Tuesday 30 March 2010

Background

In John's Gospel there is no account of Jesus struggling inGethsemane (see Matthew 26:36-46; Mark14:32-42 and Luke22:39-46), but this passage and the farewell discourses thatfollow (chapters 13-17) explore some of the same themes: Jesus'questions; the necessity for his suffering; the judgement on thosewho cannot face the time of trial. Distinctive in John's account,though, are two recurrent phrases which express his 'theology ofthe Cross': the 'lifting up' and 'glorification' of the Son ofMan.

The first reference to the 'lifting up' is in John3:14 where John likened Jesus to the serpent lifted up byMoses (Numbers 21:8-9). That serpent was lifted up sothat the Israelites could look at what was poisoning their life andbe healed. In John's Gospel the lifting up refers to thecrucifixion. Human beings look their betrayal of truth and light inthe face and know its deathly consequences. Yet in doing so, theyare healed, for the lifting up of Jesus has a double meaning. Inthe moment of crucifixion, in God's perspective, truth and lightare exalted and seen to be stronger than death.

So for John, the glorification of Jesus happened in and through hisshameful death. That is why John offered no account of theascension of Jesus (as in Mark16:19, Luke 24:51 and Acts1:6-11). In his obedient suffering, the Son of Man was alreadyglorified.

Much ink has been spilled over the phrase, the 'Son of Man'. Doesit mean any person, or a representative person? Does it refer to amessiah-like figure as it does in Daniel to the one who comes "onclouds descending" (Daniel 7:13)? Did Jesus use it of himself ordid the Gospel writers adopt it after Jesus' death? Whatever theanswer, in John's Gospel, the Son of Man is Jesus, seen from theperspective of the end of time, when truth and light are plain forall to see.

So, the Son of Man is glorified by God as he is obedient, even untodeath (verses 27-28). In the same way Jesus' disciples will beglorified by God as they are prepared to follow him, even at thecost of their lives.

To Ponder

Unlike the first hearers of John's Gospel,western Christians do not live in as context of religiouspersecution. What does it mean to you to "hate your life in thisworld"?

John's Jesus can seem less troubled and lesshuman than the Jesus of the other Gospels. To what extent is thishelpful?

What courage do you have to look at the thingsthat poison your life so you may be healed? What might help oursociety to do this?