Interlude
This is the last passage about the hidden Christ—the escapee
Jesus—until chapter twenty. Chapters thirteen through sixteen contain a long
discourse that Jesus gives his disciples. There is much talk in this section of
his coming-and-going, especially his nearing departure. Part of the
mysteriousness of Jesus in this gospel is ‘where Jesus came from,’ and ‘where
he is going.’ Many questions arise about his source and his destination. He
also speaks of his coming and going a number of times. I think this theme is
part of the ‘ungraspableness’ of Jesus.
The death of Jesus occurs in chapter nineteen. In John’s
gospel the death of Jesus on the cross is the high point of his revelation.
Jesus is ‘lifted up’ – that is, he is enthroned
on the cross. There he says in John, “It is finished.” Not just ‘over with.’
But accomplished. The goal in John’s
gospel is the self-giving of Jesus that issues in his Messianic Rule on his
crucifix throne.
Ironically, this is the only place in John’s gospel where
they finally ‘catch’ Jesus. They literally ‘nail him down.’ But in the Fourth
Gospel it is not he literal words and actions that have significance; it is the
mystical/spiritual/metaphorical words and actions that count. The literal
capturing of Jesus turns out to be no captivity at all; rather, it is the final
revelation of freedom. Self-giving love sets one free for an authenticity and
depth of meaning that cannot be experienced any other way.
Now we come to chapter twenty, the resurrection of Jesus.
(continued in next post)
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