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32 chapters
Preface.
Preface.
It may be well to state briefly the object and plan of the present work. Some years ago their Lordships the Archbishops and Bishops of Ireland decided to lengthen considerably the course of Sacred Scripture read in this College. As a result of their decision, all our students are now expected to read the whole of the New Testament with the exception of the Apocalypse, together with portions of the Old Testament. This change, while it has the desirable advantage of familiarizing our students with
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I.—Authenticity Of The Fourth Gospel.
I.—Authenticity Of The Fourth Gospel.
3. This, like the preceding theory, denies the Johannine authorship; but it goes farther than the preceding, in denying to our Gospel any historical value. According to this theory, not only are the discourses spurious, but the historical portions are wholly unreliable, and the Gospel was forged in the latter half of the second century. So Baur and many others. Against these various adversaries there is abundant evidence, external and internal, in favour of the authenticity of our Gospel. 1. The
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II.—Author.
II.—Author.
St. Jerome tells us that the fourth Gospel was written for the Christians of Asia Minor, and at their request. 9 The object or scope of the Gospel was threefold:— 1. To prove that Jesus was the Son of God made man, and that all supernatural life must come to us through faith in His name. Hence he tells us in the very beginning that “the Word was God ... and the Word was made flesh, and dwelt amongst us” (John i. 14); and in xx. 31: “But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Ch
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III.—For Whom Written, And With What Object.
III.—For Whom Written, And With What Object.
3. To supplement the three Synoptic Gospels. So nearly all the fathers. And, indeed, it is perfectly evident that an Evangelist who is entirely silent regarding the birth, infancy, and childhood of our Lord, and who introduces Him abruptly to the reader at the beginning of His public life, cannot have meant to write a complete life of Christ. And since St. John wrote many years after the other Evangelists, it is not surprising to find that his work partakes more of a supplemental character than
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IV.—Outline Of The Plan Of The Gospel.
IV.—Outline Of The Plan Of The Gospel.
The Narrative , which divides itself naturally into two parts:— ( a ) I. 19-XII. 50. Manifestation of Christ's Divinity in His Public Life — By the testimony of the Baptist. By the testimony of His disciples. By the testimony of His miracles. By the testimony of His discourses. ( b ) XIII. 1-XXI. 23. Manifestation of Christ's Divinity in His last discourses, and in His passion, death, resurrection, and risen life. XXI. 24, 25. The Epilogue , in which the beloved disciple testifies that he is the
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V.—Time And Place Of Writing.
V.—Time And Place Of Writing.
With the exception of three passages: v. 4, vii. 53-viii. 11, and the whole of the last chapter, which have been attacked as interpolations, the integrity of the fourth Gospel has not been seriously questioned. These passages we shall examine as they occur, and there discuss the question of their authenticity....
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VI.—Integrity.
VI.—Integrity.
It is certain that St. John wrote in Greek. Such has been the opinion of all writers, and it is proved by the fact that he wrote for the Christians of Asia Minor, whose language we know was Greek....
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VII.—Language.
VII.—Language.
St. John's Gospel has this peculiarity, that it is made up, in great part, of Christ's discourses. Judging from the attention which the Evangelist seems to pay to the order of time, we feel sure that these discourses are reported in the chronological order in which they were delivered. But are they reported in the very words used by Christ? We feel convinced that they are not. The important heads of doctrine, such as iii. 3, 5, bearing on baptism; or vi. 48, 52, regarding the Blessed Eucharist,
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VIII.—Christ's Discourses In The Gospel.
VIII.—Christ's Discourses In The Gospel.
There is not one of all the many heresies that have arisen regarding the Person and natures of Jesus Christ that may not be refuted from the Gospel of St. John. We intend, however, to speak here only of those errors which had already arisen in the time of the Evangelist, and against which, therefore, his Gospel was immediately directed. What these were we learn from SS. Irenæus and Jerome. The former distinctly says that our Gospel was directed against the errors of Cerinthus , and of “those who
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IX.—Errors Combated In The Gospel.
IX.—Errors Combated In The Gospel.
Cerinthus , though professing belief in a Supreme Being, held that the world was not made by Him, but by an inferior power (virtus) distinct from Him, and ignorant of Him. (2) That Jesus was not born of a Virgin, but the child of Joseph and Mary, born according to the ordinary course of nature. (3) That Christ (the Word) was quite distinct from Jesus; that, however, He had descended upon Jesus immediately after the latter's baptism, and remained with Him filling His soul till shortly before the
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Chapter I.
Chapter I.
35-51. Circumstances in which Christ's first disciples were called. 1. In the beginning. These words most probably mean here, as in Gen. i. 1, at the beginning of all created things; in other words, when time began. Their meaning must always be determined from the context. Thus we know from the context in Acts xi. 15, that St. Peter there uses them in reference to the beginning of the Gospel. Similarly, the context here determines the reference to be to the beginning of creation; for He who is h
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Chapter II.
Chapter II.
18-22. Challenged by the Jews for a sign of His authority, He predicts His own Resurrection, as the disciples called to mind after He had risen. 23-25. On the occasion of this first Pasch of His public life many believe in Him because of His miracles. 1. The Evangelist having narrated how our Lord was witnessed to by the Baptist, and joined by His first disciples, now proceeds to tell how He bore testimony of Himself by His miracles. The third day. Naturally the third from the point of time last
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Chapter III.
Chapter III.
1. This chapter is closely connected with the end of the preceding. Among the many who believed (ii. 23) was a man of the Pharisees (see i. 24 ). The sect, name, and dignity of the man are mentioned, because of his importance, and because of the importance of the discourse about to be narrated. A ruler of the Jews ; that is to say, as we gather from vii. 45, 50, he was a member of the Sanhedrim. 2. Because he believed in Jesus, he came; but because he feared the Jews, he came by night. We know.
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Chapter IV.
Chapter IV.
39-42. Stay with the people of Sichar. 43-54. Continuation of the journey into Galilee, and healing of the ruler's son. 1. When Jesus therefore understood , &c. Christ is spoken of as if on this occasion He gained knowledge of which He had been ignorant, because though, as God, He knew all things, every inmost thought of the Pharisees, yet, as man , like other men, He gathered knowledge from His fellow-men. See Mald. That Jesus. Not that He Himself; because the report which the Pharisees
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Chapter V.
Chapter V.
18. They are still more exasperated, and seek to kill Him. 19-39. Christ's discourse, in which He proves, by various arguments, that He is justified in calling God HIS Father, and in making Himself equal to God. 40-47. He upbraids their incredulity, and points out its cause. 1. The interval to be admitted between the events now about to be narrated and the preceding, depends upon the answer to be given to the question: what festival is here referred to? On this question a great diversity of opin
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Chapter VI.
Chapter VI.
22-25. The following day the multitude also cross to the western side of the lake, enter Capharnaum, and find Him there before them. 26-59. Christ's discourse to the multitude, in which He promises the Blessed Eucharist. 60. The place where the discourse was delivered. 61-67. Effect of the discourse—murmuring of many of the disciples; His explanation, and their departure from Him. 68-70. St. Peter's noble confession in reply to a question of Christ. 71-72. Christ refers to the wickedness of one
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Chapter VII.
Chapter VII.
14-24. In the middle of the festival Christ goes up to the temple and teaches. 25-29. Comments of some of the people of Jerusalem; Christ's reply. 30, 31. Different opinions of the people regarding Him. 32-36. Jealously of the Sanhedrim, which sends officers to arrest Him. 37-39. Christ's words on the eighth day of the feast, and St. John's authentic interpretation. 40, 41. Different opinions among the people regarding Him. 44-49. Though some were anxious to arrest Him, no one durst, not even th
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Authenticity of John vii. 53-viii. 11.
Authenticity of John vii. 53-viii. 11.
3. Fathers. —The passage is not commented upon by any of the Greek fathers that wrote upon this Gospel. 4. Internal evidence is said to prove the passage spurious, because of the use of many words and phrases not elsewhere used by St. John. 64 1. Manuscripts. —The passage is found in seven uncial MSS. (one of which, D, though itself only of the sixth century, is thought to represent the text of the Gospels as it stood in the second century); in more than three hundred cursives, and in six Evange
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Text.
Text.
6. They hoped to entrap our Lord; for if he acquitted the woman they could charge him with being an adversary of the Mosaic Law (Lev. xx. 10); while if He condemned her to death, they could charge Him with defying the Roman Law, which at this time denied to the Jews the right of inflicting capital punishment (John xviii. 31). What Jesus wrote it is impossible to say. Probably it was His intention to signify by this turning away to something else that He wished not to have anything to do with the
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Chapter IX.
Chapter IX.
15-23. Interview between the man and the Pharisees. They refuse to believe that he had been blind, and summon his parents in order to ascertain the truth. The parents declare that he had indeed been born blind. 24-34. Again therefore the Pharisees interrogate the man himself, and at length, wincing under his remarks and indignant with him for his favourable opinion of Jesus, they expel him from their assembly. 35-38. Jesus finds him, and now illumines the darkness of his soul. 39-41. The blindne
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Chapter X.
Chapter X.
11-18. The parable of the Good Shepherd. 19-21. There was a difference of opinion among the Pharisees regarding Christ. 22-30. On another occasion the Pharisees ask Him to tell them plainly if He is the Christ; to whom He replies that He is, and the Son of God, one in nature with His Father. 31. Thereupon they took up stones to stone Him. 32-38. He defends his language by a quotation from their own Psaltery. 39-42. When they sought to take Him prisoner, He escaped from them, and crossed over to
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Chapter XI.
Chapter XI.
17-32. On Christ's approach He is met by the sisters of Lazarus, and many Jews. 33-44. Having groaned in the spirit, wept, and returned thanks to His Father, He raises Lazarus from the dead. 45-53. Many believed in Him on account of the miracle, but the chief priests and Pharisees forthwith resolved on putting Him to death. 54-56. Jesus retired from the neighbourhood of Jerusalem, and the chief priests and Pharisees gave orders, that anyone knowing where He was, should inform upon Him, in order
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Chapter XII.
Chapter XII.
20-22. Some Gentile Proselytes wish to see Him. 23-33. Christ (at the temple) foretells the near approach of His passion, and a voice from heaven is heard. 34-36. He continues to refer to His approaching death, and exhorts the people to faith. 37-43. Yet though they had witnessed many miracles, most of them refused to believe, as the prophets had foretold. 44-50. Christ's testimony regarding the object of the Incarnation, and the necessity of faith in Him. 1. Maldonatus connects with xi. 55 : si
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Chapter XIII.
Chapter XIII.
With this chapter the second part of the narrative of our Gospel commences. See Introd. IV . St. John now passes on to the history of the events of the night before our Lord's death, omitting a number of incidents of Holy Week, which had been already recorded by the Synoptic Evangelists. Thus, he does not mention the weeping over Jerusalem (Luke xix. 39-44); the cursing of the barren fig-tree (Matt. xxi. 18, 19, Mark xi. 12-14); or the cleansing of the temple (Matt. xxi. 12, 14; Mark xi. 15; Luk
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Chapter XIV.
Chapter XIV.
8-12 a . Philip's request, and Christ's reply containing a fourth motive of consolation. 12 b -14. All who have the requisite faith shall perform even greater miracles than His, for whatever they shall ask the Father or Himself in His name, He will grant. 15-17. As a fifth motive of consolation, He promises to send them the Holy Ghost. 18-21. As a sixth motive, He promises to come to them Himself. 22-24. Not only to them but to all the faithful shall He come together with the Father and the Holy
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Chapter XV.
Chapter XV.
26-27. He again promises the Holy Ghost, who together with the Apostles, will bear testimony of Him. 1. After they had left the supper-room Christ again addresses the Apostles. The fact that the Evangelist gives the discourse that follows without any introductory remark, such as: And Christ said, or: And while they went Christ said—favours the view that only a slight break separated this discourse from that recorded in the preceding chapter. This would, therefore, render it very probable that wh
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Chapter XVI.
Chapter XVI.
16-22. He promises that after a brief absence, during which they shall have bitter sorrow, He will return to them, and their sorrow shall give place to joy. 23, 24. He bids them to pray to the Father in His name, and promises that such prayer will be heard. 25-28. Though He has spoken obscurely to them in this last discourse, the time is at hand when He will speak plainly—a time when they will ask the Father in His name. 1. His object in foretelling these things was that the Apostles might not b
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Chapter XVII.
Chapter XVII.
24-26. His last prayer for the Apostles. 1. These things , we understand here of all that is comprised in the discourses just recorded (xiii. 31-xvi. 33). Having completed His words of warning and consolation and love, Jesus now turns from teaching to prayer, from earth to heaven, from His children to His Father. Glorify thy Son, that thy Son may glorify thee. Christ, as man , prays to His Father; and the sense is: The time of My trial is come; do not desert Me, but glorify Me by exalting My hum
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Chapter XVIII.
Chapter XVIII.
15-27. He is led before Caiphas, followed by Peter and John, and while being examined there, is thrice denied by Peter. 28-38. He is led before Pilate, the Roman Governor, and examined by him. 39-40. Pilate attempts to release Jesus, but the crowd calls for the release of Barabbas. 1. Having finished His last discourses to the Apostles, and His prayer to the Father, Jesus accompanied by the Apostles now proceeds towards Mount Olivet (Matt xxvi. 36; Mark xiv. 32), crossing the brook of Cedron on
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Chapter XIX.
Chapter XIX.
13-16. Then the Jews charge him with disloyalty to the Roman Emperor, and at length Pilate gives way and delivers Jesus to be crucified. 17-22. Jesus is led to Calvary, and crucified between two robbers. 23-24. The soldiers divide His other garments among four of them, but cast lots for His tunic. 25-27. Jesus gives John to the Blessed Virgin as her son, and her in turn to him as his mother. 28-30. Jesus, having partaken of the vinegar which was offered to Him in a soaked sponge, dies. 31-37. Th
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Chapter XX.
Chapter XX.
19-23. Appearance of Jesus to the disciples on Easter Sunday evening when he instituted the Sacrament of Penance. 24, 25. Incredulity of Thomas. 26-29. Appearance of Jesus again on Low Sunday to Thomas and the other disciples, when Thomas believes, and confesses his faith. 30, 31. Incompleteness of this narrative regarding the miracles which Christ wrought to prove his resurrection, and statement of the object which St. John had in view in recording what he has recorded. St. John's narrative reg
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Chapter XXI.
Chapter XXI.
20-23. He reproves Peter's curiosity regarding the end in store for St. John. 24-25. The conclusion. The authenticity of this last chapter of our Gospel has been questioned (see Introd. v .), and it has been contended that the chapter was not written by St. John, but by some disciple or disciples of his after his death. Even among those who admit its authenticity, some have held that it was not written at the same time as the rest of the Gospel, but at a later period, and added on as an appendix
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