| The New Testament presupposes the stream of Jewish worship and prayer. The Gospel of Luke records exquisite prayers by the Virgin Mary ( Lk. 1.46–55 ), the priest Zechariah ( Lk. 1.68–79 ), and the elder Simeon ( Lk. 2.29–32 ). Jesus himself, circumcised on the eighth day and presented at the Temple on the fortieth, grew up in the tradition of Jewish prayer and piety with frequent appearances at the Temple and the synagogue. He not only gave instructions on prayer but also practiced heartfelt prayer, seeking solitude in the hills where he could pray all night, not least before making important decisions ( Mk. 1.35 ; Lk. 6.12 ). The personal depth of Jesus’ prayers to God the Father breaks forth in dramatic moments of joyful confession ( Mt. 11.25 ), the giving of the Lord’s Prayer ( Mt. 6.5–13 ), the high priestly prayer to the Father ( Jn. 17 ), and the agony at Gethsemane ( Mk. 14.33–5 ), all of which exemplify the intimate relationship with God as a personal and loving Father which Jesus lived and taught. While the early church inherited much of the Jewish tradition of prayer, it gradually moved away from the Temple worship and cultic practices such as animal sacrifices, circumcision, and kosher foods, regarded as no longer compatible with the gospel. Instead, the church focused on its own rites of baptism, the Mystical Supper or Eucharist, and other rites that gradually developed into a whole tradition of worship continuously elaborated in content and structure. St. Paul, large sections of whose letters read like prayers, is a primary figure of the Christian renewal of prayer and worship in trinitarian forms based on the view that each baptized Christian is a living sacrifice to God ( Rom. 6.4, 13; 12.1 ) and the church is the body of Christ and the temple of the Holy Spirit ( 1Cor. 3.16–17; 12.12–27 ). Stirring echoes of early Christian prayers and aspects of worship, replete with Old Testament language, frequently occur in the Book of Revelation, where the eschatological drama of salvation itself is recounted from the perspective of the worship of God (Rev. 4.4–11; 5.8–14; 7.9–12; 11.15–18; 12.10–12; 15.3–4; 19.1–8). |
| 5504 T. c Abod. Zar. 3(the tradition probably stems from ca. 200 C.E.); b. c Abod. Zar. 27a, bar.; p. Yebam. 8:1, §10. One rabbi dissents from the ruling, but not from the view that Samaritans circumcize in this name. 5506 E.g., 4Q372 frg. 1, line 12 (with 4Q371 frg. 1, 8, 11, in Wise, Scrolls, 333. It was the major known issue of rift between the groups (see Spencer, Philip, 73–75). 5507 Gen. Rab. 32:10; 81(trans. Midrash Rabbah, 1:255, 748). The story was popular, and later tradition settled on R. Jonathan (Deut. Rab. 3:6; Song Rab. 4:4, §5). Probably in response to the Samaritan tradition in this passage denying that the flood covered Gerizim, R. Levi (third-century C.E. Palestine) denied that it covered Eretz Israel (Gen. Rab. 33:6; cf. Sipre Deut. 37.3.5). On the normally low status of donkey-drivers (νηλται), cf., e.g., Diogenes Laertius 6.5.92. 5510 E.g., m. Kelim 1:6; cf. Esth. Rab. 1:17, although it also notes excessive hypocrisy in Jerusalem; Hester, Inheritance, 76. In some traditions, it is more precious to God than anything else (Num. Rab. 23:7). 5511 Though Shem owned Palestine (Jub. 9:1–13) and those who violated this division were cursed (9:14–15), Canaan specifically warranted the curse by taking Shem " s possession (9:27–34). 5512 Probably to avoid revolutionary-type implications in the minds of his Gentile readers (cf. Amaru, «Theology»). 5513 E.g., Sipre Deut. 37.1.4–6; 37.2–3.7. For the emphasis on the land in early Judaism, see, e.g., Allison, «Land,» 643. 5514 Sipre Deut. 37.3.5–6. Praising cities was a standard part of ancient rhetoric ( Ps 48 ; Aelius Aristides Oration to Rome; Isocrates Panegyricus; Panathenaicus; 5Q15; Quintilian 3.7.26; Rev 21:10–23; cf. Balch, «Encomia»). 5517 B. Móed Qat. 25a. Some Babylonian Amoraim, however, did view emigration to Eretz Israel unfavorably (b. Ber. 24b). Palestinian Amoraim often called Babylonian rabbis «rabbis of that other place» (e.g., p. Yebam. 10:1, §1) or «from over there» (e.g., p. Yebam. 10:3, §1) and urged their emigration (p. c Abod. Zar. 2:1, §1); tension over the authority of their respective rulings sometimes existed between them (p. c Abod. Zar. 2:8, §5; Ned. 6:8, §3; Sanh. 1:2, §10; cf. Stemberger, «Bedeutung»). |
| 1704 T. Šabb. 13:5; " Abot R. Nat. 16 A; b. Git. 45b; Šabb. 116a (purportedly Tannaitic); cf. t. Β. Mes?a 2:33; Herford, Christianity 173–80; Schiffmann, «Crossroads,» 144–46. 1708 Christ " s significance in this way provided a strong deterrent to apostasy both in the Fourth Gospel and in Hebrews (Painter, «Israel,» 112). Matsunaga, ««Theos,»» thinks that faith in Jesus» Deity gave them reason to withstand persecution; Herford, Christianity, 383–84, that their high Christology is what made them minim. Fuller, ««Jews,»» 35–36, also sees Christology as centra1. The view of Fortna, «Christology,» may thus be contested. 1709 A motif in Revelation (Rev 5:8–14; 7:9–10; 22:3; cf. 1 En. 48:5–6 in the Similitudes); also the pagan perception of Christianity: Pliny Ep. 10.96; cf. Lucian Peregr. 11. 1710 Justin claimed that rabbis conceded the Messiah " s deity in some sense (Dia1. 68:9), but this is plainly false (see Higgins, «Belief,» 305); the Fourth Gospel itself criticizes existing Jewish views as inadequate (cf. Jonge, «Expectations,» 266). 1713 Cf. McGrath, Apologetic Christology, who argues that Johannine Christology developed in conflict with the synagogue, but much of the Christology was pre-Johannine. 1716 Note the charge of deicide, e.g., in Melitós Paschal Homily, 96 (in Hawthorne, «Translation,» 172). 1717 M. Sanh. 4:5; Sipre Deut. 329.1.1; b. Sanh. 38ab (mainly third century but with some second-century tradition); Pesiq. Rab. 21:6; 3 En. 16(but cf. 12:5); cf. b. Menah. 110a (purportedly Tannaitic); Justin Dia1. 55, 63; Klausner, Jesus, 34–35. Akibás famous error with the two thrones in Daniel almost certainly addresses this charge (b. Sanh. 38b; Hag. 14a). Exod. Rab. 29accepts the late Christian equation of God and «Son of God» but rejects the possibility of God having a son. Cf. Irsai, ««ny mkzb hw.»» Some evidence in the Palestinian Targumim, however, calls into question whether the «ditheists» were always Christians; gnostic dualists are sometimes possible (cf. Bassler, «Cain»). |
| He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord be with all the saints. Amen (Rev.22:20–21). Selected Bibliography 1 . Arseniev, Nicholas, Revelation of Life Eternal, St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1962. 2 . Barrois, Georges A., The Face of Christ in the Old Testament, St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1974. 3 . Bulgakov, Sergius, The Orthodox Church, London, Centenary, 1935. Also available in paperback from the American Review of Eastern Orthodoxy, New York, n.d. Cabasilas, Nicholas, The Life in Christ, St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1974. 4 . Lossky, Vladimir, The Mystical Theology of the Eastern Church, London, James Clarke, 1957. 5 . The Vision of God, London, Faith Press, 1963. 6 . In the Image and Likeness of God, St. Vladimir’s Press, 1974. 7 . Meyendorff, John, The Orthodox Church, New York, Pantheon Books, 1962. 8 . Orthodoxy and Catholicity, New York, Sheed and Ward, 1966. 9 . Christ in Eastern Christian Thought, St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1975. 10 . Pelikan, Jaroslav, The Spirit of Eastern Christendom (600–1700), Chicago, The University of Chicago Press, 1974. 11 . Schmemann, Alexander, For the Life of the World (Sacraments and Orthodoxy), St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1974. 12 . Of Water and the Spirit, St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1974. 13 . Ware, Timothy, The Orthodox Church, New York, Pelican, 1963. SELECTED ARTICLES FROM SAINT VLADIMIR’S THEOLOGICAL QUARTERLY 1 . Afanasiev, Nicholas, “The Canons of the Church: Changeable or Unchangeable”, SVQ, XI,2,1967. 2 . Athenagoras, Metropolitan (Kokkinakis), “Tradition and Traditions”, SVQ, VII,3,1963. 3 . Basil, Archbishop (Krivosheine), “Is a New Orthodox of Faith’ Necessary?”, SVQ, XI,2,1967. 4 . Barrois, George, “The Antinomy of Tradition”, SVQ, XIII,4,1969. 5 . Bobrinskovy, Boris, “Ascension and Liturgy”, SVQ, 111,4,1959. 6 . Bogolepov, Alexander, “Which Councils are Recognized as Ecumenical?”, SVQ, VII,2,1963. 7 . Clement, Olivier, “Science and Faith”, SVQ, X,3,1966. |
| Jesus «kept» the disciples from the world by God " s name (17:11). The ν here is probably both locative and instrumental: 9447 on the one hand, if the disciples are «in the world,» they must be protected «in God " s name»; 9448 on the other hand, God protects his people by means of his name. As in Revelation, believers can remain faithful to God " s name (e.g., Rev 2:3, 13; 3:8) and are marked off from the world by God " s name, his symbol of authority over them (Rev 3:12; 14:1; 22:4; cf. 7:3; 13:17). In the Fourth Gospel, «keeping» (τηρεν) usually refers to God " s commandments 9449 but in 17:11,12,15 (cf. 1 John 5:18 ) refers to God keeping those who obey him, perhaps playing on the language of God keeping those who keep his word (cf. Rev 3:10). He keeps them in the face of the world " s hostility ( John 15:18–25 ). 9450 2B. The Apostate (17:12) That Jesus lost none of his own in the first generation except one foreknown for apostasy (17:12) might encourage persecuted believers whose community had already expertenced some defections (cf. 1 John 2:19 ); the point is important enough for John to reiterate it for his audience (18:9; cf. 6:37). Jesus protected them in part by laying down his life to prevent their death (explicitly in 18:8–9; cf. 10:15); given the weakness of the disciples (13:38; 18:25), preventing their arrest at this point may also have prevented their terminal apostasy. That John elsewhere emphasizes that Jesus had lost no sheep (10:11–12) and that, in fact, no one could seize them from his or his Father " s hand (10:28–29) suggest that this was a matter of encouragement John felt his audience needed. If the reconstruction of the Johannine community most commonly held today is correct in its basic contours, John may here encourage Jewish believers whose faith has been rendered less stable through the polemic of respected leaders in their synagogue communities. They had never considered that following Jesus might separate them from Israel, the people of God, and their opponents» claims that they had been separated from God " s people may have shaken them. Throughout the Gospel, John therefore reminds them of Jesus» union with the Father, whom their opponents do not personally know; by union with Jesus, his followers are united with the Father and remain the people of God regard-less of the views of some hostile synagogue officials (cf. Rev 3:8–9). |
| Here John came so «all» might believe through him; John s mission as depicted elsewhere limits the force of this language; the «all» in a testimony to «all» could be limited by context (3:26). 3477 Jesus is for «all» (1:9; cf. 5:23,28; 11:48; 12:19), and his witness must likewise impact all (13:35). John was «sent» from God (1:6), 3478 fitting the shaliach theme of the Gospel (see introduction), but also reflecting the tradition that he fulfilled ( Mal 3:1 ; see Luke 7:27). Long before the advent of the current emphasis on literary criticism, Karl Barth noted that the verses about the Baptist (1:6–8,15) which intrude so noticeably on the rest of the prologue are there for a purpose. By standing out from the rest of the prologue, 3479 he proposed, they draw our attention to the issue, «the problem of the relation between revelation and the witness to revelation.» 3480 The literary purpose of beginning the Gospel with a witness, John (1:6–8, 15, 19–51), and closing with another witness (whom tradition also calls John, 19:35; 21:24), seems to be to underline the importance of witness for the Johannine community. If God was invisible till Jesus revealed him (1:18), he and Jesus would now remain invisible apart from the believing community modeling in their lives the character of Jesus (1 John 4:12; John 13:35; 17:21–23 ). The World Rejects the Light (1:9–11) The light could overcome darkness, and a witness was provided so people could believe the light. When the light came to them, however, «the world» as a whole rejected the light; even Christ " s own people as a whole rejected him. The remnant who did embrace him, however, would be endued with the light " s character, so they, too, might testify of the light (cf. 1:12–14). 1. The True Light Enlightens Everyone (1:9) In contrast to John (1:8), who was merely a «lamp» (5:35), Jesus was the true light itself (1:9). In this Gospel, adjectives signifying genuineness can apply to Jesus» followers (1:47; 8:31; cf. 1 John 2:5 ), but most often apply to Jesus (5:31; 6:32, 55; 7:18; 8:14; 15:1; cf. 7:26; Rev 3:7) or the Father (3:33; 7:28). In a pagan environment with pluralistic options, designating God as the «true» God (17:3; 1 John 5:20; 1 Thess 1:9) made sense; when contrasting Jesus with lesser alternatives in a Jewish context–here John the Baptist–the designation remained valuable. |
| 2.2. The New Testament shows that Christ, who did not have to die, because He was without sin, stepped into the sphere of death, humbled Himself, having been obedient even unto death, the death of the Cross (Phil 2:7; 1 Cor 5:7; 1 Pet 3:18) and died for us (1 Thess 5:10; compare with Mark 10:45; Rom 5:6; Heb 2:9). By His Resurrection He conquered the Devil and death and holds the keys of Hell and death (Heb 2, 14-15; Rev 1:17-18). Then Christ had destroyed the power of death over those that believed in Him, i.e. those who were baptised into Christ (Rom 6:3-4) and died with Him for the world and for sin (Rom 7:6; Gal 6:14; Col 2:20). A Christian goes through death in Christ and is separated not from God, but from the world and from sin. The world and sin die within him, because the life of Jesus is opened to those who believe (2 Cor 4:10; 5:1-15; Col 3:3). In other words Christ grants life or raises from the dead. Moreover, this does not happen in the Last Days, but in the same instant, immediately. Everyone who entrusts himself to Christ crosses over from death to life (John 5:24) and will never see death (John 8:51-52), although the whole world already exists in a state of death (Rev 3:2) and is moving towards a second death, to eternal separation from God (Rev 20:14). Christians remain mortal, they die in the physical sense, but they die in Christ (1 Thess 4:16) or fall asleep in Him (Acts 7:60; John 11:11-14; 1 Cor 7:39; 15:6, 18; 51; 1 Thess 4:13-15). Physical death is the last enemy destroyed by Christ (1 Cor 15:26), but He gave us this victory as a potential and death itself continues to afflict the bodily life of a particular individual (Rom 8:9-11). However, it has been deprived of its sting and it cannot separate a Christian from Christ; on the contrary, it brings him closer to Christ (Rom 8:38-39; 2 Cor 5:1-10; Phil 1:20-21). He, having risen from the dead, the firstborn of the dead, calls all the faithful to a new life, resurrecting and transfiguring their bodies, and then the spirit and body will exist in perfect harmony (compare with 1 Cor 15:20; Col 1:12). |
| New persecutions followed and the Prophet of God fled to the mountain of Choreb. There Elijah experienced the presence of God as a voice of thine air (III Kings 19:11-12). Elijah was taken to Heaven on a chariot of fire (IV Kings 2:11), and gave to his disciple Elissaios his blessings to have twice the portion of God’s Grace which he himself received (IV Kings 2:9). Elijah is one of the holiest prophets and greatest personalities of the Old Testament. He never left any writings behind. His zeal to preserve the true faith in God made him well known throughout the centuries till today. In the Books of the Prophet Malachi (4:4) and the Wisdom of Sirach (48:1-15) his second coming foretells that he shall prepare the world of the coming of the Messiah. And, behold, says the Lord, I will send to you Elijah the Thesbite, before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes; who shall turn again the heart of the father to the son, and the heart of a man to his neighbour, lest I come and smite the earth grievously (Malachi 4:4). In the New Testament the Prophet Elijah appeared with Moses on Mount Tabor at Christ’s Transfiguration (Matth. 17:1-8; Mark 9:2-13; Luke 9:28-36). According to the Book of Revelation, before the Second Coming of Christ, the two Prophets Enoch and Elijah will come again and they will prophecy for three and a half years (Rev. 11:3). When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them (Rev. 11:7). After three-and-a-half days the breath of life from God shall enter them, and they shall come back to life, and great fear shall fall upon those who killed them. They will ascend into heaven in a cloud (Rev. 11:12). In the New Testament Christ Himself used the Prophet Elijah as an example to describe the zeal of St. John, the Baptist. He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord (Luke 1:17). When our Lord was asked by His disciples: Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first? He replied saying: Indeed, Elijah is coming first and will restore all things. But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished (Matth. 17:12). For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come (Matth. 11:13-14). |
| In any case, those who wished to steal sheep had to come secretly or by force, 7346 and thieves were known to enter through windows ( Joel 2:9 ) or break through walls (Matt 6:19–20; cf. Exod 22:2). 7347 Some have suggested an image (mentioned above), based on some later shepherds» practice, in which the sheepfold has no gate so the shepherd himself lies across the entrance. This would explain the mixed metaphor by which Jesus could be both shepherd and door later in the passage (10:9–11). 7348 But it should also be admitted that neither Jesus nor most of his contemporaries scrupled about mixing metaphors. 7349 The primary purpose of pens or folds was to protect the sheep from hostile animals or other intruders. 7350 Wolves and human predators compared with them sometimes came stealthily at night, 7351 and wolves sometimes penetrated the winter sheepfolds, unseen by shepherds and sheepdogs, 7352 but often feared to enter them. 7353 Similarly they might prove unable to penetrate them; when hungry, they might simply run around the enclosure, frightening the sheep, or vainly assault its stakes and doors. 7354 In 10:7–9, Jesus returns to the door metaphor. But whereas in 10Jesus is or uses the door to the sheepfold, in 10he becomes the door to salvation (cf. 14:6; Matt 7:13–14; 25:10; Luke 13:24–25). 7355 The figure might remain the same as in 10:1–5, 7356 if the shepherd lies across the entrance (as some have argued; see above) or if the sheepfold represents the people of God also envisioned as the community of salvation. But as noted above, it was also not inappropriate to mix metaphors. This image could recall one of the most frequently mentioned «doors» in the law (about sixty times in the LXX, especially in Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers): that of the tabernacle, the place of God " s presence. 7357 Elsewhere in Johannine literature an «open door» may indicate access to God " s presence and respond to exclusion from the synagogue (Rev 3:7–9), though the relevance of this parallel is mitigated by the fact that it is a specific usage of a more broadly applied phrase ( 1Cor 16:9 ; 2Cor 2:12 ; Col 4:3). 7358 Heavenly portals as in some apocalyptic visionary texts (Rev 4:1; 11:19) 7359 should also not be ruled out, though it is not likely anywhere close to the foreground of John " s thought here. |
| 5:17, 20, 36; 7:3) and put the burden of demonstration back on him. 6105 This is sheer dissembling, for they have already seen adequate signs–and desire another simply so they may have more free food (6:26). 6106 Elsewhere the Jesus tradition confirms that Jesus refused to grant a sign to those who demanded it after he had fed a multitude ( Mark 8:11–12 ). 6107 God had attested Jesus with his own seal (6:27). 6108 Merchants and those executing legal documents used seals to attest the character of an item " s contents before its sealing (see more fully comment on 3:33); rulers also conveyed their seals to those highest officials who would act on their behalf ( Gen 41:42 ). 6109 In view of the aorist tense, Jesus» «sealing» by the Father may refer to a particular act, in which case it would probably point back to the Spirit descending on Jesus in 1:32–33. 6110 In this context, however, the Father s sealing of Jesus probably refers to the signs by which God has attested him (6:2, 26; cf. 5:36). 6111 No one would dispute that God " s seal would always attest matters accurately. Thus, for example, in Amoraic texts God " s «seal,» indicating his identity and name, is «Truth,» which begins with the first letter and ends with the last letter of the alphabet, hence also signifies the «first and the last» (cf. «alpha and omega» in Rev 1:8). 6112 Their question, «What shall we do … ?» (6:28), might function as a sort of early Christian shorthand for «How shall we be saved?» (Luke 3:10,12,14; Acts 2:37). 6113 The «work of God» may suggest a typically Johannine double entendre (cf. 4:34; 17:4). The «works of God» (6:28) often refers to God " s own works, his mighty deeds (9:3; Tob 12:6; 1QS 4.4; 1QM 13.9; CD 13.7–8; Rev 15:3), 6114 which in Johannine theology is the source of other works (15:1–5; cf. Eph 2:10 ; Phil 2:12–13 ). But they can also indicate commandments ( Bar 2:9–10 ; CD 2.14–15), as they do most obviously here; «works» can be ethical in John (3:19–21; 7:7; 8:39, 41). |
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