Gospel According (kata) to John

Prologue: From the Beginning. John 1:1–18.

Jesus Is the Creative Word of the New Creation

The Greek title uses the preposition "kata" which means "according to" rather than the preposition "dia" which means "by." The word choice was deliberate. The "Gospel According to John" tells us the ideas go back to John as the source of their authority but he did not necessarily say or write them exactly as they are gathered here.

This part of the Gospel should be read after the whole Gospel has been carefully read. It is the prologue or preface and, like any good preface, was written after the whole work was finished. Then the authors knew exactly what they had written and the particular slant they stressed.

This preface gives the basic notion that the creative Word of Yahweh is the source of all creation, and Jesus Christ is the personification or manifestation of this Word in all its fullness. Yahweh is known as the Father throughout this Gospel. Jesus Christ is known as the Son of God.

"IN THE BEGINNING..." This phrase is the opener for both John and Genesis. In Genesis, it means at the first moment of time. In John, the phrase means before all time, a starting point.

The Word Was. The Word Was with God. The Word Was God. Here we have a clear statement of the distinction between the Father and His Word, and the equality between them. The Gospel story as it unfolded, made this mysterious introduction clearly understood. Jesus Christ was this Word. Jesus was this human being who lived, taught and died here on earth in a given time. He was the person who embodied this Word so perfectly that he established the second creation and left it as a heritage for all people to come. The Prologue did not intend to explain this statement. It merely stated the most basic truth of the life of Jesus Christ as John presented it.

Through this Word all creation came into being, and not a thing was made apart from it. Through this Word as manifested in the ideas, ideals, and actions of Jesus, the second Creation, would be established. And the world would reach its "TELOS" (Greek word) or completion.

John the Baptist is singled out as a person SENT by God, as a WITNESS to LIGHT, so that everyone might BELIEVE through him. John was not the light itself but a witness to the light.

In general, people did not accept what Jesus offered. But to all who accepted him, he gave the power to become the real children of God. That is, he established the BROTHERHOOD of MANKIND in the FATHERHOOD of GOD. This great blessing started the moment that Jesus was conceived and born. This Word became flesh and "pitched his tent among us." Then we can look on the favor and plan of the Father because Jesus was the full personification of both.

Jesus would give only one command and that was "Love each other and share with each other!" The whole concept of love permeates the Joanine writings. Jesus' whole message is summed up in these words: "By this shall all men know that you are my followers in the love that you have for each other." (J.13:35)

First Week of New Creation. John 1:19–2:12.

Precursor: Faith in Jesus Begins

The 7 weeks of the new creation parallel the 7 days of the old creation. This first week gives us a story about John the Baptist as the Forerunner of Jesus, the calling of the first of the twelve apostles, and the wedding feast in Cana where the groundwork for the faith of the apostles was laid.

JOHN BAPTIST; MAKE STRAIGHT THE WAY OF THE LORD. John 1:19-34. "THE JEWS" — In John's gospel, the "Jews" were the religious authorities among the Jewish people who were hostile to Jesus from the beginning. They are called the "Jews" because this is a translation of "Judaei," the members of the tribe of Juda. It was the tribe of Juda who had control of the southern part of Palestine and especially Jerusalem. They were despised and hated in the time of Jesus because they controlled all the money that was received by offerings and tithes. They in turn looked upon all other members of Israel as second-class citizens. They had a special dislike for the people of Galilee and Nazareth.

In this passage, John says that the leaders sent their representatives, the priests and Levites, to John the Baptist, across the Jordan, where he was preaching and baptizing.

WHO IS JOHN? They had one big concern: Who was this John to whom all the people were flocking and about whom they were all raving? Was he the Messiah? Was he Elijah returned, as was a popular expectation? Was he The Prophet, the special one who was to come just before the Messiah? To all these questions, John gave a firm "NO." He was not any of these special people.

The delegates of the leaders were frustrated. They could not return empty-handed so they tried to put pressure on John. "Who are you then? We have to have an answer to take back to the people who sent us! What do you have to say about yourself?"

John answered this last part: "I am as Isaiah said, 'A voice crying in the desert: Make straight the way of the Lord'." This may not seem like much of an answer but it is filled with meaning. First of all, John said he was the FORERUNNER or precursor. This was a particular role that had to be carried out in the life of any important person.

Background information: There were no real roads in the area. When an important person came, he was usually carried on the shoulders of some of the men in a sort of sedan chair. If the roads were crooked, filled with dips and hills, the person would be bounced from side to side in an undignified manner. It would certainly not be in keeping with his importance. The forerunner (precursor) went to all the villages along the route and told them to send out their road crews to level off the hills, fill in the low spots, and straighten out the sharp curves. Then the road would somewhat befit the dignity of the person coming.

John said he was this precursor. He was out in the desert telling everyone to prepare the "WAY OF YAHWEH," "Yahweh's road."

John continued: "I saw the Breath come down upon him from heaven in the form of a dove and remain on him. I did not know him myself but he who sent me to baptize in water said to me: 'The one on whom you see the Breath descending and remaining on him, he is the one who is to baptize in the Holy Breath. And I heard and I have testified that this is the Son of God.'"

Background information: I did not translate "To Pneuma" as the "Spirit" yet. This is deliberate. I think the parallel with the first creation story continues. We have the description of the origin of the First Man or Adam. He was a lump of clay, molded by God, and then God "breathed into his nostrils the breath of life" and he became a living being. Then Jesus came. He would be the new Adam. His life would be publicly inaugurated shortly. This inauguration would be manifested in the appearance of the "Holy Breath." This meant, as I see it, the Father would "breathe" into Jesus, and this Breath would remain permanently with him. This Breath would make him the New or Second Adam and he would recover the heritage lost by the first Adam. Then Jesus would "baptize in this Holy Breath." This means he would carry on the work of the new or second creation for all who would accept him.

Secondly, there was a DOVE as a symbol. This took us back to the Noah story. When Noah wanted to know if it was safe to leave the Ark, he sent out the Dove and it returned with the olive branch in its beak. Noah knew the waters were almost subsided and soon they could be back on dry ground.

YOU ARE THE BEDROCK. ANYTHING GOOD FROM NAZARETH? John 1:35-51. John the Baptist had referred to himself as a forerunner. His role was to point out Jesus and then John was to disappear.

Two of John's followers were with him. Jesus passed and John looked pointedly at Jesus and said: "Look, there is the Lamb of God!" The two disciples caught the implications. Jesus was someone they were looking for. In some way he was the atonement victim, or the lamb of sacrifice. They were curious and so they started to follow Jesus.

Who were these two men? One was Andrew, brother of Peter. The other was John, the apostle. As they followed behind Jesus, suddenly he turned and said, "What do you want?" The question seemed to have startled them. They blurted out the first idea that came into their heads. "Rabbi, (which means Teacher), where do you live?" Jesus answered, "Come and see." John said it was about 4:00 in the evening and they stayed with him the whole night.

There is no doubt about the impression that Jesus made on these two. Andrew went immediately and got his brother Simon. Andrew told Simon that they had found the Messiah and took Simon directly to Jesus. When Jesus saw Simon, he gave him the new name, Kephas, which means Bedrock. It is translated into Greek as "Petros" and comes to us in English as "Peter." Jesus recognized from the very start the kind of man to be found in Peter, and immediately pointed out that he would help in his work as Messiah.

The next day, Jesus saw Philip. Jesus said simply, "Follow me." Philip was from the same town as Peter and Andrew, Bethsaida. It would have been easy for him to follow along and listen. Philip had a close friend, named Nathanael. He told him that they had found the person whom Moses and the Prophets were talking about. He was Jesus, son of Joseph, of Nazareth. Nathanael's reaction was one of disdain. "Can anything worthwhile come from Nazareth?" Philip didn't know how to answer so he said simply, "Come and see for yourself." (Nathanael was probably the Bartholomew of the Synoptics)

Philip and Nathanael walked up to Jesus. When Jesus saw them, he says of Nathanael, "Now here is a real Israelite in whom there is nothing of deceit." Nathanael was amazed. "How do you know me?" he asks. Jesus answers, "Before Philip came to call you, I saw you under the fig tree." Nathanael was caught up with this statement. He said in amazement, "Rabbi, you are really the Son of God, the King of Israel." Jesus said, "Don't make too much of the fact that I saw you under the fig tree. You are going to see a lot more than this. You will see the heavens opened and the messengers of God ascending and descending above the Son of Man."

This was a reference to Genesis and the story of Jacob when he was on his way to find a wife. (Gen. 28:10-17) This incident in the life of Jacob was seen as the foundation point of himself as Israel, the founder of the Chosen People. By referring to this Old Testament scene that every Israelite would know by heart, Jesus was clearly referring to himself as the founder of the New Israel, the new People of God.

THE WEDDING FEAST AT CANA. Following the format of the first week of the New Creation, we are told that the next incident took place three days later. We come to the Wedding Feast In Cana. We are told that Mary, the Mother of Jesus, was there. Jesus also had been invited. Joseph was not mentioned. This leads us to believe that Joseph had already died.

A wedding feast usually lasted for eight days. People were invited and needed to bring nothing along. They could expect the host to provide the place to live, the clothes, the food and all the necessities for the entire week. The greatest disaster in a person's social life was to have a shortage of anything so that the guests had to do without.

It is important to note that John brought Mary, the mother, into the public life of Jesus, twice. At the beginning here in Cana, she drew the attention of Jesus to what was needed and took it for granted her son would help out in the situation. At the foot of the cross, at the end of his life, Jesus entrusted John to Mary as a son, and Mary to John as his Mother. However, he addressed her in both cases as "WOMAN."

This was really unusual until you recalled the parallel with the story of the first creation. Eve was the first "WOMAN." As such, she had been instrumental in the introduction of the first sin or failure. Jesus was presented as the Second Adam and Mary was addressed as the Second Eve. She would cooperate in the plan of salvation and thereby, compensate for the failure of the first woman.

This comparison, so clearly made John, is the basis for all the recognition that Mary has received among Christians since that time. It is true, some of the so-called devotions have gotten carried away, but the basic respect for Mary in the plan of salvation, is simply a carry-over from the example of Jesus and the practice of the first Christians.

Now read this incident at Cana. Jesus and his first apostles were present. There was a good possibility that the couple did not know that these men would be coming with Jesus. They could have been part of the cause for the shortage of wine because they were not counted ahead of time. Mary walked up to Jesus and said: "They are running out of wine." Jesus' response sounded abrupt. "Woman, what is that to me and to you? My hour has not yet come."

It certainly sounds surly. It surely sounds like a refusal to do anything because he had no obligation. But Mary knew her son. She went right over to the servants and said: "Whatever he tells you to do, do it." Mary did not know what he would do but she was sure he would do something to alleviate the embarrassment.

There were six stone water jars standing there, intended for the ritual washings that went with the celebration. Each would hold from 20 to 30 gallons. Jesus told the servants to fill them with water. They did as told. Then Jesus told them to take some of it to the steward of the feast. He was the man in charge of the whole celebration.

The steward tasted the water that was now wine. He had no idea where it came from but the servants did. When he tasted the wine, the steward proclaimed: "Usually, people serve their best wine first. Then, when people have been drinking and their taste buds are a bit dulled, he serves the cheaper wine. But you have kept the best wine until now."

Now John summed up the main reason for his telling the story. He said: "This the first of his SIGNS Jesus worked in Cana, Galilee. He began to manifest his glory in order that his disciples (the apostles) would begin to believe in him."

It is true that the action of Jesus saved the young couple from social embarrassment. But in the plan of Jesus, his purpose was to inaugurate or engender the faith of his apostles in him. John said the apostles began to believe in him.

Then John said they left the feast and went back to Capernaum with his mother and relatives and stayed a few days. That is the first week of the new creation.

To summarize: 1. John the Baptist was presented as the last of the prophets of the Old Law and the first of the prophets of the New. 2. John was the bridge between the Old Israel and the New Israel who was Jesus and he pointed out Jesus as the New Israel. 3. Jesus gathered the first of his special followers, the twelve apostles. The number twelve was a special fulfillment of the 12 tribes in the old Israel. 4. Jesus was clearly pointed out as a sacrificial lamb in some kind of atonement sacrifice. 5. The importance of Mary in this work of Jesus was as the new Eve who made amends for the failure of first Eve at the beginning of time. 6. The faith of the apostles in Jesus began at this time.

Second Week of the New Creation. John 2:13–4:54.

Temple Cleansed; Nicodemus Comes; Samaritans Believe

"MY FATHER'S HOUSE!" John 2:13-25. Jesus goes up to Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover. This was the greatest commemorative feast of the Old Law. Its liturgy and ritual were to recall and commemorate the deliverance of the Old Israel from the slavery of Egypt. The Egyptian firstborns were dead after the angel of death passed, but the children of the Israelites were safe and sound. Pharaoh urged the Israelites to get out of the country and take anything they wanted with them. The Passover referred to the angel of death passing over the houses of the Israelites, and the Israelites passing from the land of slavery to the Promised Land.

Jesus came to Jerusalem for the feast. As he got to the Temple he was disgusted with what had happened. The courtyard had been turned into a sales barn. All the animals used in sacrifices were gathered together and people were dickering over the prices. The money changers were there with their coin tables to change the currency of the Roman empire into the money of the Temple. Naturally, the money changers were trying to make an "extra shekel."

Jesus became truly angry. This desecration of the Temple disgusted him. He made a whip and used it in every direction. He drove all of them out of the Temple and overturned the money tables in the sandy floor. He followed that action with these words: "Take all this stuff out of here. Stop turning my Father's House into a sale barn." The apostles remembered what had been said: "Zeal for your house will devour me." (Psalm. 69:9)

The leaders of the people were furious at what had happened and yet they were afraid. Jesus had shown how fearless he really was. Yet they knew he came from Nazareth, was a carpenter by trade, and had no formal education. So they braced Jesus with what seemed an unanswerable question: "What sign are you going to give us that proves you have the right to do these things?"

Jesus' answer was enigmatic to say the least. "Destroy this temple and in three days I will build it up again." The leaders figured they had caught him in his own words. "Forty-six years this temple has been in building and you are going to build it in three days?" John says, Jesus was talking about the temple of his body. When Jesus rose from the dead, they remembered what he had said and believed more strongly.

NICODEMUS COMES BY NIGHT. John 3:1-21. Nicodemus was a Pharisee who had heard and seen the actions of Jesus. He knew the antagonism that his party felt against Jesus. Yet, he was inclined to accept Jesus. But he did not want to get left holding the bag. So he paid Jesus a visit at night. Very few people would see him, and if someone saw him, he could easily work out an explanation.

Nicodemus says, "Rabbi, (Teacher) we know that you are a teacher that comes from God. For no one could perform the signs you do unless God is with him."

Jesus' answer was immediate and to the point. John pointed out that it was an important statement by introducing it with the "Amen, Amen, I tell you..." This was a form of oath to emphasize what was being said. John uses the double "Amen" whereas the other gospels use only one "Amen." A good strong equivalent in the vernacular would be: "Now get this straight!" or "Let me put it right on the line for you." In other words, this was a formal oath but the same strong language in English would be something put it in the clear vernacular of every day.

Jesus told Nicodemus: "Unless a person is born FROM ABOVE (or again), he cannot even see the Kingdom of God." The Greek word used "anothen" means either "from above" or "again." Nicodemus took the meaning "again" and pointed out that the statement of Jesus was absurd. An adult cannot crawl into his mother's womb and be born "again."

Jesus did not waste time correcting this silly interpretation by Nicodemus. He simply went on with his explanation. "Unless a person is born of WATER and the BREATH, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God." This was clearly a reference to the first creation of mankind again.

We are told in Genesis that water was flowing over the land and Yahweh took this moistened soil, i.e. clay, and fashioned the body of man. Then he breathed into it the "BREATH WHICH IS LIFE." The lump of clay became a living being. Here Jesus said that people must be born again "of water and the Breath." Birth into the plan of salvation would be a new creation of each person. This birth or rebirth is called Baptism.

The greatest and most complete description of this Spirit and its relationship to Jesus as Messiah is given in Isaiah 11:1-9. This entire passage should be read and studied carefully because it was so well known and often used by the first Christians. According to this passage in Isaiah, the Spirit (Breath) has 7 qualities: 1. WISDOM: the ability of a leader to make wise judgments in the face of the events of daily life; 2. SHREWDNESS: keen insight into the very heart of every matter; 3. RESOLUTENESS: decision, the ability to make up your mind and stick with the decision. 4. STRENGTH: the power necessary to carry out these convictions; 5. A SENSE OF TRUE VALUES: the ability to dig through to the real and permanent value of any event or thing; 6. FAMILY RESPECT: a sense of community as is established in a close and well-knit family; 7. FEAR OF THE LORD: a reverence or respect for self and all others.

These are the gifts of the Spirit that the Messiah and all his followers will have. The gifts will insure that followers with the Spirit do not judge by appearances or hearsay. They will care for the weak and the oppressed but will have a heavy hand for the wicked and overbearing. Integrity and fidelity will be the trademarks of all their actions.

The result will be peace and harmony at its best. This is described in concrete terms. Ferocious animals shall live in perfect harmony with all the tame and helpless ones. Children will be able to play with the most poisonous of snakes and never fear being bitten or stung. All these animals will be together and a little child shall lead them.

We have all seen the artistic presentation of these ideas. We have heard the words that describe them. Jesus applied these words to himself and to all those who accepted his teaching and lived by it.

Nicodemus was stunned by what he had heard from the lips of Jesus. He cried out in dismay. "How is this possible?" The answer of Jesus was stern: "You are a teacher in Israel and you do not understand?" Now Jesus applied these ideas to himself in a very special way. First he used the title "Son of Man." Strictly speaking, the phrase "Son of..." in Hebrew, merely stressed whatever quality was mentioned. So this phrase stressed that it is a man. However, this phrase was given special meaning in the visions of Daniel (7:13). The Son of Man was going to achieve a universal victory in the face of great odds.

Secondly, Jesus referred to the BRONZE SERPENT that Moses held aloft in the desert. All the Israelites who looked on this serpent and truly believed were healed and saved. Jesus said the Son of Man, himself, must be lifted up and all who looked on him and believed will be saved. The whole plan of salvation will be carried out by the Son of Man.

The Son of Man had come - not to condemn the world but to SAVE THE WORLD if they truly BELIEVED IN HIS NAME. The teaching of Jesus is LIGHT and everyone who believes comes into and lives by this light, and the light spreads to the whole world.

Application to today: It goes without saying that we are almost totally bereft of this belief and salvation in our world today. The important point is that this world of peace and love is the responsibility of each person. It is not a gift but depends on the stability and depth of personal faith as we have described it before. These points will be developed at great length in the course of the Gospel.

JOHN BAPTIST: LINK BETWEEN OLD AND NEW! John 3:22-36. John the Baptist was a man well-known and revered among the first Christians. His was the tremendous responsibility of introducing Jesus to the world and then slipping into the background. He was the greatest of the Old Testament prophets but the least in the New Testament. Such a statement is misleading. As a member of the Old Covenant, he was in the period of preparation and was less than anyone in the fulfillment. But he also belonged to the New Covenant and as such ranked well above many that would come later.

The whole issue was occasioned by the conduct of a few of John Baptist's followers. They came up to him and said that the man whom he had baptized on the other side of the Jordan, was baptizing and making more disciples than John. John's disciples were shaken and wanted him to do something immediately to set the records straight.

John's answer was beautiful. He stressed that each of us received our work in this plan of God from God himself. We came into the world at a certain time and place and had a certain work to do.

Then John used the example of a wedding. There was only the bride and bridegroom. The best man, in their society, had an important role in the wedding ceremony. He was the center of attention in all the preparations and ceremonies right up to the introduction of the groom to the bride. Then the best man disappeared and the groom came front and center. People might forget who the best man was but the groom they would always remember.

John Baptist claimed the role of best man in this plan of salvation. His job was to make sure that Jesus was known and came into contact with the world that he was to save. When this work was done, Jesus was to grow and John Baptist was to slide into the background.

John Baptist was not forgotten. His fidelity, humility and sacrifice for the sake of Jesus and his work will always be a major part in the salvation of the world. John started public teaching first and Jesus followed as soon as he was of age. John introduced Jesus to the world. John died for the expression of his convictions and Jesus praised John for the great man that he was. Jesus continued and expanded the work that John had begun.

SAMARITANS MEET AND ACCEPT JESUS! John 4:1-42. To understand this selection, it is necessary to remember the political division of Palestine in the time of Jesus. Originally, Palestine was a country of many small groups of people, each warring with the other. Then, under David, in the 11th century B.C., David's army conquered the whole area and the natives were either killed, run off, or made into slaves. David built his palace and ruled for a lifetime. Then his son, Solomon, took the reins and the Temple was completed in all its splendor in 968 B.C. The Kingdom reached the heights of its glory under Solomon who was a tyrant, powerful and clever enough, to hold it all together. With Solomon's death in 929 B.C., the kingdom split into the North and South and went downhill fast. In 722 B.C., the northern kingdom was captured by the Assyrians. In 587 B.C., the southern kingdom was beaten down by the Babylonians.

From that time on, there were three parts to the Promised Land: Judea, Samaria, and Galilee. Judea had Jerusalem and the Temple and the palace of David and Solomon. Their people were the descendants of Juda and the small tribe of Benjamin. They always thought themselves a peg above all other Israelites and the Chosen People came to be known as the "Jews," following on the name of Juda. The Galileans were the northern third of the country. They came down to Jerusalem for all the feasts and were tolerated by the Judeans because their tithes paid much of the expense of ruling. They would were looked upon as the "hillbillies" of the society. In between Galilee and Judea was Samaria. Samaritans were totally despised by the other two groups. They were Israelites who had intermarried with the native population and were a mixed race. There was a saying popular in the time of Jesus, "It would be better to have a pig in the house than to tolerate the presence of a Samaritan."

Jesus was informed that the Pharisees had learned that he had made and baptized more disciples than John the Baptist. Because of the attitude of the Pharisees, Jesus decided to go north to Galilee. On the way they went through the territory of Samaria. They came to a town called Sychar and Jesus was tired and hot. He sat down by the public well. The apostles went off into the village looking for food. It was about noon at the time.

A Samaritan woman came to draw water and Jesus said, "Give me a drink." The woman was amazed and she said, "You are a Jew and you are asking me, a Samaritan, for a drink?" Samaritans and Jews did not even talk to each other, ordinarily.

Jesus said, "That's right! And if you were aware of what God is offering and who it is that is saying to you: 'Give me a drink,' you would be asking him and he would give you fresh running water." "But you don't even have a bucket, sir," she answered, "and this well is deep. How could you get this running water? Are you greater than our father, Jacob, who dug this well and drank from it, himself with his family and cattle?"

Jesus replied, "If you drink of this water, you'll get thirsty again. Anyone who drinks the water that I have to give will never thirst again. The water that I will give will become a spring inside him, bubbling up into eternal life." "Sir," said the woman, "give me that water so that I may never thirst again and never have to come back here to fill the jugs." Jesus answered her: "Go, get your husband and come back here." The woman replied, "I have no husband."

Jesus said "You are right to say, 'I have no husband'. The five men you have had were not your husbands and the one you have now is not your husband. In that, you are really telling the truth." "I see you are a prophet, sir," said the woman. "Our fathers worshipped on this mountain, while you say that Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship." She had changed the topic to a popular point of discussion to divert the attention from herself.

Then Jesus said explicitly to the Samaritan woman that he was the Messiah. How much more he might have revealed at the time is not known because at that moment the apostles returned. They were amazed to see Jesus talking to a woman. Women were treated much like children at that time. They were not spoken to in public.

The Apostles did not ask Jesus why he was talking to the woman. Meanwhile, the Samaritan woman set her jug down and went running off to the village. We can see how excited she was when she left her water jug behind and that was the whole purpose for her coming to the well. As she got to the village she cried out, "Come, see this man who has told me everything I ever did. Is he the Christ?" This roused the curiosity of the people and they came out toward Jesus.

Meanwhile, the apostles were trying to get Jesus to eat something. He replied, "I have food to eat that you know nothing about." Now, the apostles were really puzzled. First, he was talking with this Samaritan woman in public. Then he had been getting food from someone. They couldn't make it out.

Jesus gave an explanation that certainly did not make any sense at the time. "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work. Don't you say it is four months until the harvest? I tell you: Look around! Look at the fields! They are white for the harvest! I am sending you to reap a harvest that you have not sown. Others toiled to do the sowing and now you come in for the harvest."

Jesus was talking about the conversion of the world. The first people to truly accept Jesus was this crowd of Samaritans. All of this was prepared by the prophets and teachers who have gone before them. The seed has been firmly sown. Now they can begin the harvest.

The Samaritans came out to see Jesus and listened to him carefully. They turned to the lady who had called them. They assured her they had come because of what she said. But they now accepted Jesus and his teaching because of what Jesus said. The first people to follow Jesus were not Judeans, but the despised Samaritans.

There is no doubt that the secret of leading people to accept the values and teachings of Jesus Christ was explicitly stated in this passage. The person who was instructing had to be so convinced of what he was offering that it became his food - his source of sustenance. It clearly could not become a collection of dry questions and answers arranged in a kind of Catechism or book of instruction. The message of Jesus had to reach the whole person - not just his mind.

A ROMAN NOBLEMAN BELIEVES. John 4:43-54. Jesus stayed in Samaria a few days and then left for Galilee. Jesus did not put much trust in the Galileans because they thought of him as just one of them. However, when he arrived in Galilee this time, they gave him a hearty welcome. They had seen what he had done in Jerusalem at the feast, and they liked the prestige it gave them.

Jesus went on to Cana and there he met a court official whose son was ill. He came to Jesus and asked him to cure his son. Jesus seemed almost harsh. He decried the shallowness of his faith. However the man persisted and Jesus told him to go home. His son was cured. The official turned for home. While he was on the way, his servants came to meet him. They said he need not bring Jesus because the boy was already cured. The official asked when the cure took place. They said it was one o'clock in the afternoon. The official knew that was the exact time Jesus had spoken to him. He and his whole family began to believe in Jesus.

Third Week: Bread of Life. John 5:1–6:71.

Lord of Sabbath; Bread of Life; Peter Believes

SOMEONE BEATS ME TO THE WATER EVERY TIME. John 5:1-18. It was the time of a Jewish feast, possibly Pentecost or Tabernacles. No name is given. Jesus came to Jerusalem and entered the city near the Sheep Pool. There was a building at that spot, called Bethzatha. In Hebrew, this means the "house with five porches." The water in the pool was supposed to have healing powers. Naturally, large crowds of sick and lame people gathered here. The water would move from time to time. The belief was that the first person in the water after the stirring would be healed of any ailment.

A man had been trying to get in the pool first for 38 years. Someone always beat him to the water. Jesus walked up to this man and said, "Do you really want to get well?" The sick man answered, "Sir, I don't have anyone to put me into the water and somebody always beats me to the pool." Jesus said, "Get up, pick up your pallet, and walk." The man was cured and jumped up, picked up his pallet, and walked away.

Now, said John, it happened on the Sabbath. The leaders saw this man carrying his pallet, not allowed on the Sabbath, and recognized him for the man who had been sick for so long. Anybody else would have asked about the cure or some such question. The leaders said "You are breaking the law." The man said, "He that cured me told me to do this."

Again, we see the perversity of the leaders. They did not ask about the cure. They simply wanted to know who it was that told him to break the law. The man pointed out Jesus and they began to pester him again. Jesus answered them simply, "My Father is working all the time and now I am working." Then the leaders were more anxious to put him to death because he not only broke the Sabbath, but he called God his Father and so made himself an equal of God.

That whole incident showed how the antagonism and hatred for Jesus was more and more the message that John was recounting.

MOSES ALREADY TALKED ABOUT ME. John 5:19-47. As you read these orations or speeches in John, remember - this is the written edited version coming to us about 100 years after the events. The original incidents are for real. The deeper insight into their significance in the lives of the first Christians was constantly growing. This is an important point because it shows how the life of Jesus is to be updated and kept present in the lives of his followers in each generation.

Jesus made open and clear claim to being the real Son of the Father. The Father was Yahweh as he had been known for centuries among the Jews. He was presented as the Father of the Chosen People and the whole people was the Son of Yahweh. Later, the Kings as the rulers of the Chosen People, were known as the Son of the Father in a special way. Then the truly Wise Person was called the Son of Yahweh. Now Jesus laid claim to the title in a special way and for several reasons.

First of all, Jesus had at his disposal all the power that belonged to the Father. Not only could he cure all manner of sickness, he would even be able to raise the dead to life. All judgment is entrusted to the Son, and the Son is to be given the same honor as the Father. In fact, any dishonor to Jesus is a dishonor to the Father. Anyone who believes in Jesus will have eternal life - exactly as those who believe in Yahweh. The reason for this power of Jesus is that he does the will of the Father perfectly. His OBEDIENCE makes him and the Father one.

Jesus called on the testimony of John the Baptist again. He told them to recall how the Father had spoken at John's baptism so that all could hear.

The people made a big profession of studying the Scriptures. Yet the Scriptures spoke of Jesus constantly. In fact, Moses was looking forward to Jesus' coming. And, if they do not accept Jesus, then Moses himself would be their accuser before the throne of the Father. Not to believe in Jesus was to reject Moses.

This, of course, was very strong talk and the rankest heresy for the Jews. There was no doubt that Jesus must die. However, they always had to be sure they did not make him a martyr and a national hero. The people followed Jesus closely, listened to everything he had to say, and eagerly accepted all his favors.

THE CROWDS WERE HUNGRY; JESUS FED THE CROWDS. John 6:1-15. Jesus felt sorry for the people out in the desert area with nothing to eat for their evening meal. He took the loaves and dried fish that a shepherd boy carried for his lunch. He blessed it, broke it, and gave it to the disciples to spread among the people. When the people finished eating, the apostles gathered up the food that was left over and they gathered 12 baskets full. They had started with only a few loaves and fish.

This story is told in each gospel - twice in some of them. The details are never exactly the same. Sometimes, there were four thousand men plus the women and children. At other times, there were five thousand men plus the women and children. The reference to 200 denarii is important. One denarius was considered a good wage for one day. Here we are talking about a salary for almost a year. The apostles said that even with that much money they could buy only a tiny morsel for each one.

Here is the parallel between Moses in the desert leading the Israelites, and Jesus in the desert leading the people. Jesus was the new Moses.

The people grumbled and complained against Moses because they were out in the desert of Sinai and they were hungry. They threatened to kill Moses, and turn around and go back into the slavery of Egypt. It was better to be a live slave than to be a freed person, dying of starvation in the desert. Moses fed the Israelites with the quail that were migrating through the desert and with the mysterious food produced by the insects in that section of the desert. Moses knew of these foods because of his long stay in that desert as a shepherd.

Jesus, as the new Moses, fed the crowds in the desert. His approach was also mysterious and difficult to explain. Was it a miracle in the strict sense of the word? That is the easiest way to explain the event and go on to the meaning drawn out of it. We can also see a different explanation. All the people had brought along a little bit of food. Each could feed himself and a few others. However, they did not want to share. Jesus got them to share and everyone had a full meal. When they were finished eating, they gathered up the scraps and there were far more than the initial small amount that each person had.

The main significance of the event would be that Jesus got all of them to share with each other. As a result of this incident, the people were going to take Jesus by force and make him their king. Jesus saw what was shaping up, so he escaped back into the hills, alone.

Evening came. The apostles went down to the shore of the lake and got in a boat to go over to the other side. They were out about three or four miles when the lake got rough. They looked up, and there was Jesus walking across the water toward them. He reassured them. They asked him to get into the boat with them. Then suddenly they were at the western shore.

BREAD OF LIFE. The next day, the people were in a real dither. They had seen the apostles leave in the boat and Jesus was not with them. But Jesus was not among them either. Other boats came to the eastern shore, the people boarded and went across to the western side. The first person they saw was Jesus. They knew he had not been in the boat with the disciples when it left the eastern shore. They go up to him. What they want to know is "HOW did you get over here?" What they actually ask is, "WHEN did you get here?"

Jesus used the occasion to describe the true Bread of Life. He told the people they had not asked the question that was really bothering them. They wanted to know "how" did he get there - not "when." Jesus said they were following him because he gave them food in the middle of the desert. They wanted more of the same. Jesus told them not to be duped into seeking the wrong kind of food. They were to "search for the food that gives eternal or unending life." This was the food that Jesus offered because the Father has set his seal on him as his son.

The people cry out for this kind of bread all the time. Such food meant that they would never have to work again and Jesus would take care of them. They asked Jesus for the condition on which they could get this bread. Jesus said: "Believe sincerely in me!" They agreed but they asked for a sign that he was authentic. They asked for a sign like the one Moses gave the Israelites in the desert when he fed them with manna.

Background Information: Moses fed the people in the Sinai desert. First, remember that Moses spent several years as a shepherd in the desert of Sinai. He learned many secrets of the desert. He knew where he could find water for his flocks and enough grazing for these same flocks. In these wanderings Moses learned that the quail migrate across the desert regularly each year. He knew the times and locations that they could be expected. So he made sure the people were on hand to get the meat they needed. The "manna" was the product of an insect, called a cochineal. The insects eat the leaves of desert trees and then produces this sweet, thick substance which drops to the ground in small balls. Moses had eaten it often. He led the people to this area. They cried out "Man hou?" In Hebrew, this means "What is this?" Gradually, the two words were rendered in an Aramaic form, "Manna," and this word was adopted as the official title for this food. Moses had been providentially prepared for his work as leader of the Israelites, through the desert of Sinai. He knew the vagaries of the desert and how to live off the desert because he had done it before. Over the years, these stories were told again and again. The farther the story tellers got away from the desert itself, the more fantastic and miraculous this food seemed to be. Now the Israelites asked for a comparable sign from Jesus. (cf. Ex. 16; Num. 11)

Jesus now told the Israelites how he was going to fulfill this request. He will not feed them as Moses did in the desert. Instead, he said that the bread that the Father would give through him was the true or real bread from heaven. This bread gave life to the world.

"I am the Bread of Life." The people were really excited and they asked for this special bread always. Jesus said, "I am the Bread of Life." Then he explained clearly that his words or teachings were the source of true life. Anybody who accepted his teachings, that is, BELIEVED in him and lived according to this teaching, would have a life that never ends and he/she was guaranteed resurrection from the dead on the last day.

The people complained to each other about what he was saying. They understood where his teaching was headed. However they also knew his earthly origins and he was no greater than they were.

Jesus chided them for this negative reaction. He stressed that this was exactly what the prophets were talking about in the past. He repeated that he was the bread of life. He reminded them that the people who ate the manna in the desert were all dead. Jesus said that he was the "living bread from heaven." Anybody who ate this bread would live forever. This bread would be the life of the world.

The people understood what he was talking about and it really threw them into a dither. Two things are important here. This bread that he was offering was his "flesh which he will give for the life of the world." The people did not grasp this at all. However, in the light of later events, we know that he was referring to his death on the cross and that he was doing that for them and all people of all times.

Then Jesus added further words of explanation that cleared up the whole matter. The people listening to him would not have had a clue as to the meaning. When these words were written down and read, the Christians understood them clearly, and understood they were the rock-bottom foundation of the whole Christian way of life. Jesus was talking about the Eucharistic meal as it was carried out by Jesus with the apostles and as the first Christians lived it.

Eucharist today: The Eucharist is supposed to be a meal that expresses fellowship, friendship, exchange of ideas and ideals. It is supposed to be an event of growth and enjoyment in each community.

The people listened to Jesus at that time, did not know what he was talking about, and many of them turned away and left.

This should not really surprise anyone because Jesus had not yet fully revealed his plan. However, it does show that the Eucharistic meal is at the very heart of the Christian life - either as a stumbling block or a means of community, strength and sharing.

In the original incident in John's Gospel, after many of the people leave, Jesus turned to the twelve and challenged them. He asked them if they wanted to join those leaving.

Peter spoke up immediately. "Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life and we believe." Jesus was pleased but not fooled. He was already aware of the weakness of Judas and he referred to him at this time, but not by name.