Session 5 - Encountering Mercy (John 7–9)

Scripture handouts for Session 5 & Session 6:

• Thurs 5/7 - Session 5 - Encountering Mercy (John 7–9)
• Thurs 5/14 - Session 6 - The Law of Self-Giving (John 10–12)

Below is some commentary on the passages we discussed from the The Gospel of John (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture)

Feast of Tabernacles (7.1-53)

• So his brothers said to him (7.3-5) 

Before going to Jerusalem, Jesus has an encounter with his brothers. New Testament writings refer to a group known as “the brothers of the Lord” (see Mark 6:1–3; 1 Cor 9:5), among whom was James, a leader of the early Jerusalem church (Gal 1:19). The New Testament does not say that the “brothers” of Jesus are the biological children of Mary. Consistent with testimony from the early Church, Catholics believe that Jesus’ mother, Mary, remained a virgin throughout her entire life (Catechism 499–500). Tradition has offered two explanations for the identity of Jesus’ brothers: they are Joseph’s children from a previous marriage or brothers in the broad sense of kin.2

[Footnote: Early Christian witnesses for belief in the perpetual virginity of Mary include Jerome, Against Helvidius; Athanasius, Against the Arians 2.70; Didymus, On the Trinity 3.4; Epiphanius, Agkurotos 120 ; and Panacea against Heresies 78.6; St. Augustine, Sermon 186.1; and On Holy Virginity 4.4; Peter Chrysologos, Sermon 117; Pope Leo I, Letter 28.2. The Proto-Evangelium of James 9 (mid-second century AD) affirms that at the time of his marriage to Mary, St. Joseph was an older man who had children of his own.]

As in the †Synoptics, Jesus’ brothers do not think favorably of him during his ministry: they did not believe (see Mark 3:21). They challenge Jesus to go to Judea so that your disciples also may see the works you are doing. If Jesus does great things and wants to be known publicly, then he should not work in secret. Instead, he should

• Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman (7.3-11)

The story of Jesus and the woman caught in adultery (John 7:53–8:11) has a complicated history. It does not appear in any major Greek copy of John before the sixth century, which is why it appears in brackets in the NABRE, although it does appear in earlier Latin manuscripts. In some Greek manuscripts of John, the story appears in places other than its present location. One manuscript group has the account at the end of the Gospel, after 21:25. In addition, it appears in some manuscripts of the Gospel of Luke, after 21:38. The Greek language in this story differs noticeably from that in the rest of John. These factors suggest that the story did not originate with the rest of the Fourth Gospel. Rather, it resembles conflict stories found in the †Synoptics. The Church receives this text as inspired Scripture and proclaims it liturgically on the fifth Sunday of Lent in Year C.

According to the Torah, adultery is a capital offense, and Deut 22:22–24 prescribes stoning for both the man and woman involved (see also Lev 20:10). Since the woman is unquestionably guilty of a capital crime, the answer should be straightforward: she should be stoned to death. But they ask Jesus, So what do you say?, not to administer justice (notice that the adulterous man is nowhere to be found) but to entrap Jesus. If the scribes and †Pharisees can corner Jesus into taking a stance against the law, then they will have some charge to bring against him (see 5:45; Matt 12:10; Acts 24:2).

The meaning of Jesus’ nonverbal response—he bent down and began to write on the ground with his finger—is unclear. It could simply be a †sign of indifference, showing that he refuses to be drawn into this trap.2 Another possibility is that Jesus’ gesture is a subtle allusion to Jer 17:13, which literally reads, “O Hope of Israel, O †YHWH, all who abandon you will be put to shame, those who turn away will be written in the earth because they have abandoned the Fountain of Living Waters.”

I am the light of the world (8.12-20)

According to the †Mishnah, during the week of Tabernacles giant lampstands were set up in the temple precincts to provide illumination so the festival pilgrims could celebrate at night.4 The theological symbolism of these lights is not clear. One possibility is that the lights were anticipation of God’s end-time salvation described in Zech 14. Zechariah says that on the Day of the Lord, †YHWH will come to save his people and defeat their enemies. Unending daylight will follow, and the Gentile nations will come to Jerusalem annually to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles (Zech 14:7, 16–19).

These words he spoke in the treasury, as he taught in the temple (8.20) - This exchange takes place near the treasury in the temple area. According to the Mishnah, the massive lampstands used during Tabernacles were located in the Court of the Women, which contained boxes for financial donations.9 Jesus identifies himself as the light of the world in the very place where the lights of Tabernacles were lit. As the lamps at Tabernacles provided light for the liturgy of God’s people Israel, so does Jesus as the light of the world illumine the way to the unending liturgy of heaven (see Rev 4:8–11; 5:9–14; 22:3).

• You testify on your own behalf (8.13)

Their objection corresponds to the inadmissibility of self-testimony, a principle attested to in the Mishnah and based on prescriptions of the †Torah requiring the testimony of two or three witnesses in capital cases (Deut 17:6; 19:15). Jesus responds by stating that his relationship with the Father legitimates his claims. His opening statement, Even if I do testify on my own behalf, my testimony can be verified, seems to contradict his previous claim in 5:31, “If I testify on my own behalf, my testimony cannot be verified.” Informing both 5:31 and 8:14 is Jesus’ relationship with the Father, but this relationship is viewed from different angles.8 In 5:31, he grants the legal principle about invalid self-testimony in order to teach that the Father does give valid testimony about him (5:32). Here, however, Jesus insists that his self-testimony is valid because of his relationship with the Father. Jesus is unique in regard to self-testimony because he alone knows the Father (I know where I came from and where I am going), he alone has seen the Father (6:46), and he alone reveals him (1:18). 

• You judge by appearances (8.15-16)

. . . literally, “according to the flesh.” His words recall 7:24, “Stop judging by appearances, but judge justly.” Like the crowd in 7:25–30, 40–44, the Pharisees do not see beyond the visible and apparent. They do not discern Jesus’ relationship with the Father and thus fail to recognize his identity. 

Once again, Jesus’ relationship with the Father legitimates his activity. Since the Son does nothing apart from the Father (5:19, 22, 27), Jesus’ judgment is valid because it comes to him from the Father. All of Jesus’ actions proceed from his union with the Father.

Healing of the Blind Man (9:1-12)

In the Church’s tradition, the healing of the man born blind has frequently been interpreted in terms of conversion, baptism, and spiritual transformation. The blind man signifies humanity afflicted by original sin (“blind from birth”). He receives sight after Jesus smears mud on his eyes (the same verb for “smearing” is used later for sacramental anointing with oil) and washes with water (as in baptism), and as we will see, the man progresses in his understanding of Jesus. Accordingly, from its early centuries up to today, the Church proclaims this Gospel on the fourth Sunday of Lent, when catechumens are preparing for their baptism at the Easter Vigil. Saint Augustine writes, 

This blind man is the human race, for this blindness happened through sin in the first man from whom we all have taken the origin not only of death, but also of wickedness. For . . . the blindness is lack of faith and the enlightenment faith. . . . [Jesus] besmeared the eyes of the blind man. He was besmeared and yet did not see. He sent him to the pool which is called Siloam, . . . which is interpreted “Who has been sent.” You already know who has been sent; for unless he had been sent, no one of us would be sent away from wickedness. Therefore, he washed his eyes in that pool which is interpreted “Who has been sent”; he was baptized in Christ. If then, when in some way he baptized him in himself, he then enlightened him; perhaps when he besmeared him, he made him a catechumen. [Tractates on John 44.1–2.]