Session 7 - The New Commandment and Life in the Spirit (John 13–17)

Here's some commentary on last week's passages.

Last Supper

[The Gospel of John commentary] All of John 13–17 takes place during the Last Supper. Like the †Synoptics, John’s account of the Last Supper features the announcement of Judas’s betrayal and of Peter’s denials. But unlike the Synoptics, John does not narrate the institution of the Eucharist. Instead, he presents Jesus prophetically †signifying his death by washing his disciples’ feet.

[Ignatius Catholic Study Bible] 13:2 during supper: The Synoptic Gospels specify that it was a Passover meal (Mt 26:19; Mk 14:16; Lk 22:15). 

[Ignatius Catholic Study Bible] 13:4 his garments: Symbolic of Christ's human life. John's carefully worded narrative makes this clear: the same Greek verbs that Jesus uses for laying down his life and taking it up again in 10:17-18 are here employed to describe how Christ "laid aside" his garments (13:4) in service and has "taken" them up again (13:12). 

[Ignatius Catholic Study Bible] 13:5 wash the disciples' feet: 

• May be a sign of priestly ordination as in the OT (Ex 40:12, 30-32). 
• Parallels the scene of Moses washing Aaron and his sons on the day of their consecration to the priesthood (Lev 8:6). 
• Apostles’ receiving a "part" (Gk., meros) in Jesus (Jn 13:8) recalls how the Levites had their "portion" (Gk., meris) in the Lord God alone (Num 18:20 and Deut 10:9 in the LXX). 

[The Gospel of John commentary] Jesus’ gesture is a parabolic enactment of Paul’s statement in Philippians: “Though he was in the form of God, . . . taking the form of a slave . . . he humbled himself, / becoming obedient to death. . . . Because of this, God greatly exalted him” (2:6–9).

[Ignatius Catholic Study Bible] 13:10 He who has bathed: 

• Seems to imply that the apostles have already been baptized, although this is not explicitly stated in the Gospels. 
• Jesus' words hint at the distinction between Baptism, which washes away every stain of sin committed (actual) and contracted (Original), and the Sacrament of Reconciliation, which cleanses us of the accumulated dust of sins committed after our baptismal washing (20:23; 1 Jn 1:9; CCC 1446).

[The Gospel of John commentary] Some people resist Christ because they do not consider themselves sinful enough to require him to wash them in baptism or the sacrament of reconciliation. Others have the opposite problem: they stay away because they are ashamed of their lives or secret sins.

13.14  If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do. 

[Ignatius Catholic Study Bible] 13:18  He who ate my bread: A quotation from Ps 41:9

Even my bosom friend in whom I trusted, who ate of my bread, has lifted his heel against me. 10 But do thou, O Lord, be gracious to me, and raise me up, that I may requite them! 11 By this I know that thou art pleased with me, in that my enemy has not triumphed over me. 12 But thou hast upheld me because of my integrity, and set me in thy presence for ever.

Challenge of Self-Giving Love

[Ignatius Catholic Study Bible] 13:34 new commandment: The Torah commanded human love for ourselves and our neighbor (Lev 19:18). Jesus commands divine love for one another that is modeled on his own acts of charity and generosity (15:13; 1 Jn 3:16-18). This supernatural love comes not from us but from the Spirit (Rom 5:5; CCC 182229). See note on 1 Cor 13:4-7.

[Follow Me workbook] As St. Thérèse of Lisieux explained, the New Commandment challenges us to go far beyond the Old Testament command to love your neighbor as yourself. 

Gift of the Holy Spirit 

[Ignatius Catholic Study Bible] 14:17 with you . .. in you: The first expression refers to the Spirit's ecclesial presence within the Church as a whole, and the second to his personal presence dwelling within each of God's children individually. For this reason both the universal Church (Eph 2:19-22) and individual Christians (1 Cor 6:19) can be called "temples" of the Spirit (CCC 797).

[Ignatius Catholic Study Bible] 14:26 the Holy Spirit: Sent from heaven to complete the teaching ministry of Jesus and give the apostles an accurate understanding of the gospel (16:12-13). The Spirit also works through the sacraments to renew the world with the graces and blessings that Christ died to give us (3:5; 6:63; 20:22-23) (CCC 243, 729). See note on Jn 16:13. 

teach you .. . bring to your remembrance: The terms "you" and "your" in this verse are plural. It is thus a promise to guide and instruct the ordained leaders of the Church, here represented by the eleven apostles. It is not a promise that the Spirit will grant every individual Christian supernatural insight into the full meaning of the gospel or the Scriptures (2 Pet 1:20-21). 

[The Gospel of John commentary] There are several instances in the Gospel where disciples are said to remember episodes in Jesus’ ministry after his glorification (2:17, 22; 12:16). As this verse suggests, their remembering of Jesus’ ministry will be caused by the Spirit. It is not a simple recollection of the past but also a deeper understanding of Jesus and his work given by the Spirit—a spiritual understanding. The Spirit leads disciples into a greater understanding of the mystery of Jesus and makes it come alive for us.

[The Gospel of John commentary] 14.28 If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father; for the Father is greater than I. While it may be very hard for them to grasp, the disciples should rejoice that Jesus is going to the Father. The Father is greater than Jesus in his mortal humanity, but at his resurrection and ascension, Jesus’ humanity will be glorified by the Father and become “greater” (see 14:12). Jesus’ entrance into heavenly glory opens up salvation and life with the Father, salvation and life for humanity (see Acts 2:33).

[Ignatius Catholic Study Bible] 14:31 I love the Father:  The life and death of Jesus are thus a visible expression of the invisible life of the Trinity, where the Son eternally pours himself out in love to the Father.

[Follow Me workbook] On Good Friday, the apostles were afraid and disloyal to Jesus. All but one abandoned Jesus on the Cross. After his death, they are hiding, fearing for their own lives. But after receiving the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, they become courageous and boldly proclaim the gospel, leading three thousand people in Jerusalem to be baptized and willingly facing imprisonment, beating, and even death for the sake of Jesus Christ.

[Follow Me workbook] Jesus taught the apostles about what the Holy Spirit would do for us:

• Come to be with us and dwell within us (see John 14:16-17). 
• Bear witness to Christ and guide us in all truth (see 15:26-27 and 16:13). 
• ". . . take what is mine and declare it to you” (16:14-15).