John 14:23–29
Jesus answered him, "Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me.
25 I have said these things to you while I am still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. 28 You heard me say to you, 'I am going away, and I am coming to you.' If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I. 29 And now I have told you this before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe.
I really don’t love the Gospel of John. I may love Jesus, but John? Not so much.
To my ears, in John, Jesus sometimes sounds kinda like a cult leader. “If you loved me...” "Those who love me...” “the word that you hear is not mine...” “Whoever does not love me...” “here, drink this Kool Aid...”
I suspect that the question to ask would be “Is the problem the Gospel of John? Or me?”
I resent that.
At the same time, Jesus calls us to receive the gifts that he brings, poured forth by God, through the Spirit.
While most everything I see addressing this text talks on and on about the Advocate. While that may well be central to this text, I am interested in the line: “ I do not give to you as the world gives.”
Am I starting to sound like Hauerwas or something? I don’t know.
The Rev. Dr. P. d’Basement will ask where the promise is in a text.
For me, there is rich promise in Jesus’ proclamation that he gives in ways quite different from the world. . .
I still don’t like John. I do love Jesus. You, the jury’s out.
My problems with this Gospel notwithstanding, there seems to be a path here to invite others to live in the promise. . .
4 comments:
I too gravitate toward the line, "I do not give to you as the world gives" and would enjoy some discussion on that.
What exactly is it about "the world" which is so opposite to the Gospel? One example may be related to the theme of peace which comes from the save verse 27. What does the world's peace look like? (You can bomb the world to pieces, but you can't bomb it into peace.) The world's peace seems always to be temporary, and complicated by lots of attached strings, many conditions. The world gives in return for something. Could we say that the peace of Jesus is unconditional? As well the peace of Jesus is one which won't pull us out of difficulty, but rather bear with us through the valleys. I think the world assumes peace equals smooth-sailing.
Also, I think it may be problematic to overgeneralize too much about "the world" as if it is an arena of creation in which God does not participate. Any suggestions about how not to diss too hard on the world?
Underminer, your name suggests you know a lot about being subversive. When talking about the world, a place we all have much at stake in, I think we need to be subversives. Whatever that means. . .
Thanks for the great post.
Oh wise colleagues, you have posted well. As I look at this text it is set in the context of Jesus' departure. The disciples seem to be fearful because Jesus is leaving them,(i.e orphaned phrase in 14:18) and seem to be asking, "So who's going to take take of us, So he comes with a word of promise "But the Advocate, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach your everything and remind you..." (Luther- teh Holy Spirit enlightens...)How do you translate Paraclete-(to call to one's side", the Message has teh Holy spirit as friend (too whimpy), NSV- Advocate- (too legal),Encourager ( too friendly), someone even said a trusted babysitter, (too Valley Girl? caretaker? , helper? (as in hamburger helper?)makes us seem bland or weak-perhaps this is so), comforter? (what about afflictor?-Jn 15:12-15) Counselor seems to be the best- one who listens, knows, draws out and advises, reminds you & guides you- points you out towards the neighbor and up towards Jesus. So why does the Counselor teach and remind us- because we need to hear the word of promise over and over, to remind us of who we are and what God has called and equipped us to do & be. Like an older sibling, who has a new baby brother or sister come home, and the parent hears the older brother whispet to his baby sister in teh crib , "Do you remember what God is like, because I'm starting to forget!"
In the face of all the goodbyes, the changes and transitions in life, even death , the Holy spirit tells us the truth about ourselves, about God/Jesus, and assures us , I am with you, be at peace be with you."Rev. Caroline Kelly.."Letting go is hard, in the midst of all our goodbyes, when life seems fractured, when everything around us seems to be changing, remember that God promises to be in us and with us forever. We don't even have to reach out for God, God has already claimed us..."
I suspect there is something here in Loader's comment
"Ultimately the comfort is not so much a promise of what lies beyond death, although that is clearly there, but the promise of a sense of the presence of God (and of Jesus and of the Spirit - all merged in John’s spiritual theology). Perhaps it may be summarised like this: look less for the dwelling of God than to be the dwelling of God. In that is peace."
One might add - considering that Jesus gives in ways different from the world - that one might not be required to "look" to be the dwelling of God, rather, take note of the gift given. That God IS with you and in you. Take note and know and live in the truth. The "Counselor" is given to "enlighten" you to this Good News which Jesus announces and makes real in his life, death and resurrection.
Michael just loaned me a great resource, The New Terpreter's bible dictionary, I'm going to try to get it on disk.
Here are a few points from it:
1. the you in John 14 is second person plural ( you all, you all together) The Paraclete's (P)ministry is directed to a community who lives in love, not an indvidual.(Good point for superpiritual or charasmatics to hear)
2. God Jesus and P are insperably linked interconnected with one another, as the promise of God's sending teh P in response to Jesus request (v16) shows and they come together to those who love, to those who mirror the divine commuion in their human communion with one another.
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