John 5:1-9

 This passage is an alternate Gospel for the 6th Sunday in Easter, most recently May 22, 2022

Summary:  The man does not want to be healed.  Jesus must interrupt his self-pity.  Hard truth:  individuals, communities and societies often are paralyzed.  While they may complain about what others have done to them, they have no real desire (or capacity) to heal themselves.

I pray that I can preach a sermon in which I acknowledge how we get trapped in our dysfunction and are unable to move forward without Jesus.  Without being so judgemental that I fail to bring the goods, namely, the healing in the name of Jesus!

ξηρος (meaning "paralyzed", 5:3)  This word originally meant "dry" (like the Greek translation of Genesis 1:9 for "dry land" uses this word.)  Things that were dry became useless, paralyzed, so to speak.  

How have parts of your life become dry and paralyzed?  How have parts of your community or your congregation?  How have parts of society?

υγιης (with the rough breathing this is spelled:  hygies, from which we get "hygiene", John 5:6, 9, 11, 14, 15).  Jesus brings a person to a state of "hygiene."  However, something bigger than germs is going on, as Jesus is looking at the healing of the whole person.

In Greek, this word means "whole, sound, healthy".  What really sheds light on what it means is how it is used in Titus to describe, not a body, but a teaching:

• Show yourself in all respects a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, gravity, and sound speech that cannot be censured; then any opponent will be put to shame, having nothing evil to say of us.  Titus 2:7-8 

This word is paired with "integrity" and "gravity", reminding us that this word does not simply mean "clean from germs."

The context in John's Gospel reveals this is a healing on many levels

• Emotional:  Jesus asks him if he wants to be well.  He cannot answer this basic question, but is caught in a cycle of blaming others and forming a victim narrative.  He cannot heal himself, Jesus must intervene.
  
• Physical:  Now he can walk!
• Spiritual:  After the man can walk, he enters the Temple - likely for the first time -- where Jesus finds him (vs 14).  Interestingly, Jesus warns him to sin no more!  Which makes one consider -- was their something sinful about the state that he was in?
  

Some Biblical curiosities:

εορτη (feast, 5:1)  It turns out that scholars are not certain which festival John references.  How one understands which festival has implications though for how one understands the rest of the Gospel.  For example, is this a foreshadowing of Pentecost?  Is this story somehow a microcosm of the church being born and moving beyond its initial tribal and ritual boundaries?  Is it a story of how the waters must be stirred for the church to be reborn?  Or that we are waiting, as a church, for someone else to stir the waters but we are called forth to be the church?

Or it is a story about the reading of the Torah?  The foundation of God's word is no longer simply the OT Scripture, but Jesus Christ and his revelation?

5:4  Many translations do not include 5:4.  This is because most of the best sources for John's Gospel:  papyrus 66 and 75 as well as the א, B, D and W codices lack this verse.  It certainly helps make sense of the rest of the story.  It also speaks of the connection between angels and healing, if not objectively, within the minds of the people.  That is fascinating that words of healing and angels are on the margins of the church's canon.  Professor Walter Sundberg of Luther Seminary once preached on this verse, focusing on the way in which the edges of the canon and the edges of the church often become sources of renewal.

38 years old.  Still don't know why.

 

John 14:23-29

This passage occurs in the Revised Common Lectionary, 6C, most recently May 22, 2022
 
Summary:  Like many passages in John, this passage at first seems like a sequence of fairly random phrases; the preachers job is to pick the best one and run with it.  (Likely my peace I give you!)  If we take a look at the whole of verse 14, we realize that Jesus here is trying to calm his disciples down, as they are growing agitated and disbelieving in light of the coming death.  It makes me wonder -- over and against what fears and anxieties should we preach the promise of peace and God's presence?

(I think I prefer the paired Acts passage (16:9-16) for preaching, but there are some fascinating elements to the Greek here!)

Key words
μονη(ν) (meaning "dwelling", 14:23; as a participle this root word appears in 14:25):  One of the most important ways of understand the work of God in John's Gospel is "dwelling."  In the beginning of the Gospel, we learn that the word dwelt among us (different root word).  In fact, Jesus begins this section by offering that in his Father's house there are many "dwellings" (14:2, same word, but in plural form).  If we interpret 14:2 in light of 14:23, we get a really interesting concept.  In the father's house there are many dwelling places because in each and every person God can make a dwelling!  A dwelling place is a place of peace -- truly home.  This is what Jesus has come to offer!

This passage also establishes the criteria for God making his dwelling:  keeping his word and love.  So let's look at what is happening with those two criteria in this passage --

τηρεω (various forms in 14:21,23 and 24):  This means to guard, protect.  Interestingly, Jesus calls his disciples to guard:  his commandments (22), his word (23), his words (24).  Each of these connotes a different aspect of Jesus' teaching ministry.  It is also worth considering, if we just had John's Gospel, what are the commandments?  Believe in God (14.1) and love one another (14.34) stand out.  I would be curious to see what other commandments we could distill from John's Gospel besides these two foundational words, for John's Gospel offers less moral advice than the other Gospels.  Jesus does tell the woman to sin no more; other than this, what commandments do you find in John's Gospel?

ει αν (markers of conditional phrases): 
Heavy Greek lifting you can skip: 
These two words can work together to set up an IF...THEN...clause in Greek.  Depending on the tenses and moods used, it defines what kind of IF...THEN statement you get.  In the case of verse  14:28, "If you love me, then you would rejoice that I am going to the Father..." you have an ει+indicative imperfect followed by an αν+indicative aorist.  This type of phrase means IF (but it is not true) THEN (therefore this is not true).  So for example, in John 11:21 and 11:32:  If you had been there, my brother would not have died.  (But you weren't there, so my brother did die.).  See also John 18:30 and Acts 18:14 for examples. 

Based on the verbs, Jesus is actually saying in verse 28:  "If you have been loving me (which you haven't), then you would rejoice that I am going to the Father (which you aren't)!  I think this drastically changes the understanding of Jesus words.  He knows his disciples are distressed.  He tells them in the beginning (14:1) and at the end of the passage (14:27) not to be worried (ταρασσεσθω, from ταρασσω). 
 

While it may seem harsh that Jesus is telling his disciples they don't love him, he is actually speaking loving truth here:  They don't get it why Jesus had to die.  The other Gospels make the struggle of the disciples clear; this is the part of the Gospel when the disciples are showing they are struggling to understand and believe.  So what does Jesus do?  He offers them the promise of his presence and his peace.  Sometimes this is all we can do for people!

αφιημι and διδωμι ("leave" and "give", 14:27)  The word αφιημι is fascinating here, but I want to focus more on the fact that we are in the present tense.  This means that Jesus will continually leave and give; this is not a one time transference, but a ministry commitment for Jesus.

I want to borrow from another blogpost I have about the paraclete

***
παρακλητος (paraclete, 15.26 and throughout John 15 and 16) The word parakletos for the Holy Spirit is a tough one to crack! The noun literally means "one called along side of." Originally it meant a "legal assistant." Hence the affinity for the term advocate.

Yet, the whole field of words related to parakletos pushes against a cold, judicial term, especially in terms of our relationship with God.

14.16 The parakletos is a gift from God
14.17 The parakletos will be with us, even abide in us forever
14.26 The parakletos will teach you and cause you to remember the words of Jesus
15.26 The parakletos will witness about Jesus
16.8 The parakletos will prove the world concerning sin, righteousness and judgment.
16.13 The parakletos will guide you on the way
16.13 The parakletos will listen to the Father and Son
16.14 The parakletos will glorify Jesus 
16.14 The parakletos will make Jesus known

Interestingly, the Vulgate does not even use the term advocate to translate parakletos, instead transliterating the word "paracletus." In fact, the Latin does translate the word "parakletos" from the Greek into the Latin "advocatum" once, and this is from 1 John 2.1, where the sense is different. Indeed, here the idea is Jesus interceding for us against the judge of the Father concerning our sins; in John's Gospel the idea of the parakletos has nothing to do with a legal metaphor before God the Father, but the enabler of Christian before the world of unbelievers.

Furthermore, a look at the verb παρακαλεω, the related verb for the noun παρακλητος, really brings home that this word (really word field) is not primarily about legal matters:
Isaiah 40.1 "Comfort, comfort my people, says your God."
Psalm 23 "Your rod and staff, they comfort me."
Proverbs 8:4 "To you, O people, I call and my cry is to all that live."
2 Corinthians 1:3-4  "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation,  who consoles us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to console those who are in any affliction with the consolation with which we ourselves are consoled by God."
 

John 13:31-35

This passage occurs in the Revised Common Lectionary, Year C, most recently May 15, 2022

Summary:  I offer some initial reflections on the Greek.  If I preach on this, I will likely draw on the narrative in which it is set:  Jesus washing his disciples feet, Jesus being betrayed, Jesus about to be arrested, condemned and crucified.  Jesus is not just talking about love, but revealing it to his disciples.  Likewise, we are called to love each other.  In reality.

Key words:
εδοξασθη (aorist form of δοξαζω, meaning "glorify, 13:31,32):  I was struck by this word; what does it mean for Jesus to be glorified?  What does glory mean in John's Gospel.  In the Old Testament, the word for glory is associated with the awe-inspiring presence of God:

• Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. Exodus 40:34 
• Blessed be his glorious name forever; may his glory fill the whole earth. Amen and Amen.  Psalm 72:19

John presents Jesus as the fullness of God's glory on earth.  The miracles of Jesus reveal this glory.

• And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth.  John 1:14
• Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.  John 2:11 
• Father, I desire that those also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. John 17:24 
• So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed.  John 17:5

Yet Jesus begins to discuss God's glory, especially in these passages (13:31-32) in connection with his crucifixion and resurrection.  This is kind of strange; either John wants us to see the resurrection as the glory (total Christus Victor) or John sees that somehow the crucifixion is an revelation of God's glory.  That is something truly worth considering, not as a theological question, but as a Biblical question -- does John go that far?

The other movement in terms of God's glory is that the disciples, by their actions, reveal God's glory:

• My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.  John 15:8

This is something really worth pondering -- and struggling with as a Lutheran -- to what extent is God's glory revealed through our Spirit-led actions?

υμιν υμας (forms of "you", 13:34)   Jesus gives us a new commandment to YOU and declared he loved YOU.  But the YOU here is actually plural:  Y'ALL!!  Worth remembering that Jesus love is for the whole community, not just the individual.

διδυμι ("give"; 13:34)  Jesus gives this command in the present tense, "I keep giving you the new commandment."  We must be taught, again and again, to love each other.

μαθηται (form of  μαθητης, meaning "disciple"; 13:35).  The word for disciple means pupil.  Are we called to be a pupil of Jesus or his teachings?

John 10:22-30

This passage is from the Revised Common Lectionary.  It appears during year C on the 4th Sunday of Easter, often called "Good Shepherd" Sunday.

Summary:  So much promise.  Jesus knows us, Jesus gives us life, the Father holds us in his hands.   Still dreaming on this passage...

I think the Greek in this passage is not complex.  You are likely work through it with a little help.  Go for it.  The verb tenses are worth paying attention to.

Key terms
εγκαινια  (Hanukah; 10:22)  Most translators call this the Festival/Feast of Dedication.  Which is true, but it would be known to most English readers, certainly in America, as the Hanukah!  Just a reminder that Jesus is a practicing Jew.  In fact, the action in John typically revolves around Jesus celebrating and interpreting anew the Jewish feasts.  The original Hanukah involved a miracle that allowed the temple to stay lit throughout worship...over and against occupation.  So when they ask Jesus if he is the Messiah/Christ, it is a very loaded question.

στοα του Σολομωνος (Solomon's Colonnade/Porch/Stoa; 10:23)  There is a portico that comes up a few times in the New Testament, where Jesus gathers.  Here is a website that does a nice job giving a quick summary:  https://www.gotquestions.org/Solomon-Porch.html

εργα (works; 10:25, 33)  The NIV translates this word as "miracle"; the NET Bible as "deed" and the NRSV as "work."  I like "work" because it allows for Jesus to say in vs 33 "good works", which has a more biblical ring.  I also think that miracles has a specific Greek word from which it is typically translated (dynamis) and in John's Gospel is related to "signs."  Question to ponder:  What is the difference in a work of God and a miracle?

Verb tenses

It is important to pay attention to the verb tenses in this passage

• εκυκλωσαν αυτον .... ελεγον αυτω (10:24) [Aorist verb followed by imperfect verb] 

They encircled him (aorist = one time event) and they were saying to him (imperfect = action not complete, therefore on-going and typically begun in the past)

εκυκλωσαν (encircled; 10:24)  The people have encircled Jesus, not gathered around him!  

Also, they are speaking (ελεγον, imperfect tense) repeatedly to him.  There is conflict brewing!

• ειπον και ου πιστευετε (10:25)  [Aorist verb followed by present tense verb]
  

I spoke (aorist = one time event) and you are not believing (present meaning repeated action).  

Jesus speaking was an event in the past; the not believing is an on-going state of affair 

• A number of verbs are significantly in the present sense, meaning they are on-going actions:
  

γινοσκω ("know"; 10:27)    This word is kind of boring in Greek:  Know, recognize.  But it likely is a translation of the Hebrew "Yada," which has a more intimate meaning.  Regardless, worth pondering -- what does it mean for Jesus to know us!!

ακολουθουσιν (follow; 10:27). If we are to follow, this means that Jesus is leading.

διδωμι (give; 10:28) Jesus indicates he is always be giving us eternal life.  It is not a) not simply a future gift and b) is not a one time gift!  Jesus is always giving us life.