This week’s reading from John is rich with topics that stimulate reflection. Before looking at some of those topics, let’s first look at the author himself. Contrary to what you may have thought (as I did), this writer named John is NOT the apostle John. Many fine thinkers throughout Christian history have concluded that we’re reading a Gospel written by “the disciple whom Jesus loved,” the apostle who was there at the crucifixion, the apostle who was next to Jesus at the Last Supper! But contemporary scholars have drawn other conclusions.
“We may never know for certain who wrote the Gospel of John, any more than we can know who wrote the books of Matthew, Mark and Luke. We do know that John is a gospel apart, however. Matthew, Mark and Luke are so alike in their telling that they are called the Synoptic Gospels, meaning “seen together”—because the parallels are clear when they are looked at side by side. Matthew and Luke follow the version of events in Mark, which is thought by scholars to be the earliest and most historically accurate Gospel. John, however, does not include the same incidents or chronology found in the other three Gospels, and the fact that it is so different has spurred a debate over whether John’s Gospel is historical or not.”
While some argue that John’s book is good history, the author’s purpose in writing is NOT to provide a day-to-day, week-to-week, month, etc. account of what Jesus did Rather, he writes in order to accomplish a goal. Namely, “that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.” John’s account appears to show a good knowledge of Jerusalem, but accurate reporting is a “tool” he uses to offer LIFE to the reader, or his faith community.
He’s kind of a salesman—only he’s not Madison Avenue selling nice cars and fine fashions that TANTALIZE, TEASE, and SEDUCE us into THINKING we’ll find “life” in material creations. He’s a salesman, yes, selling in his Gospel a strategy for finding a fulfilling life in living the vision Jesus offers. The epistles of John and the Book of Revelation combine with this Gospel to become known as “Johannine” literature, and scholars think they were written by the Johannine community between the years 70-110. Could an apostle at the cross in 30 A.D. be writing in the year 110?? Probably not, so the consensus opinion is that we’re dealing with works written by more than one individual.
This Gospel is the only one that refers to Jesus being “nailed” to the cross—an important detail since Romans TIED most people who were crucified. Another unique element of this gospel is that the most profound attestation of faith is proclaimed—by Thomas when he says “My Lord and my God!” What a profound insight we’re given in this scene. NOT that Thomas makes a pious statement of faith, but that someone who at one point in his life was paralyzed with doubt—could emerge from that tomb and do a 180-degree change. Ever feel “doubt” about your faith in God? Well, as today’s story reports, YOU are Thomas (since they call him “Didamus”—and that word means TWIN. Who is his twin? YOU. But also like him we are called to assert our faith—and in doing so FIND LIFE TO THE FULLEST.
And this “life” that we’re to find entails us being “sent” by Jesus as apostles to the people with whom we interact at home, work, play, parish, or ANYWHERE we go. The passage says that Jesus “breathed” on the apostles—which could sound like some strange behavior—but instead, we’re reading about a profound theological point. The word “breathe” in this passage is the same “breathe” word used in Genesis when God “breathed” over the waters of creation. It is the Spirit of God that brought about all that exists, and it is that same Spirit that is given us at our commissioning as apostles. We are baptized and confirmed with the Spirit upon us—to help us be people “sent” on mission (like the apostles). So just as those 11 guys were in a room wondering “Where do we go from here?” Try and hear God saying to you that you are sent on a mission uniquely yours—since, as stated last week, you are an ordinary person sent to accomplish extraordinary things (just like the apostles—and numerous other biblical characters).
As an author of biographies, I find today’s passage has a really strong “ring of authenticity.” I say this because the author says exactly what I’ve experienced when writing. Namely, my experience has been that “I could write many more things about BLACK ELK, but I had to stop at some point”—because if I wrote them all down—there would not be enough libraries in the world to hold all the books that would have to be written (more-or-less what John says about Jesus). I’ve had the same experience as John, the writer. The “literary device” he (and I) use when making this claim is “hyperbole.” We’re exaggerating in order to slam our point home (in reality, there would of course be enough libraries to hold books that reported the activities of these 2 men. When I see this resemblance of my writing experience to that of John’s, his Gospel becomes more immediate to me.
John does not list the Twelve Disciples and names at least one disciple, Nathanael, whose name is not found in the Synoptics. Readers might realize this difference and wonder if the writer left out any other names of people who were close to the Lord. Readers might personalize this textual difference by then musing to themselves “Yes, John left out MY name.” And that is precisely what all of the Gospels are intended to do—draw the reader into them and find their identity and vocation.