relates better to colleagues at work or at school, with family members, with peers in day­‑to­‑day activities, and especially with his/her spouse. See the boxes “Jesus and the woman’s necessity” and “Sexuality, Marriage, and Spirituality.”

4.7 Give me a drink of water. Jesus arrives at the well tired, sweaty, and dirty from the long walk under the hot sun.

The divine Son of God is there in his poor humanity, with no cup, bucket, or rope. He shows his basic human need.

4.9 how can you ask me for a drink? Besides the fact that it was uncouth for a man to be speaking with a woman he didn’t know (v. 27), it was also not normal for a Jew like Jesus to talk with a Samaritan. Fortunately, Jesus does not have the same prejudices that we do.

4.10 life­‑giving water. Symbolically, in offering himself as life­‑giving water, Jesus does not offer staid or contami‑ nated water, but the possibility of life, from here on, eter‑ nal. In this dialogue, Jesus perceives a person starved for affection and activates the desire to go beyond what she knows. Abundant attempts in the area of sexuality and marriage — like the woman lived, cf. v. 18 — if they are not linked to life’s other dimensions, become ends to them‑ selves, a monologue, generating boredom and nausea, and their own termination. This expression of Jesus can also be understood as “fresh water,” and this is the first meaning that the woman perceived (v. 11), along with the perception that something larger was at stake.

4

1 The

7 A

John 16

Jesus and the woman’s necessity Let’s take the story of the Samaritan woman as an example of Jesus’ comprehension for women, for the femi‑ nine universe. This comprehension can lead us to see the text in the following manner: 4.1‑6 It’s necessary to back up strategically, it’s not yet time for Jesus to expose himself. In this “regression,” Jesus passes through an ancient land. It is the land of self­‑love, of narcissism, where Jacob gifted his favorite son with a well. The well presented by the parents never dries up — we always need to feed our narcissism, especially when we are threatened.

4.7‑9 Jesus confronts the woman with her traditions. Things don’t happen here as they typically do, and this demands pause to stop and think. This man, as he asks for water, recognizes in her the capacity to satisfy his thirst. Jesus’ openness makes her also open up to dialogue. This is the role of crises — to destabilize, deconstruct the known, so that something new can emerge and satisfy the soul’s thirst.

4.10 Jesus passes to another level — existential thirst. From a base of material thirst, he speaks of living water.

This demands a different knowledge, knowledge from the sources themselves. Do we really know who promises us living water? Do we, like this woman, draw near with such curiosity to the enigmas that crises call forth?

4.11 The woman also makes the passage from the material to the symbolic level. She begins to discern that there is someone who could be greater than father Jacob. On the spiritual level, the question is if there is some‑ one greater than the inheritance received by tradition. The laws are like demanding sources that impose their forces to satisfy thirst: buckets, long walks, observances, and rituals are necessary to alleviate our thirst.

Psychologically, to satisfy her thirst for affection, this woman made a living by changing men, as one who searches — and never finds — a relationship that satisfies her as much as the one she had as a girl, her daddy’s little princess, which is a type of search at the profound and expensive sources of infancy. Perhaps there had been a special favoring, just like Jacob had for Joseph, and this woman held fast to this mode of finding pleasure that is unhealthy, a neurosis. Jesus guides the dialogue so that this scene appears (v. 15).

4.15‑18 The woman comes to confession: she speaks of the expense of energy of her neurosis, as she repeat‑ edly demands a return to the paternal source. She speaks of her successive husbands, frustrated attempts to satisfy the thirst of her affective necessity: five men who weren’t able to resist this role of “husband.” This fixation is unhealthy and takes its toll through the course of life. Apparently it is full of well­‑fed expectations… but at root, it is empty. I don’t have a husband — “I haven’t been able to make a husband out of any man yet.” The demands of the neurosis, full of whims and unable to settle for less, close the way off to a satisfactory relationship. No man could satisfy such an intense thirst for something engraved so early in life: the idealization of the paternal relationship prevents it.

Today’s culture also fosters an affective neurosis; in selling romantic love, idealized as being a possible good, purchasable like a car. Thus, we watch constant changes in “husbands,” always in search of something that better quenches the thirst. All thirst, this existential desire, is put onto the back of a single relationship, overloading it and preventing the mutual work of adjustment and possible satisfaction. Sexuality without spirituality transforms the available wells into hotly disputed oases that end up being destroyed in the anxiety to dig wells.

Jesus praises the effort to tell the truth — in his presence, we can open up on our frustrated attempts (See the box “Sexuality, Marriage, and Spirituality).

4.19‑20 The woman, using her intuition, perceives the difference and makes the connection, asking, What is the place of worship? Are you greater than our father Jacob? Who are you? And thus she tries an escape to “what is right?”, a behavior so frequent in our religious rituals: in the face of intense joy, the temptation to intellectualize and rationalize. The intensity of affect tempts us to leave the level of existential thirst, of psychological healing, and stay with a rational explanation.

Many religious formations originate from this deviation. Jesus once again alerts us to seek simplicity of heart, the childlike capacity to welcome faith. It is in this sense that he responds to the woman, calling her back to basics. It’s not worthwhile to discuss trivial matters is such as locations and rituals. And once again, “knowing” God is mentioned. This knowledge is not acquired via intellect, but with all our being, emanating from the center of our being.

4.21‑23 To worship the Father, instead of going after father Jacob’s water. To no longer seek to satisfy every thirst in the human dimension, because this brings disappointments and changes — of husbands, friends, tasks, places, clothes — and confess as this woman confesses, “I don’t have a husband” — no one satisfies the woman’s thirst. The invitation is to live life from the center out — to get in touch with our soul, with the thirst of our soul…

Will we let Jesus show us the love that quenches all thirst? Or will we look for him to fulfill our childhood dreams, our culture’s longings, those of our “father Jacob?”

4.24‑26 This experience of love — “If you only knew what God gives and who it is that is asking you for a drink” — happens in devotion, in meeting alone with God, and from this encounter we come to our own encounter — letting him implant in us an inexhaustible well, which pours forth love — only then will we have the capacity to love and be loved. Human love will be a garden that will decorate this eternal well, will give shade and mulch so that we can grow in grace and bear fruit. Sexuality with spirituality, sexuality as symbol of spirituality — the bride and the bridegroom, Christ.

17

John 4

bucket, and the well is deep. Where would you get that life­‑giving water? 12 It was our ancestor Jacob who gave us this well; he and his children and his flocks all drank from it. You don't claim to be greater than Jacob, do you?”

13 Jesus answered, “Those who drink this water will get thirsty again, 14 but those who drink the water that I will give them will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give them will become in them a spring which will pro‑ vide them with life­‑giving water and give them eternal life.”

15 “Sir,” the woman said, “give me that wa‑ ter! Then I will never be thirsty again, nor will I have to come here to draw water.”

16 “Go and call your husband,” Jesus told her, “and come back.”

17 “I don't have a husband,” she answered.

Jesus replied, “You are right when you say you don't have a husband. 18 You have been mar‑ ried to five men, and the man you live with now is not really your husband. You have told me the truth.”

19 “I see you are a prophet, sir,” the wom‑ an said. 20 “My Samaritan ancestors worshiped God on this mountain, but you Jews say that Jerusalem is the place where we should wor‑ ship God.” 21 Jesus said to her, “Believe me, woman, the time will come when people will not wor‑ ship the Father either on this mountain or in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans do not really know whom you worship; but we Jews know whom we worship, because it is from the Jews that salva‑ tion comes. 23 But the time is coming and is already here, when by the power of God's Spirit

4.12 our ancestor Jacob. Literally, “father Jacob.” The Sa‑ maritans, though they were rejected by the Jews, were also descendants of Jacob/Israel (but mixed with other peoples) and considered themselves to have knowledge of God (v. 20). Jacob was a strong man, a working man, and a fighting man — to dig a deep well (v. 11) is no simple task. The woman seems to idealize and value the “father” figure — probably a reason for her not being content with any of her marriages. See the box “Jesus and the woman’s necessity.”

4.13 will get thirsty again. To seek satisfaction, obtain it for a short time, and be back to looking for it once again: this must have been the emotional path of the Samaritan woman’s marriages.

4.14 will never be thirsty again. Little by little, Jesus re‑ veals that he isn’t referring to water or to ordinary life, but to the Spirit of God (cf. 7.37‑39) and eternal life. But the woman still isn’t giving up on her initial, material under‑ standing (v. 15).

4.15‑16 give me that water! The Samaritan woman did what Jesus suggested in v. 10 and inverted the roles from the beginning, asking for living water. nor will I have to come here to draw water. In that time, there was virtually no work that allowed a woman to support herself without depending on her father or husband (except prostitution).

The Samaritan woman did not comprehend beyond her search for a man who, as a “father,” would free her from having to work and would satisfy her thirst forever. With this need, she now looks to Jesus. This must have been the motive for Jesus telling her to go call her husband (v. 16).

The woman’s emotional necessity, much more than point‑ ing out any sin, must have been Jesus’ reason for speaking this way. See the box “Jesus and the woman’s necessity.”

4.17‑18 I don’t have a husband. The woman was not a prostitute; on the contrary, she insisted in believing in mar‑ riage, even after so many failures. Jesus guides her to her truth. Note that he does not reprehend her; it was truth spoken with grace (1.17). See the box “Sexuality, Marriage, and Spirituality.”

4.19 a prophet. Finally, with this revelation of her life, and awareness of her failures, the woman is able to understand

that she is dealing with someone special, different and greater than her affective need.

4.20 worshipped. The prophetic figure opens the door to the topic of worship, life with the presence of God. In a certain way, Jesus was doing naturally with the woman what he would explain shortly about God; he looked for people who worshipped “in spirit and in truth” (v. 23), the healthiest way to live on this earth. In the woman’s speech there appears a “mechanic of worship” in which, according to her, the act of worship itself and the place where it happens are the most important. the place where we should worship. Duty is the mark of relationship with God before Christ. It is the opposite of worship “in spirit,” free like the wind.

4.21 either on this mountain or in Jerusalem. One of the main differences between the old covenant (of the Law) and the new covenant (of Jesus) is that external elements give way to internal elements. Instead of temples and ritu‑ als, spirit and truth in the heart (cf. v. 23). worship the Father. Jesus starts to reveal to the woman who is the only one who can satisfy her thirst: neither a husband who fills the role of father, nor “father Jacob” with all his strength and work, but a special relationship of worship with the Heavenly Father. See the box “Jesus and the woman’s ne‑ cessity.”

4.22 salvation. Continuing his class on worship, Jesus once again speaks the truth with grace and love: the Samaritan woman (or her tradition) worshipped without knowing God. Jesus teaches that this God is a Father, and through the Jewish people sent salvation, liberation from what held them captive. The way to true worship passes without exception through our salvation from our sins.

4.23 is already here. The new worship, in the new era of the new covenant between God and humanity, arrived precisely with the coming of Jesus Christ. by the power of God’s spirit. Only in the new covenant is it possible to live in God’s presence; that is the true worship. See that God isn’t exactly interested in worship itself, but in the worship‑ pers. People, and not what they can do, are the objective of the Father who sent salvation. will worship the Father.

Much more than religious rituals, true worship relates with

John 18

Sexuality, Marriage and Spirituality One of the most painful issues in the church has been the issue of physicality. Spiritualization, at times exac‑ erbated, reveals that the soul­‑body dichotomy persists intensely. It is necessary to consider all the dimensions of human living and research how nutrition, sleep, leisure, work, sexuality, and health are a whole. Regarding sexual‑ ity, it is important that it is integrated to the whole, and when it is necessary, difficulties can be discussed, clarified and worked out. Sexual impulses, recognized as belonging to the human being, can become a source of pleasure and growth regarding shared intimacy, which, apparently, didn’t happen in the life of the Samaritan woman.

But in the case of people who live a life of celibacy, for their own option, reports show that even without expe‑ riencing explicit sexuality, they don’t become asexual: the sexual impulses are rationally transformed generating life under other aspects: social, educational, and care projects are the results of channeling this energy. According to Henri Nouwen, there are problems when repressed sexuality is transformed into the appearance of spirituality, emerging disconnected behaviors. He says: “When spirituality becomes spiritualization, life in the body becomes carnality. When ministers and priests live their ministry mostly in their heads and relate to the gospel as a set of valuable ideas to be announced, the body quickly takes revenge by screaming loudly for affection and intimacy.” When Jesus said: “go, call your husband,” the Samaritan woman replied: “I have no husband.” How does that sound to us? How are our affective relationships?

Jesus detects that the woman wants to be happy, but she is taking the wrong path. Actually, joking a little bit, that woman was an incorrigible romantic! It is amazing how she believed in the institution of marriage! She had already tried five times and was still trying!

When we put the responsibility on somebody else’s shoulders of making us happy, putting him/her on a ped‑ estal in our hearts, we overburden this person and we become disappointed with the relationship.

The woman, without noticing, had forgotten the first commandment: You shall have no other gods before Me. This “other God” can be a person, a cause, even the church or the Theology.

Continuing the conversation, in a few minutes there are three references to God as Father, which probably had also caught the woman’s attention: it was not common! Jesus proposes a new location for worshipping: redeeming the filial relationship, which takes place in the innermost being of each one. It is not worship to a god, it is adoration of God who is the Father of Jesus and invites us to be born again and belong to His family.

Thus, church means communion, and also sexuality. Maybe, that is why some sectors of the church have many difficulties with sexuality. Living in communion requires disposition for surrendering, affection, taking the risk of offending and being offended, feeling sadness, anger, and human limitation, and besides these feelings, to still think it worthwhile to take the risk, because the other is different and complementary. This involves reconciliation through forgiveness and the acceptance that one day we will sit at the same table, in the house of our Father.

We can list, for instance, five types of “love” that “contemporary Samaritans” use. Erich Fromm comments on them: 1) Team­‑Love: marriage is seen as an organization where each one learns how to avoid attrition and to tolerate.

Recipes are given to make compliments for each other, and make each other’s lives easier. But there is no real intimacy: both of them are still in a deep solitude, as there is no marriage from the center of being. It is a model for business management applied to marriage.

2) Love as sexual satisfaction: based on the belief that adequate satisfaction of sexual impulses leads to happi‑ ness and love. The emphasis is on learning techniques and on sexual performance. This type of “love” results from the combination of psychoanalytic theory with a model of consumer society. Happiness is consuming, and marriage becomes a place where sexuality is consumed. In this model, it is believed that fully exercised sexuality would lead to love; and not love, that gets rid of the fear of surrendering (1Jo 4.18), that leads to a full sexuality.

3) Love fixed on the father and mother: The couple has no partnership because the shadow of the parents surrounds the couple. One of them remains fixed on pleasing father/mother above all, stuck in infantile de‑ pendence. This person did not “leave father and mother” (Gn 2.24): love for parents became a prison that ties him/her to the parents, depriving the person of growing towards the bond with an adult person from the opposite sex.

4) Deifying love: many times lived as the “great love,” as depicted in books and movies. It transforms the other person into a reason to live, as if he/she had everything you longed for. This way, any self­‑aspiration is denied, self­‑identity is no longer developed, and the personality is canceled. And when the connection is interrupted by the deified partner, there is the possibility of attempted suicide (or homicide). It is passion serving the death impulse of annihilation of the “I.” 5) Love­‑projection: pseudo­‑love that makes the other “loved one” have certain specific characteristics. The other becomes a deposit of qualities and defects, making it easier to deal with them because they are in the partner.

The partner easily becomes the “scapegoat,” and it produces a certain relief: “the problem is my husband, not me”, “I want it, but my husband/wife will not let me.” The couple starts to fight over minor things, revealing that the real issue is not it, that this fight of façades is serving a neurosis.

Jesus compliments the effort of the Samaritan woman to say the truth — in his presence our frustrated attempts can be exposed. Again, it is opening the crisis that makes change possible.

Both in psychology and in Jesus, there is encouragement to search for the truth, so that the ties can be broken.

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John 4

people will worship the Father as he really is, offering him the true worship that he wants.

24 God is Spirit, and only by the power of his Spirit can people worship him as he really is.”

25 The woman said to him, “I know that the Messiah will come, and when he comes, he will tell us everything.”

26 Jesus answered, “I am he, I who am talk‑ ing with you.”

27 At that moment Jesus' disciples re‑ turned, and they were greatly surprised to find him talking with a woman. But none of them said to her, “What do you want?” or asked him, “Why are you talking with her?”

28 Then the woman left her water jar, went back to the town, and said to the people there, 29 “Come and see the man who told me every‑

thing I have ever done. Could he be the Messi‑ ah?” 30 So they left the town and went to Jesus.

31 In the meantime the disciples were beg‑ ging Jesus, “Teacher, have something to eat!”

32 But he answered, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.”

33 So the disciples started asking among themselves, “Could somebody have brought him food?”

34 “My food,” Jesus said to them, “is to obey the will of the one who sent me and to finish the work he gave me to do. 35 You have a saying, ‘Four more months and then the harvest.’ But I tell you, take a good look at the fields; the crops are now ripe and ready to be harvested!

36 The one who reaps the harvest is being paid and gathers the crops for eternal life; so the

a God who we come to know as Father. the true wor‑ ship. This expression (in spirit and in truth, in traditional translations) is often misunderstood. The biblical text itself gives us its meaning: “in spirit” was just described to Ni‑ codemus (3.6‑8), as the person who is born again and is free, not controlled, moved by God’s Spirit, spontaneous like the wind. “In truth” conforms to how Jesus treated the Samaritan woman (v. 18); her truth was her frustrated marriages and her unresolved affective life. Worship in spirit and in truth, therefore, is life together with God, in liberty and spontaneity (made possible by the Holy Spirit), where we can bring (and not hide) our deficiencies, our sins — and this is possible because of the Messiah (v. 25).

It is to live in the same house with God (cf. 1.38‑39), with the intimacy and truth that exists among family members, of which God is the Father. This relationship truly satis‑ fies the Samaritan woman’s thirst, and ours. It is fruit of the work of the Trinity, in which the Messiah takes away sin, the Spirit generates new life, and the new son of God (1.12) enters into the Father’s family. that he wants. Liter‑ ally, “that the Father seeks.” It means that Almighty God makes a point of being worshipped in a free, spontaneous way, never forced or directed, as if it were a duty or obli‑ gation (v. 20). Instead of determining what happens, our Father seeks people who relate with him of their own free and spontaneous will.

4.24 God is Spirit. Jesus becoming a human being in flesh and bone was a great act of love. But the ultimate and dominant reality is that this God who created us and loves us is spirit, and Jesus intends to take us to “his Fa‑ ther’s house” (14.2), a spiritual dwelling, to which true worship serves as an introduction. The stages along the way of drawing near to God, who gives living water: we leave behind duty, the quest to be right (v. 20), begin to see the truth about ourselves and our sins (vs. 18,23), come to know God as Father (vs. 21,23), as salvation (v. 22), and as Spirit (v. 24), and this motivates our inte‑ rior, our spirit, to relate to this Father, through the Mes‑ siah (v. 25).

4.25 the Messiah will come. It seems that the woman intuited that, to be able to live in true worship, she would need a Savior.

4.26 I am he. This is the good news: we need a Savior, and he came to meet us: it is Jesus.

4.28 said to the people there. Perhaps for the first time in her life, the Samaritan woman must have felt happy to be a woman. She, in her hidden face and her shamed body, was identified, signified, and was given, based on her faith, an identity. No doubt she lifted her eyes and could per‑ ceive herself whole, as God had dreamed of her when she was still in her mother’s womb. The most wonderful fact of this biblical passage is that it was not just any person who gave her this significance. Jesus Christ himself valued her, looked at her, and saw beyond her external appearance to a heart that knew it could believe in the Truth. See the boxes “Jesus and the woman’s necessity” and “Sexuality, Marriage, and Spirituality.”

4.29 Come and see. The messianic announcement of God’s love is given to a Samaritan woman, discriminated against and without social significance, in a total subver‑ sion of human laws. She becomes a missionary to her own people, Jesus’ first missionary, taking the Good News to them, and becoming founder and participant of the first Christian community, which arises welcoming with joy the Son of God himself.

4.34 to obey the will…to finish the work. In fulfilling his mission, Jesus makes a point of concluding the task that was given to him by the Father. With this gesture, he does the Father’s will (which indicates a disposition of obedi‑ ence), and wants to finish the job — which indicates re‑ sponsibility — and from this attitude obtains the strength to live. Jesus’ example invites us to persevere, to finish the tasks that we have to do. Some people leave unfinished the activities that are entrusted to them, and oftentimes harm the entire process that depends on that task. Some‑ one with difficulty concluding projects and fulfilling obli‑ gations can follow the example of Jesus Christ: for Jesus, to do the Father’s will and to finish the work that was en‑ trusted to him is more important than food; he never left any task unfinished. In his life he completed all of his tasks, even the most difficult ones, even the humiliating task of being submitted to the most unjust judgment recorded in human history, which culminated with his shameful death on the cross (see 5.17).

John 4 — 5 20 one who plants and the one who reaps will be glad together. 37 For the saying is true, ‘Some‑ one plants, someone else reaps.’ 38 I have sent you to reap a harvest in a field where you did not work; others worked there, and you profit from their work.”

39 Many of the Samaritans in that town be‑ lieved in Jesus because the woman had said, “He told me everything I have ever done.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they begged him to stay with them, and Jesus stayed there two days.

41 Many more believed because of his mes‑ sage, 42 and they told the woman, “We believe now, not because of what you said, but because we ourselves have heard him, and we know that he really is the Savior of the world.”

Jesus Heals an Official's Son 43 After spending two days there, Jesus left and went to Galilee. 44 For he himself had said, “Prophets are not respected in their own coun‑ try.” 45 When he arrived in Galilee, the people there welcomed him, because they had gone to the Passover Festival in Jerusalem and had seen everything that he had done during the festival.

46 Then Jesus went back to Cana in Gali‑ lee, where he had turned the water into wine.

A government official was there whose son was sick in Capernaum. 47 When he heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went to 4.39‑54 believe in Jesus because the woman had said.

The stages of growth in faith are illustrated twice here by John, in Samaria and in Capernaum; first, faith comes by hearing some speak about Jesus, whether his fame or his miracles (vs. 39,45,48). Following is direct, personal, and individual contact with Jesus, which develops a stronger and more conscious faith (vs. 42,50,53). We can say that the “advanced stage” or perfection of faith in life is illus‑ trated in vs. 31‑38, where Jesus shows to the disciples that what livens up life, what sustains more than food, is to perceive the way prepared by God, and collaborate with him, finishing the work that he gave us to do (v. 34).

4.40 they begged him to stay with them. Jesus takes plea‑ sure in changing his plans to answer our requests. As a result of his extended stay, “many more believed.” Why don’t you ask Jesus to stay in your life? He will gladly agree.

4.42 we ourselves have heard him. Each person can have his or her personal encounter with Jesus. He is the Savior of the world.

4.45 Galilee. In the rest of the book, it is clear that in Judea, in the center of the country’s political and religious life, Jesus represented a threat and was increasingly perse‑ cuted. In Galilee, the peripheral state, he was more wel‑ come, even if the people’s faith only showed itself after “miracles and wonders” (v. 48).

him and asked him to go to Capernaum and heal his son, who was about to die. 48 Jesus said to him, “None of you will ever believe unless you see miracles and wonders.”

49 “Sir,” replied the official, “come with me before my child dies.”

50 Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live!”

The man believed Jesus' words and went.

51 On his way home his servants met him with the news, “Your boy is going to live!”

52 He asked them what time it was when his son got better, and they answered, “It was one o'clock yesterday afternoon when the fever left him.” 53 Then the father remembered that it was at that very hour when Jesus had told him, “Your son will live.” So he and all his fam‑ ily believed.

54 This was the second miracle that Jesus performed after coming from Judea to Galilee.

The Healing at the Pool 1 After this, Jesus went to Jerusalem for a religious festival. 2 Near the Sheep Gate in Jerusalem there is a pool with five porches; in Hebrew it is called Bethzatha. 3 A large crowd of sick people were lying on the porches—the blind, the lame, and the paralyzed. 5 A man was there who had been sick for thirty­‑eight years.

6 Jesus saw him lying there, and he knew that the man had been sick for such a long time; so he asked him, “Do you want to get well?”

5

4.53 he and all his family believed. Jesus’ mercy in cur‑ ing, at a distance, the son of the public servant produced faith in his family. Initially, the public servant may have been disappointed because Jesus did not go with him to Capernaum. But his faith was sufficient to return home; with the confirmation of the cure at the very hour that Jesus had ordered it, saving faith consolidated itself.

5.2 Bethzatha. This name means “house of mercy,” and what Jesus did with the paralytic was a clear example of God’s mercy: the paralytic was capable of doing nothing, was possibly already resigned to his condition, and he didn’t have faith in Jesus, because he didn’t even know who Jesus was. Thus, the cure of our illnesses and inabili‑ ties is totally dependent on the goodness and mercy of God. 5.6 Do you want to get well. The question that Jesus asked to the Bethzatha paralytic is a question that fits all of us. Our difficulties are not always physical; they may be emotional or spiritual as well. Since we were expelled from the Garden of Eden, we fight against a world of imperfection and traumas. With a direct question, Jesus “awakens” the desire of the paralytic’s health, and calls him to take responsibility and do something for himself, breaking away from the 38-year situation of always being a victim. Our first question could be: “What is my difficulty?

21

John 5

sick man answered, “Sir, I don't have anyone here to put me in the pool when the water is stirred up; while I am trying to get in, somebody else gets there first.”

8 Jesus said to him, “Get up, pick up your mat, and walk.” 9 Immediately the man got well; he picked up his mat and started walking.

The day this happened was a Sabbath, 10 so the Jewish authorities told the man who had been healed, “This is a Sabbath, and it is against our Law for you to carry your mat.”

11 He answered, “The man who made me well told me to pick up my mat and walk.”

12 They asked him, “Who is the man who told you to do this?”

13 But the man who had been healed did

not know who Jesus was, for there was a crowd in that place, and Jesus had slipped away.

14 Afterward, Jesus found him in the Temple and said, “Listen, you are well now; so stop sin‑ ning or something worse may happen to you.”

15 Then the man left and told the Jewish au‑ thorities that it was Jesus who had healed him.

16 So they began to persecute Jesus, because he had done this healing on a Sabbath. 17 Jesus answered them, “My Father is always working, and I too must work.”

18 This saying made the Jewish authorities all the more determined to kill him; not only had he broken the Sabbath law, but he had said that God was his own Father and in this way had made himself equal with God.

What makes me feel emotionally or spiritually paralyzed?”

Many of these difficulties have roots in our childhood, from relationships (or lack of) with parents, school experi‑ ences, and sometimes, painful memories of traumatic situ‑ ations. Looking for the cause can help us remove evil at its roots. For those that wish to help someone, Jesus shows us the way of approach; identification with the needy one and dialogue that awakens the strength to live.

5.7 I don’t have anyone here. Oftentimes people use ex‑ cuses to not be healed. This paralytic did just that. When Jesus asked him if he wanted to get well, instead of re‑ sponding yes or no, he gave an excuse: somebody else gets to the water first, and I don’t have anyone here to help me. Many people use excuses for fear of change, of pain, revenge, rancor, etc….anything in order not to seek healing for their hearts. When Jesus asks us this question, it is best to answer “yes” or “no.” Jesus knows our heart and the deepest pains of our soul; however, oftentimes we become “laid out” for so long that we are unable to walk anymore, maybe because the mat is too heavy or we don’t have anyone who will carry us. But he is here, show‑ ing us the way, extending his arms in our direction. Get up, take your mat, and walk. It is an individual, personal, and intimate move with Jesus.

5.8 Get up. The paralytic was healed without entering into the pool while the water was stirred up. It happened with‑ out intermediaries; it was just him and Jesus, a personal, intimate contact; his infirmity was cured, he recognized his sickness and his need for salvation. pick up your mat and walk. In giving this healing command, Jesus knew that he would be obligating the man to break, according to the understanding that the people had, the Sabbath law — one of the most important law of those times. Actually, Jesus knew the intention of the law (once he taught: the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath), and did not allow an erroneous comprehension to impede him from freeing a sufferer, even knowing that he would be harshly criticized for this. Jesus, however, responded to his critics: “my Father is always working, and I too must work.”

5.10 so the Jewish authorities. This day was a Sabbath, and to the Jewish leaders someone had broken the law, someone had “worked” on the Sabbath. What mattered to the leaders was to discover who had done this, not to glorify him for the man’s salvation, but to condemn him. It

didn’t matter that he had received forgiveness and libera‑ tion, but that the law had not been followed.

5.14 so stop sinning…may happen to you. The paralytic didn’t know who Jesus was (v. 13); he was just healed by him, in a gesture of mercy. The Jewish people, according to their teaching of the Law of Moses, believed that all sickness and disgrace were punishment from God for sins committed. Jesus did not make it a point to correct this understanding, either for the paralytic or the adulterous woman (8.11), in a certain manner leaving them under the covenant of Law in which they were. But in the new covenant, suffering is not punishment but an instrument to reveal his glory; this is what he taught his disciples (9.3). something worse. What could be worse than being para‑ lyzed for 38 years, vegetating right beside the very pos‑ sibility for your cure without ever being able to obtain it.

Probably Jesus was referring here to eternal death, which will be the destiny of all who don’t believe in him, and con‑ sequently have not done what is good (5.29). If this is the correct meaning, then “stop sinning” refers to the justice that comes from receiving Jesus, the eternal life of God’s children — impeccable, born of the Spirit — that Jesus gives even now to those who believe in him (cf. 5.24‑25), even while the “old man,” “born of the flesh,” simultaneously is alive and sinning, yet living under the forgiveness and not the condemnation of God (cf. 3.14‑17). See the box “Sin and Salvation in Jesus,” (Jn 3), p. ##.

5.15 told the Jewish authorities. Being a “good Jew,” the ex­‑paralytic went to denounce Jesus — the man who had healed him — to the religious authorities, and thus began the persecution. It seems that this healing was not accom‑ panied by faith.

5.17 My Father is always working. In his eternity, God has been working uninterrupted, and Jesus did the same while he lived here: “I have shown your glory on earth; I have finished the work you gave me to do.” Besides this special mission, the saving mission of Jesus, everyday work also represents a great good: in many cases, work functions as a helper in the cure of some illnesses. Physical or mental work is beneficial in every sense, including not leaving our mind unoccupied. For retired persons or those without an occupation, it is advisable to do some volunteer work in favor of the excluded or people in need, in order to feel more useful.

7 The

John 5 22 The Authority of the Son 19 So Jesus answered them, “I tell you the truth: the Son can do nothing on his own; he does only what he sees his Father doing. What the Father does, the Son also does. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. He will show him even great‑ er things to do than this, and you will all be amazed. 21 Just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, in the same way the Son gives life to those he wants to. 22 Nor does the Father himself judge anyone. He has given his Son the full right to judge, 23 so that all will honor the Son in the same way as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.

24 “I am telling you the truth: those who hear my words and believe in him who sent me have eternal life. They will not be judged, but have already passed from death to life. 25 I am telling you the truth: the time is coming—the time has already come—when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear it will come to life. 26 Just as the Fa‑ ther is himself the source of life, in the same way he has made his Son to be the source of life. 27 And he has given the Son the right to judge, because he is the Son of Man. 28 Do not be surprised at this; the time is coming when all the dead will hear his voice 29 and come out of their graves: those who have done good will rise and live, and those who have done evil will rise and be condemned.

Witnesses to Jesus 30 “I can do nothing on my own authority; I judge only as God tells me, so my judgment is right, because I am not trying to do what I want, but only what he who sent me wants.

31 “If I testify on my own behalf, what I say is not to be accepted as real proof. 32 But there is someone else who testifies on my behalf, and I know that what he says about me is true. 33 John is the one to whom you sent your mes‑ sengers, and he spoke on behalf of the truth.

34 It is not that I must have a human witness; I say this only in order that you may be saved. 35 John was like a lamp, burning and shining, and you were willing for a while to enjoy his light.

36 But I have a witness on my behalf which is even greater than the witness that John gave: what I do, that is, the deeds my Father gave me to do, these speak on my behalf and show that the Father has sent me. 37 And the Father, who sent me, also testifies on my behalf. You have never heard his voice or seen his face, 38 and you do not keep his message in your hearts, for you do not believe in the one whom he sent. 39 You study the Scriptures, because you think that in them you will find eternal life. And these very Scriptures speak about me! 40 Yet you are not willing to come to me in order to have life.

41 “I am not looking for human praise. 42 But I know what kind of people you are, and I know that you have no love for God in your hearts. 43 I have come with my Father's authority, but you have not received me; when, however, someone

5.19 the Son can do nothing on his own. Here Jesus begins to explain in more detail his “philosophy of life,” which is also a model for his followers; basically, Jesus dedicates himself to doing the works that Father God does and speaks the works that the Father teaches him.

It is to live as a Father’s helper, and receive from him the necessary sustenance for this (4.34). All of this takes place at a profound level of faith, without leaving unused his perception of reality (7.1), nor reacting to situations that arise (4.40): it is the certainty that God is taking care of everything via the circumstances.

5.21 Just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life. The healing of the paralytic was a live representation of what God does. He was as good as dead, 38 years recumbent, without faith or knowledge, but he heard the voice of Jesus and believed/obeyed.

5.23 so that all will honor. This refers to taking Jesus seri‑ ously, just like God the Father. In human relationships in general, one of the most serious problems that we face today is a lack of due honor, of respect. Respect is di‑ rectly linked to the acceptance of the other, regardless if the other thinks the same or differently. The wars that have devastated humanity almost always have been initiated by

intolerance of religious, cultural, racial difference, or ideo‑ logical differences between nations. Life would be much better if there were mutual respect and honor among all peoples and individuals.

5.24 have already passed from death to life. Different from what many think, our eternal destiny is decided here and now, as a function of what we do in relation to Jesus Christ; if we accept him as sent from God and believe in him, we are saved, and this will summarize the “final judgment.”

5.39‑40 You study the Scriptures…yet you are not willing to come to me. The Bible, even though it is God’s Word, does not have life in itself. Only God’s Son, who is the Word that became flesh, has the authority as received from Father God to give eternal life to all those who believe in him. Numerous times it is to the Bible that leaders of God’s people cling in order not to accept Jesus, and thus end up dying without forgiveness of their sins (8.21). God will never force anyone to believe in him against their will.

5.42 in your hearts. The only way to have true love is to first receive God’s love for us (1Jo 4.19). To pretend to love God is one of the greatest temptations for leaders of God’s people.

23 comes with his own authority, you will receive him. 44 You like to receive praise from one an‑ other, but you do not try to win praise from the one who alone is God; how, then, can you believe me? 45 Do not think, however, that I am the one who will accuse you to my Father. Mo‑ ses, in whom you have put your hope, is the very one who will accuse you. 46 If you had really believed Moses, you would have believed me, because he wrote about me. 47 But since you do not believe what he wrote, how can you believe what I say?”

John 5 — 6

Jesus Feeds Five Thousand (Matthew 14.13‑21; Mark 6.30‑44; Luke 9.10‑17) 1 After this, Jesus went across Lake Galilee (or, Lake Tiberias, as it is also called). 2 A large crowd followed him, because they had seen his miracles of healing the sick. 3 Jesus went up a hill and sat down with his disciples.

4 The time for the Passover Festival was near.

5 Jesus looked around and saw that a large crowd was coming to him, so he asked Philip, “Where can we buy enough food to feed all

said this to test Philip; ac‑ these people?” tually he already knew what he would do.)

7 Philip answered, “For everyone to have even a little, it would take more than two hun‑ dred silver coins to buy enough bread.”

8 Another one of his disciples, Andrew, who was Simon Peter's brother, said, 9 “There is a boy here who has five loaves of barley bread and two fish. But they will certainly not be enough for all these people.”

10 “Make the people sit down,” Jesus told them. (There was a lot of grass there.) So all the people sat down; there were about five thousand men. 11 Jesus took the bread, gave thanks to God, and distributed it to the people who were sitting there. He did the same with the fish, and they all had as much as they wanted. 12 When they were all full, he said to his disciples, “Gath‑ er the pieces left over; let us not waste a bit.”

13 So they gathered them all and filled twelve baskets with the pieces left over from the five barley loaves which the people had eaten.

14 Seeing this miracle that Jesus had per‑ formed, the people there said, “Surely this is

5.44 You like to receive praise from one another. To be‑ lieve in Jesus requires humility, the recognition of our in‑ ability to be good and, therefore, of our need for a Savior.

To seek praise from others goes in the opposite direction.

Submitting to God and seeking to please him takes us out from the center of our lives, and helps us to trust in Jesus.

6.4 the Passover Festival. Celebrated during the month of April, Passover marked the beginning of the existence of the Jewish people, when through Moses, God liberated the people from slavery in Egypt. Through a sign made with the blood of a lamb (that afterward was eaten with haste in a dinner), the Israelites escaped from the plague of the death of the firstborn, which attacked all of the Egyptian families, and thus were able to get out of the country and pilgrim through the desert, until they entered the “Promised Land” of Canaan. During their pilgrimage, God sustained the people daily in the desert with manna, a type of bread pips (see more on the original Passover in Ex 12, on manna in Ex 16). Here Jesus is already preparing his listeners for what he will do on the next Passover, when he will give himself up to be crucified and killed, inaugurat‑ ing the new covenant with God through his own blood, which will also give rise to a new people of God and free them from the slavery of sin and death. See the box “Provi‑ sions for our Symbolic Necessity.”

6.5 Jesus looked around and saw… a large crowd. Jesus saw that a great multitude was coming to him, and felt in his heart that he needed to feed them. This moment rep‑ resents the symbol of his grace and mercy, for he would give himself in our favor.

6.6‑9 Philip and Andrew. Jesus was dedicating himself to teaching the disciples to believe in him, and we can already perceive differences in the levels of faith among them: faced with the problem posed by Jesus, of feed‑

ing the multitude, Philip offers a “technical response,” with eyes fixed on the size of the challenge: a silver coin was equivalent to a day laborer’s pay, so 200 silver coins would be a fortune (for a daily wage of U$50.00, 200 coins would total U$10,000.00). This left it clear that they did not have the conditions to satisfy the multitude, but Philip did not say that it could not be done. Andrew went a step further, looking for small signs of a solution; even while affirming that it would be far from sufficient, he pre‑ sented Jesus with a boy and his lunch.

6.11 gave thanks to God. Jesus always recognizes that it is the Heavenly Father who provides food. they all had as much as they wanted. Just like in the desert crossing, made by the Israelites led by Moses, God provided suf‑ ficient food for all.

6.12 let us not waste a bit. It is likely that the ecological conscience of Jesus was ahead of his times; but beyond the valuation of the food and the care taken to clean up after themselves, there was also the purpose of teaching experientially to his disciples: it is one thing to hear that ev‑ eryone was satisfied and there was still some left over; it is another thing to distribute the bread to everyone, eat like everyone else, and afterward pick up the leftover pieces, carrying our basket until it became completely full. None of the disciples ever forgot this miracle (in fact, it is the only one told in all four Gospels).

6.13 twelve baskets. Not by chance, the number of dis‑ ciples as well as the number of baskets reminds us of the twelve tribes of Israel that journeyed from Egypt to Ca‑ naan.

6.14 the Prophet who was to come into the world. This phrase indicates that the people perceived a meaning from the miracle. This is no mere “prophet,” but specifi‑ cally the prophet announced by Moses, which God would

6

(6 He

John 6 24

Provisions for our Symbolic Necessity Jesus feeds a crowd by multiplying the five barley loaves and two fish that a boy had taken for his snack (Jn 6.9‑11). This miracle made many people look for Him just because of the miracle itself, the food multiplica‑ tion, without understanding the real meaning of it. Knowing this, Jesus motivated them to go beyond the bread itself. It is here that he talks about himself as the bread coming down from heaven, superior to manna eaten in the desert. Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Those who come to me will never be hungry; those who believe in me will never be thirsty” (Jo 6.35). Thus, he creates a bond from satisfying the necessities of the body in order to reveal how to satisfy the soul of a non­‑physical, yet much more important asset: the bond of the soul with the source that keeps it alive.

On another occasion, while waiting for the disciples to bring him food, Jesus asked for water to a woman who was drawing water from a well in Samaria (Jn 4.7). She thought this uncommon request strange, since there was a strong prejudice between Jews and Samaritans (v. 9). Jesus was straightforward in his answer: “If only you knew what God gives and who it is that is asking you for a drink, you would ask him, and he would give you life­‑giving water” (v. 10). The woman kept thinking rationally by asking Jesus how he would draw water from such a deep well considering he did not have any bucket (v. 11). Again Jesus talks about a special water, not from the rain nor from the springs, but the one He wants to give us that becomes a spring of water that will give eternal life (v. 13).

In another moment, right in the middle of the Festival of Shelters, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Whoever is thirsty should come to me, and whoever believes in me should drink. As the scripture says, streams of life­‑giving wa‑ ter will pour out from his side” (7.37‑38). Jesus interprets this text by applying it to himself and to the Holy Spirit that those believed in Him would receive (v. 39). Instead of water, the Holy Spirit pours from and into our inner being.

We only exist at a profound level if we feed ourselves not only with common food which is digested in our stomachs to sustain our bodies, but also if we feed our spirit with the Word of God. This is what we call Symbolic Reality. We are beings with desires, capable of imagination and logical thoughts, which are psychic faculties. We need the best provision for the life of our souls, and only the Word of God can satisfy us us completely in terms of meaning, psychic health, and salvation. When we don’t find any meaning in what we do, or when our own lives feel empty of meaning, we know how much it is distressing and oppressive. Nothing matters — assets, posi‑ tions, what other people think, and the apparently normal of our circumstances! Nothing matters if our hearts are wilted and dry, if we don’t have dreams. Poor is the one who is deceived by the inconstancy of money, status, and success according to the media and its mundane values. These generate perverse and oppressive symbols like the pyramids of Egypt for the Israelite slaves! The scriptures have presented us radical news related to the human answers at the symbolic level: God Himself, through his Word, created and sustains the universe, comes to us, in flesh and blood, through his son, the Verb of Life, the incarnated Word (Jn 1.14); thus, he links material and symbolic realities, in order to teach us about eternal life.

Jesus Walks on the Water (Matthew 14.22‑33; Mark 6.45‑52) 16 When evening came, Jesus' disciples went

down to the lake, 17 got into a boat, and went back across the lake toward Capernaum. Night came on, and Jesus still had not come to them.

18 By then a strong wind was blowing and stir‑ ring up the water. 19 The disciples had rowed about three or four miles when they saw Jesus walking on the water, coming near the boat, and they were terrified. 20 “Don't be afraid,” Je‑

make his successor in the leadership of the people of Is‑ rael (cf. Dt 18.15‑18). Jesus takes the place that belonged to Moses, similar to Joshua (note the great similarity of their names), in order to lead God’s people to their glori‑ ous final destiny, the Promised Land.

6.15 seize him in order to make him king by force. After such a wonderful miracle, understanding that Jesus was the fulfillment of Moses’ prophecy, the automatic consequence would be to put him at the head of a liberation movement for Israel, to free them from Roman dominion. What the people had failed to understand is what Jesus would say clearly one year later, at his judgment before Pilate: “My Kingdom is not of this world” (18.36). went off again to the hills by himself. A very important element for the health of

our soul is to spend time alone with God. It is even more important after an event of great “public success,” in which the natural human tendency would be to enjoy the “celeb‑ rity life.” Time alone with God puts our life back in its place.

6.16 Jesus’ disciples went down to the lake. Mark and Matthew tell more details of this event. Here John em‑ phasizes that, while Jesus was alone, he also sends his dis‑ ciples across the lake so that they must face a journey in the darkness, against strong winds and waves. It is quite possible that they had been frustrated with Jesus’ refusal to be proclaimed King of Israel. In our discipleship with Jesus we can count on having similar experiences, where in the middle of difficulties and disappointments, we feel “in the dark” and without God’s help.

the Prophet who was to come into the world!”

15 Jesus knew that they were about to come and seize him in order to make him king by force; so he went off again to the hills by himself.

25 sus told them, “it is I!” they willingly took him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached land at the place they were head‑ ing for.

21 Then

John 6

Jesus the Bread of Life 25 When the people found Jesus on the oth‑ er side of the lake, they said to him, “Teacher, when did you get here?”

26 Jesus answered, “I am telling you the truth: you are looking for me because you ate the bread and had all you wanted, not because you understood my miracles. 27 Do not work for food that spoils; instead, work for the food that lasts for eternal life. This is the food which the Son of Man will give you, because God, the Father, has put his mark of approval on him.”

they asked him, “What can we do in

order to do what God wants us to do?”

29 Jesus answered, “What God wants you to do is to believe in the one he sent.”

30 They replied, “What miracle will you per‑ form so that we may see it and believe you?

What will you do? 31 Our ancestors ate manna in the desert, just as the scripture says, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”

32 “I am telling you the truth,” Jesus said.

“What Moses gave you was not the bread from heaven; it is my Father who gives you the real bread from heaven. 33 For the bread that God gives is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

34 “Sir,” they asked him, “give us this bread always.”

35 “I am the bread of life,” Jesus told them.

“Those who come to me will never be hungry; those who believe in me will never be thirsty.

36 Now, I told you that you have seen me but will not believe. 37 Everyone whom my Father gives me will come to me. I will never turn away any‑ one who comes to me, 38 because I have come down from heaven to do not my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39 And it is the will of him who sent me that I should not lose any of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them all to life on the last day. 40 For what my Father wants is that all who see the Son and

6.19 three or four miles. Exactly at the halfway point of their journey, where going back was no longer worthwhile. walking on the water. Are we prepared to recognize Jesus in an unexpected way? and they were terrified. Even after witnessing the multiplication of bread, the human expec‑ tation appears to always be pessimistic: we tend to imag‑ ine that it must be a ghost, or an evil attack.

6.20 it is I! The certainty of Jesus’ presence eliminates fear and overcomes all difficulties.

6.27 work for the food that lasts for eternal life. To get our daily bread is an indispensable task, since without food the body becomes debilitated, gets sick, and dies.

Jesus’ words, however, challenges us to complete our diet, and go beyond satisfying basic necessities to seeking food that nurtures soul and spirit. Jesus is the “true bread from heaven” (v. 32), the only one who can satisfy the hunger and thirst of the human heart. Only with him can we live a full, harmonious life, and enjoy eternal life now here on earth. See the box “Provisions for our Symbolic Necessity.”

6.28 What can we do? In our material life, the natural question is: “What should I do?” For eternal life, the ques‑ tion becomes, “In what should I believe?” Thus, in the new covenant with Jesus, we can rest from the obligation of doing things to earn God’s favor, and we are invited to believe in Jesus.

6.29 believe in the one he sent. The bread that God sent

to us, to give us eternal life, is his son, Jesus Christ. Believe in him, and you will live.

6.31‑32 Our ancestors ate manna in the desert. The is‑ sue here is if Jesus is of greater or lesser importance than Moses. Jesus responds clearly to their doubts in vs. 48‑51.

6.33‑35 the bread of life. Only in Jesus can we find that which we seek in our innermost being: he came to give us eternal life, sustaining us every day of our life, teaching us that “those who eat my flesh and drink my blood live in me, and I live in them” and “no one comes to the Father except through me.” He is the answer to our longings and neces‑ sities. See the box “Provisions for our Symbolic Necessity.”

6.37 I will never turn away anyone who comes to me.

However bad as your situation may be, Jesus will not re‑ ject you. If you feel a desire to draw near to Jesus, this is God’s work in your heart; follow it, for it is the way of life, and eternal life. Jesus will receive you, will be with you as you are.

6.39 the will of him who sent me. Behind all of this saving effort of Jesus Christ is the love of Father God (see note on 3.16).

6.40 I will raise them to life. Possibly Jesus is already an‑ ticipating, from his death onward, that Passover will also come to mean resurrection — and his resurrection is the guarantee of the resurrection of those who believe in him, such that our death is no longer the end of life.

The People Seek Jesus 22 Next day the crowd which had stayed on the other side of the lake realized that there had been only one boat there. They knew that Jesus had not gone in it with his disciples, but that they had left without him. 23 Other boats, which were from Tiberias, came to shore near the place where the crowd had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24 When the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor his dis‑ ciples, they got into those boats and went to Capernaum, looking for him.

28 So

John 6 26 believe in him should have eternal life. And I will raise them to life on the last day.”

41 The people started grumbling about him, because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42 So they said, “This man is Jesus son of Joseph, isn't he? We know his father and mother. How, then, does he now say he came down from heaven?”

43 Jesus answered, “Stop grumbling among yourselves. 44 People cannot come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me; and I will raise them to life on the last day. 45 The prophets wrote, ‘Everyone will be taught by God.’ Anyone who hears the Father and learns from him comes to me. 46 This does not mean that anyone has seen the Father; he who is from God is the only one who has seen the Father.

47 I am telling you the truth: he who believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your ancestors ate manna in the desert, but they died. 50 But the bread that comes down from heaven is of such a kind that whoever eats it will not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If you eat this bread, you

will live forever. The bread that I will give you is my flesh, which I give so that the world may live.”

52 This started an angry argument among them. “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” they asked.

53 Jesus said to them, “I am telling you the truth: if you do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you will not have life in yourselves. 54 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them to life on the last day. 55 For my flesh is the real food; my blood is the real drink. 56 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood live in me, and I live in them. 57 The liv‑ ing Father sent me, and because of him I live also. In the same way whoever eats me will live because of me. 58 This, then, is the bread that came down from heaven; it is not like the bread that your ancestors ate, but then later died. Those who eat this bread will live for‑ ever.”

59 Jesus said this as he taught in the syna‑ gogue in Capernaum.

6.42 son of Joseph, isn’t he? Here in the discussion with the Jews, this question shows that they refused to be‑ lieve in Jesus as God’s son and that human knowledge can serve as an obstacle to faith. On the other hand, the question confirms the social identity of Jesus. Joseph, with great dignity, exercised the role of human father to Jesus upon receiving Mary, pregnant with the one who was conceived in her by the Holy Spirit. Joseph fulfilled the sense of true paternity in recognizing, adopting, and nam‑ ing Jesus. All fathers and mothers need to accomplish, as Joseph did, the psychic adoption of their own sons and daughters, a welcoming and bond in the heart, something superior to mere biological procreation.

6.44 People cannot come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me. This is the other side of the non­‑rejection by Jesus in v. 37. At the same time in which we can come to Jesus — and this will have fulfilled God’s will — we can also not want to believe in Jesus, and in this case God will not take us.

6.47 manna…bread of life. Even great blessings such as the manna for the Israelites in the desert did not over‑ come death. The first Passover represented the “escape from death” by the blood of a lamb, and the manna in the desert sustained the earthly life of God’s people, but all of them ended up dying in the desert as a consequence of their lack of faith to enter the Promised Land. Only Christ’s death, with his body and blood offered in sacrifice — the New Passover — is capable of giving eternal life and over‑ coming death, generating resurrection. See the box “Sin and Salvation in Jesus” (Jn 3), p. ##.

6.51 bread…flesh. Jesus once again relates bread, univer‑ sal symbol of the food that sustains our earthly life, to pres‑ ent himself as the heavenly bread that will concede eternal life to those who feed themselves from him, through his

resurrection. He materially announces his death on the cross, his sacrificial death; that is, an offering for the sins of all humanity. His death has the power to suspend our condemnation to eternal death. For this reason, we cel‑ ebrate the mystery of his presence in our lives when we participate in the Lord’s Supper, which he established as a symbol of his covenant with us. He is the life which, sacrificed, returns glorified and sanctifies those who par‑ ticipate in his death and resurrection.

6.52 How can this man? The Jews were prohibited to eat meat with blood. Human flesh, then, was absolutely un‑ thinkable.

6.53 eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood.

In the context of Passover, Jesus is referring to himself as the supper lamb of the Exodus, whose blood on the doors of the Israelites’ homes freed them from the death of their firstborn sons, and whose body served as food for the flight from Egypt. Now, in the New Covenant, the blood of the Lamb of God pays for and removes totally our sins, and the body passes through our death and tri‑ umphs in resurrection. The chewing and swallowing, re‑ enacted every Lord’s Supper, are a most complete form, non­‑conceptual, of transmitting the believer’s union with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the central truth of the gospel that saves us.

6.56‑57 live in me, and I live in them. This union be‑ tween believer and Savior is the only way for us to es‑ cape death from our sins and enjoy eternal life with God (v. 68).

6.60 This teaching is too hard. More difficult to accept than to understand. Jesus, contrary to the gurus, false teachers, and false prophets, presents his teaching co‑ herently. He doesn’t seek popularity with easily accept‑ ed proposals and doesn’t act just to please the crowds.

27 The Words of Eternal Life 60 Many of his followers heard this and said, “This teaching is too hard. Who can listen to it?”

61 Without being told, Jesus knew that they were grumbling about this, so he said to them, “Does this make you want to give up? 62 Sup‑ pose, then, that you should see the Son of Man go back up to the place where he was before?

63 What gives life is God's Spirit; human power is of no use at all. The words I have spoken to you bring God's life­‑giving Spirit. 64 Yet some of you do not believe.” (Jesus knew from the very beginning who were the ones that would not believe and which one would betray him.)

65 And he added, “This is the very reason I told you that no people can come to me unless the Father makes it possible for them to do so.”

66 Because of this, many of Jesus' followers turned back and would not go with him any more. 67 So he asked the twelve disciples, “And you—would you also like to leave?”

68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. 69 And now we believe and 6.63 What gives life is God’s Spirit. The secret of life in the new covenant is the presence of the Holy Spirit in the heart of those who believe in Jesus, generating new life in the here­‑and­‑now. It is a supernatural process, at the disposition of all who believe in Jesus (1.12).

6.66‑67 many of Jesus’ followers turned back. Public suc‑ cess can be very deceiving. Jesus doesn’t try to revert the situation by changing his preaching; on the contrary, he asks his disciples if they, too, wish to leave.

6.68 Lord, to whom would we go? However disappoint‑ ed we may feel and however much we don’t understand what God does or wants, there is no other way to eternal life with God; only Jesus. Some things of this way we al‑ ready know; as for other things, it falls to us to believe, trusting in Jesus.

6.70 Yet one of you is a devil! Just as in v. 62, there may al‑ ways be something happening that we don’t know about.

The situation could be much worse (or much better), and only Jesus knows and controls everything. To us remains the invitation to always believe in him.

7.1 wanting to kill him. The difference between the way of thinking and acting of Jesus, and that of the Jewish lead‑ ers, will become more evident along the way, and several contrasts will appear in the next two chapters, with vari‑ ous moments in which the Jews try to kill Jesus. Notice that sometimes the best attitude is to flee danger and avoid threats; Jesus “knew the right time” to die (v. 6), and it wasn’t now.

7.2 Festival of the Shelters. It lasted one week, at the beginning of October, and served to remind the Jewish people that God sustained them during the 40 years that they were pilgrims, living in tents in the dry desert lands, with no guarantee of water or food, until they entered into

John 6 — 7

know that you are the Holy One who has come from God.” 70 Jesus replied, “I chose the twelve of you, didn't I? Yet one of you is a devil!” 71 He was talking about Judas, the son of Simon Iscari‑ ot. For Judas, even though he was one of the twelve disciples, was going to betray him.

Jesus and His Brothers 1 After this, Jesus traveled in Galilee; he did not want to travel in Judea, because the Jewish authorities there were wanting to kill him. 2 The time for the Festival of Shelters was near, 3 so Jesus' brothers said to him, “Leave this place and go to Judea, so that your fol‑ lowers will see the things that you are doing.

4 People don't hide what they are doing if they want to be well known. Since you are doing these things, let the whole world know about you!” (5 Not even his brothers believed in him.)

6 Jesus said to them, “The right time for me has not yet come. Any time is right for you.

7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates me, because I keep telling it that its ways are bad.

8 You go on to the festival. I am not going to

7

the Promised Land and were able to live in homes and cit‑ ies, in a privileged region. In the same manner, Jesus came to live with us (1.14), giving up all of his comfort and glory in the heavens, and lived this way, totally dependent on God during his entire ministry on earth.

7.3 so that your followers will see. Probably Jesus’ broth‑ ers wanted to reconquer the multitudes that had become disappointed and had stopped following him (6.66). In Ju‑ dea they wanted to kill him, and in Galilee many became disappointed and withdrew from him. To our human eyes, the ministry of Jesus seems to be in crisis, and the solu‑ tion proposed by his brothers would be a more aggressive “marketing action.”

7.4 if they want to be well­‑known. The best human market‑ ing strategy does not serve God’s purposes. His brothers recognized Jesus’ miracles, but saw them as an opportu‑ nity to gain fame and public importance. Jesus, however, believed that God sustained him, even in the middle of the desert, and would put up with all the difficulties.

7.5 Not even his brothers believed in him. Jesus walked in the land of faith; only God can attract true disciples (6.65), and the hour to receive glory was not now, in this human society, at that present time.

7.6 The right time for me. (Also in vs. 8,30). Jesus’ time: he did not submit to the pressure of groups or others’ agendas. Jesus exercised his discernment regarding what to do, where to do it, and with whom to do it. His person‑ ality was enriched and instructed in communion with the Father. If necessary, he stayed alone, and at other times, he followed. Thus, he acted with liberty, firmness, cour‑ age, and integrity. This is a great lesson for all of us and especially for leaders: respect the necessities, rhythm, and discernment of people, without imposing activities.

John 7 28 this festival, because the right time has not come for me.” 9 He said this and then stayed on in Galilee.

20 “You have a demon in you!” the crowd an‑ swered. “Who is trying to kill you?”

21 Jesus answered, “I performed one mira‑ cle, and you were all surprised. 22 Moses ordered you to circumcise your sons (although it was not Moses but your ancestors who started it), and so you circumcise a boy on the Sabbath. 23 If a boy is circumcised on the Sabbath so that Moses' Law is not broken, why are you angry with me because I made a man completely well on the Sabbath? 24 Stop judging by external standards, and judge by true standards.”

Jesus at the Festival of Shelters 10 After his brothers had gone to the fes‑ tival, Jesus also went; however, he did not go openly, but secretly. 11 The Jewish authorities were looking for him at the festival. “Where is he?” they asked.

12 There was much whispering about him in the crowd. “He is a good man,” some people said. “No,” others said, “he fools the people.”

13 But no one talked about him openly, because they were afraid of the Jewish authorities.

14 The festival was nearly half over when Jesus went to the Temple and began teaching.

15 The Jewish authorities were greatly surprised and said, “How does this man know so much when he has never been to school?”

16 Jesus answered, “What I teach is not my own teaching, but it comes from God, who sent me. 17 Whoever is willing to do what God wants will know whether what I teach comes from God or whether I speak on my own authority.

18 Those who speak on their own authority are trying to gain glory for themselves. But he who wants glory for the one who sent him is hon‑ est, and there is nothing false in him. 19 Moses gave you the Law, didn't he? But not one of you obeys the Law. Why are you trying to kill me?”

Is He the Messiah?

25 Some of the people of Jerusalem said, “Isn't this the man the authorities are trying to kill? 26 Look! He is talking in public, and they say nothing against him! Can it be that they really know that he is the Messiah? 27 But when the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from. And we all know where this man comes from.”

28 As Jesus taught in the Temple, he said in a loud voice, “Do you really know me and know where I am from? I have not come on my own authority. He who sent me, however, is truth‑ ful. You do not know him, 29 but I know him, because I come from him and he sent me.”

30 Then they tried to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come. 31 But many in the crowd believed in

7.7 its ways are bad. As presented by John at the begin‑ ning, Jesus always joined together love and truth. Even in attracting hatred, his love for us made him to be always true, though this came with a price: the loss of the com‑ pany of friends and brothers.

7.10 Jesus also went…secretly. We might think it strange Jesus’ sudden change of decision. In wisely administering his life until the right time came, Jesus exposed himself only at the midpoint of the festival (v. 14). Everyone knew of the climate of terror created around his name, because of the decision by the Jewish leaders to kill him (v. 13), which had been in vigor since the cure of the paralytic by the pool of Bethzatha (5.18).

7.12 he fools the people. Let’s remember that Jesus himself was not always well spoken of by everyone. Thus, it is not realistic that his followers always be well spoken of, either.

7.15 when he has never been to school. Besides the pro‑ motional actions of marketing, formal education, with its many courses and diplomas, does not in itself signify true wisdom, and may cause us to speak just “on our own.”

True wisdom comes from the Father, the only one who takes the right initiatives.

7.17 whether what I teach comes from God. It is enough to be sincere in service to God for us to have opportunity to recognize Jesus Christ as true.

7.18 trying to gain glory for themselves. Marketing and our human actions seek praise and recognition for our‑ selves. Service to God seeks praise and glory for God. 7.19 But not one of you obeys the Law. As he had al‑ ready mentioned on another occasion, no one is good, only God. Jesus knows very well that nobody is perfect.

Why are you trying to kill me? Jesus is not naive and denounces the true intentions of those who surround him.

7.20 You have a demon in you! Tension in the dialogue rises and, faced with the truth told by Jesus, the crowd reacts with insults. Even with this, Jesus continues to con‑ verse and teach the truth in a way that they can under‑ stand (vs. 22‑23).

7.24 Stop judging by external standards. Even today, when judges refuse to fairly judge injustices, it is common for them to become overly attached to technical norms and rules of procedure. So if Jesus broke the principle of resting on the Sabbath, it “doesn’t matter” if he did a good deed for a needy person or not (Jesus is referring to the cure of the paralytic at the pool of Bethzatha in 5.2‑16).

7.28‑29 He who sent me. To center our life and be able to withstand so much criticism is only possible by hav‑ ing a good relationship with the Father. Also in v. 33, Je‑ sus shows clearly that he is obeying God, and this is the agenda that matters.

29 him and said, “When the Messiah comes, will he perform more miracles than this man has?”

Guards Are Sent to Arrest Jesus 32 The Pharisees heard the crowd whisper‑ ing these things about Jesus, so they and the chief priests sent some guards to arrest him.

33 Jesus said, “I shall be with you a little while longer, and then I shall go away to him who sent me. 34 You will look for me, but you will not find me, because you cannot go where I will be.”

35 The Jewish authorities said among them‑ selves, “Where is he about to go so that we shall not find him? Will he go to the Greek cities where our people live, and teach the Greeks?

36 He says that we will look for him but will not find him, and that we cannot go where he will be. What does he mean?”

John 7

Division among the People 40 Some of the people in the crowd heard him say this and said, “This man is really the Prophet!”

41 Others said, “He is the Messiah!”

But others said, “The Messiah will not come from Galilee! 42 The scripture says that the Messiah will be a descendant of King Da‑ vid and will be born in Bethlehem, the town where David lived.” 43 So there was a division in the crowd because of Jesus. 44 Some wanted to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him.

Streams of Life­‑Giving Water 37 On the last and most important day of the festival Jesus stood up and said in a loud voice, “Whoever is thirsty should come to me, and 38 whoever believes in me should drink. As the scripture says, ‘Streams of life­‑giving wa‑ ter will pour out from his side.’ ” 39 Jesus said this about the Spirit, which those who believed in him were going to receive. At that time the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not been raised to glory.

The Unbelief of the Jewish Authorities 45 When the guards went back, the chief priests and Pharisees asked them, “Why did you not bring him?”

46 The guards answered, “Nobody has ever talked the way this man does!”

47 “Did he fool you, too?” the Pharisees asked them. 48 “Have you ever known one of the authorities or one Pharisee to believe in him?

49 This crowd does not know the Law of Moses, so they are under God's curse!”

50 One of the Pharisees there was Nicode‑ mus, the man who had gone to see Jesus be‑ fore. He said to the others, 51 “According to our Law we cannot condemn people before hearing them and finding out what they have done.”

52 “Well,” they answered, “are you also from Galilee? Study the Scriptures and you will learn that no prophet ever comes from Galilee.”

7.37 Whoever is thirsty. As the Festival of Shelters (“Tab‑ ernacles”) reminded them of the years in the desert, quenching the thirst was the primary necessity of God’s people. Seek this feeling in your soul, the lack of a true life; it will be satisfied in Jesus.

7.38 life­‑giving water. The source of true life, the Holy Spir‑ it, satisfies all our thirsts. It is the beginning to the fulfillment of the prophecy that says God will be king of all the earth, in Zc 14.8, where all the survivors will come to worship him and celebrate this Festival of Shelters (Zc 14.16). Jesus is of‑ fering an invitation to change sides; stop being his enemy, begin to believe in him, and learn to live believing that God is taking care of everything (just like in the time when the Israelites lived in tents in the desert). Whoever believers in me. This is the key to true life: believing in Jesus Christ.

7.39 the Spirit had not yet been given. This is the primary difference between living in the old and new covenant: The Holy Spirit can only come to live in the human heart after Jesus had finished his work, dying for the sins of hu‑ manity, resurrecting and returning to the Father. This had been the teaching since the beginning of John’s Gospel: it is the Holy Spirit who causes transformation into chil‑ dren of God (1.12), the new birth (3.5), the true worship (4.23). In the old covenant, the people of God made an effort to obey external laws — and were never able to do it sufficiently (v. 19). In the new covenant, instituted by

Jesus’ death, the Holy Spirit, from the inside out, makes the believer in Christ want to love God. 7.42 in Bethlehem. The people didn’t know that, although he had been brought up in Nazareth, Jesus had actually been born in Bethlehem. Jesus doesn’t reveal this fact, be‑ cause he knows that it wouldn’t make a difference: the conduction of the process of believing in him falls to Fa‑ ther God; in this “desert of faith,” it is God who provides for survival.

7.45 guards. These are Temple guards, and not Roman guards who don’t know the teachings about the Messiah of Israel. They believed in Jesus, but their superiors — the leaders of the Temple — did not.

7.48 authorities. It is so difficult for leaders to recognize that they are wrong! It is easier to offend those who think differently (v. 49) and to persist in error.

7.49 does not know the Law of Moses. Unfortunately, the Word of God is oftentimes used so as to not see God’s work that is right there in front of us.

7.52 Galilee. Once again, by latching on to a minor detail from the Scriptures, the Jewish leaders close their eyes to the evident truth that Jesus is the one sent from God. They prefer to disqualify their colleague, Nicodemus, who wished to concede an opportunity for them to hear Jesus, than to doubt their own convictions. Our convictions can blind our eyes to the truth.

John 8 30 first. Jesus was left alone, with the woman still standing there. 10 He straightened up and said to her, “Where are they? Is there no one left to condemn you?”

11 “No one, sir,” she answered.

“Well, then,” Jesus said, “I do not con‑ demn you either. Go, but do not sin again.”]

The Woman Caught in Adultery [1 Then everyone went home, but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 Early the next morning he went back to the Temple. All the people gathered around him, and he sat down and began to teach them. 3 The teach‑ ers of the Law and the Pharisees brought in a woman who had been caught committing adultery, and they made her stand before them all. 4 “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this wom‑ an was caught in the very act of committing adultery. 5 In our Law Moses commanded that such a woman must be stoned to death. Now, what do you say?” 6 They said this to trap Je‑ sus, so that they could accuse him. But he bent over and wrote on the ground with his finger.

7 As they stood there asking him questions, he straightened up and said to them, “Whichever one of you has committed no sin may throw the first stone at her.” 8 Then he bent over again and wrote on the ground. 9 When they heard this, they all left, one by one, the older ones

Jesus the Light of the World 12 Jesus spoke to the Pharisees again. “I am the light of the world,” he said. “Whoever follows me will have the light of life and will never walk in darkness.”

13 The Pharisees said to him, “Now you are testifying on your own behalf; what you say proves nothing.”

14 “No,” Jesus answered, “even though I do testify on my own behalf, what I say is true, be‑ cause I know where I came from and where I am going. You do not know where I came from or where I am going. 15 You make judgments in a purely human way; I pass judgment on

8.4 caught in the very act. There was a cruel desire in the hearts of these men to take advantage of this woman's sin to find some sort of contradiction in Jesus, for the law given by Moses was clear: the woman who was caught committing adultery should be stoned. Depending on the answer that Jesus would give them, they would have a reason to denounce him. This is the human heart, weak in understanding of the greater gift that is love.

8.5 stoned to death. In this chapter, death is spoken of sev‑ eral times: here, in v. 21 (in sins), v. 22 (killing himself), v. 28 (lifting up Jesus on the cross), v. 44 (murder), and finally in v. 59, when Jesus is threatened with being stoned to death.

8.6 wrote on the ground. They didn't understand Jesus' reason for stooping down to the ground. They had gained some time to reflect and search in their own hearts for a fair outcome; however, hardened and insensitive to love and with the purpose of “catching” Jesus, they returned to questioning what they ought to do.

8.7 Whichever one of you. Love generates respect for the life of one's neighbor, and to respect one's neighbor, it is necessary to respect oneself. If I respect myself, I look at my attitudes and don't point to the attitudes of others.

What a weight this answer brings: is it the law that will de‑ termine what must be done, or the most intimate part of my being? Was the answer what they expected? Look in‑ side their hearts? Inside their own lives? Extract from their innermost being the destiny of this woman? “Whichever one of you has committed no sin may throw the first stone at her.” No one expected to be invited to be the judge of this life based on a examination of one's inner life. For this reason, Jesus accused them of judging in a purely human way (v. 15). Note further that Jesus' invitation for each one to examine themselves is practically the same recommen‑ dation made for the Lord's Supper (1Co 11.28). Our self­ ‑awareness of being sinners in need of a Savior prevents deaths and saves lives.

8.9 they all left. One by one they exited, leaving the sin (the adulterous woman) in Jesus' presence. The oldest, who had lived longer and, therefore, knew that they also had sin, were the first to give up the responsibility for killing this woman. Jesus let her go in peace, instructing her not to sin anymore (probably that she no longer commit adultery).

8.11 I do not condemn you either. Jesus had already said that he came to save the world, not to judge and con‑ demn it (3.17). This illustrates very well the difference in purpose between the old covenant of the Law and the new covenant of Jesus: while the old covenant focused on errors, its purpose being to identify sin and make it clear that all are sinners, the new covenant aims to gener‑ ate new life, focusing on the right things, such as mercy and love.

8.12 the light of the world. It was so difficult for the Phari‑ sees to understand that the Jesus they knew was the true Messiah promised by God. Their eyes were blind to the proclaimed truths. In the same manner, is it often so dif‑ ficult for us to seek in Jesus the light of our life, the wis‑ dom for our conflicts and anguish. We walk so often in the darkness because we aren't able to believe in a total surrender of our crooked ways to someone who knows how to give us the best direction and desires for us the way of light, full of grace and wisdom. We become op‑ pressed, but we don't see the light of hope. Light gives the idea of brilliance, inspiration, understanding, liberty, and lightness in the direction of the steps to be taken. To walk in the light is to be able to decide if I want to stumble or not as I face the obstacles along the way, it is to come to my senses and to choose the way that I want to follow.

The invitation is made to all: decide if you desire to walk in light or darkness.

8.15 I pass judgment on no one. A precious, but little­ ‑publicized teaching: the acts of pointing out mistakes and assigning blame are typical of our human nature that has

8

31 no one. if I were to do so, my judgment would be true, because I am not alone in this; the Father who sent me is with me. 17 It is writ‑ ten in your Law that when two witnesses agree, what they say is true. 18 I testify on my own be‑ half, and the Father who sent me also testifies on my behalf.”

19 “Where is your father?” they asked him.

“You know neither me nor my Father,” Je‑ sus answered. “If you knew me, you would know my Father also.”

20 Jesus said all this as he taught in the Temple, in the room where the offering boxes were placed. And no one arrested him, because his hour had not come.

16 But

You Cannot Go Where I Am Going 21 Again Jesus said to them, “I will go away; you will look for me, but you will die in your sins. You cannot go where I am going.”

22 So the Jewish authorities said, “He says that we cannot go where he is going. Does this mean that he will kill himself” 23 Jesus answered, “You belong to this world here below, but I come from above. You are from this world, but I am not from this world. still not been transformed by Jesus. He is the only human who was not a slave to sin, and who is able to judge with perfection, in harmony with Father God. But, just as he taught in the presence of the adulterous woman (v. 7), the attitude that brings life to us is to look at our own sins instead of condemning the sins of others — this only brings death.

8.17 in your Law. Jesus makes clear the difference be‑ tween his teaching and the Law, between new and old covenant, between his attitude and that of the Pharisees.

8.19 you would know my Father also. Jesus is the way for us to come to know God the Father.

8.20 where the offering boxes were placed. For this rea‑ son there were certainly many guards present, but none of them arrested Jesus.

8.21,24 you will die in your sins. Eternal separation from God, hell, is a terrible thing that can happen to whoever dies without the forgiveness of sins! Thus the passion with which throughout Scripture we find warnings about sin and are called to repentance and faith in Jesus. Many people insist that there is no sin, that this concept must be purely an invention by the powerful to control large populations. Others with a more cynical attitude affirm that it is necessary to enjoy life to the fullest, and that hell, if it exists, is here on earth. Jesus came into the world to free us from the condemnation that sin carries; he died for the eternity of our existence, redeemed. See the box “Sin and Salvation in Jesus”(Jn 3), p. ##.

8.22 Does this mean that he will kill himself? Although the Jews didn't understand the deep meaning of Jesus' teaching, it still remains true that, just as his sacrifice was voluntary, what he did is not totally different from a sui‑

John 8

24 That

is why I told you that you will die in your sins. And you will die in your sins if you do not believe that ‘I Am Who I Am’.”

25 “Who are you?” they asked him.

Jesus answered, “What I have told you from the very beginning. 26 I have much to say about you, much to condemn you for. The one who sent me, however, is truthful, and I tell the world only what I have heard from him.”

27 They did not understand that Jesus was talking to them about the Father. 28 So he said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, you will know that ‘I Am Who I Am’; then you will know that I do nothing on my own authority, but I say only what the Father has instructed me to say. 29 And he who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, because I always do what pleases him.”

30 Many who heard Jesus say these things believed in him.

The Truth Will Set You Free 31 So Jesus said to those who believed in him, “If you obey my teaching, you are really my disciples; 32 you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” cide. At least we can be sure that Jesus understood very well the agonies through which a suicidal person passes.

8.23 You belong to this world here below, but I am from above. Eternal life is not obtained by obeying laws, but only through a new birth of divine origin (3.3) from a new covenant made on the cross (v. 28). It is not a matter of more effort, comprehension, or seriousness: it is neces‑ sary to be “from the Father's world” and not of this world (13.1), something that obedience to the Law is unable to produce. Only faith in Jesus can generate this new birth (v. 24; 1.12).

8.24 if you do not believe. The greatest sin, since the be‑ ginning of humanity, is to not believe in God. Since the coming of Jesus, it is to not believe that he is the Son of God, sent to save people from punishment for their sins.

8.28 When you lift up the Son of Man. This refers to Jesus being nailed to and put up on a cross: Jesus already knew how he would die. Knowledge of Father God and of his mission on earth made this very clear to him.

8.29 I always do what pleases him. Jesus was the only human who did not sin. Different from Adam, he resisted temptations, and only because of this was able to die for sinners. And the Father was always at his side.

8.31 If you obey my teaching. More than just an agree‑ ment, it is to continue following Jesus' teachings that iden‑ tifies who are the true disciples.

8.32 the truth will set you free. In a profound sense, this truth appears fully in Jesus himself (14.6). Thus, truth is about a person, a personal relationship with God, more than an intellectual concept. Until now the Jews had only agreed with what he had just said, but still didn't recognize the fact that Jesus was the truth in person. In a more gen‑

John 8 32 33 “We are the descendants of Abraham,” they answered, “and we have never been any‑ body's slaves. What do you mean, then, by say‑ ing, ‘You will be free’?”

34 Jesus said to them, “I am telling you the truth: everyone who sins is a slave of sin. 35 A slave does not belong to a family permanently, but a son belongs there forever. 36 If the Son sets you free, then you will be really free. 37 I know you are Abraham's descendants. Yet you are trying to kill me, because you will not ac‑ cept my teaching. 38 I talk about what my Fa‑ ther has shown me, but you do what your father has told you.”

39 They answered him, “Our father is Abra‑ ham.”

“If you really were Abraham's children,” Jesus replied, “you would do the same things that he did. 40 All I have ever done is to tell you the truth I heard from God, yet you are trying to kill me. Abraham did nothing like this! 41 You are doing what your father did.”

“God himself is the only Father we have,” they answered, “and we are his true children.”

42 Jesus said to them, “If God really were

your Father, you would love me, because I came from God and now I am here. I did not come on my own authority, but he sent me. 43 Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to listen to my message. 44 You are the children of your father, the Devil, and you want to follow your father's desires. From the very beginning he was a murderer and has never been on the side of truth, because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he is only doing what is natural to him, because he is a liar and the father of all lies. 45 But I tell the truth, and that is why you do not believe me. 46 Which one of you can prove that I am guilty of sin? If I tell the truth, then why do you not believe me? 47 He who comes from God listens to God's words. You, however, are not from God, and that is why you will not listen.”

eral sense, this is also a very therapeutic principle: without truth there is no liberation, not of addictions or sins, nor of relationship problems. And this goes especially for the truth about our own faults and sins (cf. 4.17‑18): without this sincere self­‑critique we will be eternal prisoners of a self­‑deception (1Jo 1.8), losing good years of life wanting to sustain false images about ourselves. The way forward is to join the two senses: our faults, brought humbly to the light of Jesus Christ. This is true worship (4.23).

8.34 everyone who sins is a slave of sin. With this phrase, Jesus summarizes the situation of absolutely every human being: we are all slaves, sinners since birth, just as the sons and daughters of slaves are already born in this condition.

See the box “Sin and Salvation in Jesus”(Jn 3), p. ##.

8.35 slave…son. Jesus is teaching the fundamental dif‑ ference of attitude between the old covenant of law and the new covenant (of Jesus' death): slaves do everything possible to please their master, are rewarded or punished according to their deeds, and do not have guaranteed participation in the family. The sons have this right, inde‑ pendently of what they do or do not do. Compare the teaching of Paul on this matter, in Rm 8.14‑16.

8.36 If the Son sets you free. The truth is that Jesus, as the only Son of God, is the only one who can free us from the slavery of sin (v. 34) and bring us into God's family (1.12).

8.37 you are trying to kill me. Just as in the case of the adulterous woman (v. 5), the human interest in judging, condemning, and killing does not come from God, but from the devil (v. 44). Besides this, the difference between the two situations is that Jesus did not sin (v. 46). See the box “The Biology of Resurrection and the Search for Death” (Jn 12), p. ##.

8.38 you do what your father has told you. Children al‑

ways learn from what their father and mother do (and not what they say). Although they were descendants of Abra‑ ham (v. 37), these Jews were acting like the devil, trying to kill Jesus (v. 44). Just as in v. 23, it is a matter of origin.

8.44 children of your father, the Devil. Earlier they want‑ ed to kill the woman (v. 5); now they want to kill Jesus. the father of all lies. Lie and truth are opposites. To tell the truth is a show of confidence for whoever hears it. When one person lies to another person close to them, they im‑ mediately create a separation, a distancing between them, leading to hurt and pain. In work, social, and especially family relationships, verbalizations must be true, for these lead to a relationship of transparency and confidence.

Since the creator of lies is the Devil, he is also the father of discord and lover of misdirection among people. For the Devil, the more discord that exists among human beings, the more it fulfills his objectives. This was clearly unmasked with the words of Christ to those Jews who said they were free and sons of Abraham, but in their hearts were homi‑ cidal; their hearts were full of hate and falsity. The lie alien‑ ates and separates people; life is only good to be shared in an ample climate of mutual trust. A couple, when they decide to begin a conjugal relationship, need to do so by building on the truth. The truth must be the sustaining pil‑ lar in the primary sharing of life together and later taught to the children, lived intensely in the day­‑to­‑day home life, because the purest and most convincing learning takes place through the parents' example. The lie in the life of a couple produces sadness, suffering, and pain, and in some cases is the primary reason behind separations. In work and social relationships, the lie only brings distrust and confusion. Only through the proclaimed truth can one ob‑ tain the liberation from afflictions and human sufferings.

Jesus and Abraham 48 They asked Jesus, “Were we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a de‑ mon in you?”

49 “I have no demon,” Jesus answered. “I honor my Father, but you dishonor me. 50 I am

33 not seeking honor for myself. But there is one who is seeking it and who judges in my favor.

51 I am telling you the truth: whoever obeys my teaching will never die.”

52 They said to him, “Now we know for sure that you have a demon! Abraham died, and the prophets died, yet you say that whoever obeys your teaching will never die. 53 Our father Abra‑ ham died; you do not claim to be greater than Abraham, do you? And the prophets also died.

Who do you think you are?”

54 Jesus answered, “If I were to honor my‑ self, that honor would be worth nothing. The one who honors me is my Father—the very one you say is your God. 55 You have never known him, but I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know him, and I obey his word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced that he was to see the time of my coming; he saw it and was glad.”

57 They said to him, “You are not even fifty years old—and you have seen Abraham?”

8.51 will never die. Here is a beautiful truth: to follow what Jesus teaches and believe in him frees us from death.

8.58 I Am. The name that indicates the eternity and divin‑ ity of Jesus, who always existed, far before his birth as a human being in Bethlehem (cf. 1.1). Equivalent to Jehovah in the Old Testament and, for this reason, the Jews, the same ones who had just recently “believed” (v. 31), de‑ cided to stone Jesus (v. 59).

8.59 hid himself and left. The fact of Jesus being God, being the truth and source of life, does not exclude the wisdom and sensibility which, as a human, he also needed to protect and take care of himself. In other moments, per‑ haps when this was not possible, the protection of God becomes more visible (like in 8.20).

9.1 who had been born blind. Some evils are conse‑ quences of our recklessness or mistakes. Others, how‑ ever, absolutely do not depend on us. In this chapter, according to v. 39, John presents the contrast between the attitude of the man born blind, but who is able to see who Jesus really is (v. 33), and the attitude of the leaders of God's people, who affirmed to see and know every‑ thing, but didn't see that Jesus is the one sent from God (vs. 34,41; also 7.49). As we learn from this discussion, we have a great example of how to resolve the problem of sin, in order not to “die without forgiveness of sins” (8.24): everything revolves around recognizing and be‑ lieving in who Jesus is. See the box “Sin and Salvation in Jesus” (Jn 3), p. ##.

9.2 whose sin. Here we come face to face with a clear purpose of the disciples, in search of a guilty party for the disease. This also happens with some religious persons of our days who, due to theological ignorance, see the sick and the sickness and attribute guilt as a result of some sinful act by the sick, serving only to increase guilty feel‑ ings by the sick one. The feeling of guilt is a cause of pain, suffering, fear, anguish, low self­‑esteem, depression, and

John 8 — 9 58 “I

am telling you the truth,” Jesus re‑

plied. “Before Abraham was born, ‘I Am’.”

59 Then they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and left the Temple.

Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind 1 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been born blind. 2 His disciples asked him, “Teacher, whose sin caused him to be born blind? Was it his own or his parents' sin?”

3 Jesus answered, “His blindness has noth‑ ing to do with his sins or his parents' sins. He is blind so that God's power might be seen at work in him. 4 As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me; night is com‑ ing when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light for the world.”

6 After he said this, Jesus spat on the ground and made some mud with the spittle; he rubbed the mud on the man's eyes 7 and told him, “Go and wash your face in the Pool

9

other bad things, even leading in extreme cases to suicidal desire. Jesus clearly negates the logical and direct relation‑ ship between sin and sickness. The disciples' question, “Who sinned?” is a generalization of Ex 34.7 which, in turn, recalls Ex. 20.5, in which the “consequences of sin” are indicated for their descendants. The Pharisees also thought like this (v. 34). When a person “victimized” by suffering asks “Why me? What did I do?” it presupposes the presence of this idea.

9.3 God's power. Here the Master teaches that the Old Testament position regarding this topic should not be read literally. The old text was true, but was partially true; it did not comprise the entire truth. The mercy, glory, and power of God are also truths that have to do with human suffering. This kind of spiritual myopia makes us incapable of seeing a larger context, forcing us to think only about what is contained in the text in front of our eyes. Jesus’ entire ministry took place in order to cure this psychologi‑ cal disease; such a cure that occurs by believing in him and accepting him.

9.7 in the Pool of Siloam. (This name means sent). It is not by chance that John explains the meaning of this name here. The cure of the blind man by washing in the water “of the one who was sent” signifies strongly, as an orientation for our faith, that Jesus didn’t decide on his own to begin preaching, but was expressly sent by God to do what he is doing and speak what he is speaking.

Believe that Jesus was sent by God, and your eyes will also be opened. This is the way to avoid death without the forgiveness of sins (8.24); to be set free from the slavery of sin (8.32,34). washed his face, and came back seeing.

The blindness was a physical fact, and the cure was as well. He paid attention, obeyed Jesus, and began to see that very day. Spiritual, psychological, moral, and intellec‑ tual blindness also exist. Any one of these can be treated

by Jesus.

John 9 34 of Siloam.” (This name means “Sent.”) So the man went, washed his face, and came back seeing.

8 His neighbors, then, and the people who had seen him begging before this, asked, “Isn't this the man who used to sit and beg?”

9 Some said, “He is the one,” but others said, “No he isn't; he just looks like him.”

So the man himself said, “I am the man.”

10 “How is it that you can now see?” they asked him.

11 He answered, “The man called Jesus made some mud, rubbed it on my eyes, and told me to go to Siloam and wash my face. So I went, and as soon as I washed, I could see.”

12 “Where is he?” they asked.

“I don't know,” he answered.

The Pharisees Investigate the Healing 13 Then they took to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. 14 The day that Jesus made the mud and cured him of his blindness was a Sabbath. 15 The Pharisees, then, asked the man again how he had received his sight.

He told them, “He put some mud on my eyes; I washed my face, and now I can see.”

16 Some of the Pharisees said, “The man who did this cannot be from God, for he does not obey the Sabbath law.”

Others, however, said, “How could a man who is a sinner perform such miracles as these?” And there was a division among them.

17 So the Pharisees asked the man once more, “You say he cured you of your blind‑ ness—well, what do you say about him?”

“He is a prophet,” the man answered.

18 The Jewish authorities, however, were not willing to believe that he had been blind and could now see, until they called his parents 19 and asked them, “Is this your son? You say

that he was born blind; how is it, then, that he can now see?”

20 His parents answered, “We know that he is our son, and we know that he was born blind.

21 But we do not know how it is that he is now able to see, nor do we know who cured him of his blindness. Ask him; he is old enough, and he can answer for himself” 22 His parents said this be‑ cause they were afraid of the Jewish authorities, who had already agreed that anyone who said he believed that Jesus was the Messiah would be expelled from the synagogue. 23 That is why his parents said, “He is old enough; ask him!”

24 A second time they called back the man who had been born blind, and said to him, “Promise before God that you will tell the truth! We know that this man who cured you is a sinner.”

25 “I do not know if he is a sinner or not,” the man replied. “One thing I do know: I was blind, and now I see.”

26 “What did he do to you?” they asked.

“How did he cure you of your blindness?”

27 “I have already told you,” he answered, “and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Maybe you, too, would like to be his disciples?”

28 They insulted him and said, “You are that fellow's disciple; but we are Moses' disciples.

29 We know that God spoke to Moses; as for that fellow, however, we do not even know where he comes from!”

30 The man answered, “What a strange thing that is! You do not know where he comes from, but he cured me of my blindness! 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners; he does listen to people who respect him and do what he wants them to do. 32 Since the beginning of the world nobody has ever heard of anyone giv‑ ing sight to a person born blind. 33 Unless this

9.9 I am the man. The force of grace that produces life disarms the action of sin that leads to death. The man was blind not because of his sins or those of his parents, but so that the glory of God might be shown through this double therapeutic action. The man blind from birth, after being healed, no longer sat solitary along the side of the road, begging for spare change; soon he was transformed into an unabashed preacher of God's truth. From that moment forward, nothing would deter him in his purpose to testify of the wonders he experienced. Some who passed that way thought that it was another person who looked like him, but he courageously spoke up saying, “I am the man.”

9.16 there was a division among them. Those who inter‑ rogated the healed man and his parents, to investigate the circumstances and details of the healing, deep down did

not want to admit that this healing would make them think of the hoped­‑for Messiah. On one hand, they couldn't deny that the healing took place and that this was an in‑ credible event (v. 16). On the other hand, they couldn't surrender by giving Jesus all the credit. If they did, they would be accepting him as the Messiah, something that they absolutely did not want to do. This attitude demon‑ strates a psychological state of insecurity and fear. They couldn't conceive of any change in their situation. They even called Jesus a “sinner” (v. 24), in a clear mechanism of projection. For this reason, nervously, they hurried to “do something about it.” This “something” was to latch onto the Sabbath rule and cast aside Jesus as being from God, and throw the man out of the synagogue (v. 34). It was the easiest and most “convenient” thing to do.

35 man came from God, he would not be able to do a thing.”

34 They answered, “You were born and brought up in sin—and you are trying to teach us?” And they expelled him from the synagogue.

Spiritual Blindness 35 When Jesus heard what had happened, he found the man and asked him, “Do you be‑ lieve in the Son of Man?” 36 The man answered, “Tell me who he is, sir, so that I can believe in him!”

37 Jesus said to him, “You have already seen him, and he is the one who is talking with you now.”

38 “I believe, Lord!” the man said, and knelt down before Jesus.

39 Jesus said, “I came to this world to judge, 9.33 came from God. This was the meaning of the name of the pool indicated by Jesus for the blind man to go wash himself (9.7, note). As the one sent from God, Jesus is in fact the light of the world, not opening the eyes only of those who don't wish to see.

9.38 I believe, Lord! So that the healing would have both the physical and spiritual dimension, neatly contextualized in this chapter, the ex­‑blind man needed to confess his faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, which happened by occa‑ sion of his first visual encounter with Jesus. and knelt down.

With this gesture of reverence and worship, the double therapeutic action was complete upon recognizing Jesus Christ as his Savior and God; the one who was healed from his physical blindness begins to also see celestial things.

9.39 to judge. Now that his ministry approaches its end, the contrasts become clearer and the consequences of our attitude toward Jesus are sharp and drastic: salvation or condemnation, blindness or light.

9.41 you would not be guilty. Literally, “your sin remains.”

Jesus shows them, through a game of fine irony, that they were, in fact, guilty, although they didn't perceive it. Here, precisely, is their blindness, the true and worst blindness. The ex­‑blind man recognizes Jesus as the Son of Man and believed in him just as Jesus revealed himself to him (vs. 36‑38). He leaves the scene seeing double: he receives physical vision, which he never had, and saw/ recognized the Son of Man/Messiah in Jesus. In his soul a feeling of enormous joy wells up because of his newfound sight, and a feeling of peace, which he certainly had never felt before in his life. See v. 1, note.

10.1 I am telling you the truth. The theologian Joachim Jeremias clarifies that this is one of the exclusive expres‑ sions of Jesus, for it is not found in any other writing, of any author, in any time period. Therefore, Jesus wanted to give this figure of speech, in this chapter, a character of absolute commitment to his “word of honor.” He want‑ ed to create an atmosphere of trust. This is of enormous psychological­‑emotional value, for children or adults. Hu‑ man beings need an atmosphere of trust in order to have assertiveness, creativity, and an innovative spirit. Without trust, human beings are insecure, indecisive, fearful, be‑

John 9 — 10

so that the blind should see and those who see should become blind.”

40 Some Pharisees who were there with him heard him say this and asked him, “Surely you don't mean that we are blind, too?”

41 Jesus answered, “If you were blind, then you would not be guilty; but since you claim that you can see, this means that you are still guilty.”

The Parable of the Shepherd 1 Jesus said, “I am telling you the truth: the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The man who goes in through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The ga‑ tekeeper opens the gate for him; the sheep hear his voice as he calls his own sheep by name, and he leads them out. 4 When he has brought them

10

coming dependent on defense mechanisms — an open door for neurotic disorders. Jesus is the therapist and his word is therapeutic, for it brings us the trust that comes from God, from where he himself came.

10.1 sheep pen. The pen allowed several flocks to spend the night secure, surrounded by walls, with a gate con‑ trolled by the gatekeeper. Each shepherd called his sheep, which followed him. enter through the gate. Jesus is the incarnation of justice, in terms of righteousness, rightness, stability, and veracity. He presents himself, once again, as the Messiah in whom we can trust, assuring us that he knows and obeys the Father and, thus, can enter through the “Lord's gate,” which could be a reference to Ps 118.19‑20. Seen from another angle, reinforced by v. 13, it means that Jesus did not use intimidating strategies or rhetorical resources to enter into the hearts and minds of people. He enters through the gate; that is, he openly awakens positive feelings and respects the intelligence of his listeners. His true followers also act in this manner. But those who make use of terrorizing messages and tortur‑ ous strategies exploiting the fears and weaknesses of peo‑ ple do not enter through the gate; they are thieves, and are banned. thief. The differences are becoming clearer: just as those who seek to kill Jesus are at the service of the Devil (8.43‑44), the leader who only seeks profit for himself is not a shepherd, but a sheep thief.

10.2 is the shepherd of the sheep. The word “shepherd” is an integral part of Middle Eastern culture and transmits the notion of “caregiver,” “protector,” and “provider,” em‑ phasizing his care in his way of being, as someone who serves and gives, from himself, of his whole person, and not just his good actions. All of this and everything else that Jesus says on the topic refers to himself and his rela‑ tionship with us. This is the style that he impresses on his attitudes, his disposition of soul with us; this is Jesus' psy‑ chological profile. Observe the representation of a tran‑ quil and predictable lifestyle, based on knowledge and mutual love between shepherd and sheep.

10.3 the sheep hear his voice as he calls his own sheep by name. The passage suggests that God implanted in the deepest part of every human being the capacity to recog‑

John 10 36 out, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they know his voice. 5 They will not follow someone else; instead, they will run away from such a person, because they do not know his voice.”

6 Jesus told them this parable, but they did not understand what he meant.

Jesus the Good Shepherd 7 So Jesus said again, “I am telling you the truth: I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All others

who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the gate. Those who come in by me will be saved; they will come in and go out and find pasture.

10 The thief comes only in order to steal, kill, and destroy. I have come in order that you might have life—life in all its fullness.

11 “I am the good shepherd, who is willing to die for the sheep. 12 When the hired man, who is not a shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees a wolf coming, he leaves the sheep

nize the voice of the “good shepherd,” and to distinguish it from the voice of those who just want to take advantage of those they lead. It is likely that two distinct aspects act together toward this recognition: an intuitive aspect, sub‑ consciously, based on feelings, and a rational aspect, that allows us develop wisdom and prudence.

10.4 the sheep follow him. The true shepherd “enters through the front gate” (v. 1), is known by the sheep, speaks with them and they understand his language. He calls the sheep outside the pen, to care for them, in order to feed them, satisfy their thirst, and dress their wounds.

This is the profile of the true shepherd which, walking in front, pastures the flock in an affectionate manner and has a good rapport with the sheep, conversing with them and speaking the language that they understand; thus the sheep hear and obey him.

10.5 someone else. The thief is not known and, being a stranger, the sheep don't obey his voice and flee in fear into the fields, exposing themselves to all sorts of dangers; some die and others become frightened, desperate and wander off, like “lost sheep.”

10.6 they did not understand. Even the perfect Master is not always understood. But Jesus did not give up and added other examples (v. 7).

10.7 the gate. In this passage he presents himself as the gate of the pen. The gate is the principal passageway, where the sheep enter and exit the pen. In this image we can see two functions: One is that of being open — Je‑ sus is the open gate for the sheep to go out in search of food and water, and to come back in for their nightly rest.

Day­‑to­‑day, the sheep count on the fact that this door will always be open and receptive to the coming and going of the flock, receptive to their individual necessities. In a world in which comprehension and dialogue are increas‑ ingly scarce, human beings — hungering for solidarity, fam‑ ished for a friendly gesture, squeezed with the necessity for answers to their spiritual and emotional problems — will feel relieved if they find a gate through which they can go out and find sustenance. A good example for Chris‑ tians: being always open to help their fellow human be‑ ings with their many needs.

10.9 will be saved. Another function of the gate is to protect, guaranteeing tranquil nights for the sheep, free‑ ing them from the danger of wild dogs, wolves, and evil men. Once again Jesus Christ uses this figure of speech in a welcoming and protecting manner. Just like doors to a house guard and protect its dwellers from the devastat‑ ing actions of evil men and wild animals, the sheep pen is safe under the protection and shelter of the main gate.

Jesus presents himself as the gate that guides and protects

his own. In this comparison there is also an invitation for an individual movement on our part, toward salvation: to decide to enter through the gate that is Jesus. See the box “Sin and Salvation in Jesus,”(Jn 3), p. ##. come in and go out. Look at the freedom of life to which Jesus allures, which certainly frightened and angered the leaders of the people, responsible for law and order.

10.10 in order that you might have life. Contrary to the thief, who takes life, Jesus came to give life. Jesus invites us, challenges us, inspires us, and equips us to live a form of life that is full, complete, and abundant. What this in‑ volves doesn't have to do with the circumstances in which we live, but with the profound transformation of our inner‑ most being. Instead of conforming ourselves to being eter‑ nal “victims of thieves,” renouncing thinking for ourselves, making ourselves deaf to what God proposes for us, not allowing compassion to govern our vision of others, we are invited to believe in the free offer of Jesus, the one sent from God to be our shepherd.

10.11 I am the good shepherd. Drawing on biblical lan‑ guage, Jesus uses the metaphor of the shepherd, which is based on pastoral activity, on animals being raised in the field. The word “good” here does not just mean “nice”; it means “true,” “capable,” “confident”; the meaning might be the grand shepherd, an exemplar of perfection. The word recalls God at creation, numerous times referring to what he made as being “good” and “very good” (Gn 1).

For Jesus, presenting himself as the “good shepherd” is all of this together: a proper, adequate, opportune shep‑ herd, who fulfills his duties very well. Jesus possesses the characteristics of a true shepherd, for he fulfills the four pastoral functions constant in the Old Testament: guide (walking ahead of the animals), provider (food, pasture, and water), defender and guard (salvation and liberation), and cares affectionately for the flock (covenant). to die. It is inevitable that we associate this phrase here with Jesus' death for us. But let us also remember that, in all that he did, Jesus had a personal deliberation, a specific attitude, a determination. He was not a mere “victim of a scheme.”

The good shepherd marched resolutely to the conclusion of his mission. In v. 17 he says that the Father loves him precisely because of this determination, or deliberation, of his free and autonomous attitude. This autonomy, how‑ ever, did not prevent him from having solidarity with his Father, unifying his will to his. Undoubtedly a grand and beautiful mystery!

10.12 hired man. With this image, Jesus returns to present‑ ing two contrasting personalities: the good shepherd, who would rather die than see the sheep die, and the profiteer hired man who, like a mercenary, works only for money and

37

John 10 19 Again

and runs away; so the wolf snatches the sheep and scatters them. 13 The hired man runs away because he is only a hired man and does not care about the sheep. 14-15 I am the good shep‑ herd. As the Father knows me and I know the Father, in the same way I know my sheep and they know me. And I am willing to die for them.

16 There are other sheep which belong to me that are not in this sheep pen. I must bring them, too; they will listen to my voice, and they will become one flock with one shepherd.

17 “The Father loves me because I am will‑ ing to give up my life, in order that I may re‑ ceive it back again. 18 No one takes my life away from me. I give it up of my own free will. I have the right to give it up, and I have the right to take it back. This is what my Father has com‑ manded me to do.”

there was a division among the

people because of these words. 20 Many of them were saying, “He has a demon! He is crazy! Why do you listen to him?”

21 But others were saying, “A man with a demon could not talk like this! How could a demon give sight to blind people?”

doesn't care about the death of a sheep. The primary mis‑ sion of the good shepherd is to take care of the sheep and do his best to make sure that none of them perish, as well as feeding them, treating their wounds, and keeping them safe from the action of predators. The greatest demonstra‑ tion of good pastors today is expressed in the infinite love that they have for their flock, and there are also lay people who dedicate themselves to serving others, drawing on this example of Jesus. But in our current world, dominated by the Money god, Christians suffer attacks from Money's vo‑ racious worshipers, false pastors, and true thieves.

10.13 for money. The profiteer employee is greedy, ego‑ tistic, selfish, seeking only to make a profit from the sheep, and negligent in his care for them because he only cares about himself and his money. The hired man looks after his own interests, and gets rich off the flock.

10.14 good. See v. 11, note.

10.16 other sheep. Even while fulfilling his mission to an‑ nounce the gospel to the “sheep of Israel,” Jesus is aware that the non­‑Jews will also be reached; despite the old covenant being an object of separation and “decontami‑ nation,” in the new covenant all will be united into the same people. These “other sheep” needed him and per‑ ceived it. They certainly would accept him, and he would not miss this opportunity. To leave them lost, leave them behind…never! He would seek them — and he is doing this even today, through us, or in spite of us. By the way, how much acceptance do we have for “other” groups?

10.17 give up my life. See v. 11, note.

10.19 there was a division among the people. It is always like this: the people will divide between those who believe and those who don't believe; those who accept and those who reject. Jesus was not a unanimous choice, unfortu‑ nately. Those who hear Jesus only with their logical mind will reject him, just as those people did, because their logic is that he doesn't have authority to say what he says.

The assumption was that “only the Messiah would talk like that, so this guy can't be the Messiah, there's just no way!”

Even today, psychologically, we can comprehend this. The problem is that they didn't hear Jesus with their heart; they didn't hear him from the perspective of their necessi‑

ties and sufferings, but only from the perspective of their “reasons.” It is only possible to accept Jesus against the evidences of logic. The “reasons of the heart,” of which Blaise Pascal spoke, are what open our ears. Instead of “arguing,” we should be “considering.” Instead of focusing on what we agree or don't agree with Jesus, we should focus on what and why we need Jesus. So our reasons can make us pull away from Jesus; however, our spiritual and psychological necessities push us toward him!

10.20 demon. They thought this escape would be easy.

Once again the projection mechanism was in action: their inner demons couldn't tolerate the health in Jesus' words.

So they attacked him with these obviously frivolous ac‑ cusations. Once again, logic excluded the possibility that Jesus could talk as he talked. Others thought exactly the opposite (v. 21). The main point was that Jesus was doing things worthy of the Messiah, but they didn't want to ad‑ mit that Jesus was the man.

10.22 Festival of the Dedication of the Temple. Also called Hanukkah or the Festival of Lights, it took place in mid­‑December, and celebrated the reconstruction of the Temple and the dedication to God of its altar, in 165 B.C., by the liberator Judas Maccabeus. This Judas freed the Jewish nation from slavery imposed by the generals who succeeded Alexander the Great. With several impressive military victories, he established Israel's political indepen‑ dence, allowing the people to go back to worshiping God and observing the Law, which had been prohibited and persecuted. Certainly Judas Maccabeus, the hero of this festival, was the type of messiah that the Jewish leaders and people expected to militarily lead the nation, this time against Roman dominion. With this perspective of force, political power, and nationalism, the Jews continued blind to the Son of God, who presented himself as an inoffen‑ sive shepherd of sheep, looking towards the liberation from another, deeper slavery: that of sin. Jesus spoke, but most of the Jews didn't hear his voice.

10.24‑25 Tell us the plain truth. It is one thing to say, another thing to believe. Whoever doesn't want to believe in Jesus will always find a motive not to follow him. The deeds…speak. Jesus didn't need to convince with words.

Jesus Is Rejected 22 It was winter, and the Festival of the Dedication of the Temple was being celebrated in Jerusalem. 23 Jesus was walking in Solomon's Porch in the Temple, 24 when the people gath‑ ered around him and asked, “How long are you going to keep us in suspense? Tell us the plain truth: are you the Messiah?”

25 Jesus answered, “I have already told you, but you would not believe me. The deeds I do

John 10 — 11 38 by my Father's authority speak on my behalf; 26 but you will not believe, for you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eter‑ nal life, and they shall never die. No one can snatch them away from me. 29 What my Father has given me is greater than everything, and no one can snatch them away from the Father's care. 30 The Father and I are one.”

31 Then the people again picked up stones to throw at him. 32 Jesus said to them, “I have done many good deeds in your presence which the Father gave me to do; for which one of these do you want to stone me?”

33 They answered, “We do not want to stone you because of any good deeds, but because of your blasphemy! You are only a man, but you are trying to make yourself God!” 34 Jesus answered, “It is written in your own Law that God said, ‘You are gods.’ 35 We know that what the scripture says is true for‑ ever; and God called those people gods, the people to whom his message was given. 36 As for me, the Father chose me and sent me into the world. How, then, can you say that I blas‑ pheme because I said that I am the Son of God? 37 Do not believe me, then, if I am not doing the In the previous chapter, lack of faith in Jesus was treated as blindness. Now it is being treated as a kind of deafness.

10.26 you will not believe, for you are not my sheep. It is not Jesus that they want to follow, but a leader like Judas Maccabeus, who rejected the passivity and docility of the sheep in favor of more aggressive behavior, more like the wolves (see 10.22, note). God, and not human beings, is who directs all actions. He sent Jesus to be the hero of the campaign of eternal liberation and salvation, in which all actions are done by the Father's power.

10.27 My sheep listen to my voice. The Good Shepherd shows us the relationship between the true shepherd and his flock: between them exists a deep communion, be‑ ing that each animal knows his voice, and the shepherd knows their names. As he snaps his tongue, the shepherd emits a unique sound that the animal knows. Thus, this passage on the Good Shepherd encourages us to know the One who knows us (see vs. 3‑4,16).

10.28‑29 No one can snatch them away from me. The security of the person who believes in Jesus is guaran‑ teed by the Lord himself, and by the supreme power and love of Father God. It is as simple as being a sheep and trusting totally in the good shepherd, Jesus. The enemies are confronted by the shepherd — the sheep depend only upon him.

10.30 I and the Father are one. Jesus is God. Completely man, completely God. Both in that time and today, this truth causes enormous difficulties, but it is real.

10.31 stones to throw at him. Religious militants, both in that time and today, can make devoted persons become blind and deaf to the very presence of God. Jesus also pre‑

things my Father wants me to do. 38 But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, you should at least believe my deeds, in order that you may know once and for all that the Father is in me and that I am in the Father.”

39 Once more they tried to seize Jesus, but he slipped out of their hands.

40 Jesus then went back again across the Jordan River to the place where John had been baptizing, and he stayed there. 41 Many people came to him. “John performed no miracles,” they said, “but everything he said about this man was true.” 42 And many people there be‑ lieved in him.

The Death of Lazarus A man named Lazarus, who lived in Bethany, became sick. Bethany was the town where Mary and her sister Martha lived.

(2 This Mary was the one who poured the perfu‑ me on the Lord's feet and wiped them with her hair; it was her brother Lazarus who was sick.)

3 The sisters sent Jesus a message: “Lord, your dear friend is sick.”

4 When Jesus heard it, he said, “The final result of this sickness will not be the death of Lazarus; this has happened in order to bring

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pared his disciples to suffer these attacks of hatred (16.2).

Now, however, was the time for confrontation, speaking in such a way that the militants heard him: biblical verses (v. 34‑35).

10.40 back again across to the Jordan River. Once again, Jesus decides that it is time to withdraw; there were still people who would receive him and believe in him (v. 42), and the time to be crucified had not yet come. A few months before he died, Jesus returns to the place where he was baptized by John, around three years earlier, and was presented as the “Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world” (see 1.29), a more appropriate image for the sheep of this chapter.

10.41‑42 Many people came to him. Not all the Jews rejected following a Messiah that presented himself as a Lamb, and not as a military leader; for these, the “sheep's gate” to salvation was open (v. 9, note), and the truth set them free.

11.1 became sick. Sickness is a universal human experi‑ ence. It even hit Jesus' friends — those whom he loved (v. 3). It is a traumatic experience for the whole family.

Sickness puts us in contact with our finitude and fragility.

From Jesus' perspective, however, sickness could have a higher purpose: to serve the glory of God (v. 4). Mary, Martha and Lazarus. Three siblings who became very close friends of Jesus (v. 5). Their first meeting with him is told by Luke (Lk 10.38‑42).

11.2 who poured the perfume on the Lord's feet. John will describe this event in the next chapter (12.2‑4).

11.4 will not be the death. There are sicknesses that bring death; but this one had the purpose of preparing the dis‑

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glory to God, and it will be the means by which the Son of God will receive glory.”

5 Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 Yet when he received the news that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was for two more days. 7 Then he said to the disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”

8 “Teacher,” the disciples answered, “just a short time ago the people there wanted to stone you; and are you planning to go back?”

9 Jesus said, “A day has twelve hours, doesn't it? So those who walk in broad daylight do not stumble, for they see the light of this world.

10 But if they walk during the night they stum‑ ble, because they have no light.” 11 Jesus said this and then added, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I will go and wake him up.”

12 The disciples answered, “If he is asleep, Lord, he will get well.”

13 Jesus meant that Lazarus had died, but they thought he meant natural sleep. 14 So Je‑ sus told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, 15 but

for your sake I am glad that I was not with him, so that you will believe. Let us go to him.”

16 Thomas (called the Twin) said to his fellow disciples, “Let us all go along with the Teacher, so that we may die with him!”

ciples (and other people) to see the reality of the resurrec‑ tion through Jesus. Here God reveals his glorious power and Jesus' divinity in two ways: Jesus works his greatest miracle, resurrecting triumphantly a man dead for four days. At the same time, this miracle provokes the defini‑ tive decision to kill Jesus (vs. 48‑50), revealing the para‑ doxical glory of the cross: it is the new era of faith — the way that passes through the cross, where Jesus voluntarily gives up his divine condition and shows us another path that requires the crucifixion of our triumphalist expecta‑ tions, of our desires for success, and openness to a new manner of living, which surpasses human dimensions of time and space.

11.5 Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. It is interesting to observe the transformations that took place in this family from their close contact with Jesus. It wasn't counsel or orientation that helped them, but the very real presence of Jesus (see 12.3‑4, note).

11.6 he stayed where he was for two more days. It is common to have the impression that God waits a long time to answer our requests. Jesus did not let himself get carried away by the climate of urgency and anxiety that these situations bring. He knew that the delay was impor‑ tant for God's intentions.

11.8 the people there wanted to stone you. A reference to 10.39‑40 and the rejection during the Festival of Dedi‑ cation. Jesus and the disciples needed to avoid Judea, as if they were fugitives from the police and crowds.

11.9 So those who walk in broad daylight do not stum‑ ble. At the same time in which they took precautions to not be killed, Jesus knew that his safety was in God's hands. With the news of Lazarus' fatal illness, Jesus un‑ derstood what God wanted to happen and that, indepen‑ dently of all the danger, it was time to go there. This was probably the significance of the comparison: the light in which Jesus walked was the way shown by God, in the time indicated by God.

11.12 If he is asleep, Lord, he will get well. The disciples knew the great risk that Jesus (and themselves) were run‑ ning upon returning to Judea. Fear can make us not un‑ derstand correctly the things that are being said. But Jesus knew how to deal with this situation, too (v. 14).

11.15 so that you will believe. God seeks to develop our faith in Jesus through things that happen. Remember this when it's your turn to confront tragedy: the way to deal with death is faith in Jesus.

11.16 Let us all go along with the Teacher, so that we may die with him! It seems that Thomas didn't have much difficulty in dealing with the idea of death — this happens with many pessimists. His difficulty was to believe in the possibility of resurrection (see 20.24‑29, note). Jesus, once again, knows how to deal with our shortcomings.

11.20 Martha went, but Mary stayed. Differences in per‑ sonality are not nullified by Jesus, who knows how to deal with us in the way that we are, active or contemplative.

11.21 If you had been here, Lord… Jesus disappoints Martha and Mary's family: he didn't get there on time, and didn't prevent Lazarus' death. Jesus doesn't meet expecta‑ tions: he's not like we imagine him. He allows our anxiet‑ ies, our loved ones, and our dreams to die. And for what?

He provokes deeper changes in our life (see 12.3‑4, note), and reveals his divine glory (v. 4).

11.22‑23 I know that even now. Martha shows that she already had a little bit of faith, hinting that Jesus could still do something about this. For this reason, Jesus can announce to her that Lazarus will be resurrected (v. 23), which was a more difficult thing to believe (v. 24, note).

11.24‑25 I know that he will. Martha is a practical person: she makes her reprimands, but also shows her versatility.

Yet as someone who keeps herself busy with “doing” in‑ stead of cultivating more intimacy (like Mary), she reduces what Jesus says to the known: yes, I know, there is the “doc‑ trine of the resurrection on the last day.” It is then that Jesus punctures Martha's reductionist rationalism by affirming: I

Jesus the Resurrection and the Life 17 When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had been buried four days before. 18 Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, 19 and many Judeans had come to see Martha and Mary to comfort them about their brother's death.

20 When Martha heard that Jesus was com‑ ing, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed in the house. 21 Martha said to Jesus, “If you had been here, Lord, my brother would not have died! 22 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask him for.”

23 “Your brother will rise to life,” Jesus told her.

24 “I know,” she replied, “that he will rise to life on the last day.”

John 11 40 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me will live, even though they die; 26 and those who live and believe in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

27 “Yes, Lord!” she answered. “I do believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.”

Jesus Weeps 28 After Martha said this, she went back and called her sister Mary privately. “The Teacher is here,” she told her, “and is asking for you.”

29 When Mary heard this, she got up and hurried out to meet him. (30 Jesus had not yet arrived in the village, but was still in the place where Mar‑ tha had met him.) 31 The people who were in the house with Mary comforting her followed her when they saw her get up and hurry out.

They thought that she was going to the grave to weep there.

32 Mary arrived where Jesus was, and as soon as she saw him, she fell at his feet. “Lord,” she said, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died!” am the resurrection and the life. With this, he continues challenging her to believe that he, present in that moment, was the victory over death. Jesus presents himself as I AM, the name of God revealed to Moses. The Resurrection and the Life is a person, not a doctrine. This demands a relation‑ ship, surrender, a devout faith, and not actions like Martha was accustomed to. Thus Martha is able to move from the doctrine to the person of Christ (see v. 27).

11.25 will live, even though they die. What a surprising promise! Jesus presents himself as the resurrection and the life, and challenges us to believe. With Jesus we will pass beyond death and will be dressed in immortality (1Co 15.42‑44). Believing in his word we have hope be‑ yond any circumstance. Here Jesus teaches his followers that faith in him is what breaks the dominion of death and frees us for new life. See the box “The Biology of Resurrec‑ tion and the Search for Death” (Jn 12), p. ##.

11.27 I do believe that you are the Messiah. Perhaps Jesus' declaration, of him being the resurrection, was a bit compli‑ cated for Martha, but she knew that everything was summed up in believing who Jesus is, the Savior, the one sent from God to save us from death — and that was exactly what Je‑ sus was doing. Jesus is the source of all resurrection, Lord of eternity. Death in time is subjected to him; Jesus is “the one who comes.” This was sufficient — it didn't matter if Lazarus would live now or later — the biology of resurrection had already begun to act in Martha, who finally did not just see the situation with her eyes glued to the facts. She stopped being “practical” and needing facts. Now, what matters is the relationship with the one she calls “Master” (v. 28).

11.32 Mary fell at his feet. Mary puts herself in her fa‑ vorite position — at Jesus' feet. She makes the same rep‑ rimands that Martha does, but provokes another kind of reaction (v. 33).

33 Jesus saw her weeping, and he saw how the people with her were weeping also; his heart was touched, and he was deeply moved.

34 “Where have you buried him?” he asked them.

“Come and see, Lord,” they answered.

35 Jesus wept. 36 “See how much he loved him!” the people said.

37 But some of them said, “He gave sight to the blind man, didn't he? Could he not have kept Lazarus from dying?”

Lazarus Is Brought to Life 38 Deeply moved once more, Jesus went to the tomb, which was a cave with a stone placed at the entrance. 39 “Take the stone away!” Jesus ordered.

Martha, the dead man's sister, answered, “There will be a bad smell, Lord. He has been buried four days!”

40 Jesus said to her, “Didn't I tell you that you would see God's glory if you believed?”

41 They took the stone away. Jesus looked up and said, “I thank you, Father, that you listen to me. 42 I know that you always listen to me, 11.33 he was deeply moved. Jesus is profoundly touched as he arrives at Lazarus' tomb. More than practical discus‑ sions, his expression now reveals a communion of affec‑ tion, of intimacy. Jesus shows himself more human with Mary: the intensity of affection is growing — Jesus' com‑ motion, the fear that Lazarus smells bad, the removal of the stone (vs. 35,39). When we experience a loss, a trag‑ edy, or a crisis, we are not alone. Jesus, who fully took on our humanity, feels our pain. Even if we don't have easy answers to explain human pain, we know with certainty that Jesus stirs, is moved, and cries with us. See the box “Dealing with Grief and Loss.”

11.35 Jesus wept. This little Bible verse reveals the great humanity of Jesus. Death is never something beautiful and pleasing, even knowing that there will be resurrection: the loss of a loved one is always a motive for sadness, and it is natural and healthy to cry. See the box “Dealing with Grief and Loss.”

11.39 Take the stone away! Jesus didn't do what others could do, either before or after the miracle (v. 44). More than demanding action, this serves to give most people the privilege of participating in God's work on earth.

11.40 you would see God's glory if you believed. God's glory, his nature of love and truth, is accessible through faith in Jesus. We prefer, like Thomas, the “seeing is believ‑ ing” approach. But Jesus shows us that the order in God's way of doing things is inverted: those who believe end up seeing (and those who don't believe will see nothing). The invitation is the same as in vs. 25‑26: believe in Jesus, he has conquered death.

11.41 looked up. Different from the Jews, who looked toward the Temple in Jerusalem to say their prayers — the old covenant — Jesus looks up to heaven, the place that symbolizes the omnipresence of the Father.

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Dealing with Grief and Loss In this passage that narrates the death and resurrection of Lazarus, we can verify some important elements in the process of grieving a loss. We observe that the different characters in the story have different behaviors within what we know as ‘Initial Reactions’ in the elaboration of crises and losses. Martha is agitated (v. 20), Mary is prostrated (v. 20) and Jesus cries (v. 35). The initial reactions to a crisis or a loss are marked by four main character‑ istics: strong emotions (sadness, anger, etc.); personal disorganization (apathy, hyperactivity, etc.); strange ideas (hallucinations, etc.) and somatizations (headaches, insomnia, gastritis, etc.) These initial reactions are natural, normal, and necessary to work through crisis and loss. We live in a culture that denies pain and restlessly searches for pleasure; for this reason, many times it compels us to repress those initial reactions, not allowing people to cry or to have any of the other expressions. Not expressing pain through these initial reactions may lead people to de‑ velop a second crisis with even more accentuated symptoms (prolonged depression, drug codependency, etc.).

A person typically needs 6 to 8 weeks to initiate the emotional recovery from a loss. This recovery has some key elements in its process, of which we can highlight four: expression of feelings, elaboration of pain, self­‑control, and adaptation of behavior. In particular, self­‑control is of vital importance. We see in Jesus’ attitude towards the sisters Martha and Mary the power of self­‑control. For Martha’s agitation, caused by personal disorganization, he gives a rational explanation (vs. 25‑26); and for Mary, the stimulus is to move her out of her apathy (vs. 28‑29).

What is your necessity: an explanation, or maybe a call to action?

The Plot against Jesus (Matthew 26.1‑5; Mark 14.1, 2; Luke 22.1, 2) 45 Many of the people who had come to visit Mary saw what Jesus did, and they believed in him. 46 But some of them returned to the Phari‑ sees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 So the Pharisees and the chief priests met with the Council and said, “What shall we do? Look at all the miracles this man is performing! 48 If we let him go on in this way, everyone will believe in him, and the Roman authorities will take ac‑ tion and destroy our Temple and our nation!”

49 One of them, named Caiaphas, who was High Priest that year, said, “What fools you are!

50 Don't you realize that it is better for you to have one man die for the people, instead of hav‑ ing the whole nation destroyed?” 51 Actually, he did not say this of his own accord; rather, as he was High Priest that year, he was prophesying that Jesus was going to die for the Jewish peo‑ ple, 52 and not only for them, but also to bring together into one body all the scattered people of God. 53 From that day on the Jewish authori‑ ties made plans to kill Jesus. 54 So Jesus did not travel openly in Judea, but left and went to a place near the desert, to a town named Ephraim, where he stayed with the disciples.

55 The time for the Passover Festival was near, and many people went up from the coun‑ try to Jerusalem to perform the ritual of purifi‑ cation before the festival. 56 They were looking

11.42 so that they will believe. This faith in Jesus as the one sent from God is what saves and resurrects. This is the greater purpose of Jesus' miracles.

11.44 his hands and feet wrapped in grave cloths. Before the powerful voice of Jesus, death releases its prisoner and Lazarus is resurrected. But he comes out of the tomb with bandages that don't allow him to walk, see, and live his new life. The “shroud” that is wrapped around his face may symbolize a form of thinking oriented toward death, because in Lazarus' family there was apparently a lot of sickness and death. Although his family is mentioned in the four gospels, because Jesus visited his house fre‑ quently, there is no mention of his parents, just a possible “leper” relative. It is probable that before the first signs of illness (v. 1), Lazarus, in his mind, had stopped fighting, and for this reason his sisters got scared and called for Je‑ sus (v. 3). Jesus knows that this is a battle between life and

death. The astonishing part is that Jesus did not order that the bandages fall off Lazarus' eyes, but that he asks the witnesses to “untie him and let him go.” Here we encoun‑ ter a metaphor for the ministry of Christian counseling.

11.48 If we let him go on in this way. This miracle set in motion, on that very day, the priests' decision to kill Jesus.

Now there are just two alternatives: kill him or recognize him as the “Messiah who has come into the world” (v. 27).

The priests resolve to kill him; Mary, Martha, and Lazarus prefer to recognize and honor him with a dinner (12.2).

11.52 bring together into one body. Just like the sheep in 10.16, Jesus draws all the children of God, of all peoples, to himself. The idea that the Body of Christ covers the whole community of those who believe in him is present here, in an amplification of the teaching in 2.19‑22.

11.55 The time for the Passover Festival was near. Pass‑ over celebrated the exodus of the Jewish people from

but I say this for the sake of the people here, so that they will believe that you sent me.” 43 After he had said this, he called out in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 He came out, his hands and feet wrapped in grave cloths, and with a cloth around his face. “Untie him,” Jesus told them, “and let him go.”

John 11 — 12 42 for Jesus, and as they gathered in the Temple, they asked one another, “What do you think?

Surely he will not come to the festival, will he?”

57 The chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where Jesus was, he must report it, so that they could arrest him.

Jesus Is Anointed at Bethany (Matthew 26.6‑13; Mark 14.3‑9) 1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus went to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, the man he had raised from death. 2 They prepared

a dinner for him there, which Martha helped serve; Lazarus was one of those who were sit‑ ting at the table with Jesus. 3 Then Mary took a whole pint of a very expensive perfume made of pure nard, poured it on Jesus' feet, and wiped them with her hair. The sweet smell of the per‑ fume filled the whole house. 4 One of Jesus' dis‑ ciples, Judas Iscariot—the one who was going to betray him—said, 5 “Why wasn't this perfu‑ me sold for three hundred silver coins and the money given to the poor?” 6 He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because

Egypt, their liberation from slavery, and the fact that they escaped the plague of death that hit the Egyptians. Now Passover will be materialized by Jesus Christ, with the eter‑ nal liberation from the slavery of sin. purification. While Jesus prepared himself to implement the new covenant with God, and thus purify those who believe in him from all their sins, John continues contrasting the importance that the Jews of the old covenant gave to their ceremo‑ nial purification, with washings and changing of clothes, whose primary objective was to avoid “contamination” from contact with non­‑Jews. In other words, in the old covenant the problem was outside of them; it was the “others;” in the new covenant, the problem is inside, in the human heart, and can only be resolved with the death (of Jesus). The repeated citations in this Gospel show the central importance of this issue (see 2.6 and 3.25, notes) so that we perceive the difference between the Law of Moses and the grace and truth of Jesus (1.17).

12.1 Six days before the Passover. John takes care to situate us in this “decisive week for all of humanity” (see 11.55; 6.4, note).

12.2 a dinner for him. One of the best things in life is when we can receive dear friends in our home, as guests for a few days or just for a couple of hours. Moments like this can be full of grace and joy, like a celebration of life. Martha and Mary invited friends and offered a dinner to Jesus, showing gratitude for the resurrection of their brother Lazarus, who joined them at the table. This house was a place where Jesus frequently visited in search of rest and renewal. Jesus, even though he was such a special person, didn't fall into the trap of going overboard with his activism: he allowed himself to rejoice with friends as in this scene. And this dinner was very special (vs. 3‑4).

12.2‑3 Martha helped serve. Different from their first meeting (Lk 10.38), now Martha was at peace with her activity; there was no tension in the air, no trouble, hurt feelings, or complaining. Martha served “the Messiah who was to come” (11.27), without insisting that everyone do as she did. There is no more reductionism or doctrines — there is now freedom to demonstrate love. Mary. She also serves, in her way: once again, Jesus' feet are her place, but in a last homage from she who passed from the pas‑ sivity of listening to loving activity: anointing his feet with a very expensive perfume (perhaps purchased on the oc‑ casion of Lazarus' death). With no words, just perfume, hair, and tears, anticipating her consolation for the most difficult hour, and expressing affection with her skin. Was it her who anointed Lazarus, learning to deal with death, and now recognizing the giver of Life? The “just one thing

is needed” (Lk 10.42) was taken in her life to its ultimate consequences — no matter what the cost, she would show her devotion. What happened between the first dinner and this one? The first verse gives the clue: Bethany was no longer just the place where Mary and Martha lived; it was where Lazarus lived, the resurrected from the dead.

The family passed through a tremendous experience; this modified their perceptions, even the description of the place. The dimension of death entered into this fam‑ ily's life. But not just death: resurrection as well. The three siblings, from this biological experience, surpass all levels of fear of “letting go:” in other words, to be transformed.

Jesus' presence surges from the death of all of our safety nets, including our sociological and religious constructs, and creates a communion where tears of joy or of pain touch the skin of those who love each other. See the box “The Biology of Resurrection and the Search for Death.”

12.4 Judas Iscariot. Mary of Bethany expresses her grati‑ tude and devotion in a very feminine way to her friend and master, pouring all of the precious balsam on the feet of Jesus. For her, life deserved celebration, and that was priceless. She did something that seemed absurd and re‑ proachable to the eyes of Judas, who had a ready­‑made speech in defense of the poor, but in reality he was a thief.

In that time, the poor were used by others to obtain their own benefits. Jesus, who walked with and met the needs of the excluded, on the contrary was receptive to her af‑ fectionate gesture, which he identified as a pre­‑embalming of his body. On the day of his death, there wouldn't be time for this ritual. Judas shows himself to be a sinister, critical, and ill­‑tempered personality. His speech against Mary of Bethany, who anointed the Lord, is that of a per‑ son who has a moralist vision, always looking for fault in others, convinced of his own sanctity and righteousness.

Each one of us is capable of discovering in ourselves this “Judas complex,” which chases love away from spirituality.

Judas, who was present at the miracle of Lazarus' resur‑ rection, didn’t understand Mary's gesture. He is divided — this is one of the meanings of the term “diabolic” — and doesn't accept the higher meaning of this moment. This serves as an alert that not everyone who experiences mo‑ ments of revelation comprehend them: once again, faith is the essential requisite.

12.5 three hundred silver coins. Equivalent to 300 daily wages. For a daily wage of $50, this would equal $15,000.

12.6 he was a thief. John reveals to us two details of the disciples' internal administration: there was a “common fund” for their necessities, in which there was also special attention reserved for the poor (evident also in 13.29);

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The Biology of Resurrection and the Search for Death The “Biology of Resurrection” is an expression created to signify the transformations of life that take place in this dimension, operated by the same power that resurrected Jesus from the dead (Eph. 1.19‑20). In our biology we have enrolled the double movement of life: die and resurrect, as nature shows us in its different seasons.

The Biology of Resurrection is manifested in our biology by the transformations through which what is deadly in us — sin, bitterness, revenge, decadence, sickness, aggression, etc. — is modified and transformed into signs of life, forgiveness, strength, health, love. Not only in the mind, but also in the body and the flesh, the experience of faith transforms the heartbeat, the rhythm of breathing, the connections in the brain, and the cadence of the step.

All this is changed when we assume the hope that is in the promise of the resurrection.

Paul writes that God loved us in Jesus Christ while we were still sinners (Rm 5.8). That is, God reverted the cruel gesture of sin into a movement of life, disarming the negative impulse and moving it toward creativity. Thus, He withdrew the event of the dominion of death — which makes us repeat its gestures of revenge and aggression — and elevated it to the dominion of life, where love, creativity and fecundity triumph.

The belief in resurrection reorganizes our biology and engraves on it the eternal dimension, enabling here and now the resurrection of love and relationships. The dynamic of cross­‑resurrection conquers a liberty for all the environments of being: the body and the emotions can react differently from the moment they make the revenge logic die and surrender themselves to the logic of forgiveness. This freedom is possible when we realize that bitterness is no longer an inescapable consequence of pain. Forgiveness makes us lighten our load, because it is under the command of this new biology acting over our body (our “flesh”), the biology of resurrection.

In our lives — and also in Christian counseling — the biology of resurrection is about surrendering to the new movement of resurrection in the midst of our crises. The one who says: “I am making everything new” (Rv. 21.5) was not absent when the crisis came. Each crisis can be overcome by the effect of the biology of resurrection in our lives. During counseling, we can help the person to express her/his pain, and together take it to the throne of Grace where we can get help (Hb 4.16). Here in John 12 we can see clearly how the certainty of resurrection, which was fortified by Jesus resurrecting Lazarus (11.38‑44), made this family of friends, instead of fearing prison and death, offer a dinner to Jesus. They were calm; enjoying their last moments with Jesus, there was no sign of panic in their biology.

The Search for Death Opposite the biology of resurrection we find the “search for death,” which makes us draw closer to what is deadly. This search is about the deadly tendencies that can be installed into each person, not only in the form of possessions and oppressions, but also to provoke evil to himself/herself and to others. Death is the final expres‑ sion of evil. Evil is every power that is opposed to life, creation, and creativity; it is the force that tries to destroy the world and its creatures (all that God called ‘good’). The search for death tries especially to destroy human beings, because they are the image of God. The tendencies to search for death are unconscious, sometimes even installed into the neuro — vegetative system, that make people repeat behaviors that bring harm to themselves, When one feels anguished, the body produces internal reactions (e.g. cardiac and breathing symptoms, skin rashes), or puts oneself in a risky situation (drugs, speeding, lack of attention, self­‑aggression or provoking aggression) as if provoking the environment to traumatize her/him again.

It is essential to identify and prevent this tendency wherever it surfaces, and also to evaluate the necessity to seek specialized help (medical and psychological). In the counseling plan, it is necessary to revert the deadly tendency through the resource of speaking about feelings instead of acting when moved by these feelings. That’s why it is important to be available for the person to call for help, in case he/she is invaded by anguish. If the person is able to call for help instead of casting himself/herself into destructive acts, we will be on the way to restoration.

In working with the human spirit, the counselor can help to express their pain in the presence of Christ, to revert this tendency through “the power which resurrected Christ from the dead.” The power of the cross is effective over all forms of “friendship with death.” But be careful with simplifications: we know that all healing was conquered for us by Christ on the cross, yet in many cases, a lot of time and specialized help are necessary; and in this process, it helps a great deal when we learn to, instead of just focusing on what is lacking, identify the signs of new life, which appear sometimes here, sometimes there, that are manifestations of the biology of resurrection.

May nobody be considered guilty of having a lack of faith for not getting the “total cure” — this would only be one more burden to the already grieving person. Complete redemption is promised to us for eternity; here and now, we experience the beginning of the biology of resurrection, the power that resurrected Christ from the dead — and this new beginning is very significant! “If the Spirit of God who raised Jesus from death, lives in you, then he who raised Christ from death will also give life to your mortal bodies by the presence of his Spirit in you” (Rm 8.11).

John 12 44 he was a thief. He carried the money bag and would help himself from it.

7 But Jesus said, “Leave her alone! Let her keep what she has for the day of my burial. 8 You will always have poor people with you, but you will not always have me.”

The Plot against Lazarus 9 A large number of people heard that Jesus was in Bethany, so they went there, not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from death. 10 So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus too, 11 be‑ cause on his account many Jews were rejecting them and believing in Jesus.

16 His disciples did not understand this at the time; but when Jesus had been raised to glory, they remembered that the scripture said this about him and that they had done this for him.

17 The people who had been with Jesus when he called Lazarus out of the grave and raised him from death had reported what had happened. 18 That was why the crowd met him— because they heard that he had performed this miracle. 19 The Pharisees then said to one an‑ other, “You see, we are not succeeding at all!

Look, the whole world is following him!”

The Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem (Matthew 21.1‑11; Mark 11.1‑11; Luke 19.28‑40) 12 The next day the large crowd that had come to the Passover Festival heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. 13 So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, shouting, “Praise God! God bless him who comes in the name of the Lord! God bless the King of Israel!”

14 Jesus found a donkey and rode on it, just as the scripture says, 15 “Do not be afraid, city of Zion!

Here comes your king, riding on a young donkey.”

Some Greeks Seek Jesus 20 Some Greeks were among those who had gone to Jerusalem to worship during the festi‑ val. 21 They went to Philip (he was from Bethsaida in Galilee) and said, “Sir, we want to see Jesus.”

22 Philip went and told Andrew, and the two of them went and told Jesus. 23 Jesus answered them, “The hour has now come for the Son of Man to receive great glory. 24 I am telling you the truth: a grain of wheat remains no more than a single grain unless it is dropped into the ground and dies. If it does die, then it produces many grains. 25 Those who love their own life will lose it; those who hate their own life in this world will keep it for life eternal. 26 Whoever

and Judas had already been corrupted for quite a while by his love for money. Judas' betrayal of Jesus for thirty silver coins was not just a moment of weakness, but one more step in his growing affection for money. Just like the comparison between the good shepherd and the hired man or mercenary (10.13), love for money is totally nega‑ tive, being on the opposite side of what Jesus stands for.

12.8 You will always have poor people with you. The objective here was not to teach about the poor, but about Jesus' impending death; even so, the phrase reveals a re‑ alistic wisdom — this world, by its own means, will never eliminate poverty.

12.10 made plans to kill Lazarus too. It is not uncommon for friends of Jesus to end up being persecuted and killed as he was. In compensation, they have the privilege of living in his company and defeating death through resur‑ rection.

12.11 many Jews were rejecting them and believing in Jesus. John the Baptist rejoiced as he turned over his fol‑ lowers to Jesus (1.35‑37), making the perfect link between the old and new covenant. But leaders who seek recogni‑ tion for themselves end up becoming enemies of Christ.

This controversy only increased with Jesus' entry into Je‑ rusalem (v. 19).

12.15 Here comes your king, riding on a young donkey.

Instead of a victorious military march with horses and war chariots, this prophecy from Zc 9.9 shows just how differ‑ ent Jesus was — and his kingdom was not made by human

warfare. Indeed, he is a king who does not inspire fear, but peace.

12.18 the crowd. The majority of the Jewish people were enchanted by the miracle of Lazarus' resurrection, but this did not mean that they believed in Jesus as God's Son. 12.20 Some Greeks. Although the military rule was Ro‑ man, the cultural dominion was totally Greek, starting with the language. An invitation to be heard by Greeks would be a very strong temptation, because they would be rec‑ ognizing the value and importance of Jesus, something that his own Jewish people didn't recognize.

12.23 The hour has now come. Throughout his gospel, John calls attention to the fact that Jesus' “hour had not yet come.” Now, at the preparation for the Passover, the Lamb of God knows that the hour to die has arrived. for the Son of Man to receive great glory. What does this glory consist of? By suffering and dying for creatures who didn't even understand what was happening. Different from us humans, God is willing to give up his life to bless and to save many. That is his nature, his beautiful glory.

12.24 into the ground and dies. Jesus resists the tempta‑ tion, and knows that the time has come to die — this is the only way to save people (including the Greeks) from their sins. a single grain. Without dying, Jesus would not be condemned, but his justice would be limited to himself.

12.25 Those who love their own life. Thus begins the final teaching for his disciples, right here in the midst of the multitude. Once again it is about believing in God's good

45 wants to serve me must follow me, so that my servant will be with me where I am. And my Father will honor anyone who serves me.

Jesus Speaks about His Death 27 “Now my heart is troubled—and what shall I say? Shall I say, ‘Father, do not let this hour come upon me’? But that is why I came— so that I might go through this hour of suffer‑ ing. 28 Father, bring glory to your name!”

Then a voice spoke from heaven, “I have brought glory to it, and I will do so again.”

29 The crowd standing there heard the voice, and some of them said it was thunder, while others said, “An angel spoke to him!”

30 But Jesus said to them, “It was not for my sake that this voice spoke, but for yours. 31 Now is the time for this world to be judged; now the ruler of this world will be overthrown. 32 When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw every‑ one to me.” (33 In saying this he indicated the kind of death he was going to suffer.)

34 The crowd answered, “Our Law tells us that the Messiah will live forever. How, then, direction of all events, including if the way leads to suffer‑ ing. The life “of the Father” and the life “of the world” de‑ sire opposite things, such as the love of God and the love of money. It is better to be willing to suffer losses (literally, “lose” and “hate your life”) in this world.

12.26 Whoever wants to serve me must follow me. Ut‑ tered during crucifixion week, this is the equivalent of “take up your cross,” indicating the willingness to die.

12.27 Now my heart is troubled. Human beings were not made to suffer, and our souls react with anguish and affliction. It would be “natural” to ask and expect a deliv‑ erance from God, but Jesus knows that deliverance for him would mean the end for all of us. This love, willing to sacrifice, in spite of suffering, reveals Jesus' divine nature (see 13.1; 18.11).

12.28 Father, bring glory to your name! A model of the sufferer's prayer which, just like the “Our Father,” asks that God's will be done and that all see how good God is.

12.31 now the ruler of this world will be overthrown.

Although from a human perspective the arrest and cruci‑ fixion of Jesus seemed to be a defeat, in fact it is precisely through the death of a righteous man on the cross that Satan is defeated and loses his right to govern the world.

This authority now passes to Jesus (cf. Mt 28.18 “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth”). With the judgment and condemnation to death of Jesus, it is in fact this world that has been judged.

12.32 When I am lifted up from the earth. Nailed to a cross, between heaven and earth, Jesus becomes the path that leads people to God (14.6), the bridge to cross over from this condemned world to the Father's house (14.1‑4).

See the box “Sin and Salvation in Jesus”(Jn 3), p. ##.

12.34 Our law tells us…How, then, can you say? Once again the people latch on to a (limited) understanding of

John 12

can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” 35 Jesus answered, “The light will be among you a little longer. Continue on your way while you have the light, so that the darkness will not come upon you; for the one who walks in the dark does not know where he is going. 36 Be‑ lieve in the light, then, while you have it, so that you will be the people of the light.”

The Unbelief of the People After Jesus said this, he went off and hid himself from them. 37 Even though he had per‑ formed all these miracles in their presence, they did not believe in him, 38 so that what the prophet Isaiah had said might come true: “Lord, who believed the message we told?

To whom did the Lord reveal his power?”

39 And so they were not able to believe, be‑ cause Isaiah also said, 40 “God has blinded their eyes and closed their minds, so that their eyes would not see, the Scriptures, and don't recognize what God is doing be‑ fore their very eyes. The idea that God can send suffering is unacceptable by the logic of this world; even more so when it concerns the Messiah, the liberator. Son of Man. In the same way that “Son of God” means to be God, “Son of Man” means to be a human being. Jesus was and is perfectly both, and his people couldn't accept either one of these natures. Curiously, his submission to a hu‑ man death reveals his divine nature, sinless (vs. 23‑24).

The title “Son of Man” had already been attributed to the prophet Ezekiel, who like Jesus had a mission to live and preach humanely among God's people enslaved in exile because of divine punishment, in order to win them back to their Lord. The title also appears in a vision of the prophet Daniel (7.13‑14), identifying the future and eter‑ nal king of the entire universe.

12.36 Believe in the light. It is notable the sincerity of Jesus' desire for people to believe in him and be saved.

This opportunity remains “a little longer,” (v. 35), at that time until his death, and now until his return (14.3). he went off. Even knowing that he would be rejected, Jesus certainly felt disappointment and sadness at the incompre‑ hension and incredulity of his people.

12.38 prophet Isaiah. The citation from Is 53.1 is part of a prophecy about the Suffering Servant, which beautifully reveals how the Messiah will carry the infirmities and sins of humanity, in spite of their unbelief (Is 52.13—53.12).

12.40 God has blinded. Another citation from Isaiah, now from 6.10, related to the calling and sending of this great prophet. Just like Isaiah, Jesus was also sent to proclaim the marvelous salvation that God offers to his people, but was forewarned that the people, rebellious, would not ac‑ cept his message. It is God, and not humanity, who is in control of history. We could ask: Why did Jesus come to

John 12 — 13 46 and their minds would not understand, and they would not turn to me, says God, for me to heal them.”

41 Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus' glo‑ ry and spoke about him.

42 Even then, many Jewish authorities be‑ lieved in Jesus; but because of the Pharisees they did not talk about it openly, so as not to be expelled from the synagogue. 43 They loved hu‑ man approval rather than the approval of God.

them. The words I have spoken will be their judge on the last day! 49 This is true, because I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has commanded me what I must say and speak. 50 And I know that his com‑ mand brings eternal life. What I say, then, is what the Father has told me to say.”

Judgment by Jesus' Words 44 Jesus said in a loud voice, “Whoever be‑ lieves in me believes not only in me but also in him who sent me. 45 Whoever sees me sees also him who sent me. 46 I have come into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me should not remain in the darkness. 47 If people hear my message and do not obey it, I will not judge them. I came, not to judge the world, but to save it. 48 Those who reject me and do not accept my message have one who will judge

Jesus Washes His Disciples' Feet 1 It was now the day before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Fa‑ ther. He had always loved those in the world who were his own, and he loved them to the very end.

2 Jesus and his disciples were at supper.

The Devil had already put into the heart of Ju‑ das, the son of Simon Iscariot, the thought of betraying Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had given him complete power; he knew that he had come from God and was going to God. 4 So he rose from the table, took off his outer garment, and tied a towel around his waist.

5 Then he poured some water into a washba‑

preach and offer salvation, if he knew that he would be rejected? Why insist upon such a mission? The answer is “for our love” (13.1). Through the minority that believed in him, this great salvation is still available even now, and many have accepted it, especially those from outside his people. Once again, God's wisdom is well beyond our reach! would not see and understand. This recalls the ex‑ odus from Egypt, when Pharaoh's heart was hardened. To not see with one's eyes and not perceive with one's heart can indicate resistances that, psychologically, prevent us from seeing and evaluating our defects, our dark side. The way of healing involves seeing our “sins.” for me to heal them. Jesus is the lamb that gives life through his death, and the wound that brings healing to our infirmities. As a metaphor for the healing of weaknesses, we can cite the Greek myth of Asclepius: Chiron, a centaur who taught medicine, was famous for his wisdom and knowledge of the art of healing. Chiron is one of the most contradictory figures in Greek mythology, because in spite of being a god, he suffered from an incurable wound. Accidentally hit by a poisoned arrow, he became a great physician who knew how to understand his patients since he himself was a wounded healer.

12.41 Isaiah…saw Jesus' glory. Both of Isaiah's prophe‑ cies referred to Jesus Christ.

12.42 many believed…but did not talk about it openly.

The fear of suffering losses in this life is an obstacle to gain‑ ing true life, just as Jesus taught (v. 25).

12.44‑50 Jesus said in a loud voice. Jesus' last public speech exposes the three possible attitudes in relation to the salvation that he brought, since he said exactly what God told him to say (v. 50): 1) we can believe in Jesus, and by doing so we walk in God's light and receive eternal life (vs. 44‑46); 2) we can hear his message but do noth‑ ing about it, and by doing so we “put off” the saving en‑ counter with Jesus — he makes it clear that now absolute

priority is for those who want to be saved (v. 47); 3) we can reject him, along with his message, and this will mean condemnation at the final judgment (v. 48). See the box “Sin and Salvation in Jesus” (Jn 3), p. ##.

13.1 the day before. We are 24 hours away from the beginning of the Last Supper, on the night of “Maudy Thursday.” The speeches to the people were finished, and now John will explain the intense preparation that Jesus put his disciples through, to get them ready for his death.

Passover Festival. This Passover is absolutely unique and special. Jesus already knows that he will be the Lamb who, with his blood, will save God's people from death, precise‑ ly the event and meaning of Passover (see 6.4, note). leave this world and go to the Father. These two spheres of existence form something similar to two parallel universes.

Jesus is completing his rescue mission in this condemned world, and comes to his time to return to the Heavenly Father. he loved them to the very end. This is the answer to questions like, “Why did Jesus have to die?” or “Why didn't he avoid the cross?” Jesus didn't die because of a plan or strategy, but because of loving people like Peter, John, and Mary; Jesus died because of you, because he loves us and wants to save us.

13.3 Jesus knew. John doesn't leave any doubt that Je‑ sus was not a victim of circumstance. He was fully aware of everything that was happening and what was going to happen (see also vs. 1,7,11,20).

13.4 a towel around his waist. In chapters 12 and 13 one can see an interesting sequence and similarity of attitudes between Mary of Bethany and Jesus. First, Mary anoints Jesus' feet; later, Jesus washes his disciples' feet. Did Je‑ sus' friend inspire him with her gesture? They both simply did the best thing in a non­‑conventional way. Jesus, even knowing that he would receive all power from the Father (v. 3), did the work of a servant, and this fact astonished Peter. Do we have this same disposition to serve others,

13

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John 13

sin and began to wash the disciples' feet and dry them with the towel around his waist. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Are you going to wash my feet, Lord?”

7 Jesus answered him, “You do not under‑ stand now what I am doing, but you will under‑ stand later.”

8 Peter declared, “Never at any time will you wash my feet!”

“If I do not wash your feet,” Jesus an‑ swered, “you will no longer be my disciple.”

9 Simon Peter answered, “Lord, do not wash only my feet, then! Wash my hands and head, too!”

10 Jesus said, “Those who have taken a bath are completely clean and do not have to wash themselves, except for their feet. All of you are clean—all except one.” (11 Jesus al‑ ready knew who was going to betray him; that is why he said, “All of you, except one, are clean.”)

12 After Jesus had washed their feet, he put his outer garment back on and returned to his place at the table. “Do you understand what I have just done to you?” he asked. 13 “You call

me Teacher and Lord, and it is right that you do so, because that is what I am. 14 I, your Lord and Teacher, have just washed your feet. You, then, should wash one another's feet. 15 I have set an example for you, so that you will do just what I have done for you. 16 I am telling you the truth: no slaves are greater than their master, and no messengers are greater than the one who sent them. 17 Now that you know this truth, how happy you will be if you put it into prac‑ tice!

18 “I am not talking about all of you; I know those I have chosen. But the scripture must come true that says, ‘The man who shared my food turned against me.’ 19 I tell you this now before it happens, so that when it does happen, you will believe that ‘I Am Who I Am.’ 20 I am telling you the truth: whoever receives anyone I send receives me also; and whoever receives me receives him who sent me.”

or do we think ourselves important and avoid work that we consider inferior?

13.5 wash the disciples' feet. To wash the feet of another is to be on one's knees before this person, putting one‑ self in a position of servitude, making the other important.

Those who are able to truly kneel before another certainly do not live from their spirit, but are full of God's Spirit, be‑ cause they know what their place is: the one who serves is greater than the one who is served. To wash the feet of another is to make that one clean, to make them able to step onto sacred ground, to invite them to be part of their family. To be in the place of one who is worthy of having feet washed will certainly fill us with a profound sense of humility and simplicity, causing us to bow down before the one who is washing. To allow another to kneel down before me and wash my feet is to accept my condition of needing to be cleansed, to perceive that I need the true master and his mercy.

13.7 you will understand later. Many things that God wants to do with us are not comprehensible at the time that they happen. We are constantly reminded and invited to trust in the fact that Jesus knows what he is doing.

13.11 All of you, except one. The time is coming to reveal the existence of a traitor to the group. Knowing who it was, Jesus doesn't ignore the fact, but still washes his feet, in yet another practical example of how to tell the truth and act with love to people (1.17).

13.13 that is what I am. Among friends and preparing to say goodbye, Jesus has no problem with openly declaring the truth about himself and his lordship.

13.17 how happy you will be. A secret of happiness is never being in a position of greater importance than Jesus Christ.

13.18 I am not talking about all of you. There was a disci‑ ple who was not happy and who considered himself more important than his lord.

13.19 you will believe that I Am Who I Am. This name is equivalent to the name of God in the Old Testament. The fact of a betrayal by a companion, a disciple chosen by the Lord himself, would make the disciples think that Jesus had been fooled, or he had chosen his helpers poorly. But Jesus is the Eternal God, one with the All­‑Powerful Father, and was fulfilling the prophecies when he chose and kept with him a “friend” who would end up betraying him.

13.20 whoever receives…receives me also. At the same time in which he teaches humility, Jesus demonstrates trust in his disciples, to the point of identifying himself with them, in the same manner that the Father did with him.

13.21 he was deeply troubled. To know that one who is sitting at the table with me, eating the same bread, will get up from there and go tell the enemy where I can be found, to be handed over like a criminal, grieves the heart, sad‑ dens the soul, and troubles the spirit. To feel the anguish that only a few moments remain to be with those whom I love, and that the time has come to finish the great mis‑ sion; to see before my eyes the whole scenario of pain, affliction, and suffering, and allow that fact to take place without stopping it, even while having the power to stop it… For us as human spirit, it is practically impossible to understand that we are worthy of such grace, of such sac‑ rifice on the part of Jesus. We are used to making trades, giving in order to receive. Here Jesus knows his traitor, the moment, and the consequences of this betrayal, but he doesn't back down, in spite of his affliction and our pitiful faithfulness.

Jesus Predicts His Betrayal (Matthew 26.20‑25; Mark 14.17‑21; Luke 22.21‑23) 21 After Jesus had said this, he was deeply

John 13 — 14 48 troubled and declared openly, “I am telling you the truth: one of you is going to betray me.”

22 The disciples looked at one another, com‑ pletely puzzled about whom he meant. 23 One of the disciples, the one whom Jesus loved, was sit‑ ting next to Jesus. 24 Simon Peter motioned to him and said, “Ask him whom he is talking about.”

25 So that disciple moved closer to Jesus' side and asked, “Who is it, Lord?”

26 Jesus answered, “I will dip some bread in the sauce and give it to him; he is the man.” So he took a piece of bread, dipped it, and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 27 As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “Hurry and do what you must!” 28 None of the others at the table understood why Jesus said this to him. 29 Since Judas was in charge of the money bag, some of the disciples thought that Jesus had told him to go and buy what they needed for the festival, or to give something to the poor.

30 Judas accepted the bread and went out at once. It was night.

will do so at once. 33 My children, I shall not be with you very much longer. You will look for me; but I tell you now what I told the Jewish authorities, ‘You cannot go where I am going.’

34 And now I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 If you have love for one another, then everyone will know that you are my disciples.”

Jesus Predicts Peter's Denial (Matthew 26.31‑35; Mark 14.27‑31; Luke 22.31‑34) 36 “Where are you going, Lord?” Simon Pe‑ ter asked him.

“You cannot follow me now where I am go‑ ing,” answered Jesus; “but later you will follow me.”

37 “Lord, why can't I follow you now?” asked Peter. “I am ready to die for you!”

38 Jesus answered, “Are you really ready to die for me? I am telling you the truth: before the rooster crows you will say three times that you do not know me.

The New Commandment 31 After Judas had left, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man's glory is revealed; now God's glory is revealed through him. 32 And if God's glory is revealed through him, then God will reveal the glory of the Son of Man in himself, and he

14

13.22 whom he meant. Although Jesus clearly knew about the betrayal and the betrayer, this was not evident in the day­‑to­‑day life of the disciples. They were perplexed by this revelation; not even Peter or John suspected Judas.

13.27 Satan entered into him. Up until now, Judas, even though he wasn't “clean” (v. 10), was under Jesus' protec‑ tion. However, the Holy Spirit still did not permanently dwell in the hearts of believers. When Jesus exposed the traitor, in a certain manner he freed him up to serve Satan; yet even with Satan entering into him, it is still Jesus who is giving the orders (“Hurry and do what you must!”)

13.28 None of the others understood. Jesus didn't expose Judas to the entire group. There were more important things to teach his disciples than focusing on the traitor.

13.31‑32 glory is revealed. What follows, the prison and crucifixion, is not a motive of shame, but a showcase for the beauty of God's love.

13.33 My children. Jesus shows paternal care in rela‑ tion to his disciples, just like a father who is going to be away on a trip. He knows that his disciples won't be able to withstand the suffering and death through which he would pass.

13.34 a new commandment. Now there comes a totally new situation: Jesus will no longer be physically present.

In a certain way, there is a “substitution” of the Lord's body for the group of brothers and sisters, the “Body of Christ” — now it is to them that we should dedicate all our

love. The love that Jesus showed during the time in which he lived with them serves as a model for us.

13.35 will know that you are my disciples. Love among followers of Jesus makes Jesus be remembered.

13.36 later you will follow me. Still with a paternal atti‑ tude, Jesus consoles Peter like a father would say to his lit‑ tle child: “Not now, but when you grow up you can do it.”

13.37 I am ready to die for you! Like boys, we think our‑ selves strong and full of courage and promise that we will confess his name in any situation; however, Jesus knows that we will always deny him when it is convenient. It is im‑ mediately after telling Peter this truth that Jesus adds, “Do not be worried and upset” (14.1). This temporary absence of Jesus, and especially the revelation of the disciples' in‑ ability to accompany him in his suffering and death will bring much grief and affliction to their hearts.

14.1 Do not be worried and upset…Believe. In his infinite love for us, Jesus teaches us to not despair ourselves: “Be‑ lieve in God and believe also in me. I am going to prepare a place for you.” The invitation is personal and individual, and Jesus' desire is that all people will understand and ac‑ cept it, even those who ask: “how can we know the way?” (v. 5). He explains to us that he is the way, the truth, and the life; we will go to the Father's house and live together if we believe this truth in our hearts. What grace and mercy it is to have someone who goes before us to prepare our place!

Jesus the Way to the Father 1 “Do not be worried and upset,” Jesus told them. “Believe in God and belie‑ ve also in me. 2 There are many rooms in my Father's house, and I am going to prepare a pla‑

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ce for you. I would not tell you this if it were not so. 3 And after I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to myself, so that you will be where I am. 4 You know the way that leads to the place where I am going.”

5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going; so how can we know the way to get there?”

6 Jesus answered him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one goes to the Father except by me. 7 Now that you have known me,” he said to them, “you will know my Father also, and from now on you do know him and you have seen him.”

8 Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Fa‑ ther; that is all we need.”

9 Jesus answered, “For a long time I have been with you all; yet you do not know me, Phil‑ ip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.

Why, then, do you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

10 Do you not believe, Philip, that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I have spoken to you,” Jesus said to his disci‑ ples, “do not come from me. The Father, who remains in me, does his own work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. If not, believe because of the things I do. 12 I am telling you the truth: those who believe in me will do what I do—yes, they will do even greater things, because I am going

I will do whatever you ask to the Father. for in my name, so that the Father's glory will be shown through the Son. 14 If you ask me for anything in my name, I will do it.

14.6 I am the way, the truth, and the life. The passage from this world to the Father (16.28) is not just an ordinary trip, for they are two very different dimensions. In spite of God having spoken through the prophets in various ways, only with Jesus did he reveal himself completely, and only through Jesus' death on the cross was full access to Holy God opened, for all sinners who believe in Jesus, the truth who came to live among us with his love. Just as he prom‑ ised, this faith in Jesus became a source of eternal life, inexhaustible.

14.10 The Father, who remains in me. This is not a public sermon, but a precious teaching to his dearly loved dis‑ ciples. God is in Jesus and Jesus is God. Both the words and the miracles demonstrate this clearly. It is faith in Jesus that transforms us to the point of being able to do miracles and have his attitude as we face life and people.

14.13 I will do whatever you ask for in my name. Jesus' identification with his disciples is a two­‑way street. They will imitate him, and he will answer their requests made within this union.

14.15 If you love me. Whoever loves will automatically obey the Lord, with pleasure, and not as an obligation. For this reason, the command Jesus gave was precisely to love one another (13.34). From phrases like this, Augustine was inspired to say, “Love God, and do what you will.”

14.18 you will not be left alone. Jesus continues in his paternal love, and tells us that he will not leave us alone

while he is taking care of all the details of our future home, because he knows that we will have trouble being able to discern between truth and non­‑truth. For this reason, he left us the divine Spirit, which will guide those who believe in Father God and in Jesus Christ as God's son. And the one who loves the Father does the things that the Father does. The invitation has been made; we know that there are many places and we also know the way to follow to get there: simply the decision to believe in Jesus.

14.19 the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Since Jesus leaves the world and goes to the Father's world (16.28), those who don't believe in him will not see him any more after the resurrection. But those who be‑ lieve in him would see him, several times, until his ascen‑ sion to heaven (1Co 15.3‑7), as proof that Jesus' followers are no longer “of the world” and, united with him, are now “of the Father” (v. 20; 17.9). After the ascension, Je‑ sus' presence was substituted by the presence of the Holy Spirit in the heart of every believer in Jesus (vs. 16‑17).

14.22 how can it be? Indeed, this truth was difficult to imagine.

14.23 Those who love me. This is the key: since 13.1, where it is said that Jesus always loved his own, and loved them to the end, it becomes clear that faith in Jesus pro‑ duces an intense love relationship, and this relationship is the door of entry to the Father's world. Without this love there is no way to follow Jesus' teaching, because it is not

13 And

The Promise of the Holy Spirit 15 “If you love me, you will obey my com‑ mandments. 16 I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, who will stay with you forever. 17 He is the Spirit, who reveals the truth about God. The world cannot receive him, be‑ cause it cannot see him or know him. But you know him, because he remains with you and is in you.

18 “When I go, you will not be left all alone; I will come back to you. 19 In a little while the world will see me no more, but you will see me; and because I live, you also will live. 20 When that day comes, you will know that I am in my Father and that you are in me, just as I am in you.

21 “Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. My Father will love those who love me; I too will love them and reveal myself to them.”

22 Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “Lord, how can it be that you will reveal yourself to us and not to the world?”

23 Jesus answered him, “Those who love me will obey my teaching. My Father will love

John 14 — 15 50 them, and my Father and I will come to them and live with them. 24 Those who do not love me do not obey my teaching. And the teaching you have heard is not mine, but comes from the Father, who sent me.

25 “I have told you this while I am still with you. 26 The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and make you remember all that I have told you.

27 “Peace is what I leave with you; it is my own peace that I give you. I do not give it as the world does. Do not be worried and upset; do not be afraid. 28 You heard me say to you, ‘I am leaving, but I will come back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am go‑ ing to the Father; for he is greater than I. 29 I have told you this now before it all happens, so that when it does happen, you will believe. 30 I cannot talk with you much longer, because the ruler of this world is coming. He has no power about fearful obeying of laws, but about “grace and truth” (1.17) or “Spirit and truth” (4.23), and without free love this is not possible. In Pauline language, the equivalent would be: “those who are in the flesh (their human nature) cannot please God” (Rm 8.8).

14.27 Peace is what I leave you. Jesus is going away from this world, and knows that his disciples will not be able to continue with him. Besides sending the Holy Spirit, he leaves them in a situation of true peace through what he has done. not as the world does. How is it that the world tries to give peace? By offering material payment for losses and accidents (insurance), providing health care for sick‑ nesses that arise, security equipment and patrols to pro‑ tect against robbers — all in exchange for a lot of money.

In sum, our society (the world) is not able to guarantee anything, much less eliminating fear. Jesus, however, intro‑ duces his followers into the family of the Almighty God, accompanied personally by the Holy Spirit, every day of their lives, and even in the middle of despair and through death, he can assure them that all is and will end well, just as the good Heavenly Father wants (see 16.16‑33, notes).

14.28 If you loved me. Jesus was laying the foundations for this relationship of love. True love, for the time being, was in Jesus himself. He will pass it along to the hearts of his disciples after his death and resurrection, and the giving of the Holy Spirit. Carlos Hernandez comments that up until now the disciples weren't able to see that because of Jesus, death is dead on arrival to the battlefield, and life triumphs.

Their faith was still limited, needing to grow with love (per‑ haps Mary of Bethany already understood, cf. 12.3).

14.29 so that when it does happen, you will believe.

Even after three intensive years with Jesus, their faith could still grow a great deal. As a lesson for us: what is our at‑ titude when difficult things happen to us? Jesus' invitation is that we believe in the Father's loving direction and thus continue in peace.

14.30 the ruler of this world. Satan, who acted through Judas' betrayal, has limited authority over the sinners of

over me, 31 but the world must know that I love the Father; that is why I do everything as he commands me.

“Come, let us go from this place.

Jesus the Real Vine 1 “I am the real vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He breaks off every bran‑ ch in me that does not bear fruit, and he pru‑ nes every branch that does bear fruit, so that it will be clean and bear more fruit. 3 You have been made clean already by the teaching I have given you. 4 Remain united to me, and I will re‑ main united to you. A branch cannot bear fruit by itself; it can do so only if it remains in the vine. In the same way you cannot bear fruit un‑ less you remain in me.

5 “I am the vine, and you are the branch‑ es. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will bear much fruit; for you can do nothing without me. 6 Those who do not remain in me

15

this world. In God's world, he has no authority at all; out of love for us, God desired that Jesus would submit himself to the punishment for human sin, in order to rescue those who believed in him.

14.31 I do everything as he commands me. It is very clear that God, and not Satan, holds supreme power.

15.1 the real vine. The Jews, like the disciples, knew that the image of the vine in Scripture represented the people of Israel, God's people (for example: Ps 80.8‑16, Is 5.1‑7).

According to Dr. Russell Shedd, this image always has a negative aspect in the Old Testament, with God lament‑ ing that his vine didn't respond to his care by producing good fruit. As the “real vine,” Jesus wants to say that he is the one who incarnates this purpose of God, and now, through his followers, God would finally have a people who would correspond to his good care as a planter, and the fruit would appear.

15.2 He breaks off…he prunes. The union by faith with Jesus should automatically appear in the life of the dis‑ ciple, producing visible changes. The purpose of the vine is to produce grapes, and God will take every measure necessary so that this happens. It is he who cares for the life of the “people of Jesus,” and it is Jesus' teaching that cleanses us so that we can produce fruit. Note that Jesus' words here are not a fear­‑producing threat, but are spoken after he gives the guarantee of peace (14.27); they are an explanation of how the common life of Christ's followers is directed. Thus Jesus assures them that “you have been made clean already” (v. 3).

15.4 Remain united in me. This is the central appeal of the vine comparison metaphor. Just as Peter had respond‑ ed, when questioned if the disciples also wanted to aban‑ don Jesus, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life” (6.68). Jesus is preparing the disciples for difficult moments, and the central teaching is, “Remain united in me. God will take care of the necessary pruning and cleansing. Remain with me, for this is the only way you will produce fruit.”

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are thrown out like a branch and dry up; such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire, where they are burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, then you will ask for anything you wish, and you shall have it. 8 My Father's glory is shown by your bearing much fruit; and in this way you become my dis‑ ciples. 9 I love you just as the Father loves me; remain in my love. 10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love.

11 “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

12 My commandment is this: love one anoth‑ er, just as I love you. 13 The greatest love you can have for your friends is to give your life for them. 14 And you are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 I do not call you ser‑ vants any longer, because servants do not know what their master is doing. Instead, I call you friends, because I have told you everything I heard from my Father. 16 You did not choose me; I chose you and appointed you to go and bear much fruit, the kind of fruit that endures. And so the Father will give you whatever you ask of him in my name. 17 This, then, is what I com‑ mand you: love one another.

The World's Hatred 18 “If the world hates you, just remember that it has hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, then the world would love you as its own. But I chose you from this world, and you do not belong to it; that is why the world hates you. 20 Remember what I told you: ‘Slaves are not greater than their master.’ If people perse‑ cuted me, they will persecute you too; if they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours too.

21 But they will do all this to you because you are mine; for they do not know the one who sent me. 22 They would not have been guilty of sin if I had not come and spoken to them; as it is, they no longer have any excuse for their sin. 23 Whoever hates me hates my Father also.

24 They would not have been guilty of sin if I had not done among them the things that no one else ever did; as it is, they have seen what I did, and they hate both me and my Father. 25 This, however, was bound to happen so that what is written in their Law may come true: ‘They hat‑ ed me for no reason at all.’

26 “The Helper will come—the Spirit, who reveals the truth about God and who comes from the Father. I will send him to you from the Father, and he will speak about me. 27 And

15.6 Those who do not remain in me…dry up. Unfortunate‑ ly, many of us know examples of followers who stop depend‑ ing on Jesus and end up “doing nothing,” without him (v. 5).

15.7 my words remain in you. Note the fundamental im‑ portance of Jesus' words, the “cleansing” role that Scrip‑ ture has.

15.8 My Father's glory is shown. The goal of our life as God's people in this world is to reveal the beauty of God's love.

15.9 remain in my love. Christian love begins between Father God and God's Son, and through Jesus comes to us, through a transmission of divine life.

15.10 commandments…love. Obedience to Jesus and the love of Jesus mingle together and give identity to each other. This loving obedience to the Savior is marked by joy (in the old covenant it was marked by fear), a joy that doesn't feel the need for anything else.

15.12 love one another, just as I love you. The central theme of John is love; the same love that comes from God must be spread among those who follow Christ. The Jo‑ hannine language is based on affection, not on long ex‑ planations or ritual prescriptions.

15.13‑15 my friends. The union between Jesus and those who believe in him produces a loving and obedient life, but with the joy of friendship, not with the dedication of slaves or servants to their lords. Jesus' great love for his followers, to the point of giving his life for them, does away with all secrets, establishing a joyful relationship of trust. An equivalent teaching, found in the writings of the apostle Paul, would be the difference between sons and slaves (Rm 8.14‑16).

15.16 I chose you. All merits belong to Jesus; it is he who guarantees our safety and peace. whatever you ask. In this spirit of love, obedience, joy, and friendship with Christ, the requests that identify with Jesus are all naturally attended to by the Father.

15.17 This is what I command you. Jesus continues being our Lord at the same time that he is our friend and brother.

To simplify and summarize, and not leave any space to introduce various rules and principles, he reduces every‑ thing to, during his physical absence, our love directed towards other followers of Jesus: this is life in “the Father's universe” (13.1).

15.18‑20 the world hates you. The flip side is that, as we unify and identify ourselves with Christ, we suffer the same type of rejection and persecution that he suffered (and also the same type of acceptance that he had).

15.25 in their law. Jesus illustrates the difference between his new covenant and the old covenant, in which the Jews clung tightly to their scriptures. Knowing that those who persecuted him will not enter into this new relationship, based on love and friendship, Jesus shows that they are, without realizing it, fulfilling a messianic prophecy of their ancestor David (Ps 35.19; 69.4).

15.26 The Helper. The “Paraclete,” who comforts. This term, used only by John in the New Testament, will be used after the 4th century to designate those who assist in court, putting themselves alongside of those in need.

The corresponding word in Latin is advocatus. Here the Spirit serves as a helper from on high for moments of per‑ secution. Without the Holy Spirit, Jesus' followers would abandon their faith due to the fierce persecution (16.1‑2).

John 15 — 16 52 you, too, will speak about me, because you have been with me from the very beginning.

1 “I have told you this, so that you will not give up your faith. 2 You will be ex‑ pelled from the synagogues, and the time will come when those who kill you will think that by doing this they are serving God. 3 People will do these things to you because they have not known either the Father or me. 4 But I have told you this, so that when the time comes for them to do these things, you will remember what I told you.

16

The Work of the Holy Spirit “I did not tell you these things at the be‑ ginning, for I was with you. 5 But now I am go‑ ing to him who sent me, yet none of you asks me where I am going. 6 And now that I have told you, your hearts are full of sadness. 7 But I am telling you the truth: it is better for you that I go away, because if I do not go, the Helper will not come to you. But if I do go away, then I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will prove to the people of the world that they are 16.2 will think that by doing this they are serving God. Jesus knew well the fundamentalist hate that kills “in the name of God,” of which he himself was a victim. The truth is that whoever knows God does not do such things (v. 3).

16.4 for I was with you. Here we have precious instruc‑ tions for Christian life as it is today, guided by the Spirit of God and not by Jesus physically present. According to the Lord himself, “it is better” that it is this way (v. 7). The presence of the Spirit in human hearts will make the vine produce fruits, helping Christians to convince people that currently reject Jesus regarding their errors (v. 8). With pa‑ ternal language, it is as if Jesus was saying to “his little children” that, without his visible presence and with the Spirit's company, the disciples would be able to walk bet‑ ter, “without holding both hands.”

16.8 about sin and about what is right and about God's judgment. The three most important truths for all of hu‑ man existence, and yet all of them have been wrongly un‑ derstood (in traditional versions, “sin, righteousness, and judgment”). Remember that those who were in favor of crucifying Jesus were, in their majority, of God's people and knowledgeable of God's Word.

16.9 about sin, because they do not believe in me. The true sin is to not believe in Jesus, refuse to receive the Mes‑ siah, the Savior sent by God. The effort made to please God by obeying one commandment or by not disobeying another is condemned to failure. What God wants is that we believe in the Solution that he has provided: the Mes‑ siah, Jesus Christ. All other kinds of evil have their roots in disbelief of the one sent from God. 16.10 because I am going to the Father. God is just, and Jesus is our justice. The fact that Jesus was resurrected and returned to the Father, the Holy and Just God, in a superi‑ or and immortal existence, only proves that he is perfectly

wrong about sin and about what is right and about God's judgment. 9 They are wrong about sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 they are wrong about what is right, because I am going to the Father and you will not see me any more; 11 and they are wrong about judgment, because the ruler of this world has already been judged.

12 “I have much more to tell you, but now it would be too much for you to bear. 13 When, however, the Spirit comes, who reveals the truth about God, he will lead you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own authority, but he will speak of what he hears and will tell you of things to come. 14 He will give me glory, because he will take what I say and tell it to you. 15 All that my Father has is mine; that is why I said that the Spirit will take what I give him and tell it to you.

Sadness and Gladness 16 “In a little while you will not see me any more, and then a little while later you will see me.” just and united with the Father. Thus, only in union with Jesus can we truly do what is right and just.

16.11 the ruler of this world has already been judged.

People in general think that at the end of life they will be judged for the good and bad that they did. Although on the last day each one will know his or her eternal destiny, the world as a whole has already been judged, for reject‑ ing the Savior sent from God. The world cannot do any differently from Satan, the one who rules over it. Satan was judged and condemned for leading the world to not believe in God, and reject and crucify Jesus, God's son.

The last day will be the moment of execution of the final sentence, in which the true sin will be exposed, as well as the justice of Jesus and the injustice of all who follow Satan, rejecting and crucifying the Messiah. In the old covenant, judgment was based on the balance of good and bad works that were done. In the new covenant of Jesus, judgment is based on our attitude toward him: believe or not believe. The Holy Spirit has helped God's people to present Jesus, grace and truth, making it clear that the world and its leader are completely wrong. See 5.24; 12.31; notes.

16.12‑15 it would be too much for you to bear. A good father knows how to judge the abilities of his children.

Jesus' mission was to save people from the world through his death and, by doing so, form a new people of God. For the rest of these people's lives on earth as God's people, there would be more important and necessary teachings, such as the entire text of the New Testament, which would be produced in the company of the Holy Spirit, but follow‑ ing exactly the same course as that which Jesus followed (vs. 13‑14), with the same attitude of service that Jesus demonstrated toward the Father.

16.16‑33 so that you will have peace. Throughout this

53

John 16

of his disciples asked among them‑ selves, “What does this mean? He tells us that in a little while we will not see him, and then a little while later we will see him; and he also says, ‘It is because I am going to the Father.’

18 What does this ‘a little while’ mean? We don't know what he is talking about!”

19 Jesus knew that they wanted to question him, so he said to them, “I said, ‘In a little while you will not see me, and then a little while later you will see me.’ Is this what you are asking about among yourselves? 20 I am telling you the truth: you will cry and weep, but the world will be glad; you will be sad, but your sadness will turn into gladness. 21 When a woman is about to give birth, she is sad because her hour of suffer‑ ing has come; but when the baby is born, she forgets her suffering, because she is happy that a baby has been born into the world. 22 That is how it is with you: now you are sad, but I will see you again, and your hearts will be filled with gladness, the kind of gladness that no one can take away from you.

23 “When that day comes, you will not ask me for anything. I am telling you the truth: the

Father will give you whatever you ask of him in my name. 24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name; ask and you will receive, so that your happiness may be complete.

passage we can observe several teachings of Jesus that aim to help the disciples have peace during the coming, awful hours and days, when Jesus will be imprisoned, cru‑ cified, and buried, until the resurrection on the third day — something that the disciples still hadn't clearly under‑ stood. The same teachings apply to our current situation, in which Jesus is not physically visible.you will not see me anymore. For those who lived intensely with Jesus during the last three years, this phrase would be a huge shock.

He would no longer be always visibly together with them — the preparation now was to be able to look from the viewpoint of faith. But the first step, the death of Jesus, would be a devastating blow.

16.17 What does this mean? Not understanding God's message causes anxiety and takes away peace, especially when we perceive that the news is not good.

16.20 you will cry and weep. With a paternal attitude, as one who prepares children for a painful remedy, Jesus reveals the truth: “it will hurt.” the world will be glad. As if the sadness of losing Jesus weren't enough to deal with, there would be celebration and rejoicing around them over his death. your sadness will turn to gladness. The greatest consolation for those who endure pain is to know that it will pass, and afterward everything will be better.

16.21 about to give birth. From the paternal to the mater‑ nal: our sufferings in this life are oftentimes compared to birth pains in Scripture. Absolutely inevitable in this time pe‑ riod in which there was neither anesthesia nor C­‑sections, these pains are very strong, but pale in comparison to the satisfaction of seeing a new life brought into the world.

16.22 the kind of gladness that no one can take away from you. As soon as everyone saw the resurrected Je‑ sus, a permanent joy would take control of the disciples:

death, the greatest and most feared enemy, had been ir‑ revocably defeated. This is the solid foundation for the peace that Jesus brings.

16.27 the Father himself loves you. Until Jesus' death, only through priests and sacrifices could people relate to God. Jesus directs the last hours of the old covenant's validity, teaching already about life under the new cov‑ enant, in which all believers in Christ have direct access to God and, above all, are personally loved by God. This is the greatest basis of the peace given by Jesus: God's love. because you loved me and have believed. Faith in Jesus produces a relationship of love.

16.28 I did come from the Father, and I came into the world. Like two “parallel universes,” the Father and the world coexist until now. Jesus created the passage from one to the other, to save all who would receive him, be‑ fore the condemnation of this world for rejecting God and his Son. The image of the vine (15.1‑8) serves to show the only way that we humans can exist in the “Father's universe:” united with Jesus.

16.29 Now. The doubt that Thomas had expressed just a few hours ago (14.5: “Lord, we do not know where you are going”) is now finally understood by the disciples.

16.30 This makes us believe. Jesus' explanation enlivened his disciples, to the point that they wanted to take a more active role in their faith and relationship with him. Expres‑ sions like “Now we know” and “we believe” reveal a feel‑ ing of importance, of more active participation by the disciples, in what would probably be considered a climax moment, the high point of the message about peace for all of us. But Jesus knew better (see v. 31).

16.31 Do you believe now? Jesus continues speaking the truth with grace. Peace, in order to be true peace, could

17 Some

Victory over the World 25 “I have used figures of speech to tell you these things. But the time will come when I will not use figures of speech, but will speak to you plainly about the Father. 26 When that day comes, you will ask him in my name; and I do not say that I will ask him on your behalf, 27 for the Father himself loves you. He loves you because you love me and have believed that I came from God. 28 I did come from the Father, and I came into the world; and now I am leav‑ ing the world and going to the Father.”

29 Then his disciples said to him, “Now you are speaking plainly, without using figures of speech. 30 We know now that you know every‑ thing; you do not need to have someone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God.” 31 Jesus answered them, “Do you believe now? 32 The time is coming, and is already here,

John 16 — 17 54 when all of you will be scattered, each of you to your own home, and I will be left all alone.

But I am not really alone, because the Father is with me. 33 I have told you this so that you will have peace by being united to me. The world will make you suffer. But be brave! I have de‑ feated the world!”

Jesus Prays for His Disciples 1 After Jesus finished saying this, he looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Give glory to your Son, so

that the Son may give glory to you. 2 For you gave him authority over all people, so that he might give eternal life to all those you gave him. 3 And eternal life means to know you, the only true God, and to know Jesus Christ, whom you sent. 4 I have shown your glory on earth; I have finished the work you gave me to do. 5 Fa‑ ther! Give me glory in your presence now, the same glory I had with you before the world was made.

6 “I have made you known to those you gave me out of the world. They belonged to you, and

not rest in the security of the disciples' faith. There was one more important truth on the path to liberation, which appears in v. 32.

16.32 I will be left all alone. The truth that was lacking was the awareness of each one's weakness. That confi‑ dent courage would only last 10 minutes, until the guards arrived with Judas leading their way. As the scenario changed, courage gave way to fear, and all of them ran for their lives. See v. 33.

16.33 I have told you this so that you will have peace.

It is now, after denouncing the inevitable failure of his disciples, that Jesus offers peace. Only after accepting our weakness, and perceiving that Jesus has known it all along, can peace truly rest on a firm foundation. This truth has been forgotten by many Christians, and perhaps for this reason the first phrase of this verse has not been memorized as much as the phrases that follow: (“in the world, you will pass through many tribulations. But take heart; I have overcome the world,” traditional rendering).

It is precisely in the midst of troubles that we experience in this world that we need the enduring peace of Jesus. I have defeated the world! Note that Jesus' speech ends here. Many preachers wrongly add a “conclusion” with the feeling of “you can also defeat the world!” But that was not what Jesus taught. He said “I have defeated the world” — and that was it. That is sufficient, and means: you can't do it (cf. v. 32), but I have done it for you. This is the foundation of the new covenant. Jesus is saying: courage, don't lose heart, I already know your weaknesses, and it's exactly why I'm going to die. The basis of peace is in Jesus, and not in our conquests. With this established, Jesus con‑ cludes his disciples' preparation. It is time to pray on their behalf to the Father.

17.1 he looked up to heaven. This is a difficult moment for Jesus and his disciples. He speaks openly of the suf‑ ferings that are to come and indicates that union with him will guarantee peace (16.33). Knowing that in a few minutes he would be arrested, which unleashes a wave of terror over his followers, he looks to heaven and prays on their behalf, which also includes us in our time and circumstances. Looking to heaven brings to mind our God and creator, who ordains his peace over all of heaven and earth. It is an attitude of the heart that allows us to emerge from inside the world's problems and ascend to the pres‑ ence of the Lord who encourages us. The perception of eternal reality gives us confidence and perseverance in our earthly path. Father, the hour has come. In the begin‑ ning of his ministry Jesus knew that the time had not come

(2.4). Jesus is now aware that the hour of his departure has arrived. There were just a few moments remaining before his arrest, judgment, sentence, and execution. Jesus does not deny the seriousness of the situation, nor does he re‑ main silent. He starts by sharing his heart with his Father and asks for his help in this difficult moment, so that he can remain obedient to the end, and confront with cour‑ age, integrity, and dignity the humiliation, scorn, suffering, and the horrible death on the cross. so that the Son may give glory to you. Is it possible to glorify God even at the moment of death? Jesus gives us the example: he accepts the situation without denying or fleeing it; he does what he was called to do and faces his parting with confidence and hope.

17.2 authority over all people. By God's determination, as a result of humanity's sin, the world came under Satan's direction and is entombed in death. Also by God's deter‑ mination, because of his great love for humanity, Jesus died on the cross and has authority to save, giving life to all those that the Father draws near to him (6.37).

17.3 And eternal life means to know you…and Jesus Christ. What great news! Eternal life begins here on earth, and consists of knowing Jesus, who takes us to the Father.

So we experience firsthand the unfathomable, uncondi‑ tional, and permanent love of God. Eternal life consists of enjoying communion with the Triune God, with God's family here on earth, and someday, with those who have gone before us to contemplate face to face the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The care that Jesus gave to the soul had as its single objective the revelation of the Father as the one who will satisfy the soul's thirst. The purpose was not to reveal sin in itself, but the Father's love, and allow the perception of this love to reveal all of the senseless longings for which the soul sought. The Father's love is not perceived if we only look at sin, or at what is wrong. The critic's eye is a characteristic of one of the most common psychological illnesses in the religious realm — obsessive neurosis.

17.5 the same glory I had with you. Jesus “emptied him‑ self” upon coming to live on earth as a man and complet‑ ing all the work of salvation, and returns to the Father, taking with him glorified humanity.

17.6 to those you gave me out of the world. There is a kind of “change of nationality” when someone believes in Jesus. Just like Jesus, the person united with him leaves the world and enters into the Father's universe (13.1; 16.28, note), the difference being that the person still remains here in the world for some time (vs. 11,14).

17

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John 17

you gave them to me. They have obeyed your word, 7 and now they know that everything you gave me comes from you. 8 I gave them the mes‑ sage that you gave me, and they received it; they know that it is true that I came from you, and they believe that you sent me.

9 “I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those you gave me, for they be‑ long to you. 10 All I have is yours, and all you have is mine; and my glory is shown through them. 11 And now I am coming to you; I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world.

Holy Father! Keep them safe by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one just as you and I are one. 12 While I was with them, I kept them safe by the power of your name, the name you gave me. I protected them, and not one of them was lost, except the man who was bound to be lost—so that the scripture might come true. 13 And now I am coming to you, and I say these things in the world so that they might have my joy in their hearts in all its fullness. 14 I gave them your

message, and the world hated them, because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. 15 I do not ask you to take them out of the world, but I do ask you to keep them safe from the Evil One. 16 Just as I do not belong to the world, they do not belong to the world. 17 Dedicate them to yourself by means of the truth; your word is truth. 18 I sent them into the world, just as you sent me into the world.

19 And for their sake I dedicate myself to you, in order that they, too, may be truly dedicated to you.

20 “I pray not only for them, but also for those who believe in me because of their mes‑ sage. 21 I pray that they may all be one. Father!

May they be in us, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they be one, so that the world will believe that you sent me. 22 I gave them the same glory you gave me, so that they may be one, just as you and I are one: 23 I in them and you in me, so that they may be completely one, in order that the world may know that you sent me and that you love them as you love me.

17.7‑8 it is true that I came from you. To recognize Jesus as being sent from God and to believe in him is the way to God. 17.10 my glory is shown through them. We who believe in Jesus are the revelation that he is God and Savior.

17.11 Keep them…so that they may be one. The single commandment, to love one another to the point of be‑ ing united, is the crucial point for the survival of Jesus' church on earth. The model that he presents us is that of perfect unity with the Father. God himself is the one who makes possible and preserves such unity, at a much more profound level than our religious institutions, with their di‑ verse names created by us.

17.13 my joy…in all its fullness. To follow Jesus on earth, even in all persecution, is not a sad experience, full of darkness and overcome with seriousness; it has a very special quality of joy, which comes from Jesus himself.

17.14 they do not belong to the world, just as I do not.

Our identification with the Lord Jesus subjects us to an estrangement from the world. We will live constantly in an existential tension due to the fact that we live in the world, but are no longer of the world. The follower of Je‑ sus stands out from the crowd, just as Noah stood out from among his contemporaries.

17.15‑16 I do not ask you to take them out of the world, but…keep them safe. Jesus is saying goodbye to his dis‑ ciples and is concerned about the world in which they will have to grow and develop. His disciples belong to another Kingdom, the Kingdom of Heaven, the Father's universe. Their citizenship, laws, and values are differ‑ ent. In addition, they have an arduous task to complete: take the good news of the Kingdom to the ends of the earth — message and messenger are not always welcome everywhere. Jesus shares his concern with the Father…

What a consolation to know that Jesus interceded and still intercedes for his followers, and that it is the same Father God who takes responsibility for keeping his chil‑ dren safe from all evil! In spite of the fact that Satan, the Evil One, is still active in the world, believers in Christ are protected by the Heavenly Father.

17.17 truth. The word of God, his message to humanity, is the truth: incarnated in Jesus (1.1.) and taught by him to humans.

17.18 just as. Here Jesus calls to mind the Incarnation, the Christmas event in which God presented himself to the world in the person of his Son, born of the Virgin Mary.

This “just as” accentuates the similarity of his mission in the world to that of his disciples, and also serves as an orientation for the attitudes and lifestyles of the disciples in this world.

17.19 And for their sake I dedicate myself. Jesus, like Fa‑ ther God, loved people, and gave himself up because of people like us — much more than giving himself because of plans or strategies. It is with us that he wants to live in the Father's house (14.1‑2).

17.20 for those who believe in me. Jesus prayed for you.

He knew very well that the message of life and salvation through faith in him would reach an uncountable multi‑ tude of people throughout the centuries.

17.21 I pray that they may all be one. This unity of Je‑ sus' followers is so important that he repeats the request, now on behalf of future disciples. so that the world will believe. Love among Christians is the only truly efficient method of evangelism.

17.22 I gave them. Jesus passed along the divine nature to his followers, eternal life that comes from the Father, as proof of his extreme confidence and love, and thus he also passes along the special relationship he had with the Father (v. 23).

John 17 — 18 56 24 “Father! You have given them to me, and I want them to be with me where I am, so that they may see my glory, the glory you gave me; for you loved me before the world was made.

25 Righteous Father! The world does not know you, but I know you, and these know that you sent me. 26 I made you known to them, and I will continue to do so, in order that the love you have for me may be in them, and so that I also may be in them.”

The Arrest of Jesus (Matthew 26.47‑56; Mark 14.43‑50; Luke 22.47‑53) 1 After Jesus had said this prayer, he left with his disciples and went across Ki‑ dron Brook. There was a garden in that place, and Jesus and his disciples went in. 2 Judas, the traitor, knew where it was, because many times Jesus had met there with his disciples.

3 So Judas went to the garden, taking with him a group of Roman soldiers, and some Temple guards sent by the chief priests and the Pha‑ risees; they were armed and carried lanterns and torches. 4 Jesus knew everything that was going to happen to him, so he stepped

18

17.24 Father! I want them to be with me. This is the last petition of the intercessory prayer that Jesus made. It re‑ veals Jesus to us in all his humanity and generosity, already anticipating the reunion with his disciples, so that they may contemplate his glory and share the Father's love with them.

17.26 that love…may be in them. The greatest Christian virtue, love, is in fact a quality of the Trinity, which Jesus “implants” in his followers, through the union of the dis‑ ciple with Christ himself. The highest goal was that the Heavenly Father's love be in us. All of this was said by Jesus just before he died, as he transformed his love into actions. This was his way of “continuing to do so,” of mak‑ ing sure that love would remain in them.

18.1‑2 across Kidron brook. There was a garden in that place. Fertile ground, near the spring, where olive trees, vines, and flowers grew; it was a place that Jesus and his disciples frequently visited to pause, rest, eat, fellowship, and pray. Once they were reinvigorated, they would re‑ turn to work. We need a similar dynamic, with friends and family and colleagues, and with nature. Jesus leads with affection, caring for the well­‑being of his collaborators, be‑ cause the worker is more important than the work. This is a dramatic hour, but the group already knows the place well from many previous visits. Rest can also be sacred.

18.6 they moved back and fell to the ground. The guards and assistants of the Jewish leaders did not attend the meetings of Jesus' followers, and many didn't even know him personally, thus needing a traitor as their guide. For the great effort, anger, and worry of their lords, we can imagine that they were prepared for a violent reaction on the part of Jesus and his followers, just as a band of thieves would incite.

forward and asked them, “Who is it you are looking for?”

5 “Jesus of Nazareth,” they answered.

“I am he,” he said.

Judas, the traitor, was standing there with them. 6 When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they moved back and fell to the ground. 7 Again Jesus asked them, “Who is it you are looking for?”

“Jesus of Nazareth,” they said.

8 “I have already told you that I am he,” Je‑ sus said. “If, then, you are looking for me, let these others go.” (9 He said this so that what he had said might come true: “Father, I have not lost even one of those you gave me.”)

10 Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the High Priest's slave, cutting off his right ear. The name of the slave was Mal‑ chus. 11 Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword back in its place! Do you think that I will not drink the cup of suffering which my Father has given me?”

Jesus before Annas 12 Then the Roman soldiers with their com‑ manding officer and the Jewish guards arrested 18.10 the sword. The sword is a weapon of attack, pro‑ foundly rooted in the culture of Eastern peoples, equiva‑ lent to the guns of our time. Peter instinctively swings his sword in defense of his friend. Although his reaction is perfectly understandable, Jesus orders Peter to put it away. In a surprising gesture, he demonstrates compre‑ hension of the political and religious facts, teaching about the sovereignty of God that he accepts, even if it means suffering and death. Jesus' attitude was in accordance with the words of God spoken by the angel to the proph‑ et Zechariah: “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty” (Zc 4.6). Unfortunately, on many occasions throughout history, battles, territorial conquests, executions of “heretics” or unbelievers, and acts of violence were practiced ostensibly in defense of the faith, contrary to the Spirit of God. Jesus, on the other hand, demonstrated the superior power of trust in God, which expresses itself through self­‑control, love, and dia‑ logue. Different from the apostle's impulsiveness, which tried to make justice with his own hands, Jesus began a dialogue by introducing himself to his captors and making sure that they let his friends go free (vs. 5,8).

18.11 the cup the Father has given me. With his faith strengthened by prayer to the Father, Jesus knows and believes that God is in control of everything, including this “hour of darkness,” and for this reason accepts the suffering as coming from a good Father. Peter, on the contrary, is still not at peace, because he is not yet aware of his weaknesses and the Father's love for him in spite of, and because of, them (16.33, note). Peter thought that he had to do something to change the situation.

57 13 and

John 18 23 Jesus

Jesus, tied him up, took him first to An‑ nas. He was the father­‑in­‑law of Caiaphas, who was High Priest that year. 14 It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jewish authorities that it was better that one man should die for all the people.

answered him, “If I have said any‑

thing wrong, tell everyone here what it was.

But if I am right in what I have said, why do you hit me?”

24 Then Annas sent him, still tied up, to Caiaphas the High Priest.

Peter Denies Jesus (Matthew 26.69, 70; Mark 14.66‑68; Luke 22.55‑57) 15 Simon Peter and another disciple fol‑ lowed Jesus. That other disciple was well known to the High Priest, so he went with Jesus into the courtyard of the High Priest's house, 16 while Peter stayed outside by the gate. Then the other disciple went back out, spoke to the girl at the gate, and brought Peter inside. 17 The girl at the gate said to Peter, “Aren't you also one of the disciples of that man?”

“No, I am not,” answered Peter.

18 It was cold, so the servants and guards had built a charcoal fire and were standing around it, warming themselves. So Peter went over and stood with them, warming himself.

Peter Denies Jesus Again (Matthew 26.71‑75; Mark 14.69‑72; Luke 22.58‑62) 25 Peter was still standing there keeping himself warm. So the others said to him, “Aren't you also one of the disciples of that man?”

But Peter denied it. “No, I am not,” he said.

26 One of the High Priest's slaves, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, spoke up. “Didn't I see you with him in the garden?” he asked.

27 Again Peter said “No”—and at once a rooster crowed.

The High Priest Questions Jesus (Matthew 26.59‑66; Mark 14.55‑64; Luke 22.66‑71) 19 The High Priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and about his teaching. 20 Jesus answered, “I have always spoken publicly to ev‑ eryone; all my teaching was done in the syna‑ gogues and in the Temple, where all the people come together. I have never said anything in secret. 21 Why, then, do you question me? Ques‑ tion the people who heard me. Ask them what I told them—they know what I said.”

22 When Jesus said this, one of the guards there slapped him and said, “How dare you talk like that to the High Priest!”

Jesus before Pilate (Matthew 27.1, 2, 11‑14; Mark 15.1‑5; Luke 23.1‑5) 28 Early in the morning Jesus was taken from Caiaphas' house to the governor's palace.

The Jewish authorities did not go inside the palace, for they wanted to keep themselves rit‑ ually clean, in order to be able to eat the Pass‑ over meal. 29 So Pilate went outside to them and asked, “What do you accuse this man of” 30 Their answer was, “We would not have brought him to you if he had not committed a crime.”

31 Pilate said to them, “Then you yourselves take him and try him according to your own law.”

They replied, “We are not allowed to put anyone to death.” (32 This happened in order to make come true what Jesus had said when

18.16 the servant girl on duty. The weak brings down the strong. Simple people such as a housekeeper became instruments that revealed Peter's debility, someone who always presented himself as strong, fearless, confident (v. 10).

18.17 I am not. What is the reason for this denial? In their first act after Jesus' arrest, the disciples ran a serious risk of also being arrested, so much so that the High Priest tried to obtain information from Jesus regarding his fol‑ lowers (v. 19). Thus, in the circle around the fire, in the middle of guards and other captors of Jesus, there was a real fear of imprisonment and death that led Peter to deny that he was his follower. Fear cast out love. Peter made a self­‑exclusion. The instinct of human survival was stronger than love for Christ. So many miracles witnessed, the glory

contemplated, but transformation still had not taken over basic instincts.

18.27 a rooster began to crow. The fulfillment of Jesus' warning in 13.38, after three denials from Peter. Other gospels comment that Peter went out and wept bitterly after this happened.

18.28 to avoid ceremonial uncleanness. Upon complet‑ ing the ceremonial purification, which aimed to “decon‑ taminate” oneself from contact with non­‑Jews, the Jews, according to their rules, would become impure if they entered the house of a non­‑Jew. It is impossible not to perceive the irony between the enormous “impurity” that they were committing and the observance of the law that guaranteed them to be “pure” for the Passover to be cel‑ ebrated that night.

John 18 — 19 58 he indicated the kind of death he would die.)

33 Pilate went back into the palace and called Jesus. “Are you the king of the Jews?” he asked him.

34 Jesus answered, “Does this question come from you or have others told you about me?”

35 Pilate replied, “Do you think I am a Jew? It was your own people and the chief priests who handed you over to me. What have you done?”

36 Jesus said, “My kingdom does not belong to this world; if my kingdom belonged to this world, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish authori‑ ties. No, my kingdom does not belong here!”

37 So Pilate asked him, “Are you a king, then?”

Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king.

I was born and came into the world for this one purpose, to speak about the truth. Whoever be‑ longs to the truth listens to me.”

38 “And what is truth?” Pilate asked.

Jesus Is Sentenced to Death (Matthew 27.15‑31; Mark 15.6‑20; Luke 23.13‑25) Then Pilate went back outside to the peo‑ ple and said to them, “I cannot find any reason to condemn him. 39 But according to the cus‑ tom you have, I always set free a prisoner for you during the Passover. Do you want me to set free for you the king of the Jews?”

40 They answered him with a shout, “No,

not him! We want Barabbas!” (Barabbas was a bandit.)

1 Then Pilate took Jesus and had him whipped. 2 The soldiers made a crown out of thorny branches and put it on his head; then they put a purple robe on him 3 and came to him and said, “Long live the King of the Jews!” And they went up and slapped him.

4 Pilate went back out once more and said to the crowd, “Look, I will bring him out here to you to let you see that I cannot find any reason to condemn him.” 5 So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Look! Here is the man!”

6 When the chief priests and the Temple guards saw him, they shouted, “Crucify him!

Crucify him!”

Pilate said to them, “You take him, then, and crucify him. I find no reason to condemn him.”

7 The crowd answered back, “We have a law that says he ought to die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.” 8 When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid. 9 He went back into the palace and asked Jesus, “Where do you come from?”

But Jesus did not answer. 10 Pilate said to him, “You will not speak to me? Remember, I have the authority to set you free and also to have you crucified.”

11 Jesus answered, “You have authority over me only because it was given to you by God. So the man who handed me over to you is guilty of a worse sin.”

18.36 My kingdom is not of this world. Since Pilate didn't have the possibility of recognizing Jesus the Messiah, sent to the Jewish people, Jesus could respond much more freely to him than he could to the Jewish priests. This im‑ portant truth has been frequently forgotten: Jesus is king, but not earthly, material, and political. Thus, whoever iden‑ tifies themselves with Christ receives a new conscience to guide their thoughts and choices, and know the fragil‑ ity of the powers and values that govern the present age, especially when they are cruel. With our hearts fixed on the Kingdom of God, we are able to confront the world's disdain or any difficulties that may arise. In the end, we will surpass and overcome death itself.

18.38 What is truth? Pilate poses this important question, yet at the same time sidesteps hearing the answer. Note that he withdraws from Jesus to go and negotiate with the crowd. In the same way today, many people do not want to approach the truth face to face. I find no basis… Pilate, like many populists, betrays his own conscience. In the face of the multitude's threats and wishes, many people depersonalize themselves and do what they know they shouldn't do.

18.40 No, not him! The Jewish people cooperated with

their leaders in Jesus' condemnation, frustrating Pilate's political maneuvering to set him free from death. They pre‑ ferred a criminal, a thief who came to kill, than the good shepherd who gives his life for the sheep.

19.3 they went up and slapped him. Pilate's order was to whip Jesus; the “joke” with the crown of thorns and slaps to the face was the soldiers' initiative, revealing how human evil enters into action simply because it was given an opportunity — in this case, under the protection of au‑ thority.

19.7 he claimed to be the Son of God. This was not a lie, but something that Jesus truly was, and the alleged reason for his condemnation.

19.8 Pilate was even more afraid. By the interrogation that he had done, Pilate had already perceived that Jesus was special, and timidly tried to release him. Seeing that now there was a greater risk of Pilate deciding to release him, Jesus did not answer his question (v. 9).

19.11 it was given to you by God. Jesus knows that even bad governors like Pilate are under God's authority. great‑ er sin. Those who decided to arrest Jesus and have him crucified, and the one who betrayed him, were all Jews and knowledgeable of God's word, unlike Pilate.

19

59

Pilate heard this, he tried to find a way to set Jesus free. But the crowd shout‑ ed back, “If you set him free, that means that you are not the Emperor's friend! Anyone who claims to be a king is a rebel against the Em‑ peror!”

13 When Pilate heard these words, he took Jesus outside and sat down on the judge's seat in the place called “The Stone Pavement.”

(In Hebrew the name is “Gabbatha.”) 14 It was then almost noon of the day before the Pass‑ over. Pilate said to the people, “Here is your king!”

15 They shouted back, “Kill him! Kill him!

Crucify him!”

Pilate asked them, “Do you want me to crucify your king?”

The chief priests answered, “The only king we have is the Emperor!”

16 Then Pilate handed Jesus over to them to be crucified.

12 When

Jesus Is Crucified (Matthew 27.32‑44; Mark 15.21‑32; Luke 23.26‑43) So they took charge of Jesus. 17 He went out, carrying his cross, and came to “The Place of the Skull,” as it is called. (In Hebrew it is called “Golgotha.”) 18 There they crucified him; and they also crucified two other men, one on each side, with Jesus between them. 19 Pilate wrote a notice and had it put on the cross.

“Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews,” is what he wrote. 20 Many people read it, because the place where Jesus was crucified was not far from the city. The notice was written in He‑ 19.15 The only king we have is the Emperor! A truly po‑ litical moment of compliance, defending publicly what they detested in secret — the subservience to Rome. This is evidence that they wanted Jesus' death at all costs.

19.18 one on each side. Hundreds of thousands of peo‑ ple were crucified before and after these men. Significant‑ ly, Jesus was put in the middle of two convicts, for he finds himself in the middle of the pain and anguish of humanity, sharing intimately our existence and destiny. In this way, he understands us, loves us, and saves us.

19.24 in order to make the scripture come true. John considers it important for us to know that many of the facts of Jesus' life and death were prophesied in Scripture.

This one comes from Psalm 22, written by King David, the most famous ancestor of the Messiah (Jesus, at times, was called the Son of David).

19.25‑30 close to Jesus' cross. His death was trans‑ formed into a spectacle by the priests and Pilate, with the participation of primitive soldiers and an alienated crowd. While all this was going on, his mother, Mary

John 19 21 The

chief priests said brew, Latin, and Greek. to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but rather, ‘This man said, I am the King of the Jews.’”

22 Pilate answered, “What I have written stays written.”

23 After the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier. They also took the robe, which was made of one piece of woven cloth without any seams in it. 24 The soldiers said to one another, “Let's not tear it; let's throw dice to see who will get it.” This happened in order to make the scripture come true: “They divided my clothes among themselves and gambled for my robe.”

And this is what the soldiers did.

25 Standing close to Jesus' cross were his mother, his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 Jesus saw his mother and the disciple he loved standing there; so he said to his mother, “He is your son.”

27 Then he said to the disciple, “She is your mother.” From that time the disciple took her to live in his home.

The Death of Jesus (Matthew 27.45‑56; Mark 15.33‑41; Luke 23.44‑49) 28 Jesus knew that by now everything had been completed; and in order to make the scrip‑ ture come true, he said, “I am thirsty.”

Magdalene, Mary of Clopas, and John witnessed his agony and tried to keep him company till his parting, in an attitude of love and courage that brought emotional and spiritual comfort. The moment of death is the most solemn and mysterious moment of our lives. To die is, in itself, a solitary act. Jesus, aware of everything and per‑ ceiving the end, declared: It is finished! He who knew to die so that we could have life will accompany us in the hour of our death, all the way to the Father's presence, in paradise. See the box “Dealing with Grief and Loss,” (Jn 11),p. ##.

19.26 He is your son. Jesus, even while suffering terribly at death's door, did not lose his affection and care for his own, and as the oldest son, passes the care of his mother to his best friend, and him to her. It is also a clear sign that Jesus wasn't simply a man of purpose who pursued life goals at all costs: bringing Mary and John together had no bearing whatsoever on the plan of salvation for humanity, but it was a gesture motivated by authentic affection, by true love for people with whom he lived.

John 19 — 20 60 29 A bowl was there, full of cheap wine; so a sponge was soaked in the wine, put on a stalk of hyssop, and lifted up to his lips. 30 Jesus drank the wine and said, “It is finished!”

Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Jesus' Side Is Pierced 31 Then the Jewish authorities asked Pilate to allow them to break the legs of the men who had been crucified, and to take the bodies down from the crosses. They requested this because it was Friday, and they did not want the bodies to stay on the crosses on the Sabbath, since the coming Sabbath was especially holy. 32 So the soldiers went and broke the legs of the first man and then of the other man who had been crucified with Jesus. 33 But when they came to Jesus, they saw that he was already dead, so they did not break his legs. 34 One of the sol‑ diers, however, plunged his spear into Jesus' side, and at once blood and water poured out.

(35 The one who saw this happen has spoken of it, so that you also may believe. What he said is true, and he knows that he speaks the truth.)

36 This was done to make the scripture come true: “Not one of his bones will be broken.” 37 And there is another scripture that says, “Peo‑ ple will look at him whom they pierced.”

codemus, who at first had gone to see Jesus at night, went with Joseph, taking with him about one hundred pounds of spices, a mixture of myrrh and aloes. 40 The two men took Jesus' body and wrapped it in linen cloths with the spices according to the Jewish custom of pre‑ paring a body for burial. 41 There was a garden in the place where Jesus had been put to death, and in it there was a new tomb where no one had ever been buried. 42 Since it was the day before the Sabbath and because the tomb was close by, they placed Jesus' body there.

The Burial of Jesus (Matthew 27.57‑61; Mark 15.42‑47; Luke 23.50‑56) 38 After this, Joseph, who was from the town of Arimathea, asked Pilate if he could take Je‑ sus' body. (Joseph was a follower of Jesus, but in secret, because he was afraid of the Jewish authorities.) Pilate told him he could have the body, so Joseph went and took it away. 39 Ni‑

The Empty Tomb (Matthew 28.1‑8; Mark 16.1‑8; Luke 24.1‑12) 1 Early on Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been taken away from the entrance. 2 She went running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, whom Je‑ sus loved, and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!”

3 Then Peter and the other disciple went to the tomb. 4 The two of them were running, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He bent over and saw the linen cloths, but he did not go in. 6 Behind him came Simon Peter, and he went straight into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there 7 and the cloth which had been around Je‑ sus' head. It was not lying with the linen cloths but was rolled up by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in; he saw and believed. (9 They still did not understand the scripture which said that he must rise from death.) 10 Then the disciples went back home.

19.30 he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. Until the very last moment, Jesus was guiding the process of humanity's salvation.

19.31 break the legs. To speed up their death, because the Passover Sabbath began at sunset on that Friday. Even after his death, there was still an attempt to attack Jesus, but God protected him (v. 33).

19.35 The one who saw this happen has spoken of it.

John stayed by the cross to the end. His entire book is not just a simple, disinterested report, but a true testimony of one who knew Jesus personally, believed in him, and found a new and full life, profoundly impacted by every‑ thing he heard and saw.

19.38‑39 Joseph…Nicodemus. Apparently Jesus' death was necessary for these two followers to publicly assume their faith.

19.41 garden and tomb. Jesus suffered upon himself the curse placed over all humanity since the fall of Eden. His

tomb in a garden concludes this stage of the curse, fulfill‑ ing the judgment of God over sin. His sowing in the heart of the earth promises us the resurrection of life.

20.1 Mary Magdalene. Jesus appeared to her first, for she came to visit his tomb before any of the others — the dis‑ ciples were probably still hiding somewhere in order not to be arrested (v. 19). Mary Magdalene stayed at the cross in the hour of his death (19.25), did not hope for his resur‑ rection (v. 15), but was unable to stay away from Jesus, who had transformed her life and freed her from seven demons (Mk 16.9). Once again it is affection and love for Jesus that opens the door for surprises, and transforms us into messengers of good news (vs. 17‑18).

20.8 saw and believed. John, the author of this book and Jesus' closest friend, is able to believe just by seeing the empty tomb, even without having seen the resurrected Jesus. It is another example of how a close relationship with Jesus strengthens our faith.

20

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John 20

Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene (Matthew 28.9, 10; Mark 16.9‑11) 11 Mary stood crying outside the tomb.

While she was still crying, she bent over and looked in the tomb 12 and saw two angels there dressed in white, sitting where the body of Je‑ sus had been, one at the head and the other at the feet. 13 “Woman, why are you crying?” they asked her.

She answered, “They have taken my Lord away, and I do not know where they have put him!”

14 Then she turned around and saw Jesus standing there; but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 “Woman, why are you crying?” Je‑ sus asked her. “Who is it that you are looking for?”

She thought he was the gardener, so she said to him, “If you took him away, sir, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him.”

16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!”

She turned toward him and said in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (This means “Teacher.”)

17 “Do not hold on to me,” Jesus told her, “because I have not yet gone back up to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them that I am returning to him who is my Father and their Father, my God and their God.” 18 So Mary Magdalene went and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord and re‑ lated to them what he had told her.

Jesus Appears to His Disciples (Matthew 28.16‑20; Mark 16.14‑18; Luke 24.36‑49) 19 It was late that Sunday evening, and the disciples were gathered together behind locked doors, because they were afraid of the Jewish authorities. Then Jesus came and stood among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. 20 After say‑ ing this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were filled with joy at seeing the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father sent me, so I send you.”

22 Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive people's sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

20.17 Do not hold on to me. It is likely that Mary Magda‑ lene was so upset over the loss of Jesus, and so surprised by his appearance, that she didn't want to let go of him, in order not to lose him again. The words “I have not yet gone back up to the Father” signal that Jesus guarantees he wasn't planning to disappear from sight right at that moment (in fact, Jesus continued appearing to people on earth for 40 more days).

20.19 Peace be with you. On Thursday night, Jesus had finished his speech by preparing his disciples to be at peace during his absence (see 16.33, note). And peace is the first word he speaks to them after his resurrection — it is his greatest gift to us on this earth (see 14.28; 16.16, notes).

20.21 so I send you. Now the disciples had a mission: repeat the ministry of Jesus, taking salvation through faith in Jesus to all people.

20.22 Receive the Holy Spirit. This was still something new for the disciples, although Jesus had spoken of the Holy Spirit on the eve of his crucifixion. Here Jesus indi‑ cates that the Spirit will be the new guide of his disciples (in reality, the descent of the Holy Spirit happened with great power on the day of Pentecost, exactly 50 days later, cf. Ac 2.1).

20.23 if you do not forgiven, they are not forgiven. It

is not just the disciple who believes in Jesus. Here Jesus shows that he also believes in his followers — with the Holy Spirit — and gives them autonomy (or harmony) to deal with the difficult topic of sin and forgiveness. At first glance we tend to understand this phrase as a reference to forgive others' sins, but the next two episodes (Thomas and Peter) show that the most difficult forgiveness may be for oneself (see vs. 20‑29; 21.1‑19).

20.24 Thomas. We don't know why this disciple wasn't together with the others on the Sunday afternoon of Jesus' resurrection; perhaps he had concocted his own plan to hide from the Jewish leaders; perhaps he was more disap‑ pointed than the rest. The fact is that he expected Jesus to die (11.16), but didn't expect the resurrection, and now he couldn't believe it.

20.25 Unless I see…I will not believe. Thomas is not the only one who doubts, but he needs his five senses to be included in his belief. Thus, concretely and without repre‑ hension, he is invited to believe (v. 27). We are challenged to believe based on what we haven't seen, and for this reason Jesus mentions us, valuing those who follow him without having seen him.

20.26 A week later. Jesus appears again, probably just for Thomas' sake (and for many others who have difficulty in believing). It is the mercy of the good shepherd, who

Jesus and Thomas 24 One of the twelve disciples, Thomas (called the Twin), was not with them when Je‑ sus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”

Thomas said to them, “Unless I see the scars of the nails in his hands and put my fin‑ ger on those scars and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”

26 A week later the disciples were together again indoors, and Thomas was with them. The doors were locked, but Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”

27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands; then reach out

John 20 — 21 62 your hand and put it in my side. Stop your doubting, and believe!”

28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Do you believe be‑ cause you see me? How happy are those who believe without seeing me!”

Jesus Appears to Seven Disciples 1 After this, Jesus appeared once more to his disciples at Lake Tiberias. This is how it happened. 2 Simon Peter, Thomas

(called the Twin), Nathanael (the one from Cana in Galilee), the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples of Jesus were all together.

3 Simon Peter said to the others, “I am going fishing.”

“We will come with you,” they told him. So they went out in a boat, but all that night they did not catch a thing. 4 As the sun was rising, Jesus stood at the water's edge, but the disci‑ ples did not know that it was Jesus. 5 Then he asked them, “Young men, haven't you caught anything?”

“Not a thing,” they answered.

6 He said to them, “Throw your net out on the right side of the boat, and you will catch some.” So they threw the net out and could not pull it back in, because they had caught so many fish.

7 The disciple whom Jesus loved said to Pe‑ ter, “It is the Lord!” When Peter heard that it

would rather die than lose one sheep (10.11). We can always count on his mercy in our weaknesses. Parallel to this, the good shepherd is preparing his disciples for his total absence in visible terms, which would happen with his ascension, 33 days later. Just as a father and mother do with their children, appearing, leaving, and returning once again, Jesus is getting his disciples used to guiding their re‑ lationship with him by faith and no longer by sight (v. 29).

20.27 Stop your doubting, and believe! Jesus not only has mercy on our weaknesses, he also helps us to con‑ front them.

20.29 Do you believe because you saw me? Jesus attends to Thomas' need to have a “visible” experience with him.

But once again speaking the truth with love, he shows Thomas that this need of a visible proof will make him less happy — the happiness is in believing, not in seeing. The week that Thomas spent between Jesus' two appearances must have been very distressing and unhappy.

20.31 in order that you may believe…and have life. John explains the way for us to have life: believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Savior (see the box “Sin and Salvation in Jesus,” Jn 3, p. ##). This verse appears to be the end of the book — it's possible that John wrote the following chapter some time later, upon perceiving that it was important to tell one more story.

21.2 were all together. This time there were seven of them, possibly a group with greater affinity, perhaps by friendship or by their Galilean and fishing roots. The fact is that the group of 12 began to subdivide without the daily presence of Jesus. Simon Peter and Thomas. The two dis‑ ciples that had their weaknesses exposed are mentioned first. Thomas had already been redeemed by Jesus; now it was the leader Peter's turn.

21.3 I am going fishing. Why did Peter decide to go fish‑ ing, his profession before he knew Jesus? Probably he was very disappointed with himself. Jesus defeated death, he had triumphed. But Peter had not forgotten how, in the hour of danger, he had been afraid and denied Jesus three times, breaking his promise that he would give his

life for him (13.36‑38; 18.25‑27). Peter was certainly very ashamed, feeling like some of us: “nothing wrong with God or Jesus — the problem is me.” He was feeling inca‑ pable and inadequate to be the group's leader. Peter spent three bitter days condemning himself and thinking: “Jesus died, and the last thing that I did for him was to deny that I knew him.” The brave one proved at that moment to be a coward (see 20.23, note). We will come with you. Maybe they were acting as friends, being sympathetic with the sadness and difficulties of a friend who was disappointed in himself, but the fact is that a leader like Peter influences those who are around him. they did not catch a thing.

Peter was no longer able to do what he used to do with ease!

21.4 Jesus stood at the water's edge. The good shepherd goes after his sheep. the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. In a similar situation to the encounter of Jesus with two disciples on the road to Emmaus (Lk 24.13), their resignation and frustration seemed to prevent them from recognizing Jesus' presence.

21.5 Young men. Literally, “children,” which indicates a paternal concern on Jesus' part. haven't you caught any‑ thing? “Do you have any food?” It is possible that with the end of Jesus' intense discipleship, the daily routine was retaking first place in their lives. Peter's family lived in Capernaum, along the shore. Without the husband/ son present, it is possible that the economic situation was not good and that they were running out of food at home.

21.6 Throw your net out on the right side. If it were us, perhaps we would have asked the question, “Who told you to go back to fishing?” But Jesus not only doesn't condemn them, he helps them to get what they desire. It was the tandem operation of the natural dimension (the disciples throwing their net) with the supernatural (the fish indicated by Jesus). Jesus operates through both di‑ mensions.

21.7 The disciple whom Jesus loved. John, the author of this book, avoids mentioning his name. The same intimate

The Purpose of This Book 30 In his disciples' presence Jesus performed many other miracles which are not written down in this book. 31 But these have been writ‑ ten in order that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through your faith in him you may have life.

21

63 was the Lord, he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken his clothes off) and jumped into the water. 8 The other dis‑ ciples came to shore in the boat, pulling the net full of fish. They were not very far from land, about a hundred yards away. 9 When they stepped ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there with fish on it and some bread. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.”

11 Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net ashore full of big fish, a hundred and fifty­ ‑three in all; even though there were so many, still the net did not tear. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and eat.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord. 13 So Jesus went over, took the bread, and gave it to them; he did the same with the fish.

14 This, then, was the third time Jesus ap‑ peared to the disciples after he was raised from death.

John 21

Jesus and Peter they had eaten, Jesus said to Si‑

mon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these others do?”

“Yes, Lord,” he answered, “you know that I love you.”

Jesus said to him, “Take care of my lambs.”

16 A second time Jesus said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

“Yes, Lord,” he answered, “you know that I love you.”

Jesus said to him, “Take care of my sheep.”

17 A third time Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

Peter became sad because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” and so he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you!”

Jesus said to him, “Take care of my sheep.

18 I am telling you the truth: when you were young, you used to get ready and go anywhere you wanted to; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will tie you up and take you where you don't want to go.” 19 (In saying this, Jesus was indicating the way in which Peter would die and bring glory to God.) Then Jesus said to him, “Follow me!”

friendship that led him to stay close to Jesus during his suf‑ fering on the cross now helped him to open his eyes and recognize his friend. he had taken his clothes off. He was only wearing his undergarment, which shows just how at ease they were, among friends, working together.

21.9 charcoal fire, fish, bread. In this scene, the symbols of various moments of Peter's life come together: the scene of being called to be a disciple, the farewell dinner, the fire of temptation to deny him…Jesus Christ, with his love, brings all these elements to memory, in order to heal each of them, and combine them into a new meaning.

This is the love that heals and saves us.

21.10 Bring some of the fish. With one more paternal gesture, Jesus makes the disciples participate in the provi‑ sion for their common meal.

21.13 took the bread and gave it to them. The resurrect‑ ed Jesus made it a point to participate in a very human activity, of “flesh and bone,” leading the table as he was accustomed to doing.

21.15 Simon Peter…Simon, son of John. While John the evangelist calls him Peter (the new name that Jesus gave him, see 2.42, note), Jesus calls him by his old name and last name. Just as Peter had gone back to fishing, Jesus is probably showing, by the names he uses, that Peter is trying to go back to just being Simon before he knew Jesus. do you love me more than these oth‑ ers do? The original word “these” can also mean “this” (the situation of fishing), joining together the group of friends with their original profession. Here Jesus, with all possible grace, goes directly to the central truth, the only legitimate motivation in the new covenant: love.

Yes, Lord, you know that I love you. Although they are synonyms, Jesus and Peter use two different verbs for

“love.” Jesus asks using “agape” love, a love of sacrifice for the other, to dedicate oneself and expect nothing in return. Peter, more humble and aware of his cowardice, responds affirmatively, but uses “phileo” love, which in‑ dicates great affection, brotherly love. Take care of my lambs. The first call was to be a fisher of men; this call is to be a shepherd. Jesus is directing Peter's ministry from this point forward. The only condition for being a “shepherd” is to love Jesus.

21.16 second time. Once again Jesus uses “agape” and Peter responds affirmatively, but uses “phileo” (v. 15, note).

21.17 third time. Until now neither Jesus nor Peter had brought up the subject of the three times that he had denied Jesus. Upon being asked for the third time, Peter must have automatically remembered his great failure.

Do you love me? This time Jesus changes the word, using “phileo” in his question, reaching down to Peter's level (v. 15, note). The invitation is for Peter to shepherd Jesus' followers, but he knows that he doesn't have conditions to possess such a sacrificial love. Jesus, in using affectionate, brotherly love, wants to communicate two truths: 1) It is sufficient to have fraternal love for Christ in order to serve him; cowards and other imperfect people can serve him without first having to resolve their imperfections. 2) In feeling inadequate for Jesus' work, the Lord counterpoints the truth of our heart, as if to say, “Isn't it true that you love me? Then that is enough; take care of my sheep.” Peter couldn't deny this request, because his love for Jesus was the purest truth.

21.18 young…old. Jesus still affirms that even in his weak‑ ness, there will be victory. One day, different from what happened in the courtyard of the High Priest (18.17), Pe‑

15 After

John 21 64 Jesus and the Other Disciple 20 Peter turned around and saw behind him that other disciple, whom Jesus loved—the one who had leaned close to Jesus at the meal and had asked, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”

21 When Peter saw him, he asked Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?”

22 Jesus answered him, “If I want him to live until I come, what is that to you? Follow me!”

23 So a report spread among the followers of Jesus that this disciple would not die. But

Jesus did not say he would not die; he said, “If I want him to live until I come, what is that to you?”

24 He is the disciple who spoke of these things, the one who also wrote them down; and we know that what he said is true.

ter will be able to die for his Lord Jesus. He is not yet ready for this, though (13.36). Thus, even without being ready, we can still follow Jesus now.

21.19 Follow me! Jesus makes the same invitation that he had made three years ago to Peter: the grace of a new calling, a renewal of an invitation, with much learning be‑ tween one opportunity and another. In these three years, we can see how Jesus led Peter to maturity, to contact with his cowardice, to the experience of grace and the hope of resurrection.

21.22 what is that to you? Our way with Jesus will cer‑ tainly be different from that of other brothers and sisters in faith. Our job is to attend to the “follow me” that is directed to us, and not concern ourselves with the ways of others.

21.25 many other things. The four Gospels, and this one of John in particular, chose very well the miracles and teachings to present to their readers. Here in John, the purpose was to create and strengthen faith in Jesus, so that we might receive eternal life (20.31).

Conclusion 25 Now, there are many other things that Jesus did. If they were all written down one by one, I suppose that the whole world could not hold the books that would be written.