| 6115 Thus in a biblical text God " s great «work» ( Deut 11:7 ) could refer to his acts of judgment on the disobedient (11:2–6) which Israel had «seen» (11:7), inviting Israel therefore to keep God " s commandments (11:8). That Jesus narrows the answer to a single work and that this «work» is faith (6:29) fits Johannine emphases (see discussion on faith in the introduction) and resembles some other early Christian polemic ( Rom 4:2–5 ). Incredibly, the crowd asks for a sign so they may believe, ignoring the previous sign (6:30); this repeats the Judean behavior in 2:18. Their behavior testifies that they do not wish to see and believe him as they claim, for they have already seen and now simply want more free food (6:26, 36)–that is, an earthly gift from a merely earthly messiah (6:27). They seek a political messiah who will bring political liberation, not liberation from sin (cf. 8:32–36). They place the responsibility for their faith on Jesus instead of on themselves; yet while seeing could lead to believing (20:8), such signs-faith was not the ultimate expression of faith (20:29), and in their case proved unsuccessful anyway, for they did see yet failed to believe (6:36). Scholars dispute the specific biblical allusion in 6:31. John may have blended both Exod 16:4, 15 and Ps 78:24 , being familiar with both the Hebrew and Greek texts. 6116 The most obvious direct allusion is Ps 78 , though it would be midrashically informed by the account of Exod 16 that stood behind it. 6117 In any case, they cite a text which they invite Jesus to fulfill: if he is the prophet like Moses (see comment on 6:14–15), he should be able to provide them bread from heaven on a regular basis, as Moses did. Their proof-text, cited in the familiar Johannine style (Jesus and the narrator elsewhere employ γεγραμμνον; 2:17; 6:45; 10:34; 12:14), 6118 becomes a foil for Jesus» ensuing discourse. («It is written» and similar formulas were common in early Judaism.) 6119 Their «from heaven» stems from Exod 16or perhaps Ps 78:24 6120 and in any case was not unnatural (e.g., Mark 8:11 ), but will immediately remind the informed reader of Jesus (1:32; 3:13,31). Jesus understands his interlocutors» text quite differently from the way they do (6:32). They depend on their ancestors (6:31; cf. 4:12), but their ancestors have died (6:49), and Jesus wishes to address their need rather than that of their ancestors (6:32; cf. 8:39). 3. The Bread of Life (6:32–51) |
| 5850 Jesus elsewhere emphasizes that he does nothing «from himself» (φ» εαυτο, 5:30; 7:17–18, 28; 8:28, 42; 14:10), as the Spirit does not (16:13), and that the disciples cannot produce anything profitable from themselves (15:5). Acting «from oneself» signifies independence; for John its negation can signify divine inspiration (11:51). 5851 Thus Jewish tradition emphasized that Moses explicitly claimed to speak only on God " s authority, not his own. 5852 1C. Honor the Son Who Gives Life and Judges (5:21–23) To praise oneself without good excuse was considered offensive (see below on the introduction of 5:31–47); but for ancient hearers the claims here go beyond any normal hubris of mortal self-praise. Jesus shares the Father " s works of bringing life (5:21) and judging (5:22); the Father delegated these works to him so that humanity would worship Jesus as they worship the Father (5:23). Such a claim could sound only like ditheism to many of Jesus» and John " s contemporaries. Worshiping humans who wanted to be divine was certainly idolatry, but the informed reader knows that Jesus was actually of divine rank and became human (1:1,14). 5853 Like the Father, Jesus could give life (5:21; cf. 17:2); this made him act in a divine manner. 5854 The resurrection of the dead was a divine work, 5855 specifically attributed to God in the oft-recited Shemoneh Esreh; God was widely viewed as the giver of life, 5856 hence the only one who life was not contingent on a giver of life (see comment on 5:26). Jesus» claim here could further his opponents» perception that he articulated a sort of ditheism. 5857 In this context, the healing of the man at the pool of Bethesda prefigures in a small way the resurrection; Jesus will raise (γερει) the dead, just as he told the lame man to «rise» (γειρε, 5:8; cf. 4:50). 5858 The point is that if Jesus has authority to raise the dead at the last day of this era, then qal vaomer, how much more, does he have authority to heal on the Sabbath, the last day of the week (cf. |
| But our text may, without specific reference to Abraham, simply allude to the chosenness of God " s people as a whole (cf. 2 John 1,13 ; Rev 17:14; Mark 13:20,22,27 ; Acts 13:17; Eph 1:4 ; 1Pet 1:1 ), here applied to the branches on the true vine, in contrast to Jewish pictures of Israel as God " s vine (see the introduction to 15:1–7). Deuteronomy frequently recalled the chosenness of God " s people (4:37; 7:6–7; 10:15; 14:2); chosen «out of the world» (15:19) may even reflect Deuteronomy " s chosen «out of all peoples» ( Deut 7:6; 10:15; 14:2 ). 9107 That Jesus «appointed» (θηκα) them (15:16) suggests that he not only exercised a purpose concerning them but «established» that purpose. Some connect the verb to its recent use in 15and 10:11–18, for laying down onés life; their commission would thus follow Jesus» model of love. 9108 This interpretation, while plausible, is not secure; τθημι is a frequent term (seventeen times in John, albeit most commonly surrounding Jesus» death) with a broad semantic range (cf., e.g., the thirty-nine uses in Isaiah LXX). That the term is not the usual one for God " s call or commission lends credence to an allusion back to 15:13; at the same time, it can apply to God establishing his covenant with Abraham and establishing Abraham in his purposes ( Gen 17:2, 5 ). 9109 If the disciples are bearing fruit, they may ask «in Jesus» name» (15:16), probably meaning as his representatives carrying out his work (cf. 14:12–14). 9110 Alternatively, one may connect «in Jesus» name» with «he may give,» as possibly in 16:23, probably connoting «because of Jesus.» 9111 In either case, whether because they act as his representatives or bear favor on his account, disciples have this blessing because they depend on Jesus» act on their behalf. 9112 John concludes again with the command to love, thus framing the section (15:17; cf. 15:12,14). The World " s Hatred (15:18–16:4) If 15:8–17 discusses the love of God and believers, 15:18–16discusses the world " s hatred. While we often describe John " s thought here as sectarian, John might object that whereas his community represented the minority, the intolerance for difference stemmed also from the outside: the world would hate those who did not belong to its way of thinking and behaving (7:7; 17:14; 1 John 3:13; cf. Jas 4:4). 1. Introductory Matters |
| 3411 Bar 4:2 ; 4Q511 frg. 1, lines 7–8; frg. 18, lines 7–8; CI] 1:409, §554 (Hebrew on a bronze lamp in Italy); L.A.B. 9:8; 11:1–2; 15:6; 19:4, 6; 23:10; 33end (legis lumine; MSS: legis lumen); 51:3; 2 Bar. 17:4; 18:1–2; 59:2; Sipre Num. 41.1.2; p. B. Mesi c a 2:5, §2; Hor. 3:1, §2; Sukkah 5:1, §7; Gen. Rab. 26:7; Pesiq. Rab. 8:5; 46:3; cf. L.A.B. 37(the «truth» from the bush illuminabatMoses); Sipre Deut. 343.7.1; Gen. Rab. 3:5; Exod. Rab. 36:3; Num. Rab. 14:10; Deut. Rab. 4:4; 7:3; Ecc1. Rab. 11:7, §1; Pesiq. Rab. 17:7. Torah also appears as fire (m. «Abot2:10; Sipre Deut. 343.11.1; »Abot R. Nat. 43, §121 B– Deut 33:2 ; b. Besah 25b–school of R. Ishmael; Ta c an. 7a; Pesiq. Rab Kah. Sup. 3:2; Jer 23:29 ; Song Rab. 5:11, §6; the Ten Commandments as lightnings in Tg. Neof. on Exod 20:2–3; Tg. Ps.-]. on Exod 20:2–3; Tg. Neof. on Deut 5:6–7 ) or summons heavenly fire (p. Hag. 2:1, §9; Song Rab. 1:10, §2), and specific commandments, such as the Sabbath, appear as light (Pesiq. Rab. 8:4). 3413 The «glory» in Exod 33is described as a «cloud» (34:5), which is depicted elsewhere in the context (33:9,10) in terms similar to the pillar of fire (13:21–22; 14:24; 40:38). 3414 See introduction for a brief treatment of this motif. «Life» occurs 36 times in John, 17 times in Revelation, 14 times in Romans, and 13 times in 1 John (Morris, John, 82). 3415 Although Wheldon, Spirit, 18, is not wrong to associate life with the Spirit in John (cf. 6:63), it is first of all associated with Christ. 3416 E.g., Wis 8:13,17; Sir 4:12; 17:11 ; cf. 1 En. 98:10,14; 2 Bar. 38:2. Greek writers could associate philosophy with living properly (Crates Ep. 6, to students; Cyn. Ep. 56–57–ζην). See also the biblical references in Painter, John, 49. 3417 Bar 3:9; 4:1–2 ; Pss. So1. 14:1–2; L.A.B. 23:10; 2 Bar. 38:2; m. «Abot 2:7 (Hillel: the more Torah, the more life, ; and later in the same text, «he who gains for himself words of Torah, gains for himself the life of the world to come,» ; b. »Abot6:7, bar.; «Abot R. Nat. 34 A (among other things); »Abot R. Nat. 35 B; Sipre Deut. 306.22.1; 336.1.1; b. Hag. 3b; Roš Haš. 18a; p. Ber. 2:2, §9; Exod. Rab. 41:1; Lev. Rab. 29:5; Num. Rab. 5:8; 10:1; 16:24; Deut. Rab. 7:1,3,9; Tg. Ecc1. 6:12. Cf. the tradition of souls departing or being restored at Sinai (usually of Torah bringing Israel life but disobedient nations death), e.g., b. Šabb. 88b; Exod. Rab. 5:9; Lev. Rab. 1:11; Deut. Rab. 1:6; Song Rab. 5:16, §3. The exact sense of Odes So1. 3is slightly more difficult to determine, but may refer to God as the life (cf. Gen. Rab. 1:5; 43:3; Num. Rab. 10:1). |
| Conversion: heart and works Recall the introductory quote to this article: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also (Matthew 6 21). Consider Our Lord’s words to the Pharisees: “You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men. " ” (Matthew 15: 7-9) Apparently what we have taught one another about ourselves are the “precepts of men.” Wives and husbands, fathers and mothers, their children see each other in terms of the values of the world. Where are the values of Christ? Where is reference to Christian holiness, virtue and sanctity? Where are answers like: I see (husband, wife, mother, father, child): Let us recall that our primary purpose on earth is to know, love and serve God; eventually attain Him indwelling in us that we may “become partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4) We are called to be saints. Since we are called to be saints, let us look at the lives of three saints who grew up in Orthodox Christian homes. In his description of the upbringing of St. Dorotheos of Gaza, Wheeler (1977) writes that the saint’s life experiences ” … would argue [for] a solid Christian home life.” George Bebis in his introduction to the Spiritual Counsels of St. Nicodemos of the Holy Mountain (Chamberas, 1989) writes of the early life of the saint: “His parents were pious people…he was distinguished by his exceptional alertness, his industry, his labors and his love for religious and secular learning.” Monk Paisius in describing the young life of St. Paisius Velichkovsky, (St. Paisius Velichkovsky, 1994), who revitalized Orthodox spirituality in the 18th century, tells us in his early years his “..soul and heart tasted the truth through the Church services, the writings of the Holy Fathers, and above all the Sacred Scriptures — and he wanted the fullness of Christ’s revelation.” And later the biographer monk writes: “This distinguished St. Paisius from a 17-year-old of today. Having a foretaste of the life to come, he clearly knew what was being sought — union with the Truth.” |
| Jesus, however, finds him (as with the healed man in 9:35). That Jesus finds him in the temple suggests an early tradition and/or John " s knowledge of Jerusalem topography; the pool of Bethesda was directly «north-northeast of the temple area.» 5794 Perhaps he had gone directly to the temple to offer thanks for his recovery; 5795 in any case, the place serves a theological as well as geographical function in locating opposition to Jesus in the Jerusalem temple area (5:14–18), hence again with the powerful Judean elite who would have reason to feel threatened by the new temple of Jesus (2:19–21). In contrast to the man blind from birth (9:2–3), this man " s malady apparently stemmed from sin (5:14). 5796 Jesus was sinless (8:46) and came to free people from sin (1:29; cf. 20:23), but those who refused to believe him would remain enslaved to sin (8:21, 24, 34), and those who rejected him after he revealed truth had greater sin (9:41; 15:22,24). Others in the ancient world understood that the disobedience of a suppliant for healing could lead to greater suffering than one had experienced before. 5797 A prominent book of wisdom advised Jews who had sinned to add no more (μηκτι) sins and to repent of their earlier sins ( Sir 21:1 ). 5798 Also in contrast to the man blind from birth (9:38), this man does not become a disciple of Jesus. Like some members of the Johannine community touched by Jesus, he falls away (cf. 6:66; 1 John 2:19 ), becoming a betrayer (5:15; cf. 6:71). Already aware that the leaders opposed Jesus, he informs on Jesus and so prefigures analogous acts of betrayal in the Gospel (cf. the parallel actions in 11:45–46; cf. 18:2–3). 5799 (Confessing Jesus only as healer would not impress the authorities; see introduction on signs, ch. 7. Nor is he disciplined like the man in John 9 .) Thus Jesus may protest that his opponents seek to stone him for «good works» (10:32–33). 2C. Persecuting Jesus for Sabbath Violation (5:16) Under later rabbinic rules, which may or may not reflect earlier Pharisaic ideals, Sabbath violation was in theory worthy of death. |
| 4332 See Dan 2:47 ; 1Tim 6:15 ; 2Macc 13:4; 3Macc 5:35; 1 En. 9:4; 84:2; 3 En. 22:15; 25:4; text 67.2 (Isbell, Bowls, 147); Philo Decalogue 41; Spec. Laws 1.18; m. «Abot 3:1; t. Sanh. 8:9; Sipra Sav M.D. 98.8.5; »Abot R. Nat. 25, 27 A; " Abot R. Nat. 1, §1 B; 27, §56 B; 29, §61 B; b. Ber. 28b; 32b-33a, bar.; 62b; Sanh. 38a, bar.; p. Meg. 1:9, §17; Gen. Rab. 8:7; 12:1; 14:1; Exod. Rab. 2:2; 6:1; 20:1; Lev. Rab. 18:1; 33:3; Num. Rab. 1:4; 4:1,20; 8:3; 14:3; 15:3; 18:22; Lam. Rab. 1:16, §50; Ruth Rab. 2:3; Ecc1. Rab. 2:12, §1; 4:17, §1; 5:10, §2; 9:15, §7; 9:18, §2; 12:1, §1; 12:7, §1; Esth. Rab. 3:15; Song Rab. 1:12, §1; 7:5, §3; Pesiq. Rab. 13:7; 15.preamble; 23:8; Dio Chrysostom Or. 2, On Kingship 2, §75; cf. Deut 10:17 ; Ps 136:2–3 ; Book of the Dead spell 185E (206); the phrase is rooted in titles of suzerain rulers (Ezra 7:12; Ezek 26:7 ; Dan 2:37 ; T. Jud. 3:7; Plutarch Pompey 38.2). 4333 Schnackenburg, John, 1:319, also finds reference to Jesus» continuing signs (2:11); Jonge, Jesus, 59, emphasizes Jesus» «permanent contact with God in heaven.» 4334 Cf. T. Ab. 20(Death to Abraham; Death had previously made his claim of truth emphatic by adding the first-person pronoun, T. Ab. 16A, cf. 18:6A), but this may represent Christian alteration; the double Amen of m. Sotah 2is an affirmation after, rather than before, a statement; that in an apparent synagogue inscription is uncertain and late (cf. Nebe, «Inschrift»). 4335 On the single μν " s very likely authenticity and sense, see Keener, Matthew, 54,181. In contrast to the prefatory μν, «I say to you» is not unique to the Jesus tradition (see Keener, Matthew, 182; also Wise, «General Introduction,» 264; Matt 3:9; Acts 5:38; 1Cor 7:12 ; cf. Rev 2:24). 4336 It functions as a solemn confirmation after a blessing also in the Scrolls, e.g., 4Q286 frg. 5, line 8; frg. 7,1.7; 2.1,5,10, and perhaps 6; 4Q287 frg. 5, line 11; 4Q289 frg. 2, line 4 (and perhaps frg. 1, line 2); 4Q509 1.7; 4Q511 frg. 63,4.3; after a curse in Num 5:22 . A cognate term could precede a statement, adding the emphatic meaning «truly» (Ruth 3:12; 1 Kgs 8:27; 2 Kgs 19:17; 2 Chr 6:18; Job 9:2; 12:2; 19:4–5; 34:12; 36:4 ; Ps 58:2 ; Isa 37:18). |
| The man " s loyalty to Jesus set him on the right road, but did not yet confirm him as a disciple. Nicodemus and some of his allies in the synagogue had recognized Jesus as a teacher from God (3:2), but he had not yet confessed him publicly. It is in 9:35–39 that the healed man moves to a more christologically adequate confession of Jesus» identity. 7168 The Father seeks true worshipers (4:23), and Jesus, who does the Father " s will (9:3–4), seeks this man out in 9:35; 7169 parallel language in 1and 5strongly suggests that this description implies Jesus» intention. (That he «heard» that they had cast him out may imply a secondhand report, 7170 but also might imply having heard from the Father, as in 5:19–20 and 8:38.) But John deliberately contrasts this man whom Jesus finds (9:35) with the man he found in 5:14, who after being healed turned on Jesus rather than take responsibility for following his teaching. The two prospective disciples provide a negative and positive model, which together issue a challenge to progress to disciple-ship. The personal pronoun σ in Jesus» inquiry in 9is emphatic: Do you believe? This emphasis suggests a contrast in the immediate context with the Pharisees; 7171 but for Johns informed reader it may also suggest a contrast with the healed man of 5:14–16, who after being healed failed to persevere to discipleship–and now awaited a worse fate than before (5:14; cf. 15:22, 24; 3:36). The healed man still can reason only from his experience and lacks an adequate grid for interpretation (9:36); Jesus now supplies that grid (9:35–37). «Son of Man» by itself might hold ambiguous christological significance 7172 (perhaps suggesting a historical core for these actual words), but its cumulative effect in the Gospel to this point suggests a fuller significance for the informed reader (1:51; 3:14; 5:27; 6:27; 8:28); an even greater weight may rest on «believe» (9:35; see introduction, ch. 7). Jesus responds by revealing himself as he did to the Samaritan woman (4:26); to one who had been blind before their previous encounter, Jesus ironically announces, «I am the one you have now seen " (9:37). 7173 |
| 12:6 On Commandments and Doctrines … 113 ( Philokalia IV, p.238). 288 33:206:226:51:18 32:30 33:11 19:25-27 42:5 5:8 3:2 13:12 1:18 14:9 Ethical Discourse 5,88-1095:8 Ethical Discourse 5,83-95. Ethical Discourse 5,112-124. See J.Meyendorff, A Study of Gregory Palamas (New York, 1974), pp.202-227. Lossky, Mystical Theology , 70. Theophanes , PG 110,973 D. 33:18-23 1:18 12:1-4 Discourse 23 (Miller, 120-121). Hymn 11,1-82. Hymn 40,1-16. Divine Institutions 4,28,2; PL 6,535. 6:35 6:11 6:33 10:10 1:21 4:2412:29 2013168-204 Centuries of Various Texts 1,42 ( Philokalia 2, p.173) 10:3482:6 1:123:2 1:4 8:2915:493:183:10 3:264:5 3:16 8:18-231:1015:28 3:2 82:1 On Those Who Reject the Holy Images 1,19 Discourse 40,6 Against the heresies 5, introduction. On the Incarnation 54. Discourse 1,4. Discourse 38,11. 13:43 Discourse 40,6. Centuries on Theology 1,54. Cf. Enneades 1,2,6 Homily 5,8-9 Homily 15,38······ 306 Centuries on Theology 2,88. 4:15 Hymn 9,1-51. Hymn 16,21-40. Hymn 28,136-166. Hymn 19,107-147. 3:2 24:4-1323-2429-303642 5:8 4:7 3:10,13 5:2-6 15:51 4:15-17 2:2-5,8-9 antichristos On Christ and Antichrist 6. 2:7 2:8 15:51-54 Sochineniya , t.V, p.69. Ignaty Brianchaninov, Sochineniya , t.5, p.70. Cf. Theodore of Mopsuestia, On Genesis (PG 53,640). 16:22 16:23 12:2 25:46 Иеромонах Серафим (Роуз). Душа после смерти. М., 1991. Сс. 16-19,156. The Second Response to the Latins ; Patrologia Orientalis (ed. L.Petit), t.15, pp.108-151. |
| The account of these celebrations is found on the website of the Orthodox Church in America at Daley, Brian J. Introduction. On the Dormition of Mary: Early Patristic Homilies . Crestwood, NY: St. Vladimir " s Seminary, 1998, p. 4. The Church of the Kathisma was built at the traditional spot where Mary sat down to rest on the way to giving birth to the Savior, as told in the Protoevangelium of James. Hieromonk Makarios, ed. The Synaxarion: the Lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church . Trans. Mother Maria Rule and Mother Joanna Burton Burton. Vol. 6. Ormylia, Chalkidike, Greece: Holy Convent of the Annunciation of Our Lady, 1998, p. 482 n. 1. The footnote states that the feast was initially celebrated in January in Jerusalem. Panarion 78.11, Daley, On the Dormition of Mary, introduction pp. 5, 6 Ibid., introduction p. 10 Ibid., pp. 7, 8 For the work of Fr. Dumitru and reference to Fr. John see the Oct. 13, 2009 entry on the weblog Mystatogy: The same blog also provides two scholarly articles on the topic by a Fr. John Parker: Daley, On the Dormition of Mary, introduction pp. 12, 13. St. Dimitri of Rostov. The Assumption of Our Most Holy Lady, the Mother of God and Ever-virgin Mary . Jordanville, NY: Holy Trinity Monastery, 1990, p. 6; St. John Maximovitch, The Orthodox Veneration of Mary, the Birthgiver of God, p. 23; St. Nikolai Velimirovich. The Prologue from Ochrid: Lives of the Saints and Homilies for Every Day of the Year, Part 3: July, August, September . Trans. Mother Maria. Birmingham: Lazarica, 1986, p. 198; Holy Apostles Convent, The Life of the Virgin Mary, the Theotokos, p. 448; Bp. Nathanael of Vienna and Austria. " The Holy Righteous Abraham, Moses and Elias as Preparers of Man’s Salvation. " Orthodox Life 28.6 (Nov- Dec. 1978), p. 45; and the Lamentation service states: “At your Ascension into Heaven all the aerial spirits were overcome with awe and fear, O pure one, and trembled before your power, 2 nd Stasis, number 28, p. |
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