The Gospel of John

It includes...

• John 13-17
• The Last Teachings of Jesus
• The Last Supper
• The Beloved Disciple

John 13-17Main Events

• Symbolic Meaning

John 13: 1-20 -The Washing of the Feet-

• “Before the feast of Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to pass from this world to the Father.” John 13:1

• Jesus knew of the events that would soon happen on that Thursday.

• “The devil had already induced Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot, to hand him over.” John 13:2

• Literally, “The devil put into the heart that Judas should hand him over."

• Jesus said to him, “Whoever has bathed has no need except to have his feet washed, for he is clean all over; so you are clean, but not all.” John 13:12

• His disciples will be sent out to serve. “Except for his feet” carries the same connotation as “get your hands dirty.”

• The disciples’ feet get washed.

• The washing of the disciples’ feet symbolized cleansing of sin by sacrificial death. It alludes to the humiliating death by crucifixion.

• “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.” John 13: 20

• You must accept Jesus to accept God because Jesus is God.

John 13: 21-30 –Announcement of Judas’s Betrayal-

• “Jesus answered “it is the one to whom I hand the morsel after I have dipped it.” So he dipped the morsel and handed it to Judas… After he took the morsel, Satan entered him.” John 13: 26-27

• Jesus knew that Judas was going to betray him for 20 silver pieces.

John 13: 31-35 - The New Commandment-

• “I give you a new commandment: love one another.” John 13: 34

• This puts Jesus on par with Yahweh. The commandment is not actually new.

John 14: 1- 14 -Last Supper Discourses-

• “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God: have faith also in me.” John 14: 1

• Jesus tells his followers to have faith.

• “Where I am going, you know the way.” John 14:4

• The Way: here, of Jesus himself. Jesus is going to his Father after he has shown us the way to go.

• “Jesus said to him ‘I am the way and the truth and the life.’” John 14: 6

• The truth: in John, the divinely reality of the Father manifested in the person and works of Jesus. The possession of truth confers knowledge and liberation of sin.

John 14: 15-31 -The Advocate-

• “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always…” John 14: 16

• Jesus is the first advocate in the sense of being an intercessor in heaven. An advocate is a spokesperson, mediator, intercessor, comforter, consoler, or defense attorney. The paraclete/advocate in John is a teacher, a witness to Jesus, and a persecutor of the world, who represents the continued presence on earth of the Jesus who had returned to the Father.

• “The spirit of the truth, which the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows it. But you know it, because it remains with you, and it will be in you.” John 14:17

• The Spirit of the Truth: it is a moral force put into a person by God. In John- it will teach the new order and will testify to the truth.

• “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives it to you.” John 14: 27

• Jesus’ peace is a gift of salvation, connoting the bounty of messianic blessing.

• “I will no longer speak much with you, for the ruler of the world is coming. He has no power over me.” John 14:30

• The ruler of the world is Satan.

John 15: 1-17 -The Vine and the Branches-

• “Anyone who does not remain in me will be thrown out like a branch and wither; people will gather them and throw them into a fire and they will be burned.” John 15: 6

• Branches were cut off and dried on the wall of the vineyard for later use as fuel.

John 15: 18- 16: 4 -The World’s Hatred-

• “If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first.” John 15: 18

• This predicts the hostile reaction of the world and predicts persecution.

• “And they will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they do not know the one who sent me.” John 15: 21

• On account of my name: Association with Jesus’ name implies union with Jesus.

• “When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth that proceeds from the Father, he will testify to me.” John 15: 26

• The Spirit comes from both Jesus and the Father in mission.

• “They will expel you from the synagogues; in fact, the hour is coming when everyone who kills you will think he is offering worship to God.” John 16: 2

• Hour: of persecution.

John 16: 5- 33 -Jesus’ Departure: Coming of the Advocate-

• “And when he comes he will convict the world in regard to sin and righteousness and condemnation: sin because they do not believe on me; righteousness because I am going to the Father and you will no longer see me; condemnation because the ruler of this world has been condemned.” John 16: 8-11

• Sin: the most basic sin is to deny Jesus.

• Righteousness: Even though he dies, righteousness has triumphed because he returned to his Father.

• Ruler: Satan was condemned through Jesus’ death.

• “Behold, the hour is coming and has arrived when each of you will be scattered to his own home and you will leave me alone. But I am not alone because the Father is with me.” John 16: 32

• Jesus is leaving them to be with his Father, God.

• You will be scattered: the sheep are dispersed in the world.

John 17: 1- 26 -The Prayer of Jesus-

• “I do not ask that you take them out of the world but that you keep them from the evil one.” John 17: 15

• Note the resemblance to the petition of the Lord’s Prayer, “deliver us from the evil one.” Both refer to the devil rather than to abstract evil.

• “I made known to them your name and will make it known, that the love with which you loved me may be in them and I in them.” John 17: 26

• Jesus spreads God’s word and makes it know that God loves us and Jesus is in our hearts.

The Last Teachings of Jesus

Serving others is at the heart of being his follower.

You must accept Jesus to accept God because Jesus is God.

“I give you a new commandment: love one another.” John 13: 34

Even though he dies, righteousness has triumphed because he returned to his Father.

The Last Supper

What is the traditional “Last Supper?”

• It is the final meal that Jesus shared with his Twelve Apostles in Jerusalem before his crucifixion.

• It provides the scriptural basis for the Eucharist.

• It occurred after Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem.

• During the meal, Jesus predicts his betrayal by one of the disciples present and foretells that Peter will deny knowing him later that day.

What is the focus of the Last Supper in John's gospel?

Unlike the Synoptic Gospels, John focuses on Jesus' washing of his disciples' feet to prove that serving others is at the heart of being a follower of Jesus.

The Synoptic Gospels focus on the institution of the Eucharist.

The Beloved Disciple in John

He is the son of Zebedee.

He is found only in the Gospel of John.

He is one of the 12 apostles.

He is mentioned at the foot of the cross with the mom of Jesus,

at the empty tomb on easter morning with Peter,

and at the resurrection when he identifies Jesus from the boat.

He is...

John!

Sources:

1. The Catholic Youth Bible

2. Encyclopedia/ The Last Supper

3. Sparknotes/ The Gospel of John

4. Discovering the Gospels

5. Catholic . org

6. pbs . org

A Presentation by Anna Sharabura and Halley Angel