JOHN PRESENTS JESUS COMING FROM THE FATHER IN A CLOUD (CALLED THE SHEKINAH, THE SYMBOL OF GOD'S PRESENCE). HE MANIFESTS HIS GLORY AS THE OBEDIENT SON WHO IS A SERVANT. THOUGH HIS PEOPLE REJECT AND CRUCIFY HIM, HIS CROSS IS ALSO HIS ENTHRONEMENT. AFTER THE FATHER RAISES JESUS FROM THE DEAD, HE GOES TO THE FATHER'S PRESENCE, BUT THEN RETURNS IN AND THROUGH HIS SPIRIT WHO,THROUGH THE WORD, CONTINUES JESUS WITNESS AND WORK, AND INVITES HUMANITY TO SHARE JESUS GLORY IN THIS LIFE, AND PROMISES THOSE WHO COMES TO FAITH THAT THEY WILL FINALLY SHARE JESUS GLORY IN THE PRESENCE OF THE FATHER. TO BE IN FELLOWSHIP WITH JESUS IS TO WALK IN THE LIGHT, TO DRINK THE WATER OF LIFE, TO PARTAKE OF THE BREAD OF LIFE, AND TO POSSESS TRUE LIFE IN TIME AND ETERNITY. UP TO THE END. CHAPTER 12, JESUS IS PORTRAYED AS A PUBLIC FIGURE WHO DOES "SIGNS" FOR ALL TO SEE. THE DIALOGUES COMING UP ARE BETWEEN JESUS AND THE INQUIRERS, OPPONENTS AND MASSES. JESUS IS PORTRAYED AS THE LIFE AND LIGHT, THE SAVIOR AND JUDGE OF THE WORLD. HOWEVER, THE RESPONSE TO HIM IS NOT UNIVERSAL OR ENTHUSIASTIC. THOSE WHO WISH TO CROWN HIM WANT TO MAKE HIM THE WRONG KIND OF KING OVER THE WRONG KIND OF REALM. HIS OWN PEOPLE DO NOT RECEIVE HIM. HIS SIGN EVOKES ONLY REJECTION.AFTER JESUS RAISES LAZARUS FROM THE DEAD, DEFINITE PLANS ARE MADE TO PUT HIM TO DEATH. THE WORLD APPEARS TO HAVE WON ITS CASE AGAINST JESUS. IRONICALLY, AS PEOPLE PLOT THEIR VERY WORST AGAINST HIM, THEY REALLY BRING ABOUT HIS ENTHRONEMENT. THREE PASSION PREDICTIONS OCCUR IN JOHN'S GOSPEL,(3:14,15; 8:28; 12:32-33). THEY SET FORTH A THEOLOGY OF THE CROSS. 1.) THE SUSPENSION OF JESUS ON THE CROSS WILL, LIKE THE LIFTING UP OF THE BRONZE
SERPENT IN THE WILDERNESS, SAVE THOSE WHO LOOK TO HIM IN FAITH. 2). ONLY AT THE CROSS WILL THE COMPLETE TRUTH ABOUT JESUS PERSON BE REVEALED. HIS MYSTERIOUS TERM, "I AM", WILL THEN BECOME CLEAR. 3). PARADOXICALLY, WHEN JESUS IS ON THE CROSS AND SATAN APPEARS TO BE AT HIS BEST, THE TRUTH IS THAT JESUS IS AT HIS BEST AND TRIUMPHS OVER SATAN AND THE WORLD. THE OUR OF THE CROSS, AND THE ENSUING RESURRECTION, ARE CLIMATIC EVENTS JESUS LIFE.
THEY ESTABLISH THAT A NEW REIGN IN WHICH THE RISEN KING DRAWS SUBJECTS TO HIMSELF IN MERCY AND GRACE, WHICH LEADS US TO THE "UPPER ROOM," CHS. 13-17, JOHN CONCERNS HIMSELF WITH THESE, AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO JESUS. THE POINT OF TRANSITION 13:1-20 WHICH PRESENTS A HIGHLY DRAMATIC PICTURE OF JESUS IN THE UPPER ROOM STOOPING TO WASH THE DISCIPLES FEET. AFTER THE UNFAITHFUL DISCIPLE DEPARTS TO BETRAY HIS LORD, THE FAITHFUL ARE ALONE WITH JESUS DIALOGUES, MONOLOGUES, AND FINALLY A PRAYER OF THE FAITHFUL (CHURCH) UNFOLD THE RELATION OF TO THEIR LORD AND GOD. THE FOOTWASHING EVENT IS AN ENACTED PARABLE WHICH ILLUSTRATES THE MEANING OF JESUS' IMPENDING DEATH. THE CROSS WASHES CLEAN. BUT THERE IS MORE. JESUS ACTIONS ILLUSTRATE THE NATURE OF THE RELATIONSHIP THAT MUST EXIST AMONG HIS FOLLOWERS. THEY FORM A COMMUNITY IN WHICH THEY MUST FORGIVE AND SERVE ONE ANOTHER. THE LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER IS THE BADGE WHICH REVEALS THEIR IDENTITY TO THE WORLD. JESUS PREPARES THE DISCIPLES FOR THE HOUR OF SEPARATION AND SORROW, WHICH MUST COME IF THEY ARE TO EXPERIENCE THE PRESENCE AND JOY OF THE SPIRIT. NOTHING TAKES JESUS BY SURPRISE, "JESUS, KNOWING ALL THAT WAS TOO BEFALL HIM. IN THE JEWISH TRIAL 18: 12-14, WHAT TAKES PLACE CAN HARDLY BE CALLED A TRIAL. IT IS VIRTUALLY OVER BY THE TIME IT BEGINS. NO MENTION OF FORMAL CHARGES. NO WITNESSES ARE SUMMONED. AT THE SAME TIME PILATE PRESENTS JESUS TO THE JEWS AS KING, THEY RESPOND WITH, "WE HAVE NO KING BUT CAESAR," WHAT IRONY! JESUS JOURNEY FROM PILATE IS DIGNIFIED. IT IS HIS CORONATION PROCESSION! HE IS ON HIS WAY TO HIS ENTHRONEMENT. ANYTHING THAT WOULD DETRACT FROM THE DIGNITY OF THE JOURNEY AND THE CORONATION ITSELF IS OMITTED. THERE IS NO REFERENCE TO SIMON OF CYRENE; JESUS CARRIES HIS OWN CROSS. THERE IS NO MOCKERY ON THE WAY TO CALVARY OR AT CALVARY, NO COMMISERATION FOR THE WEEPING WOMEN OF JERUSALEM, NO DARKNESS, NO POTENTS, AND NO CONFESSION OF FAITH BY A ROMAN CENTURION. ALL ATTENTION IS DIRECTED ON JESUS AS KING, AND HIS MOCK THRONE. PILATE'S SUPERSCRIPTION IS ATTACHED TO THE CROSS TO BEAR WITNESS TO THE KING'S AUTHORITY. THE JEWS OBJECT TO ITS PRESENCE, BUT IT REMAINS. AS IN THE SYNOPTIC GOSPEL, HE IS CRUCIFIED BETWEEN TWO THIEVES,. HIS EXECUTIONERS DIVIDE HIS GARMENTS AMONG THEMSELVES. WOMEN OBSERVE THE ENTIRE EVENT. DEATH DOES NOT OVERCOME HIM: HE SURRENDERS HIMSELF TO IT. EVEN HIS BURIAL HAS ROYAL FEATURES. HE IS ANOINTED WITH A ROYAL QUANTITY OF SPICES AND BURIED IN A NEW TOMB, ONE APPROPRIATE FOR A KING.
ONE DETAIL CALLS FOR SPECIAL COMMENT. ACCORDING TO THE SYNOPTIC GOSPELS, JESUS CELEBRATED A PASSOVER WITH HIS DISCIPLES IN THE UPPER ROOM., AND PARALLELS, ACCORDING TO THEM, JESUS BEING CRUCIFIED ON PASSOVER DAY ITSELF, FOR THE JEWISH DAY RAN FROM SUNSET TO SUNSET. HOWEVER, JESUS, IN JOHN'S GOSPEL, JESUS LAST MEAL WITH HIS DISCIPLES TOOK PLACE IN THE UPPER ROOM ON " THE DAY OF PREPARATION FOR THE PASSOVER,"
BOTH VERSIONS AGREE THAT THE EVENTS TOOK PLACE ON THURSDAY NIGHT, THE CRUCIFIXION ON FRIDAY, AND THE RESURRECTION ON THE FOLLOWING SUNDAY. MARK REPORTS THAT JESUS WAS CRUCIFIED AT 9:OO A.M. JOHN SAYS JESUS WAS HANDED OVER FOR CRUCIFIXION AT MIDDAY. TO BE RITUALLY SLAUGHTERED IN PREPARATION FOR THE PASSOVER MEAL THAT EVENING. JOHN WISHES TO PRESENT JESUS AS THE PERFECT, FINAL, UNIVERSAL PASSOVER LAMB, DYING FOR THE SINS OF THE WORLD. IT IS WITH GOOD REASON, THEN, THAT JESUS LEGS WERE NOT BROKEN. NO BONES IN A PASSOVER LAMB WERE TO BE BROKEN IN THE PREPARATION PROCESS IN JOHN, CHRONOLOGY SERVES THEOLOGY. FIVE MAIN THREADS RUN THROUGH JOHN'S PASSION NARRATIVE. JESUS SHOWS HIMSELF TO BE: THE PERFECT PASSOVER LAMB DYING FOR THE SINS OF THE WORLD. AS THE GOOD SHEPHERD HE IS FREELY OFFERING HIS LIFE FOR HIS OWN. THE SON WHO CARRIES OUT THE WILL OF HIS FATHER TO THE LAST DETAIL. THE JUDGE OF THE WORLD AND THE POWERS OF DARKNESS. THE MESSIANIC KING ENTHRONED IN GLORY. JESUS RESURRECTION IS ESTABLISHED. JESUS HIMSELF ANNOUNCES THE RESURRECTION TO MARY. THOUGH SHE HOPES THAT THE PRE-CRUCIFIXION WILL BE RESUMED, JESUS DECLARES THAT HE WILL NOT CONTINUE TO LIVE AMONG HIS PEOPLE THIS WAY. HE MUST GO FROM ONE PLACE TO BE PRESENT IN EVERY PLACE. HE MUST TAKE HIS VISIBLE LEAVE OF HER, THAT HE MIGHT REMAIN INVISIBLY WITH HER AND HIS PEOPLE. ALTHOUGH HE IS ABOUT TO WITHDRAW HIS VISIBLE PRESENCE, HE WILL NOT WITHDRAW HIS PHYSICAL PRESENCE. WHEN JESUS APPEARS AMONG HIS FOLLOWERS, HE DOES NOT "COME" FROM ANYWHERE. HE IS AMONG THEM ALL THE TIME, THOUGH INVISIBLY. AT THE APPROPRIATE MOMENT HE REVEALS HIS PRESENCE IN A VISIBLE. HIS GREETING ON EACH OCCASION IS, "PEACE BE WITH YOU. JOHN'S ACCOUNT COMPRESSES CHRIST'S RESURRECTION AND ASCENSION AND THE GIVING OF THE SPIRIT, HE BREATHED ON THEM..." THOUGH JESUS SAYS HE WILL SEND HIS SPIRIT TO HIS DISCIPLES, HE ALSO SAYS THAT HE HIMSELF WILL COME TO THEM AND HE AND THE FATHER WILL MAKE THEIR HOME WITH THEM. WHEN THE SPIRIT COMES, HIS MISSION WILL CONTINUE JESUS MISSION. HE WILL TEACH AND ACCOMPLISH WHAT JESUS TAUGHT HAD HE NOT GONE AWAY. JOHN DEFINES HIS PURPOSE IN WRITING HIS ACCOUNT-- THAT PEOPLE MIGHT BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS THE CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD, SO PRAYER IS WHAT THE SPIRIT DOES IN US, AND THE FATHER KNOWS WHAT THE SPIRIT MEANS--AND WHAT WE MEAN. WHO DID THIS PRAYING BEST? JESUS OF COURSE. THE SPIRIT DROVE HIM INTO THE DESERT, TO KEEP COMMUNION WITH HIS FATHER, FOR 4O DAYS. LUKE TELLS US THAT HE OFTEN RETIRED TO DESERTED PLACES TO PRAY. WE GLIMPSE JESUS AT PRAYER IN SOME OF THE CRUCIAL MOMENTS IN HIS LIFE: AFTER BEING BAPTIZED, BEFORE CHOOSING THE APOSTLES, ALONE ON THE MOUNTAIN WHEN PEOPLE "WANTED TO MAKE HIM KING TO DO ALL THINGS. HE ASKS THE FATHER TO TAKE THIS CUP AWAY FROM ME. BUT LET IT BE AS YOU HAVE IT, NOT AS I' " AN ANGEL APPEARED TO JESUS TO STRENGTHEN HIM--" AND, ABOVE ALL, WHEN HE WAS IN AGONY OF FEAR IN GETHSEMANE. "HE KEPT SAYING, 'ABBA [ TENDER BUT STRONG WORD OF A SON OR DAUGHTER], YOU HAVE THE POWER,THE COMFORT OF HIS FATHER. THEN, IN HIS ANGUISH HE PRAYED WITH ALL GREATER INTENSITY THAT HIS SWEAT BECAME LIKE DROPS OF BLOOD. THE FIRST PURPOSE OF" OUR" PRAYER IS TO LEARN HOW TO PRAY LIKE JESUS DID. IN DESCRIBING THE TRANSFIGURATION, ST.LUKE SAYS, " WHILE HE WAS PRAYING HIS FACE CHANGED IN APPEARANCE. IN JESUS. IT WAS THE DIVINE GLORY SHINING THROUGH. IN OUR CASE, IT SHOULD BE THE SPIRIT AND OF JESUS POSSESSING OUR MINDS AND HEARTS. PRAYER, THE MOST PERSONAL THING WE DO. THERE ARE NO TWO SETS OF FINGERPRINTS ALIKE IN THE WORLD, AND OF COURSE NOR ARE THERE ANY TWO PRAY-ERS ALIKE. GOD HAS ANIQUE RELATIONSHIPS WITH EVERYONE IT'S NOT JUST THAT OUR LOVE IS DEEPER FOR SOME. IT IS HARD FOR US TO BELIEVE THAT OUR VIRTUE IS NOT OUR OWN--THOUGH WE FIND IT EASY TO LET OUR SIN BE SOMEBODY ELSE'S FAULT. AFTER ALL, WE SAY, NOBODY HELPED US. I GOT UP IN THE DARK WENT TO CHURCH, SAID MY PRAYERS, I DESERVE THE CREDIT!
GOD DOES GIVE US THE CREDIT FOR FREELY DOING WHAT HE ASKS US TO DO. BUT THE MOST BASIC FACT OF LIFE IS THAT WITHOUT HIM WE CAN DO NOTHING. I CANNOT DO A SINGLE GOOD ACT WITHOUT POWER FLOWING INTO ME FROM GOD.
IT COMES FROM THE HEART OF OUR BEING, WHERE GOD LIVES. "IF I DIE" TO MY
INTENSE DESIRE FOR REVENGE, THE POWER OF JESUS (WHETHER I AM CONSCIOUS (OF IT OR NOT) JOINS THAT "DEATH" TO HIS AND GIVES ME ANOTHER LITTLE SHARE IN HIS RESURRECTION. IN PRAYER WE ARE ALONE WITH GOD.NOTHING HIDDEN AND NOTHING UNCARED FOR BY A LOVING FATHER. THE PROBLEM IS NOT PRAYING, BUT GETTING READY TO PRAY. OR AS SCRIPTURE HAS IT:
"IT WAS NOT YOU WHO CHOSE ME,
IT WAS I WHO CHOSE YOU
TO GO FORTH AND BEAR FRUIT.
YOUR FRUIT MUST ENDURE" (Jn. 15:16)
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