John 18:7-9
Again he asked them, “For whom are you looking?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. So if you are looking for me, let these men go.” This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken, “I did not lose a single one of those whom you gave me.”
We’ve already noticed some of the differences between John’s account of the passion and that of the other three evangelists. Actually, each gospel is quite distinct, differing from the others at numerous points both small and large. As we’ve said throughout our devotional reading, these differences give us clues as to the particular interest and theological point of view of the evangelist.
And one of the particular concerns of John, as we’ve seen, is to demonstrate to his readers – those in the first century as well as those in the twenty-first – how Jesus is God’s messiah, fulfilling the promises God made to Israel. And nowhere is this concern more evident than in John’s presentation of the last events of Jesus’ life.
Hence, John will consistently point out where various elements of what happens to Jesus fulfill previous prophecies. At the same time, John’s telling of the story is shaped by his own memory of Jewish Scripture. In this case, for instance, Jesus’ exchange with those who have come to arrest him corresponds, in John’s treatment, to a portion of Scripture from Israel’s past. At the same time, John’s love of Scripture shapes how he tells the story, influencing some of the distinct details, small or large, he offers. And so his order to his captors – and it’s striking that even when soldiers come to arrest him Jesus is still clearly in charge – reverberates with the past promises of God.
Throughout this narrative, John’s concern – shared by all the evangelists – is the same: that we might see in Jesus’ words and deeds God’s grace poured out for us and all the world.
Prayer: Dear God, let us attend to the story of your Son so that, hearing of your love, we are equipped to live in hope and confidence and treat others as you have treated us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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