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1-26 This prayer of Christ is called the high priestly prayer, for He pronounces it in preparation for the sacrifice of the cross. “The hour has come,” i.e. the time of death and glorification of the Messiah.

3 “Let them know” - the biblical word “to know” means unity in love (cf. John 10:14).

1. Apostle John the Theologian (as he calls Eastern Church fourth evangelist), the younger brother of the Apostle James, was the son of the fisherman Zebedee and Salome (Matthew 20:20; Mark 1:19-20; Mark 9:38-40; Luke 9:54); his mother subsequently accompanied the Savior, along with other women who served Him (Matthew 27:56; Mark 15:40-41). For their impetuous character, the Zebedee brothers received from Christ the nickname Boanerges (sons of Thunder). In his youth, John was a disciple of John the Baptist. When the Forerunner pointed out Jesus to Andrew and John, calling Him the Lamb of God (hence, according to the word of Isaiah, the Messiah), they both followed Christ (John 1:36-37). One of the three disciples closest to the Lord, John, together with Peter and James (John 13:23), witnessed the transfiguration of the Lord and the Gethsemane prayer for the cup (Matt 17:1; Matt 26:37). Christ's beloved disciple, he reclined at His breast at the Last Supper (John 1:23); dying, the Savior entrusted him to the filial care of His Most Pure Mother (John 19:26-27). He was one of the first to hear the news of the Resurrection of Christ. After the Ascension of the Lord, John preached the good news in Judea and Samaria (Acts 3:4; Acts 8:4-25). According to legend, he spent the last years of his life in the city of Ephesus, where he died approx. 100 In the letter to the Galatians (Gal 2:9) ap. Paul calls him the pillar of the Church.

2. Early Fathers of the Church of St. Ignatius of Antioch and St. Justin the Martyr is called the fourth Ev. The Gospel of John. It is also named in the list of canonical books that has come down to us, compiled in the 2nd century. St. Irenaeus of Lyons, a disciple of St. Polycarp, who was a disciple of the Apostle John, indicates that John wrote his Gospel after the other evangelists during his stay in Ephesus. According to Clement of Alexandria. John, fulfilling the desire of his disciples, who found that the gospels depicted predominantly the human appearance of Christ, wrote the “Spiritual Gospel.”

3. The text of the Gospel itself testifies that its author was a resident of Palestine; he knows its cities and villages, customs and holidays well and does not neglect specific historical details. In the language of the evangelist one can feel the Semitic overtones and the influence of Jewish literature of that time. All this confirms the ancient tradition that the fourth Gospel was written by the Lord’s favorite disciple (not named in John). The oldest manuscript of Ing dates back to 120, and the Gospel itself was written in the 90s. Ev from John differs from the Synoptic Gospels both in its content and in the form of presentation. This is the most theological of the Gospels. It devotes a lot of space to the speeches of Christ, in which the secret of His messengership and sonship of God is revealed. The God-man is presented as the Word who descended into the world from Heaven and returns to the Father. John pays great attention to issues almost not touched upon by other evangelists: the pre-eternity of the Son as the Word of God, the incarnation of the Word, the consubstantiality of the Father and the Son, Christ as the bread coming down from heaven, the Comforter Spirit, the unity of all in Christ. The evangelist reveals the secret of the divine-human consciousness of Jesus, but at the same time does not obscure His earthly features, speaking about the friendly feelings of Christ, about His fatigue, sorrow, and tears. The miracles of the Lord are shown in John as “signs”, signs of the coming new era. The evangelist does not cite the eschatological speeches of Christ, focusing on those of His words where the Judgment of God was declared to have already come (that is, from the moment when Jesus’ preaching began; for example, John 3:19; John 8:16; John 9:39; John 12:31).

3. Construction gospel history In In is more thorough than that of the weather forecasters. The author (who begins with the period after the temptation of Christ in the desert) dwells on each visit of the Lord to Jerusalem. Thus, the reader sees that Christ’s earthly ministry lasted about three years.

4. Plan of John: John is clearly divided into two parts, which can roughly be called: 1. Signs of the Kingdom (John 1:19-12:50); 2. Ascending into the Glory of the Father (John 13:1-20:31). They are preceded by a prologue (John 1:1-18). John ends with an epilogue (John 21:1-25).

INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT

The Holy Scriptures of the New Testament were written in Greek, with the exception of the Gospel of Matthew, which, according to tradition, was written in Hebrew or Aramaic. But since this Hebrew text has not survived, the Greek text is considered the original for the Gospel of Matthew. Thus, only the Greek text of the New Testament is the original, and numerous editions in different modern languages all over the world are translations from the Greek original.

The Greek language in which it was written New Testament, was no longer the classical ancient Greek language and was not, as previously thought, a special New Testament language. It is a spoken everyday language of the first century A.D., which spread throughout the Greco-Roman world and is known in science as “κοινη”, i.e. "ordinary adverb"; yet both the style, the turns of phrase, and the way of thinking of the sacred writers of the New Testament reveal Hebrew or Aramaic influence.

The original text of the NT has come down to us in a large number of ancient manuscripts, more or less complete, numbering about 5000 (from the 2nd to the 16th century). Before recent years the most ancient of them did not go back further than the 4th century no P.X. But for Lately Many fragments of ancient NT manuscripts on papyrus (3rd and even 2nd century) were discovered. For example, Bodmer's manuscripts: John, Luke, 1 and 2 Peter, Jude - were found and published in the 60s of our century. In addition to Greek manuscripts, we have ancient translations or versions into Latin, Syriac, Coptic and other languages ​​(Vetus Itala, Peshitto, Vulgata, etc.), of which the most ancient existed already from the 2nd century AD.

Finally, numerous quotes from the Church Fathers have been preserved in Greek and other languages ​​in such quantities that if the text of the New Testament were lost and all the ancient manuscripts were destroyed, then experts could restore this text from quotes from the works of the Holy Fathers. All this abundant material makes it possible to check and clarify the text of the NT and classify its various forms (so-called textual criticism). Compared with any ancient author (Homer, Euripides, Aeschylus, Sophocles, Cornelius Nepos, Julius Caesar, Horace, Virgil, etc.), our modern printed Greek text of the NT is in an exceptionally favorable position. And in the number of manuscripts, and in the shortness of time separating the oldest of them from the original, and in the number of translations, and in their antiquity, and in the seriousness and volume of critical work carried out on the text, it surpasses all other texts (for details, see “Hidden Treasures and new life,” archaeological discoveries and the Gospel, Bruges, 1959, pp. 34 ff.). The text of the NT as a whole is recorded completely irrefutably.

The New Testament consists of 27 books. The publishers have divided them into 260 chapters of unequal length to accommodate references and quotations. This division is not present in the original text. The modern division into chapters in the New Testament, as in the whole Bible, has often been attributed to the Dominican Cardinal Hugo (1263), who worked it out in his symphony to the Latin Vulgate, but it is now thought with greater reason that this division goes back to Archbishop Stephen of Canterbury Langton, who died in 1228. As for the division into verses, now accepted in all editions of the New Testament, it goes back to the publisher of the Greek New Testament text, Robert Stephen, and was introduced by him in his edition in 1551.

The sacred books of the New Testament are usually divided into laws (the Four Gospels), historical (the Acts of the Apostles), teaching (seven conciliar epistles and fourteen epistles of the Apostle Paul) and prophetic: the Apocalypse or the Revelation of John the Theologian (see Long Catechism of St. Philaret of Moscow).

However, modern experts consider this distribution to be outdated: in fact, all the books of the New Testament are legal, historical and educational, and prophecy is not only in the Apocalypse. New Testament scholarship pays great attention to the precise establishment of the chronology of the Gospel and other New Testament events. Scientific chronology allows the reader to trace with sufficient accuracy through the New Testament the life and ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ, the apostles and the primitive Church (see Appendices).

The books of the New Testament can be distributed as follows:

1) Three so-called synoptic Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and, separately, the fourth: the Gospel of John. New Testament scholarship devotes much attention to the study of the relationships of the first three Gospels and their relation to the Gospel of John (synoptic problem).

2) The Book of the Acts of the Apostles and the Epistles of the Apostle Paul (“Corpus Paulinum”), which are usually divided into:

a) Early Epistles: 1st and 2nd Thessalonians.

b) Greater Epistles: Galatians, 1st and 2nd Corinthians, Romans.

c) Messages from bonds, i.e. written from Rome, where ap. Paul was in prison: Philippians, Colossians, Ephesians, Philemon.

d) Pastoral Epistles: 1st Timothy, Titus, 2nd Timothy.

e) Epistle to the Hebrews.

3) Council Epistles (“Corpus Catholicum”).

4) Revelation of John the Theologian. (Sometimes in the NT they distinguish “Corpus Joannicum”, i.e. everything that St. John wrote for the comparative study of his Gospel in connection with his epistles and the book of Rev.).

FOUR GOSPEL

1. The word “gospel” (ευανγελιον) in Greek means "good news". This is what our Lord Jesus Christ Himself called His teaching (Mt 24:14; Mt 26:13; Mk 1:15; Mk 13:10; Mk 14:9; Mk 16:15). Therefore, for us, the “gospel” is inextricably linked with Him: it is the “good news” of the salvation given to the world through the incarnate Son of God.

Christ and His apostles preached the gospel without writing it down. By the mid-1st century, this preaching had been established by the Church in a strong oral tradition. The Eastern custom of memorizing sayings, stories, and even large texts helped Christians of the apostolic era accurately preserve the unrecorded First Gospel. After the 50s, when eyewitnesses of Christ's earthly ministry began to pass away one after another, the need arose to write down the gospel (Luke 1:1). Thus, “gospel” came to mean the narrative recorded by the apostles about the life and teachings of the Savior. It was read at prayer meetings and in preparing people for baptism.

2. The most important Christian centers of the 1st century (Jerusalem, Antioch, Rome, Ephesus, etc.) had their own Gospels. Of these, only four (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) are recognized by the Church as inspired by God, i.e. written under the direct influence of the Holy Spirit. They are called “from Matthew”, “from Mark”, etc. (Greek “kata” corresponds to Russian “according to Matthew”, “according to Mark”, etc.), for the life and teachings of Christ are set out in these books by these four sacred writers. Their gospels were not compiled into one book, which made it possible to see the gospel story from different points of view. In the 2nd century St. Irenaeus of Lyons calls the evangelists by name and points to their gospels as the only canonical ones (Against heresies 2, 28, 2). A contemporary of St. Irenaeus, Tatian, made the first attempt to create a single gospel narrative, compiled from various texts of the four gospels, “Diatessaron”, i.e. "gospel of four"

3. The apostles did not set out to create a historical work in the modern sense of the word. They sought to spread the teachings of Jesus Christ, helped people to believe in Him, to correctly understand and fulfill His commandments. The testimonies of the evangelists do not coincide in all details, which proves their independence from each other: the testimonies of eyewitnesses always have an individual coloring. The Holy Spirit does not certify the accuracy of the details of the facts described in the gospel, but the spiritual meaning contained in them.

The minor contradictions found in the presentation of the evangelists are explained by the fact that God gave the sacred writers complete freedom in conveying certain specific facts in relation to different categories of listeners, which further emphasizes the unity of meaning and orientation of all four gospels (see also General Introduction, pp. 13 and 14) .

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17 Christ’s farewell conversation with his disciples is over. But before going to meet the enemies who will lead Him to judgment and torment, Christ pronounces a solemn prayer to the Father for Himself, for His disciples and for His future Church, as the great high priest of humanity. This prayer can be divided into three parts. In the first part (vv. 1-8), Christ prays for Himself: He asks for His own glorification or for the granting of divine greatness to Him, as the God-man, since He is the cornerstone of the Church, and the Church can achieve its goal only then when its Head Christ will be glorified. In the second part (verses 9-19), Christ asks for His disciples: He prays to the Father to protect them from the evil that reigns in the world and to sanctify them with divine truth, for they represent the continuers of the work of Christ in the world. The world will only receive the word of Christ in purity and in all its heavenly power when the apostles themselves are confirmed in this word and sanctified by its power. In the third part (vv. 20-26), Christ prays for those who believe in Him: in order for those who believe in Christ to fulfill their purpose - to form the Church of Christ, they must maintain unity among themselves, and Christ pleads for the maintenance of this unity between believers Father. But first of all, they must be in unity with the Father and Christ.

17:3 This is eternal life. Apparently, true eternal life consists, therefore, only in the knowledge of God. But Christ could not express such a thought, because true knowledge of God does not protect a person from the impoverishment of love ( 1 Cor 13:2). It would be more correct to say, therefore, that here by knowledge we mean not only the theoretical assimilation of the truths of faith, but the attraction of the heart to God and Christ, true love.

The One True God. This is what Christ says about God to point out the contrast between the knowledge of God that He has in mind and the incorrect knowledge that the pagans had about God, transferring the glory of the One to many gods ( Rom 1:23).

And Jesus Christ whom You sent. Here Christ calls Himself this way for the first time. “Jesus Christ” is His name here, which later in the mouth of the apostles becomes His usual designation ( Acts 2:38; 3:6 ; 4:10 etc.). The Lord thus, in this last prayer of His, spoken in the hearing of the disciples, gives, so to speak, a well-known formula that should subsequently be used in Christian society. It is very likely that Christ offers this designation in contrast to the Jewish view of Him, according to which He was simply “Jesus” (cf. 9:11 ).

According to negative criticism (for example, Beishlyag), Christ here clearly says that His Father is God, and He Himself is not God at all. But against such an objection, it must be said that Christ here opposes the Father, as the One true God, not to Himself, but to the false gods whom the pagans revered. Then, Christ says that the knowledge of God the Father is achievable only through Him, Christ, and that the knowledge of Christ Himself is as necessary to obtain eternal life or salvation as the knowledge of God the Father. Isn’t it clear that in this He testifies of Himself as One with God the Father in essence? As for the fact that He speaks about knowing Him separately from the knowledge of God the Father, this, according to the remark of Mr. Znamensky, is explained by the fact that in order to achieve the eternal life, not only faith in God is necessary, but also in the redemption of man before God, which was accomplished by the Son of God through the fact that He became the Messiah - the God-man sent from God (the Father) into the world (p. 325).

Evidence from ancient Christian tradition about the origin of the fourth Gospel. Belief Orthodox Church The fact that the writer of the fourth Gospel was the beloved disciple of Christ, the Apostle John, is based on the solid testimony of ancient Christian church tradition. First of all, St. Irenaeus of Lyons, in his “refutation of gnosis” (about 185), referring to the tradition of the Asia Minor Church, to which he belonged by his upbringing, says that the Lord’s disciple John wrote the Gospel in Ephesus. He also cites excerpts from the Gospel of John to refute the teachings of the Valentinian heretics. In the letters of St. Ignatius of Antioch there are hints that he knew the Gospel of John. So he says that Christ did nothing without the Father (Magn. VII, 1; cf. John 5:19), speaks of the bread of life, which is the body of Christ (Rom. VII, 3; cf. John 6:51), about the Spirit who knows where he is going and where he comes from (Phil. VII, 1; cf. John 3:8), about Jesus as the door of the Father (Phil. IX, 1; cf. John 10:9). Justin Martyr, who lived in Ephesus before settling in Rome, not only in his teaching about the Logos adheres to the teaching of the Gospel of John, but says that his teaching is based on the “memoirs of the apostles,” that is, obviously on the Gospels (Trif. 105 and Apol. I, 66). He mentions the word of Jesus to Nicodemus about regeneration (Apol. 61; cf. John 3:3 et seq.). Around the same time (approximately in the 60s of the second century), the Montanists formally based their teaching that the Comforter Spirit spoke through them on the Gospel of John. The attempt of their enemies-alogues - to attribute the 4th Gospel itself, as having served as a formal support for heretics, to the heretic Cerinthus did not have any success and only served as a reason to testify to the faith of the Church in the origin of the 4th Gospel precisely from John (Irenaeus. Vs. heresy III, 11, 1). In the same way, the attempt of the Gnostics to use different terms from the Gospel of John did not shake the Church’s faith in the authenticity of this Gospel. In the era of Marcus Aurelius (161-180) both in the Church of Asia Minor and outside it, the 4th Gospel is universally recognized as the work of the apostle. John. So the Attes Carpus and Papila, Theophilus of Antioch, Melito, Apollinaris of Hierapolis, Tatian, Athenagoras (the Old Latin and Syriac translations already have the Gospel of John) - all are obviously well acquainted with the Gospel of John. Clement of Alexandria even speaks about the reason for which John wrote his Gospel (Eusebius. Church History VI, 14:7). The Muratorian Fragment also testifies to the origin of the Gospel of John (see Analects, ed. Preyshen 1910, p. 27).

Thus, the Gospel of John existed in Asia Minor undoubtedly from the beginning of the second century and was read, and about half of the second century it found its way into other areas where Christians lived, and gained respect as the work of the Apostle John. Given this state of affairs, it is not at all surprising that in many of the works of apostolic men and apologists we do not yet encounter quotations from the Gospel of John or hints at its existence. But the very fact that the student of the heretic Valentine (who came to Rome around 140), Heracleon, wrote a commentary on the Gospel of John, indicates that the Gospel of John appeared much earlier than the second half of the 2nd century, since, undoubtedly, writing an interpretation on a work that has only recently appeared, it would be quite strange. Finally, the evidence of such pillars of Christian Science as Origen (3rd century), Eusebius of Caesarea and Blessed. Jerome (4th century) speaks clearly about the authenticity of the Gospel of John because there cannot be anything unfounded in the church tradition about the origin of the fourth Gospel.

Apostle John the Theologian. Where was the ap from? John, nothing definite can be said about this. All that is known about his father, Zebedee, is that he, with his sons, James and John, lived in Capernaum and was engaged in fishing on a fairly large scale, as indicated by the fact that he had workers (John 1:20). A more outstanding personality is Zebedee’s wife, Salome, who belonged to those women who accompanied Christ the Savior and from their own means acquired what was required to support a fairly large circle of Christ’s disciples, who made up His almost constant retinue (Luke 8:1-3; Mark 15: 41). She shared her sons' ambitions and asked Christ to fulfill their dreams (Matthew 20:20). She was present from afar when the Savior was taken down from the cross (Matt 27:55 et seq.) and participated in the purchase of aromas for anointing the body of the buried Christ (Mk 16; cf. Lk 23:56).

The family of Zebedee was, according to legend, related to the family of the Blessed Virgin: Salome and the Blessed Virgin were sisters - and this tradition is in full accordance with the fact that the Savior, while He was about to betray His Spirit from moment to moment To His Father, while hanging on the cross, he entrusted the Most Holy Virgin to the care of John (see explanation on John 19:25). This relationship can also explain why, of all the disciples, James and John laid claim to the first places in the Kingdom of Christ (Matthew 20:20). But if James and John were nephews of the Blessed Virgin, then they were also related to John the Baptist (cf. Luke 1:36), whose preaching should therefore have been of particular interest to them. All these families were imbued with one pious, truly Israeli mood: this is evidenced, by the way, by the fact that the names that the members of these families bore were all real Jewish, without any admixture of Greek or Latin nicknames.

From the fact that James is mentioned everywhere before John, we can confidently conclude that John was younger than James, and tradition also calls him the youngest among the apostles. John was no more than 20 years old when Christ called him to follow Him, and the tradition that he lived until the reign of Emperor Trajan (reigned from 98 to 117) does not imply improbability: John was then about 90 years old. Soon after the call to follow Himself, Christ called John to a special, apostolic ministry, and John became one of the 12 apostles of Christ. Because of his special love and devotion to Christ, John became one of the closest and most trusted disciples of Christ, and even the most beloved among all of them. He was honored to be present at the most important events in the life of the Savior, for example, at His transfiguration, at the prayer of Christ in Gethsemane, etc. In contrast to the apostle. Peter, John lived a more internal, contemplative life than an external, practically active one. He observes more than he acts, he often plunges into his inner world, discussing in his mind the greatest events that he was called to witness. His soul hovers more in the heavenly world, which is why the symbol of the eagle has been established since ancient times in church icon painting (Bazhenov, pp. 8-10). But sometimes John also showed ardor of soul, even extreme irritability: this was when he stood up for the honor of his Teacher (Luke 9:54; Mark 9:38-40). The ardent desire to be closer to Christ was also reflected in John’s request to grant him and his brother the first positions in the glorious Kingdom of Christ, for which John was ready to go with Christ to suffer (Matthew 20:28-29). For such an ability for unexpected impulses, Christ called John and James “sons of thunder” (Mark 3:17), predicting at the same time that the preaching of both brothers would be irresistible, like thunder, on the souls of the listeners.

After Christ's ascension into heaven, St. John together with St. Peter acts as one of the representatives of the Christian Church in Jerusalem (Acts 3:1 et seq.; Acts 2:4; Acts 13:19; Acts 8:14-25). At the Apostolic Council in Jerusalem in the winter of 51-52, John, together with Peter and the primate of the Jerusalem Church, James, recognized the Apostle Paul’s right to preach the Gospel to the pagans, without obliging them at the same time to observe the Law of Moses (Gal 2:9). Already at this time, therefore, the meaning of an. John was great. But how it must have increased when Peter, Paul and James died! Having settled in Ephesus, John occupied the position of leader of all the churches of Asia for another 30 years, and of the other disciples of Christ around him, he enjoyed exceptional respect from the believers. Tradition tells us some features of the activities of St. John during this period of his stay in Ephesus. Thus, it is known from legend that he annually celebrated the Christian Easter at the same time as the Jewish Passover and observed fasting before Easter. Then one day he left a public bathhouse, seeing the heretic Cerinthos here: “let’s run away,” he said to those who came with him, “so that the bathhouse does not collapse, because Kerinthos, the enemy of truth, is in it.” How great was his love and compassion for people - this is evidenced by the story of the young man whom John converted to Christ and who, in his absence, joined a gang of robbers. John, according to the legend of Clement of Alexandria, himself went to the robbers and, meeting the young man, begged him to return to the good path. In the very last hours of his life, John, no longer able to speak long speeches, only repeated: “children, love each other!” And when the listeners asked him why, he repeated everything the same, the apostle of love - such a nickname was established for John - answered: “because this is the commandment of the Lord and if only it were fulfilled, that would be enough.” Thus, a will that does not allow any compromise between a holy God and a sinful world, devotion to Christ, love of truth, combined with compassion for unfortunate brothers - these are the main character traits of John the Theologian, which are imprinted in Christian tradition.

John, according to legend, testified his devotion to Christ through suffering. So, under Nero (reign 54-68) he was brought in chains to Rome and here he was first forced to drink a cup of poison, and then, when the poison did not work, they threw him into a cauldron of boiling oil, which, however, , the apostle also suffered no harm. During his stay in Ephesus, John had to, by order of Emperor Domitian (reign from 81-96), go to live on the island. Patmos, located 40 geographical miles from Ephesus to the southwest. Here the future destinies of the Church of Christ were revealed to him in mysterious visions, which he depicted in his Apocalypse. On about. The apostle remained in Patmos until the death of Emperor Domitian (in 96), when, by order of Emperor Nerva (reigns 96-98), he was returned to Ephesus.

John died, probably in the 7th year of the reign of Emperor Trajan (105 A.D.), having reached the age of one hundred.

The reason and purpose of writing the Gospel. According to the Muratorian canon, John wrote his Gospel at the request of the bishops of Asia Minor, who wanted to receive instruction from him in faith and piety. Clement of Alexandria adds that John himself noticed some incompleteness in the stories about Christ contained in the first three Gospels, which speak almost only about the physical, that is, about external events from the life of Christ, and therefore he himself wrote the spiritual Gospel. Eusebius of Caesarea, for his part, adds that John, having reviewed and approved the first three Gospels, still found in them insufficient information about the beginning of Christ’s activity. Blazh. Jerome says that the reason for writing the Gospel was the emergence of heresies that denied the coming of Christ in the flesh.

Thus, based on what has been said, we can make the following conclusion: when John wrote his Gospel, on the one hand, he wanted to fill the gaps he noticed in the first three Gospels, and on the other hand, to give believers (primarily Greek Christians This is proven by the fact that the Gospel often provides an explanation of Jewish words and customs (for example, John 1:38-42; John 4:9; John 5:28, etc.).It is not possible to accurately determine the time and place of writing of the Gospel of John. It is only likely that the Gospel was written in Ephesus, at the end of the first century.) in hand weapons to fight the emerging heresies. As for the evangelist himself, he defines the purpose of his Gospel as follows: “These are written so that you may believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:31). It is clear that John wrote his Gospel in order to give Christians support for their faith in Christ precisely as the Son of God, because only with such faith can one achieve salvation or, as John puts it, have life in oneself. And the entire content of the Gospel of John is fully consistent with this intention expressed by its writer. In fact, the Gospel of John begins with the conversion of John himself to Christ and ends with the confession of faith of the apostle. Thomas (Chapter 21 is an addition to the Gospel, which John made after). John wants throughout his entire Gospel to depict the process by which he and his co-apostles came to faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, so that the reader of the Gospel, following the actions of Christ, would gradually understand that Christ is the Son of God... The readers of the Gospel already had this faith, but it was weakened in them by various false teachings that distorted the concept of the incarnation of the Son of God. At the same time, John could have meant to find out how long Christ’s public service to the human race lasted: according to the first three Gospels, it turned out that this activity lasted for just over one year, and John explains that more than three years passed.

Plan and content of the Gospel of John. The Evangelist John, in accordance with the goal that he set for himself when writing the Gospel, undoubtedly had his own special narrative plan, not similar to the traditional presentation of the history of Christ common to the first three Gospels. John does not simply report in order the events of the gospel history and the speech of Christ, but makes a selection from them, especially before the rest of the Gospels, bringing to the fore everything that testified to the divine dignity of Christ, which was in doubt in his time. Events from the life of Christ are reported in John in a certain light, and all are aimed at clarifying the main position of the Christian faith - the Divinity of Jesus Christ.

Not accepted a second time in Judea, Christ again withdrew to Galilee and began to perform miracles, of course, while preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. But even here, Christ’s teaching about Himself as such a Messiah, who came not to restore the earthly Kingdom of Judea, but to found a new Kingdom - spiritual and to impart eternal life to people, arms the Galileans against Him, and only a few disciples remain near Him, namely the 12 apostles, the faith which is expressed by the ap. Peter (John 6:1-71). Having spent both Easter and Pentecost this time in Galilee, in view of the fact that in Judea His enemies were just waiting for an opportunity to seize and kill Him, Christ only on the Feast of Tabernacles went to Jerusalem again - this is already the third trip there and here again He spoke before the Jews with affirmation of his divine mission and origin. The Jews again rebel against Christ. But Christ, nevertheless, on the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles boldly declares his high dignity - that He is the giver of the truth of the water of life, and the servants sent by the Sanhedrin cannot fulfill the order given to them by the Sanhedrin - to capture Christ (chapter 7). Then, after forgiving the sinner’s wife (John 8:1-11), Christ denounces the Jews’ unbelief in Him. He calls Himself the Light of the world, and they, His enemies, are the children of the devil - the ancient murderer. When, at the end of his speech, He pointed to His eternal existence, the Jews wanted to stone Him as a blasphemer, and Christ disappeared from the temple, where His altercation with the Jews took place (chapter 8). After this, Christ healed a man born blind on the Sabbath, and this increased the Jews’ hatred of Jesus even more (chapter 9). However, Christ boldly calls the Pharisees mercenaries, who do not value the well-being of the people, and Himself as a true shepherd who lays down His life for His flock. This speech arouses a negative attitude towards it in some, and some sympathy in others (John 10:1-21). Three months after this, on the feast of the renewal of the temple, a clash occurs again between Christ and the Jews, and Christ retires to Perea, where many Jews who believed in Him also follow Him (John 10:22-42). The miracle of the resurrection of Lazarus, which testified to Christ as the giver of resurrection and life, arouses faith in Christ in some, and a new explosion of hatred towards Christ in others of Christ’s enemies. Then the Sanhedrin makes the final decision to kill Christ and declares that anyone who knows about the whereabouts of Christ should immediately report this to the Sanhedrin (chapter 11). After more than three months, which Christ spent not in Judea, He again appeared in Judea and, near Jerusalem, in Bethany, attended a friendly evening, and a day after that, he solemnly entered Jerusalem as the Messiah. The people greeted Him with delight, and the Greek proselytes who came to the holiday expressed a desire to talk with Him. All this prompted Christ to announce out loud to everyone around Him that He would soon give Himself up to death for the true good of all people. John concludes this section of his Gospel with the statement that, although the majority of the Jews did not believe in Christ, despite all His miracles, there were believers among them (chap. 12).

Having depicted the gap that occurred between Christ and the Jewish people, the evangelist now depicts the attitude towards the apostles. At the last, secret supper, Christ washed His disciples’ feet like a simple servant, thereby showing His love for them and at the same time teaching them humility (chap. 13). Then, in order to strengthen their faith, He tells them about His upcoming visit to God the Father, about their future position in the world and about His subsequent upcoming meeting with them. The apostles interrupt His speech with questions and objections, but He constantly leads them to the idea that everything that will soon happen will be useful both for Him and for them (chap. 14-16). In order to finally calm the anxiety of the apostles, Christ, in their hearing, prays to His Father that He would take them under His protection, saying at the same time that the work for which Christ was sent has now been completed and that, therefore, the apostles will only have to proclaim this to the whole world (chap. 17).

John devotes the last section of his Gospel to depicting the story of the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Here we are talking about the capture of Christ by soldiers in Gethsemane and about the denial of Peter, about the trial of Christ by spiritual and temporal authorities, about the crucifixion and death of Christ, about the piercing of Christ’s side with a warrior’s spear, about the burial of the body of Christ by Joseph and Nicodemus (chap. 18-19). .) and, finally, about the appearance of Christ to Mary Magdalene, ten disciples and then Thomas along with other disciples - a week after the resurrection (John 20: 1-29). A conclusion is attached to the Gospel, which indicates the purpose of writing the Gospel - strengthening faith in Christ in the readers of the Gospel (John 20:30-31).

The Gospel of John also contains an epilogue, which depicts the appearance of Christ to the seven disciples at the Sea of ​​Tiberias, when the restoration of the apostle followed. Peter in his apostolic dignity. At the same time, Christ predicts to Peter about his fate and the fate of John (chap. 21).

Thus, John developed in his Gospel the idea that the incarnate Logos, the Only Begotten Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, was rejected by His people, among whom He was born, but nevertheless gave His disciples grace and truth, and the opportunity to become children of God. This content of the Gospel is conveniently divided into the following sections: Prologue (John 1:1-18). First section: The testimony of John the Baptist to the first manifestation of the greatness of Christ (John 1:19-2:11). Second Section: The Beginning of Christ's Public Ministry (John 2:12-4:54). Third section: Jesus is the giver of life in the fight against Judaism (John 5:1-11:57). Fourth section: From the last week before Easter (chapter 12). Fifth section: Jesus in the circle of His disciples on the eve of His suffering (chap. 13-14). Sixth section: Glorifying Jesus through death and resurrection (chap. 18-20). Epilogue (21 chapters).

Objections to the Authenticity of the Gospel of John. From what has been said about the plan and content of the Gospel of John, one can see that this Gospel contains a lot of things that distinguish it from the first three Gospels, which are called synoptic due to the similarity of the image of the person and activity of Jesus Christ given in them. So, the life of Christ in John begins in heaven... The story of the birth and childhood of Christ, with which he introduces us. Matthew and Luke, John passes over in silence. In his majestic prologue to the Gospel, John, this eagle between the evangelists, to whom the symbol of the eagle is also adopted in church iconography, takes us straight into infinity with a bold flight. Then he quickly descends to earth, but even here in the incarnate Word he gives us signs of the divinity of the Word. Then John the Baptist appears in the Gospel of John. But this is not a preacher of repentance and judgment, as we know him from the Synoptic Gospels, but a witness of Christ as the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world. Evangelist John says nothing about the baptism and temptation of Christ. The evangelist does not look at the return of Christ from John the Baptist with His first disciples to Galilee as something that was undertaken by Christ, as the weather forecasters seem to think, with the aim of beginning a sermon about the coming of the Kingdom of Heaven. In the Gospel of John, the chronological and geographical scope of activity is not at all the same as that of the weather forecasters. John touches on the Galilean activity of Christ only at its highest point - the story of the miraculous feeding of the five thousand and the conversation about the bread of heaven. Then only in depicting the last days of Christ’s life does John converge with the weather forecasters. The main place of Christ's activity, according to the Gospel of John, is Jerusalem and Judea.

John differs even more in his portrayal of Christ as Teacher from the Synoptic Evangelists. U last Christ acts as a people's preacher, as a teacher of morality, expounding to the simple inhabitants of Galilean cities and villages in the most accessible form for them the teaching about the Kingdom of God. As a benefactor of the people, He walks through Galilee, healing every disease in the people who surround Him in whole crowds. In John, the Lord appears either before individuals, like Nicodemus, the Samaritan woman, or in the circle of His disciples, or finally, before the priests and scribes, and other Jews more knowledgeable in the matter of religious knowledge - He makes speeches about the divine dignity of His person. At the same time, the language of His speeches becomes somewhat mysterious and we often encounter allegories here. The miracles in the Gospel of John also have the nature of signs, that is, they serve to clarify the main provisions of Christ’s teaching about His Divinity.

More than a hundred years have passed since German rationalism directed its blows at the Gospel of John to prove that it was not genuine. But it was only from the time of Strauss that the real persecution of this greatest witness to the divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ began. Under the influence of Hegel's philosophy, which did not allow the possibility of the realization of an absolute idea in an individual, Strauss declared John's Christ a myth... and the entire Gospel a tendentious fiction. Following him, the head of the new Tübingen school, F.H. Baur, attributed the origin of the 4th Gospel to the second half of the 2nd century, when, according to him, reconciliation began between the two opposite directions of the apostolic age - Petrinism and Paulinism. John's Gospel, according to Baur, was a monument of reconciliation between both of these directions. It aimed to reconcile the various disputes taking place at that time (around 170) in the Church: Montanism, Gnosticism, the doctrine of the Logos, Easter disputes, etc., and for this it used the material contained in the first three Gospels, putting everything depending on one idea of ​​the Logos. This view of Baur wanted to be developed and substantiated by his students - Schwegler, Koestlin, Zeller and others, but in any case nothing came of their efforts, as even such a liberal critic as Harnack admits. The early Christian Church was not at all an arena of struggle between Petrinism and Paulinism, as the latest church-historical science has shown. However, the newest representatives of the New Tübingen school, G.I. Goltsman, Hilgenfeld, Volkmar, Kreyenbühl (his work in French: “The 4th Gospel”, vol. I - 1901 and vol. II - 1903) are all they still deny the authenticity of the Gospel of John and the reliability of the information contained in it, most of which is attributed to the influence of Gnosticism. Thoma attributes the origin of the Gospel to the influence of Philonism, Max Müller to the influence of Greek philosophy An example of a critical attitude towards the Gospel of John is the book by O. P. Flader, translated into Russian in 1910. The emergence of Christianity. pp. 154-166. .

Since, after all, the New Tübingen school could not help but take into account the evidence about the authenticity of the Gospel of John that comes from the very first decades of the second century A.D., it tried to explain the origin of such evidence with something like the self-hypnosis of those ancient church writers, who have the said evidence. Just a writer, like, for example, St. Irenaeus, read the inscription: “The Gospel of John” - and immediately it was established in his memory that this was really the Gospel belonging to the beloved disciple of Christ... But most of the critics began to defend the position that under “John”, the author of the 4th th Gospel, the entire ancient Church understood “Presbyter John,” whose existence is mentioned by Eusebius of Caesarea. This is what Busse and Harnack think, for example. Others (Jülicher) consider the author of the 4th Gospel to be some disciple of John the Theologian. But since it is quite difficult to admit that at the end of the first century there were two Johns in Asia Minor - an apostle and a presbyter - who enjoyed equally enormous authority, some critics began to deny the presence of the apostle. John in Asia Minor (Lutzenberger, Keim, Schwartz, Schmiedel).

Not finding it possible to find a substitute for John the Apostle, modern criticism, however, agrees that the 4th Gospel could not have come from the apostle. John. Let us see how grounded are the objections that modern criticism expresses in the form of a refutation of the general church conviction in the authenticity of the 4th Gospel. When analyzing the objections of critics to the authenticity of the Gospel of John, we will necessarily have to talk about the reliability of the information reported in the 4th Gospel, because criticism specifically points out, in support of its view of the origin of the 4th Gospel not from John, the unreliability of various information given in the Gospel John of facts and the general improbability of the idea that is drawn about the person and activity of the Savior from this Gospel Evidence of the integrity of the Gospel will be given in its place, when explaining the text of the Gospel. .

Keim, followed by many other critics, points out that according to the Gospel of John, Christ “was not born, was not baptized, did not experience any internal struggle or mental suffering. He knew everything from the beginning and shone with pure divine glory. Such a Christ does not correspond to the conditions of human nature.” But all this is wrong: Christ, according to John, became flesh (John 1:14) and had a Mother (John 2:1), and there is a clear indication of His acceptance of baptism in the speech of John the Baptist (John 1:29-34). The fact that Christ experienced inner struggle is clearly stated in ch. 12 (v. 27), and the tears He shed at the tomb of Lazarus testify to His spiritual suffering (John 11:33-35). As for the foreknowledge that Christ reveals in the Gospel of John, it is completely consistent with our faith in Christ as the God-man.

Further, critics point out that the 4th Gospel does not seem to recognize any gradualism in the development of the faith of the apostles: the initially called apostles, from the very first day of their acquaintance with Christ, become completely confident in His messianic dignity (chapter 1). But critics forget that the disciples fully believed in Christ only after the first sign at Cana (John 2:12). And they themselves say that they believed in the divine origin of Christ only when Christ told them a lot about Himself in a farewell conversation (John 16:30).

Then, if John says that Christ went to Jerusalem from Galilee several times, while according to the weather forecasters it seems that He visited Jerusalem only once on the Passover of Passion, then we must say about this that, in -firstly, from the Synoptic Gospels we can conclude that Christ was in Jerusalem more than once (see, for example, Luke 10:38), and secondly, the most correct, of course, is the evangelist John, who denotes the chronological sequence of events wrote his Gospel after the Synoptics and naturally had to come to the idea of ​​the need to supplement the insufficient chronology of the Synoptics and depict in detail the activities of Christ in Jerusalem, which was known to him, of course, much better than to any of the Synoptics, two of whom were not even to the face of 12. Even up. Matthew could not know all the circumstances of Christ’s activity in Jerusalem, because, firstly, he was called relatively late (John 3:24; cf. Matthew 9:9), and, secondly, because Christ went to Jerusalem sometimes secretly (John 7:10), without being accompanied by the entire crowd of disciples. John, undoubtedly, was given the honor of accompanying Christ everywhere.

But most of all doubts regarding reliability are aroused by the speeches of Christ, which are cited by the Evangelist John. Christ in John, according to critics, speaks not as a practical folk teacher, but as a subtle metaphysician. His speeches could only have been “composed” by a later “writer” who was influenced by the views of Alexandrian philosophy. On the contrary, the speeches of Christ among the weather forecasters are naive, simple and natural. Therefore, the 4th Gospel is not of apostolic origin. Regarding this statement of criticism, first of all, it must be said that it overly exaggerates the difference between the speeches of Christ in the Synoptics and His speeches in John. You can point out about three dozen sayings, which are given in the same form by both the weather forecasters and John (see, for example, John 2 and Matthew 26:61; John 3:18 and Mark 16:16; John 5:8 and Luke 5:21 ). And then, the speeches of Christ given by John should have differed from those given by the weather forecasters, since John set himself the goal of acquainting his readers with the activities of Christ in Judea and Jerusalem - this center of rabbinic enlightenment, where Christ had before Him completely a different circle of listeners than in Galilee. It is clear that the Galilean speeches of Christ, cited by the weather forecasters, could not be devoted to such sublime teachings as the subject of the speeches of Christ spoken in Judea. Moreover, John cites several speeches of Christ, spoken by Him in the circle of His closest disciples, who, of course, were much more capable of understanding the mysteries of the Kingdom of God than the common people.

It is also necessary to take into account the fact that Ap. John, by nature, was predominantly inclined to be interested in the mysteries of the Kingdom of God and the high dignity of the face of the Lord Jesus Christ. No one was able to assimilate in such completeness and clarity Christ’s teaching about Himself as John, whom Christ therefore loved more than His other disciples.

Some critics argue that all the speeches of Christ in John are nothing more than a disclosure of the ideas contained in the prologue of the Gospel and, therefore, composed by John himself. To this it must be said that rather the prologue itself can be called the conclusion that John made from all the speeches of Christ cited by John. This is evidenced, for example, by the fact that the root concept of the prologue, Logos, is not found in the speeches of Christ with the meaning that it has in the prologue.

As for the fact that only John cites the speeches of Christ, which contain His teaching about His divine dignity, then this circumstance cannot be of particular significance as proof of the contradiction that supposedly exists between the weather forecasters and John in the teaching about the person of the Lord Jesus Christ . After all, the weather forecasters also have sayings of Christ in which a clear indication of His divine dignity is made (see Matthew 20:18; Matthew 28:19; Matthew 16:16, etc.). And, besides, all the circumstances of the birth of Christ and the numerous miracles of Christ reported by the weather forecasters clearly testify to His divine dignity.

They also point out their monotony in relation to the content as evidence of the idea that Christ’s speeches were “composed” in John. Thus, the conversation with Nicodemus depicts the spiritual nature of the Kingdom of God, and the conversation with the Samaritan woman depicts the general nature of this Kingdom, etc. If there is some uniformity in the external construction of speeches and in the method of proving thoughts, this is explained by the fact that Christ’s speeches John's mission is to explain the mysteries of the Kingdom of God to the Jews, and not to the inhabitants of Galilee, and therefore naturally take on a monotonous character.

They say that the speeches given by John are not in connection with the events described in the Gospel of John. But such a statement does not correspond to reality at all: it is in John that every speech of Christ has a solid support for itself in previous events, one might even say, is caused by them. Such, for example, is the conversation about heavenly bread, spoken by Christ regarding the saturation of the people with earthly bread (chap. 6).

They object further: “how could John remember such extensive, difficult in content and dark speeches of Christ until his ripe old age?” But when a person pays all his attention to one thing, it is clear that he observes this “one thing” in all its details and imprints it firmly in his memory. It is known about John that among the disciples of Christ and in the apostolic church he did not have a particularly active significance and was rather a silent companion of the apostle. Peter than an independent figure. He devoted all the ardor of his nature - and he really had such a nature (Mark 9) - all the abilities of his outstanding mind and heart to reproducing in his consciousness and memory the greatest personality of the God-man. From this it becomes clear how he could subsequently reproduce in his Gospel such extensive and profound speeches of Christ. In addition, the ancient Jews were generally able to remember very long conversations and repeat them with literal accuracy. Finally, why not assume that John could have recorded individual conversations of Christ for himself and then used what was written down?

They ask: “Where could John, a simple fisherman from Galilee, receive such a philosophical education as he reveals in his Gospel? Isn’t it more natural to assume that the 4th Gospel was written by some Gnostic or Christian from the Greeks, brought up on the study of classical literature?

The answer to this question is as follows. Firstly, John does not have the strict consistency and logical structure of views that distinguish Greek philosophical systems. Instead of dialectics and logical analysis, John is dominated by a synthesis characteristic of systematic thinking, reminiscent of Eastern religious and theological contemplation rather than Greek philosophy (Prof. Muretov. The authenticity of the Lord’s conversations in the 4th Gospel. Rights Review. 1881 Sep., p. 65 etc.). It can therefore be said that John writes as an educated Jew, and the question: where could he receive such a Jewish education is resolved quite satisfactorily by the consideration that John’s father was a fairly wealthy man (he had his own workers) and therefore both of his sons, James and John , could receive a good education for that time in one of the rabbinical schools in Jerusalem.

What also confuses some critics is the similarity that is noticed both in the content and style of Christ’s speeches in the 4th Gospel and in the 1st Epistle of John. It seems as if John himself composed the Lord’s speeches... To this it must be said that John, having joined the ranks of Christ’s disciples in his earliest youth, naturally adopted His ideas and the very manner of expressing them. Then, the speeches of Christ in John do not represent a literal reproduction of everything that Christ said in one case or another, but only an abbreviated rendering of what Christ actually said. Moreover, John had to convey the speeches of Christ, spoken in Aramaic, in Greek, and this forced him to look for turns and expressions that were more appropriate to the meaning of Christ’s speech, so that naturally the coloring that was characteristic of the speech of John himself was obtained in the speeches of Christ. Finally, there is an undeniable difference between the Gospel of John and his 1st Epistle, namely between the speech of John himself and the speeches of the Lord. Thus, the salvation of people by the blood of Christ is often spoken of in the 1st Epistle of John and is silent in the Gospel. As for the form of presentation of thoughts, in the 1st Epistle we find short, fragmentary instructions and maxims everywhere, and in the Gospel - whole large speeches.

In view of all that has been said, contrary to the assertions of criticism, all that remains is to agree with those positions expressed by Pope Pius X in his Syllabus of July 3, 1907, where the pope recognizes as heresy the assertion of the modernists that the Gospel of John is not history in the proper sense of the word words, but mystical reasoning about the life of Christ and that it is not a genuine testimony of the Apostle John about the life of Christ, but a reflection of those views on the person of Christ that existed in the Christian Church by the end of the first century A.D.

Self-testimony of the fourth Gospel. The author of the Gospel clearly identifies himself as a Jew. He knows all Jewish customs and views, especially the views of the then Judaism on the Messiah. Moreover, he speaks about everything that happened in Palestine at that time as an eyewitness. If he seems to separate himself from the Jews (for example, he says “the holiday of the Jews” and not “our holiday”), then this is explained by the fact that the 4th Gospel was written, undoubtedly, already when Christians had completely separated from Jews In addition, the Gospel was written specifically for pagan Christians, which is why the author could not speak of the Jews as “his” people. Geographical position Palestine of that time is also outlined in an extremely accurate and thorough manner. This cannot be expected from a writer who lived, for example, in the 2nd century.

As a witness to the events that took place in the life of Christ, the author of the 4th Gospel further shows himself in the special chronological accuracy with which he describes the time of these events. It designates not only the holidays on which Christ went to Jerusalem, but it is important for determining the duration of Christ’s public ministry The chronology of the life of Jesus Christ according to the Gospel of John looks like this. — After receiving baptism from John, Christ stays near the Jordan for some time and here calls His first disciples (chap. 1). Then He goes to Galilee, where He lives until Easter (John 2:1-11). On Passover He comes to Jerusalem: this is the first Passover during His public ministry (John 2:12-13; John 21). Then Christ, after this Passover - probably in April - leaves Jerusalem and remains in the land of Judea until the end of December (John 3:22-4:2). By January, Christ comes through Samaria to Galilee (John 4:3-54) and lives here for quite a long time: the entire end of winter and summer. On Easter (the allusion to it is made in John 4:35) - the second Passover during His social activities- He apparently did not go to Jerusalem. Only on the Feast of Tabernacles (John 5:1) He appears again in Jerusalem, where he probably stayed for a very short time. He then spends several months in Galilee (John 6:1). At Easter this year (John 6:4) Christ again did not go to Jerusalem: this is the third Passover of His public ministry. On the Feast of Tabernacles He appears in Jerusalem (John 7:1-10:21), then spends two months in Perea, and in December, for the Feast of the Renewal of the Temple, He comes again to Jerusalem (John 10:22). Then Christ soon leaves again for Perea, from there he goes to Bethany for a short time (chapter 11). From Bethany until the fourth Passover He remains in Ephraim, from where He comes on the last Passover, the fourth, to Jerusalem, in order to die here at the hands of enemies. — Thus, John mentions the four Easter holidays, around which lies the history of the public ministry of Jesus Christ, which apparently lasted more than three years., but even days and weeks before and after this or that event and, finally, sometimes the hours of events. He also speaks with precision about the number of persons and objects in question.

The details that the author reports about various circumstances from the life of Christ also give reason to conclude that the author was an eyewitness to everything that he describes. Moreover, the features with which the author characterizes the leaders of that time are so clear that they could only be indicated by an eyewitness who, moreover, well understood the differences that existed between the Jewish parties of that time.

That the author of the Gospel was an apostle from among the 12 is clearly evident from the memories he conveys about many circumstances from the inner life of the circle of the 12. He knows well all the doubts that worried Christ’s disciples, all their conversations among themselves and with His Teacher. At the same time, he calls the apostles not by the names by which they later became known in the Church, but by those that they bore in their friendly circle (for example, he calls Bartholomew Nathanael).

The author’s attitude towards weather forecasters is also remarkable. He boldly corrects the testimony of the latter in many points as an eyewitness, who also has a higher authority than them: only such a writer could speak so boldly, without fear of condemnation from anyone. Moreover, this was undoubtedly an apostle from among those closest to Christ, since he knows much that was not revealed to the other apostles (see, for example, John 6:15; John 7:1).

Who was this student? He does not call himself by name, and yet identifies himself as the beloved disciple of the Lord (John 13:23; John 21:7.20-24). This is not an app. Peter, because this ap. everywhere in the 4th Gospel he is called by name and is directly distinguished from the unnamed disciple. Of the closest disciples, then two remained - James and John, the sons of Zebedee. But it is known about Jacob that he did not leave the Jewish country and suffered martyrdom relatively early (in the year 41). Meanwhile, the Gospel was undoubtedly written after the Synoptic Gospels and probably at the end of the first century. Only John alone can be recognized as the apostle closest to Christ, who wrote the 4th Gospel. Calling himself “another student,” he always adds a term (ο ̔) to this expression, clearly saying that everyone knew him and could not confuse him with anyone else. Out of his humility, he also does not call his mother, Salome, and his brother Isaac by name (John 19:25; John 21:2). Only the apostle could have done this. John: any other writer would certainly have mentioned at least one of the sons of Zebedee by name. They object: “but the Evangelist Matthew found it possible to mention his name in his Gospel” (John 9:9)? Yes, but in the Gospel of Matthew the personality of the writer completely disappears in the objective depiction of the events of the gospel history, while the 4th Gospel has a pronounced subjective character, and the writer of this Gospel, realizing this, wanted to put his given name, which was already on everyone’s mind.

Language and presentation of the 4th Gospel. Both the language and presentation of the 4th Gospel clearly indicate that the writer of the Gospel was a Palestinian Jew, not a Greek, and that he lived at the end of the first century. In the Gospel, first of all, there are direct and indirect references to places holy books The Old Testament (this can also be seen in the Russian edition of the Gospel with parallel passages). Moreover, he knows not only the translation of the LXX, but also the original Hebrew text of the Old Testament books (cf. John 19:37 and Zech 12:10 according to the Hebrew text). Then, “the special plasticity and imagery of speech, which constitute an excellent feature of the Jewish genius, the arrangement of the terms of the assumption and their simple construction, the striking detail of the presentation, reaching the point of tautology and repetition, the speech is short, abrupt, the parallelism of members and whole sentences and antitheses, the lack of Greek particles in the combination of sentences” and much more clearly indicates that the Gospel was written by a Jew, not a Greek (Bazhenov. Characteristics of the Fourth Gospel. P. 374). Member of the Vienna Academy of Sciences D. G. Müller, in his abstract “Das Iohannes-Evangelium im Uchte der Strophentheorie” of 1909, even makes, and very successfully, an attempt to divide the most important speeches of Christ contained in the Gospel of John into stanzas and concludes with the following : “After finishing my work on the Discussion on the Mount, I also examined the Gospel of John, which in content and style is so different from the Synoptic Gospels, but to my great surprise I found that the laws of strophism prevail here to the same extent as in the speeches of the prophets, in the Discourse on the Mount and in the Koran." Doesn't this fact indicate that the writer of the Gospel was a real Jew, brought up on the study of the prophets of the Old Testament? The Jewish flavor in the 4th Gospel is so strong that anyone who knows Hebrew and has the opportunity to read the Gospel of John in a Hebrew translation will certainly think that he is reading the original and not a translation. It is clear that the writer of the Gospel thought in Hebrew and expressed himself in Greek. But this is exactly how the ap should have written. John, who from childhood was accustomed to thinking and speaking in Hebrew, studied Greek already in adulthood.

The Greek language of the Gospel was undoubtedly original, and not a translation: both the testimony of the Church Fathers and the lack of evidence from those critics who for some reason want to claim that the Gospel of John was originally written in Hebrew - all this is quite enough to be sure in the originality of the Greek of the 4th Gospel. Although the author of the Gospel has few terms and expressions of the Greek language in his dictionary, these terms and expressions are as valuable as a large gold coin, which is usually used to pay big owners. In terms of its composition, the language of the 4th Gospel has a general κοινη ̀ διάλεκτος character. Hebrew, Latin, and some terms unique to this Gospel are found here in places. Finally, some words in John are used in a special sense, not characteristic of other New Testament writings (for example, Λόγος, α ̓ γαπάω, ι ̓ ου ̓ δαι ̃ οι, ζωή, etc., the meaning of which will be indicated when explaining the text of the Gospel). With regard to etymological and syntactic rules, the language of the 4th Gospel in general does not differ from the rules of κοινη ̀ διάλεκτος, although there is something special here (for example, the use of a member, the composition of the predicate in plural with the subject of unity, etc.).

Stylistically, the Gospel of John is distinguished by the simplicity of the construction of phrases, approaching the simplicity of ordinary speech. Here we see everywhere short, fragmentary sentences connected by a few particles. But these brief expressions often produce an unusually strong impression (especially in the prologue). To give special power to a well-known expression, John puts it at the beginning of the phrase, and sometimes the sequence in the structure of speech is not even observed (for example, John 7:38). The reader of the Gospel of John is also struck by the extraordinary abundance of dialogues in which this or that thought is revealed. As for the fact that in the Gospel of John, in contrast to the synoptic ones, there are no parables, this phenomenon can be explained by the fact that John did not consider it necessary to repeat those parables that were already reported in the synoptic Gospels. But he has something reminiscent of these parables - these are allegories and various images (for example, figurative expressions in a conversation with Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman or, for example, a real allegory about the good shepherd and the door to the sheepfold). In addition, Christ probably did not use parables in His conversations with educated Jews, and it is these conversations that John mainly cites in his Gospel. The form of parables was also not suitable for the content of Christ’s speeches spoken in Judea: in these speeches Christ spoke about His divine dignity, and for this the form of images and parables was completely inappropriate - it is inconvenient to enclose dogmas in parables. The disciples of Christ could also understand the teachings of Christ without parables.

Commentaries on the Gospel of John and other works that have this Gospel as their subject. Of the ancient works devoted to the study of the Gospel of John, the first in time is the work of Valentinian Heracleon (150-180), fragments of which were preserved by Origen (there is also a special edition by Brooke). This is followed by a very detailed commentary by Origen himself, which, however, has not survived in its entirety (ed. Preischen, 1903). Next come 88 conversations on the Gospel of John, belonging to John Chrysostom (in Russian, translated by Pet. D. Acad. 1902). The interpretation of Theodore of Mopsuetsky in Greek has been preserved only in fragments, but now a Latin translation of the Syriac text of this work has appeared, almost reproducing everything in full. Interpretation of St. Cyril of Alexandria was published in 1910 under Moscow. Spirit. Academy. Then there are 124 conversations on the Gospel of John, belonging to Blessed. Augustine (in Latin). Finally, the interpretation on Heb. John, belonging to Blessed. Theophylact (translation, at the Kazakh Theological Academy).

Of the new interpretations of Western theologians, the works of note are: Tolyuk (last edition 1857), Meyer (last edition 1902), Luthardt (last edition 1876), Godet (last edition in German). language 1903), Keil (1881), Westcott (1882), Shantz (1885), Knabenbauer (1906 2nd ed.), Schlatter (2nd ed. 1902 ), Loisy (1903 in French), Heitmüller (in Weiss in Novoz. Writings of 1907), Tsan (2nd ed. 1908), G. I. Goltsman (3rd ed. 1908).

Of the most outstanding works of Western scientists of the so-called critical movement, the works of the Gospel of John are devoted to: Brechneider, Weiss, Schwegler, Bruno, Bauer, Baur, Hilgenfeld, Keim, Thom, Jacobsen, O. Holtzman, Wendt, Keyenbühl, I. Reville, Grill, Wrede , Scott, Wellhausen, etc. The latest major work of the critical direction is the work: Spitta [Spitta]. Das Joh ä nnes evangelium als Quelle d. Geschtehe Iesu. G ö tt. 1910. P. 466.

In an apologetic direction about Ev. John was written by: Black, Stier, Weiss, Edersheim (The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, the first volume of which was translated into Russian), Shastan, Delph, P. Ewald, Nesgen, Kluge, Kamerlinck, Schlatter, Stanton, Drummond, Sandey, Smith, Barth, Gebel, Lepin The latest is the work of Lepin [Lepin]. La valeur historique du IV-e Evangile. 2 vol. Paris. 1910. 8 fran.. But these works must be used with caution.

In Russian theological literature there are many explanations of the Gospel of John and individual articles and brochures related to the study of this Gospel. In 1874, the first edition of the work of Archimandrite (later bishop) Mikhail (Luzin) was published under the title: “The Gospel of John in Slavic and Russian dialects with prefaces and detailed explanatory notes.” In 1887, “The Experience of Studying the Gospel of St. John the Theologian" by Georgy Vlastov, in two volumes. In 1903, a popular explanation of the Gospel of John was published, compiled by Archbishop Nikanor (Kamensky), and in 1906, “Interpretation of the Gospel”, compiled by B.I. Gladkov, in which the Gospel of John was also popularly explained. There are also popular explanations for the Gospel of John: Eusebius, Archbishop. Mogilevsky (in the form of conversations on Sundays and holidays), Archpriests Mikhailovsky, Bukharev and some others. The most useful guide for familiarizing yourself with what was written about the Gospel of John before 1893 is “Collection of articles on the interpretative and edifying reading of the Four Gospels” by M. Barsov. Subsequent literature up to 1904 on the study of the Gospel of John is indicated by Prof. Bogdashevsky in Prav.-Bogosl. Encyclopedias, vol. 6, p. 836-7 and partly prof. Sagarda (ibid., p. 822). Among the latest Russian literature on the study of the Gospel of John, these dissertations deserve special attention: I. Bazhenov. Characteristics of the fourth Gospel in terms of content and language in connection with the question of the origin of the Gospel. 1907; D. Znamensky. The teaching of St. ap. John the Theologian in the fourth Gospel about the face of Jesus Christ. 1907; Prof. Theological. Public ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ. 1908, part 1.

Gospel

The word “Gospel” (τὸ εὐαγγέλιον) in classical Greek was used to designate: a) a reward that is given to the messenger of joy (τῷ εὐαγγέλῳ), b) a sacrifice sacrificed on the occasion of receiving some good news or a holiday celebrated on the same occasion and c) this good news itself. In the New Testament this expression means:

a) the good news that Christ reconciled people with God and brought us the greatest benefits - mainly founded the Kingdom of God on earth ( Matt. 4:23),

b) the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ, preached by Himself and His Apostles about Him as the King of this Kingdom, the Messiah and the Son of God ( 2 Cor. 4:4),

c) all New Testament or Christian teaching in general, primarily the narration of the most important events from the life of Christ ( ; 1 Thess. 2:8) or the personality of the preacher ( Rome. 2:16).

For quite a long time, stories about the life of the Lord Jesus Christ were transmitted only orally. The Lord Himself did not leave any records of His speeches and deeds. In the same way, the 12 apostles were not born writers: they were “unlearned and simple people” ( Acts 4:13), although literate. Among the Christians of the apostolic time there were also very few “wise according to the flesh, strong” and “noble” ( 1 Cor. 1:26), and for most believers, oral stories about Christ were much more important than written ones. In this way, the apostles and preachers or evangelists “transmitted” (παραδιδόναι) the stories about the deeds and speeches of Christ, and the believers “received” (παραλαμβάνειν) - but, of course, not mechanically, only by memory, as can be said about the students of rabbinical schools, but with all my soul, as if something living and life-giving. But this period of oral tradition was soon to end. On the one hand, Christians should have felt the need for a written presentation of the Gospel in their disputes with the Jews, who, as we know, denied the reality of Christ’s miracles and even argued that Christ did not declare Himself the Messiah. It was necessary to show the Jews that Christians have authentic stories about Christ from those persons who were either among His apostles or who were in close communication with eyewitnesses of the deeds of Christ. On the other hand, the need for a written presentation of the history of Christ began to be felt because the generation of the first disciples was gradually dying out and the ranks of direct witnesses to the miracles of Christ were thinning. Therefore, it was necessary to secure in writing individual sayings of the Lord and His entire speeches, as well as the stories of the apostles about Him. It was then that separate records began to appear here and there of what was reported in the oral tradition about Christ. The words of Christ, which contained the rules of Christian life, were most carefully recorded, and they were much more free to convey various events from the life of Christ, preserving only their general impression. Thus, one thing in these records, due to its originality, was transmitted everywhere in the same way, while the other was modified. These initial recordings did not think about the completeness of the story. Even our Gospels, as can be seen from the conclusion of the Gospel of John ( In. 21:25), did not intend to report all the speeches and deeds of Christ. This is evident, by the way, from the fact that they do not contain, for example, the following saying of Christ: “It is more blessed to give than to receive” ( Acts 20:35). The Evangelist Luke reports about such records, saying that many before him had already begun to compile narratives about the life of Christ, but that they lacked proper completeness and that therefore they did not provide sufficient “affirmation” in the faith ( OK. 1:1-4).

Our canonical Gospels apparently arose from the same motives. The period of their appearance can be determined to be approximately thirty years - from 60 to 90 (the last was the Gospel of John). The first three Gospels are usually called synoptic in biblical scholarship, because they depict the life of Christ in such a way that their three narratives can be viewed in one without much difficulty and combined into one coherent narrative (synoptics - from Greek - looking together). They began to be called Gospels individually, perhaps as early as the end of the 1st century, but from church writing we have information that such a name began to be given to the entire composition of the Gospels only in the second half of the 2nd century. As for the names: “Gospel of Matthew”, “Gospel of Mark”, etc., then more correctly these very ancient names from Greek should be translated as follows: “Gospel according to Matthew”, “Gospel according to Mark” (κατὰ Ματθαῖον, κατὰ Μᾶρκον). By this the Church wanted to say that in all the Gospels there is a single Christian gospel about Christ the Savior, but according to the images of different writers: one image belongs to Matthew, another to Mark, etc.

Four Gospels

Thus, the ancient Church looked upon the portrayal of the life of Christ in our four Gospels, not as different Gospels or narratives, but as one Gospel, one book in four types. That is why in the Church the name Four Gospels was established for our Gospels. Saint Irenaeus called them the “fourfold Gospel” (τετράμορφον τὸ εὐαγγέλιον - see Irenaeus Lugdunensis, Adversus haereses liber 3, ed. A. Rousseau and L. Doutreleaü Irenée Lyon. Contre les héré sies, livre 3, vol. 2. Paris, 1974, 11, 11).

The Fathers of the Church dwell on the question: why exactly did the Church accept not one Gospel, but four? So St. John Chrysostom says: “Couldn’t one evangelist write everything that was needed. Of course, he could, but when four people wrote, they wrote not at the same time, not in the same place, without communicating or conspiring with each other, and for all that they wrote in such a way that everything seemed to be uttered by one mouth, then this is the strongest proof of the truth. You will say: “What happened, however, was the opposite, for the four Gospels are often found to be in disagreement.” This very thing is a sure sign of truth. For if the Gospels had exactly agreed with each other in everything, even regarding the words themselves, then none of the enemies would have believed that the Gospels were not written according to ordinary mutual agreement. Now the slight disagreement between them frees them from all suspicion. For what they say differently regarding time or place does not in the least harm the truth of their narrative. In the main thing, which forms the basis of our life and the essence of preaching, not one of them disagrees with the other in anything or anywhere - that God became a man, worked miracles, was crucified, resurrected, and ascended into heaven.” (“Conversations on the Gospel of Matthew”, 1).

Saint Irenaeus also finds a special symbolic meaning in the fourfold number of our Gospels. “Since there are four countries of the world in which we live, and since the Church is scattered throughout the entire earth and has its confirmation in the Gospel, it was necessary for it to have four pillars, spreading incorruptibility from everywhere and reviving the human race. The All-Ordering Word, seated on the Cherubim, gave us the Gospel in four forms, but permeated with one spirit. For David, praying for His appearance, says: “He who sits on the Cherubim, show Yourself” ( Ps. 79:2). But the Cherubim (in the vision of the prophet Ezekiel and the Apocalypse) have four faces, and their faces are images of the activity of the Son of God.” Saint Irenaeus finds it possible to attach the symbol of a lion to the Gospel of John, since this Gospel depicts Christ as the eternal King, and the lion is the king in the animal world; to the Gospel of Luke - the symbol of a calf, since Luke begins his Gospel with the image of the priestly service of Zechariah, who slaughtered the calves; to the Gospel of Matthew - a symbol of man, since this Gospel mainly depicts human birth Christ, and, finally, to the Gospel of Mark - the symbol of the eagle, because Mark begins his Gospel with a mention of the prophets, to whom the Holy Spirit flew, like an eagle on wings" (Irenaeus Lugdunensis, Adversus haereses, liber 3, 11, 11- 22). Among the other Fathers of the Church, the symbols of the lion and the calf were moved and the first was given to Mark, and the second to John. Since the 5th century. in this form, the symbols of the evangelists began to be added to the images of the four evangelists in church painting.

Mutual relationship of the Gospels

Each of the four Gospels has its own characteristics, and most of all - the Gospel of John. But the first three, as mentioned above, have extremely much in common with each other, and this similarity involuntarily catches the eye even when reading them briefly. Let us first of all talk about the similarity of the Synoptic Gospels and the reasons for this phenomenon.

Even Eusebius of Caesarea, in his “canons,” divided the Gospel of Matthew into 355 parts and noted that 111 of them were found in all three weather forecasters. IN modern times exegetes developed an even more precise numerical formula for determining the similarity of the Gospels and calculated that the total number of verses common to all weather forecasters goes back to 350. In Matthew, then, 350 verses are unique to him, in Mark there are 68 such verses, in Luke - 541. The similarities are mainly noticed in the rendering of the sayings of Christ, and the differences are in the narrative part. When Matthew and Luke literally agree with each other in their Gospels, Mark always agrees with them. The similarity between Luke and Mark is much closer than between Luke and Matthew (Lopukhin - in the Orthodox Theological Encyclopedia. T. V. P. 173). It is also remarkable that some passages in all three evangelists follow the same sequence, for example, the temptation and the speech in Galilee, the calling of Matthew and the conversation about fasting, the plucking of ears of corn and the healing of the withered man, the calming of the storm and the healing of the Gadarene demoniac, etc. The similarity sometimes even extends to the construction of sentences and expressions (for example, in the presentation of a prophecy Small 3:1).

As for the differences observed among weather forecasters, there are quite a lot of them. Some things are reported by only two evangelists, others even by one. Thus, only Matthew and Luke cite the conversation on the mount of the Lord Jesus Christ and report the story of the birth and first years of Christ’s life. Luke alone speaks of the birth of John the Baptist. Some things one evangelist conveys in a more abbreviated form than another, or in a different connection than another. The details of the events in each Gospel are different, as are the expressions.

This phenomenon of similarities and differences in the Synoptic Gospels has long attracted the attention of interpreters of Scripture, and various assumptions have long been made to explain this fact. It seems more correct to believe that our three evangelists used a common oral source for their narrative of the life of Christ. At that time, evangelists or preachers about Christ went everywhere preaching and repeated in different places in a more or less extensive form what was considered necessary to offer to those entering the Church. Thus, a well-known specific type was formed oral gospel, and this is the type we have in written form in our Synoptic Gospels. Of course, at the same time, depending on the goal that this or that evangelist had, his Gospel took on some special features, characteristic only of his work. At the same time, we cannot exclude the assumption that an older Gospel could have been known to the evangelist who wrote later. Moreover, the difference between the weather forecasters should be explained by the different goals that each of them had in mind when writing his Gospel.

As we have already said, the Synoptic Gospels differ in very many ways from the Gospel of John the Theologian. So they depict almost exclusively the activity of Christ in Galilee, and the Apostle John depicts mainly the sojourn of Christ in Judea. In terms of content, the Synoptic Gospels also differ significantly from the Gospel of John. They give, so to speak, a more external image of the life, deeds and teachings of Christ and from the speeches of Christ they cite only those that were accessible to the understanding of the entire people. John, on the contrary, omits a lot from the activities of Christ, for example, he cites only six miracles of Christ, but those speeches and miracles that he cites have a special deep meaning and extreme importance about the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Finally, while the Synoptics portray Christ primarily as the founder of the Kingdom of God and therefore direct the attention of their readers to the Kingdom founded by Him, John draws our attention to the central point of this Kingdom, from which life flows along the peripheries of the Kingdom, i.e. on the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, whom John portrays as the Only Begotten Son of God and as the Light for all mankind. That is why the ancient interpreters called the Gospel of John primarily spiritual (πνευματικόν), in contrast to the synoptic ones, as depicting primarily the human side in the person of Christ (εὐαγγέλιον σωματικόν), i.e. The gospel is physical.

However, it must be said that the weather forecasters also have passages that indicate that the weather forecasters knew the activity of Christ in Judea ( Matt. 23:37, 27:57 ; OK. 10:38-42), and John also has indications of the continued activity of Christ in Galilee. In the same way, weather forecasters convey such sayings of Christ that testify to His Divine dignity ( Matt. 11:27), and John, for his part, also in places depicts Christ as a true man ( In. 2 etc.; John 8 and etc.). Therefore, one cannot speak of any contradiction between the weather forecasters and John in their depiction of the face and work of Christ.

The Reliability of the Gospels

Although criticism has long been expressed against the reliability of the Gospels, and recently these attacks of criticism have especially intensified (the theory of myths, especially the theory of Drews, who does not recognize the existence of Christ at all), however, all the objections of criticism are so insignificant that they are broken at the slightest collision with Christian apologetics . Here, however, we will not cite the objections of negative criticism and analyze these objections: this will be done when interpreting the text of the Gospels itself. We will only talk about the most important general reasons for which we recognize the Gospels as completely reliable documents. This is, firstly, the existence of a tradition of eyewitnesses, many of whom lived to the era when our Gospels appeared. Why on earth would we refuse to trust these sources of our Gospels? Could they have made up everything in our Gospels? No, all the Gospels are purely historical. Secondly, it is not clear why the Christian consciousness would want - as the mythical theory claims - to crown the head of a simple Rabbi Jesus with the crown of the Messiah and Son of God? Why, for example, is it not said about the Baptist that he performed miracles? Obviously because he didn't create them. And from here it follows that if Christ is said to be the Great Wonderworker, then it means that He really was like that. And why would it be possible to deny the authenticity of Christ’s miracles, since the highest miracle - His Resurrection - is witnessed like no other event? ancient history(cm. 1 Cor. 15)?

Bibliography foreign works according to the four gospels

Bengel - Bengel J. Al. Gnomon Novi Testamentï in quo ex nativa verborum VI simplicitas, profunditas, concinnitas, salubritas sensuum coelestium indicatur. Berolini, 1860.

Blass, Gram. - Blass F. Grammatik des neutestamentlichen Griechisch. Gottingen, 1911.

Westcott - The New Testament in Original Greek the text rev. by Brooke Foss Westcott. New York, 1882.

B. Weiss - Weiss B. Die Evangelien des Markus und Lukas. Gottingen, 1901.

Yog. Weiss (1907) - Die Schriften des Neuen Testaments, von Otto Baumgarten; Wilhelm Bousset. Hrsg. von Johannes Weis_s, Bd. 1: Die drei älteren Evangelien. Die Apostelgeschichte, Matthaeus Apostolus; Marcus Evangelista; Lucas Evangelista. . 2. Aufl. Gottingen, 1907.

Godet - Godet F. Commentar zu dem Evangelium des Johannes. Hanover, 1903.

De Wette W.M.L. Kurze Erklärung des Evangeliums Matthäi / Kurzgefasstes exegetisches Handbuch zum Neuen Testament, Band 1, Teil 1. Leipzig, 1857.

Keil (1879) - Keil C.F. Commentar über die Evangelien des Markus und Lukas. Leipzig, 1879.

Keil (1881) - Keil C.F. Commentar über das Evangelium des Johannes. Leipzig, 1881.

Klostermann - Klostermann A. Das Markusevangelium nach seinem Quellenwerthe für die evangelische Geschichte. Gottingen, 1867.

Cornelius a Lapide - Cornelius a Lapide. In SS Matthaeum et Marcum / Commentaria in scripturam sacram, t. 15. Parisiis, 1857.

Lagrange - Lagrange M.-J. Etudes bibliques: Evangile selon St. Marc. Paris, 1911.

Lange - Lange J.P. Das Evangelium nach Matthäus. Bielefeld, 1861.

Loisy (1903) - Loisy A.F. Le quatrième èvangile. Paris, 1903.

Loisy (1907-1908) - Loisy A.F. Les èvangiles synoptiques, 1-2. : Ceffonds, près Montier-en-Der, 1907-1908.

Luthardt - Luthardt Ch.E. Das johanneische Evangelium nach seiner Eigenthümlichkeit geschildert und erklärt. Nürnberg, 1876.

Meyer (1864) - Meyer H.A.W. Kritisch exegetisches Commentar über das Neue Testament, Abteilung 1, Hälfte 1: Handbuch über das Evangelium des Matthäus. Gottingen, 1864.

Meyer (1885) - Kritisch-exegetischer Commentar über das Neue Testament hrsg. von Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer, Abteilung 1, Hälfte 2: Bernhard Weiss B. Kritisch exegetisches Handbuch über die Evangelien des Markus und Lukas. Göttingen, 1885. Meyer (1902) - Meyer H.A.W. Das Johannes-Evangelium 9. Auflage, bearbeitet von B. Weiss. Gottingen, 1902.

Merx (1902) - Merx A. Erläuterung: Matthaeus / Die vier kanonischen Evangelien nach ihrem ältesten bekannten Texte, Teil 2, Hälfte 1. Berlin, 1902.

Merx (1905) - Merx A. Erläuterung: Markus und Lukas / Die vier kanonischen Evangelien nach ihrem ältesten bekannten Texte. Teil 2, Hälfte 2. Berlin, 1905.

Morison - Morison J. A practical commentary on the Gospel according to St. Matthew. London, 1902.

Stanton - Stanton V.H. The Synoptic Gospels / The Gospels as historical documents, Part 2. Cambridge, 1903. Tholuck (1856) - Tholuck A. Die Bergpredigt. Gotha, 1856.

Tholuck (1857) - Tholuck A. Commentar zum Evangelium Johannis. Gotha, 1857.

Heitmüller - see Yog. Weiss (1907).

Holtzmann (1901) - Holtzmann H.J. Die Synoptiker. Tubingen, 1901.

Holtzmann (1908) - Holtzmann H.J. Evangelium, Briefe und Offenbarung des Johannes / Hand-Commentar zum Neuen Testament bearbeitet von H. J. Holtzmann, R. A. Lipsius etc. Bd. 4. Freiburg im Breisgau, 1908.

Zahn (1905) - Zahn Th. Das Evangelium des Matthäus / Commentar zum Neuen Testament, Teil 1. Leipzig, 1905.

Zahn (1908) - Zahn Th. Das Evangelium des Johannes ausgelegt / Commentar zum Neuen Testament, Teil 4. Leipzig, 1908.

Schanz (1881) - Schanz P. Commentar über das Evangelium des heiligen Marcus. Freiburg im Breisgau, 1881.

Schanz (1885) - Schanz P. Commentar über das Evangelium des heiligen Johannes. Tubingen, 1885.

Schlatter - Schlatter A. Das Evangelium des Johannes: ausgelegt für Bibelleser. Stuttgart, 1903.

Schürer, Geschichte - Schürer E., Geschichte des jüdischen Volkes im Zeitalter Jesu Christi. Bd. 1-4. Leipzig, 1901-1911.

Edersheim (1901) - Edersheim A. The life and times of Jesus the Messiah. 2 Vols. London, 1901.

Ellen - Allen W.C. A critical and exegetical commentary of the Gospel according to st. Matthew. Edinburgh, 1907.

Alford N. The Greek Testament in four volumes, vol. 1. London, 1863.

K. Jesus' Intercessory Prayer (Chapter 17)

1. JESUS' PRAYER FOR HIMSELF (17:1-5)

After washing the disciples' feet (13:1-30) and giving them private instruction (chapters 14-16), Jesus prayed (chapter 17). It is called the "high priest's prayer" or the "Lord's prayer."

Jesus ends his instruction to his disciples with a cry of victory: I have overcome the world (16:33). In essence, this was a foreshadowing of His victory on the cross. Throughout His earthly ministry, Jesus did the will of the Father (Luke 4:42; 6:12; 11:1; Matt. 20-26). Now, before returning to the Father, He first offered prayer for Himself (17:1-5), then for the apostles (verses 6-19), and finally for the Christians of subsequent times (verses 20-26).

John 17:1. Jesus had special access to God in prayer as His Son. Appeal Father! He repeats it four times in this prayer (John 17:1,5,21,24); Moreover, in verse 11, Christ calls God “Holy Father,” and in verse 25, “Righteous Father.”

The hour has come. The time for the fulfillment of God's plan of redemption was appointed by the Father Himself. Repeatedly before, Jesus said that “the time has not yet come” (2:4; 7:6,8,30; 8:20). But now it has come (compare 12:23; 13:1).

Glorify Your Son, Jesus prayed. This request for "glorification" implied both the provision of help in suffering and the acceptance of Jesus' sacrifice, and His resurrection, and His restoration to His original glory. The ultimate goal was to glorify the Father in the Son, that is, Jesus’ prayer was that in Him wisdom, power and love would be revealed to the world of God. The purpose of believers is also to glorify God (verse 10); in essence, this is the main purpose of man (Rom. 11:36; 16:27; 1 Cor. 10:31; Eph. 1:6,12,14).

John 17:2. From the words Since You gave Him power over all flesh (here meaning “the whole human race”) it follows that what Jesus asked for in prayer was in accordance with the Father’s plan. For the Father established the dominion of the Son over the earth (Ps. 2). Hence the right of the Son to execute judgment (John 5:27) on those who reject Him, and to give eternal life to those whom the Father has given Him. Five times in this prayer (17:2,6 - twice, 9, 24) Jesus mentions those whom the Heavenly Father has given to Him.

John 17:3. According to the definition of Jesus Christ, eternal life corresponds to the constant knowledge of the one true God through His Son (Matt. 11:27), which occurs (implied) in the process of continuous and dynamic close communication with Him. The Greek, ginoskosin (“let them know”) presupposes precisely deeply intimate knowledge, which follows from the use of this word both in the Septuagint and in the Greek text of the New Testament.

So, eternal life is not identical to endless existence. For everyone will exist in one way or another indefinitely (Matt. 25:46), the point, however, is where and how.

John 17:4-5. Jesus prays for Himself on the basis of the work He has done (4:34), the work that the Father has given Him to do. By doing it, He glorified the Father on earth (compare with 17:1). Despite the fact that the sufferings of the cross were just before Jesus, He speaks of them as having already been accomplished. And based on this, he repeats the request for “glorification” of Him by the Father, that is, for His restoration to the glory that He originally had with the Father.

2. JESUS' PRAYER FOR THE APOSTLES (17:6-9)

Jesus prayed for His disciples before He chose them (Luke 6:12), He prayed for them during His earthly ministry (John 6:15) and at the end of it (Luke 22:32; John 17:6- 19); He prays for His followers even now in heaven (Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25). He prays the intercessory prayer of love that he has for “His own.”

John 17:6-8. I have revealed Your name to men, that is, I have “revealed” You to them as a loving Father. Jesus is talking here about a small group of disciples that was given to Him by the Heavenly Father (verse 2, 9, 24). For this purpose they were separated by the Father from the world.

And they kept Your word - in this phrase Jesus pays tribute to the disciples for the fact that from Him and in Him they received (despite all their imperfections) God's Gospel. Their faith in Jesus was faith in His unity with the Father and in the fact that He came from Him, being sent by Him.

John 17:9-10. Christ offered this prayer (verses 6-10) in the “narrow sense” for the eleven apostles, although it can also be considered as a prayer for all believers (verse 20). In any case, here Jesus was not praying for the whole world, mired in unbelief and hostility towards God. His prayer is for two things: a) that the Father would preserve (“keep,” verse 11) His disciples and b) sanctify them (verse 17). The Son prayed for His disciples as God’s “property” from the creation of the world and by the Father’s choice (they are Yours). The words of the Lord: And all that is mine is yours, and yours is mine - testify to His unity, closeness and equality with the Father.

Since ancient times, God dwelt among people and more than once showed them His glory, but in a very special way He showed it in His Son - Jesus Christ (1:14).

Jesus speaks of His future glorification in his disciples as a fact that has already happened: and I was glorified in them. This glorification of the Son through believers occurs continually in the Church Age through the work of the Holy Spirit (16:14; compare Eph. 1:12).

John 17:11. Jesus was soon to depart to the Father, but the disciples remained in the world, where, in accordance with God’s plan, they were to preach the Good News of redemption and “plant” the Church of Christ. With the formation of the Church, the world seemed to be divided into two “kingdoms”: God’s and man’s. Because the apostles remained in an environment hostile to God and them, Jesus prayed for the Father to protect them.

In his address to God, the Holy Father Jesus expressed the idea of ​​the “separation” of God from the sinful creatures of this world; this holiness is also the basis for believers to be “separated” from the world. The world, however, is under the complete control of God, and He is able to protect believers from its sinful influences and hostile actions and "keep" them in His name (i.e., "by the power of His name"; Prov. 18:10) . (In ancient biblical times, a name symbolized the person who bore it.)

Jesus' thought is that in God - as His refuge - Christians must find a unity (the guarantee of their survival and successful work for the glory of the Son), similar to the unity of the Father and the Son: so that they would be one, just as We are (compare with verses 21- 22).

John 17:12. As the Good Shepherd, Jesus cared for the “flock” entrusted to Him by the Father. Only Judas Iscariot was “lost.” The Lord calls him the son of perdition. But in essence, Judas was never a “sheep” of Christ, and his true nature only revealed itself in his act of betrayal. He was a "dead branch" (commentary on John 15:2,6). Judas seemed to act as he wanted, however, without realizing it, he was an instrument in the hands of Satan (13: 2,27). It is important to note that the seemingly arbitrary actions of people somehow “correspond” to what God intended in His plans (Acts 2:23; 4:28). Thus, the betrayal of Judas was accomplished in fulfillment of the prophecy recorded in Ps. 40:10 (that the Scripture may be fulfilled); in it King David, betrayed by his friend, is a prototype of Jesus Christ.

John 17:13. This Jesus says is also a consolation to the disciples. After His suffering, they will remember His words, and their joy will be complete - from the consciousness that Jesus defeated evil and gave them eternal life.

John 17:14. By continuing to intercede for the disciples, Jesus, as it were, reminds the Father of their “value” and the danger that threatens them. Their value in the eyes of God was determined by the fact that they accepted His word: I gave them Your word. The danger came for them from the worldly satanic system, to which they became alien, which is why the world hated them. For someone who believes in Jesus Christ, everything in the world - “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life” (1 John 2:16) - loses its former attractiveness. Those who still share these “values” pay them with hostility.

John 17:15. God's plan does not provide for the deliverance of believers from troubles and sorrows by “taking” them from the world. His goal is to keep them from evil in its very abyss, so that in the midst of darkness they testify to the light.

John 17:16-17. Just as Jesus did not belong to the satanic worldly system (I am not of the world), neither do believers. They are citizens Kingdom of Heaven(Col. 1:13) - according to his new birth (John 3:3). As such, Jesus asks the Father to preserve them through sanctification (or literally, “by setting them apart for a special purpose”).

The means of the Christian's constant sanctification is God's truth, which is "hidden" in God's word. As a person hears, perceives, and believes the truth about Jesus Christ, his heart and mind are won over to it. And as a result of a change in his “mindset,” his lifestyle also changes. In due time, God's truth sanctified the apostles, separating them from the world (15:3) so that they could do the will of the Father, and not Satan. It also applies to believers of all ages, whose purpose is to glorify God.

John 17:18. Jesus is the model for all who believe in Him. He was in the world, but He was not of the world (14b, 16b). He was sent into the world by His Father. Christians are sent into the world by the Son - with a mission similar to the one He performed - to proclaim to humanity about the Father (20:21). And since Jesus’ prayer was offered not only for a narrow circle of the apostles (17:20), then in some sense these verses (18-20 et seq.) echo the Great Commission of Christ recorded in Matthew (Matthew 28:18-20 ). Every Christian should view himself as a missionary, called to bring God's truth to people.

John 17:19. In the Greek text there is the same verb, which is translated into Russian in one case as “I dedicate”, and in the other as “sanctified”. Literally the original says: “sanctified in truth.” This should probably be understood in the sense that God's truth is the means of sanctification (interpretation of verse 17). Jesus “devotes Himself” to the work of the Heavenly Father to the end, without stopping before the suffering of the cross, with the goal that the disciples could be sanctified by the truth (or “in the truth”), in other words, so that henceforth believers would be separated from the world (sanctified) for implementation of God's plan on earth.

3. JESUS' PRAYER FOR ALL WHO BELIEVE (17:20-26)

John 17:20. The final part of the Jesus Prayer (verses 20-26) was dedicated to future generations of believers who will turn to Him according to the word of the apostles. All who have become Christians throughout the history of the Church have become Christians (directly or indirectly) thanks to the testimony left by the first followers of Christ. Jesus knew His mission would be successful. He had to die and be resurrected and then send the Spirit to earth, and the apostles had to go around the world preaching, thanks to which people would turn to the Lord, and the Church, once established, would grow and strengthen.

Just as the High Priest of Israel “carried” the names of all 12 tribes of Israel when he came into the presence of God (whether in the tabernacle or in the temple; Ex. 28:9-12,21-29), now Jesus is the Great High Priest , brought into the holy presence of His Heavenly Father the “names” of all those who would believe in the future (Heb. 4:14 - 5:12; 7:24 - 8:2).

John 17:21. Jesus prays for the unity of believers in the coming centuries (compare verses 11, 22). This verse is most often referred to by representatives of the modern ecumenical movement. It cannot be denied, of course, that a divided Church is a sad phenomenon in many respects. However, formal unification or unity cannot help the matter.

And Christ prayed here not for some universal ecumenical Church, in which doctrinal heresy would be “combined” with the traditional vision of God’s truth, as it was initially preached by the apostles, but for unity in love, for unity in obedience to God and His word, and in this sense - about the “united” desire of Christians to fulfill His will. There is a difference between uniformity, unity and unity in the above meaning.

All believers belong to the same “body” of Christ (1 Cor. 12:13), and their spiritual unity should be demonstrated in their lifestyle. The ideal of this unity, to which they should strive, is the unity between the Son and the Father: ... as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, that they also may be one in Us (compare with John 10:38; 17: 11.23). The Father creates through the Son, and the Son always does what pleases the Father (5:30; 8:29).

This spiritual unity should be reflected in the Church. Without unity with Jesus and with the Father (so are they... in Us), Christians can do nothing (compare 15:5). On the other hand, this unity of the disciples of all generations with Jesus in His body convincingly testifies to the world that He was truly sent to earth by the Heavenly Father (17:23).

John 17:22-23. By the glory that Christ gave to them (obviously the Church), He may have meant the glory of the cross (verses 1-5). As the Church comprehended the full significance of the redemptive feat of Jesus Christ, the unity of believers had to be strengthened and improved (will be accomplished) - for the sake of realizing God's goals on earth and His plan of redemption. And again the unity of Christians (that they may be one is likened to the unity of the Father and the Son as We are one; compare verses 11,21).

The guarantee of this unity of believers is the abiding of Jesus Christ in them (I am in them; verse 23). And its purpose is twofold: a) for the world to believe in the Divine mission of the Son (that the world may know that You sent Me) and b) for the world to realize that God’s love for believers is as strong and eternal as His love for His only begotten Son (verse 26).

John 17:24. The disciples' closeness and fellowship with Jesus in this life will increase immeasurably in eternity. The believer's salvation provides for his future glorification, which includes his eternal presence with Jesus (compare 14:3; Col. 3:4; 1 Thess. 4:17). Here the words of Christ addressed to the Father no longer sound like a request, but as an expression of His desire, will: I want them to be with Me, so that they can see My glory. Jesus speaks of the glory that He had with the Father and that He will regain (17:5). His will here will be, like a seal, sealed by His death and resurrection. And since the desire He expressed was identical to the desire and will of the Father (4:34; 5:30; 6:38), there is no doubt about its fulfillment.

John 17:25-26. Jesus' prayer for believers ends with His address to God with the words: Righteous Father! The Heavenly Father is righteous, just, but the world, unlike the disciples of Christ, which does not know Him, is unrighteous. A just God will not refuse the Son’s request regarding those people to whom He, having known the Father, revealed Him, so that they also now knew that Jesus was sent by God.

God is love (1 John 4:8). Christ revealed this to people in its entirety, accepting martyrdom for them on the cross (it seems that in this sense His words should be understood: I have revealed Your name to them and will reveal it). The Son is the unchangeable (and above all else) object of love of the Father, who raised Him from the dead and glorified Him. And He will transfer His love for Him to people who believe in the Son, and with it in their souls the Son - the incarnate love of the Father - will abide Himself: so that the love with which You loved Me will be in them, and I in them.

So, Jesus asked the Father for four things for Christians: that they would be preserved by Him (John 17:11) and sanctified (verse 17); so that they would be one (verse 11, 21-22) and share His glory (verse 24). His prayer, of course, did not go unanswered (compare 11:42; 1 John 5:14).

Synodal translation. The chapter is voiced by role by the studio “Light in the East”.

1. After these words, Jesus raised His eyes to heaven and said: Father! the hour has come, glorify Your Son, that Your Son also will glorify You,
2. Because You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He may give eternal life to all that You have given Him.
3. This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.
4. I glorified You on earth, I completed the work that You entrusted Me with.
5. And now glorify Me, O Father, with You, with the glory that I had with You before the world was.
6. I have revealed Your name to the people whom You gave Me out of the world; They were Yours, and You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word.
7. Now they have understood that everything that You have given Me is from You,
8. For the words that You gave Me I delivered to them, and they received and understood truly that I came from You, and they believed that You sent Me.
9. I pray for them: I do not pray for the whole world, but for those whom You have given Me, because they are Yours.
10. And everything Mine is Yours, and Yours is Mine; and I was glorified in them.
11. I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to You. Holy Father! keep them in Your name, those whom You have given Me, so that they may be one, just as We are.
12. When I was at peace with them, I kept them in Thy name; those whom You gave Me I have kept, and none of them perished except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.
13. Now I come to You, and I say this in the world, so that they may have My complete joy in themselves.
14. I gave them Your word; and the world hated them, because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
15. I do not pray that You take them out of the world, but that You keep them from evil.
16. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
17. Sanctify them with Your truth: Your word is truth.
18. As You sent Me into the world, so I sent them into the world.
19. And for their sake I consecrate Myself, so that they too may be sanctified by the truth.
20. I pray not only for them, but also for those who believe in Me through their word,
21. May they all be one, just as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, so may they also be one in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.
22. And the glory which You gave Me, I have given them: that they may be one, even as We are one.
23. I am in them, and You are in Me; that they may be perfected in one, and that the world may know that You sent Me and loved them as You loved Me.
24. Father! whom You have given Me, I want them to be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory, which You have given Me, because You loved Me before the foundation of the world.
25. Righteous Father! and the world did not know You; but I have known You, and these have known that You sent Me.
26. And I have made your name known to them, and will make it known, that the love with which you loved me may be in them, and I in them.

As You sent Me into the world, so I sent them into the world.

And for them I consecrate Myself, so that they too may be sanctified by the truth.

I pray not only for them, but also for those who believe in Me through their word,

that they may all be one, just as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, so that they also may be one in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.

And the glory that You gave Me, I have given them: that they may be one, even as We are one.

I am in them, and You are in Me; that they may be made perfect, and that the world may know that You sent Me and loved them as You loved Me.

Father! whom You have given Me, I want them to be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory, which You have given Me, because You loved Me before the foundation of the world.

Righteous Father! and the world did not know You; but I have known You, and these have known that You sent Me.

And I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.

Interpretation of Theophylact of Bulgaria

He adds: “Just as You sent Me into the world... and for them I dedicate Myself,” that is, I sacrifice; so You sanctify them too, that is, set them apart as a sacrifice for preaching and make them witnesses of the truth, just as You sent Me as a witness of the truth and a sacrifice. For everything that is sacrificed is called holy. “So that they too,” like Me, “may be sanctified” and offered to You, God, not as sacrifices under the law, sacrificed in an image, but “in the truth.”

For the Old Testament sacrifices, for example, a lamb, doves, turtle doves, etc., were images, and everything holy in the type was dedicated to God, prefiguring something else, spiritual. The souls offered to God are in truth sanctified, set apart and dedicated to God, as Paul says: “Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy” (Rom. 12:1).

So, sanctify and consecrate the souls of the disciples, and make them true offerings, or strengthen them to endure death for the truth.

John 17:20. I pray not only for them, but also for those who believe in Me through their word,

Said, “For them I dedicate Myself.” So that anyone would not think that He died only for the apostles, he adds: “Not only about them, but also about all those who believe in Me according to their word.” Here He again encouraged the souls of the apostles that they would have many disciples. And so that, hearing “I pray not only for them,” the apostles would not be tempted, as if He did not give them any advantage over others, he consoles them, declaring that for many they will be the originators of faith and salvation.

John 17:21. May they all be one

And how He betrayed them sufficiently to the Father so that He would sanctify them by faith and make a holy sacrifice for them for the truth, finally speaks again about unanimity, and where he began, that is, with love, and thus ends his speech and says: “Let them be “all are one,” that is, may they have peace and like-mindedness, and in Us, that is, by faith in Us, may they maintain complete harmony. For nothing tempts disciples more than when teachers are divided and not of the same mind.

as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, so that they also may be one in Us -:

For who would want to obey those who are not of the same mind? Therefore he says: “And they may be one in faith in Us, as You, Father, are in Me and I in You.” The particle “how” again does not mean perfect equality. For it is impossible for us to unite with each other, like the Father and the Son. The particle “how” should be understood in the same way as in the words “be merciful, just as your Father is” (Luke 6:36).

that the world may believe that You have sent Me.

The unanimity of the disciples will prove that I, the Teacher, came from God. If there is discord between them, then no one will say that they are disciples of the Conciliator; and if I am not the Reconciler, then they will not recognize Me as sent from You. Do you see how He completely confirms His unanimity with the Father?

John 17:22. And the glory that You gave Me, I have given them: that they may be one, even as We are one.

What glory did He give? The glory of miracles, the dogmas of teaching and also the glory of unanimity, “that they may be one.” For this glory is greater than the glory of miracles. “As we are amazed before God, because in His nature there is no rebellion or struggle, and this is the greatest glory, so,” he says, “let them also be glorious in the same way, that is, like-mindedness.”

John 17:23. I am in them, and You are in Me; may they be perfect in one,

“I am in them, and You are in Me.” This shows that the apostles included the Father within themselves. “For I,” he says, “am in them; and I have You in Me, therefore You also are in them.”

In another place he says that the Father and He Himself will come and create a monastery (John 14:23). Here He stops the mouth of Sabellius and shows two Faces. This overthrows the fury of Arius; for he says that the Father abides in the disciples through Him.

and let the world know that You sent Me

“Let the world know that You sent Me.” He often talks about this to show that peace can attract more than a miracle. For just as enmity destroys, so harmony strengthens.

and loved them as you loved Me.

Here again understand the particle “how” to mean how much a person can be loved.

John 17:24. Father! whom You have given Me, I want them to be with Me where I am,

So, having said that they will be safe, that they will be holy, that many will believe through them, that they will receive great glory, he now speaks of the rewards and crowns that will be offered to them after their departure from here. “I want,” he says, “for them to be where I am”; and lest you, having heard this, think that they will receive the same dignity as He, he adds:

let them see My glory,

He did not say “let them receive My glory,” but “let them see,” for the greatest pleasure for man is to contemplate the Son of God. And in this there is glory for all those who are worthy, just as Paul says: “But we all with unveiled face behold the glory of the Lord” (2 Cor. 3:18). This shows that then they will contemplate Him not as they now see Him, not in a humiliated form, but in the glory that He had before the creation of the world.

which You gave Me, because You loved Me before the foundation of the world.

“I had this glory,” he says, “because You loved Me.” For “he loved me” is placed in the middle. As above (John 17:5) he said: “Glorify Me with the glory that I had before the world was,” so now he says that the glory of the Divine was given to Him before the foundation of the world. For truly the Father gave Him Godhead, as the Father gave to the Son by nature. Since He gave birth to Him, then, as the Author of existence, He is necessarily called the Author and Giver of glory.

John 17:25. Righteous Father! and the world did not know You; but I have known You, and these have known that You sent Me.

After such a prayer for the believers and promising them so many benefits, he finally expresses something merciful and worthy of His love for mankind. He says: “Righteous Father! I would like all people to receive the same benefits that I asked for the faithful, but they did not know You and therefore will not receive that glory and those rewards.”

“And I have come to know You.” It also hints at the Jews who said that they know God, and shows that they do not know the Father. For in many places he calls the Jews “the world.”

John 17:26. And I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.

Although the Jews say that You did not send Me; but I have made known to My disciples “And I have revealed Your name, and I will make it known.” How can I open it? Sending down upon them the Spirit, who will guide them into all truth. And when they know who You are, then the love with which You loved Me will be in them, and I in them. For they will know that I am not alienated from You, but am greatly loved, that I am Your true Son and united to You. Having learned this, they will maintain faith in Me and love, and, finally, I will remain in them because they are such that they know You and honor Me as God. And they will keep their faith in Me unshakable.

William BARKLEY (1907-1978)- Scottish theologian, professor at the University of Glasgow. Within 28 years of teaching at the Department of New Testament Studies. Taught New Testament and Ancient Greek: .

“The power of Christian love should keep us in harmony. Christian love is that good will, that benevolence that never becomes irritated, and that always wants only good for others. It is not simply an impulse of the heart, such as human love; it is a victory of the will won with the help of Jesus Christ. This does not mean loving only those who love us, or those who please us, or those who are nice. And this means unshakable goodwill, even towards those who hate us, towards those who do not like us, and towards those who are unpleasant and disgusting to us. This is the true essence of the Christian life and it affects us on earth and in eternity» William Barclay

COMMENTS ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN: Chapter 17

THE GLORY OF THE CROSS (John 17:1-5)

The culmination of Jesus' life was the Cross. For Him, the Cross was the glory of His life and the glory of eternity. He said, “The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified” (John 12:23). What did Jesus mean when He spoke of the Cross as His glory? There are several answers to this question.

1. History has repeatedly confirmed the fact that many great people found their glory in death. Their deaths and the way they died helped people see who they were. They may have been misunderstood, underestimated, condemned as criminals in life, but their deaths revealed their true place in history.

Abraham Lincoln had enemies during his lifetime, but even those who criticized him saw his greatness after the assassin's bullet felled him and said, “He is immortal now.” Secretary of War Stanton always considered Lincoln simple and uncouth, and never hid his contempt for him, but, looking at him dead body with tears in his eyes, said, “Here lies the greatest leader this world has ever seen.”

Joan of Arc was burned at the stake as a witch and heretic. There was one Englishman in the crowd who swore that he would add an armful of brushwood to the fire. “May my soul go,” he said, “where the soul of this woman goes.” When Montrose was executed, he was led through the streets of Edinburgh to the Mercate Cross. His enemies encouraged the crowd to abuse him and even provided them with ammunition to throw at him, but not a single voice was raised in curse and not a single hand was raised against him. He was in his festive clothes with ties on his shoes and thin white gloves on his hands. An eyewitness, one James Fraser, said: “He walked down the street solemnly, and his face expressed so much beauty, majesty and importance that everyone was surprised to look at him, and many enemies recognized him as the bravest man in the world and saw in him courage, which embraced the whole crowd." Notary John Nichol saw him more like a groom than a criminal. An English official in the crowd wrote to his superiors: “It is absolutely true that he has defeated more enemies in Scotland by his death than if he had remained alive. I confess that I have never seen more magnificent posture on a man in my entire life.”

Time and again the greatness of the martyr was revealed in his death. So it was with Jesus, and therefore the centurion at His Cross exclaimed: “Truly He was the Son of God!” (Matthew 27:54). The cross was the glory of Christ because He never looked more majestic than in His death. The cross was His glory because its magnetism drew people to Him in a way that even His life could not, and that power is still alive today.

THE GLORY OF THE CROSS (John 17:1-5 continued)

2. Further, the Cross was the glory of Jesus because it was the consummation of His ministry. “I have finished the work that You gave Me to do,” He says in this passage. If Jesus had not gone to the Cross, He would not have completed His work. Why is this so? Because Jesus came into the world to tell people about the love of God and show it to them. If He had not gone to the Cross, it would have turned out that God's love reaches a certain limit and no further. By going to the Cross, Jesus showed that there is nothing that God would not do to save people, and that God's love has no limits.

One famous painting from the First World War shows a signalman repairing a field telephone. He had just finished repairing the line so that an important message could be transmitted where it should be, when he was shot dead. The painting depicts him at the moment of death, and below there is only one word: “Succeeded.” He gave his life so that an important message could travel along the line to its destination. This is exactly what Christ did. He accomplished His work, brought God's love to people. To Him it meant the Cross, but the Cross was His glory because He finished the work that God gave Him to do. He convinced people forever of God's love.

3. But there is one more question: how did the Cross glorify God? God can only be glorified by obeying Him. A child honors his parents by being obedient to them. A citizen of a country honors his country by obedience to its laws. A student salutes the teacher when he obeys his instructions. Jesus brought glory and honor to the Father by His complete obedience to Him. The Gospel narrative makes it very clear that Jesus could have avoided the Cross. Humanly speaking, He could have turned back and not gone to Jerusalem at all. But looking at Jesus in His last days, I just want to say: “Look how He loved God the Father! Look to what extent His obedience went!” He glorified God on the Cross by giving Him complete obedience and complete love.

4. But that's not all. Jesus prayed to God to glorify Himself and Him. The cross was not the end. The Resurrection followed. And this was the restoration of Jesus, proof that people can do the most terrible evil, but Jesus will still triumph. It turned out as if God pointed with one hand to the Cross and said: “This is the opinion that people have of My Son,” and with the other to the Resurrection and said: “This is the opinion I hold.” The worst thing that people could do to Jesus was revealed on the Cross, but even this worst thing could not overcome Him. The glory of the Resurrection revealed the meaning of the Cross.

5. For Jesus, the Cross was a means of returning to the Father. “Glorify Me,” He prayed, “with the glory that I had with You before the world was.” He was like a knight who left the king's court to do a dangerous, terrible deed, and who, having completed it, returned home victorious to enjoy the glory of victory. Jesus came from God and returned to Him. The feat in between was the Cross. Therefore, for Him the Cross was the gateway to glory, and if He had refused to pass through this gate, there would have been no glory for Him to enter into. For Jesus, the Cross was a return to God.

ETERNAL LIFE (John 17:1-5 (continued)

There is another important idea in this passage. It contains the definition of eternal life. Eternal life is the knowledge of God and Jesus Christ whom He sent. Let us remind ourselves what the word eternal means. In Greek this word sounds aionis and refers not so much to the length of life, because endless life for some it is undesirable, as much as for the quality of life. There is only one Person to whom this word applies, and that Person is God. Eternal life, therefore, is something other than the life of God. To find it, to enter into it, means already now to manifest something of its splendor, greatness and joy, peace and holiness, which characterize the life of God.

Knowing God is a characteristic thought of the Old Testament. “Wisdom is a tree of life to those who acquire it, and blessed are those who keep it” (Proverbs 3:18). “The righteous are saved by insight” (Prov. 11:9). Habakkuk dreamed of a Golden Age and said: “The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea” - (Hab. 2:14). Hosea hears the voice of God, which tells him: “My people will be destroyed for lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6). The rabbinical commentary asks on what small portion of Scripture the entire essence of the law rests, and answers: “In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths” (Prov. 3:6). And another rabbinic interpretation says that Amos reduced the many commandments of the law to one: “Seek Me and you will live” (Amos 5:4), because seeking God is necessary for true life. But what does it mean to know God?

1. There is undoubtedly an element of intellectual knowledge in this. This means knowing the character of God and knowing this makes a significant difference in a person's life. Let's give two examples. Pagans in undeveloped countries believe in many gods. Every tree, stream, hill, mountain, river, stone contains for them a god with his spirit. All these spirits are hostile to man, and savages live in fear of these gods, always afraid of offending them in some way. Missionaries say it is almost impossible to comprehend the wave of relief that comes over these people when they learn that there is only one God. This new knowledge changes everything for them. And what changes everything even more is the knowledge that this God is not strict and cruel, but that He is love.

We know this now, but we would never have known it if Jesus had not come and told us about it. We are entering new life and we share in a certain way the life of God Himself through what Jesus did: we know God, that is, we know what He is like in character.

2. But there is something else. The Old Testament also applies the word “to know” to sexual life. “And Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived...” (Gen. 4:1). A husband and wife's knowledge of each other is the most intimate of all knowledge. Husband and wife are not two, but one flesh. The sexual act itself is not as important as the intimacy of the mind, soul and heart, which in true love precedes sexual intercourse. Consequently, to know God means not only to comprehend Him with one’s head, but it means to be in a personal, closest relationship with Him, similar to the closest and dearest union on earth. Here again, without Jesus, such a close relationship would neither be imaginable nor possible. Only Jesus revealed to people that God is not a distant, unattainable Being, but a Father whose name and whose nature is love.

To know God is to know what He is like and to be in the most intimate, personal relationship with Him. But neither one nor the other is possible without Jesus Christ.

6-8 THE WORK OF JESUS ​​(John 17:6-8)

Jesus gives us a definition of the work He did. He says to the Father: “I have revealed Your name to men.” There are two great ideas here that should be clear to us.

1. The first idea is typical and integral to the Old Testament. This is the name idea. In the Old Testament the name is used in a special way. It reflects not only the name by which a person is called, but his entire character, as far as it is possible to know it. The psalmist says: “And those who know Your name will trust in you” (Ps. 9:11). This does not mean that everyone who knows the name of the Lord, that is, what His name is, will certainly trust in Him, but it does mean that those who know what God is like, know His character and nature, will be glad to trust in Him.

Elsewhere the psalmist says: “Some in chariots, some in horses, but we glory in the name of the Lord our God” (Ps. 19:8). It goes on to say: “I will proclaim Your name to my brothers, in the midst of the congregation I will praise You” (Ps. 21:23). The Jews said about this psalm that it prophesies about the Messiah and the work that He will do, and that this work will consist in the fact that the Messiah will reveal to people the name of God and the character of God. “Your people will know your name,” says the prophet Isaiah about the new age (Is. 52:6). This means that in the Golden Age people will truly know what God is like.

So when Jesus says, “I have made Your name known to men,” He means, “I have enabled men to see what the nature of God really is.” In fact, this is the same as what is said elsewhere: “He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). The greatest significance of Jesus is that in Him people see the mind, character, and heart of God.

2. The second idea is as follows. In later times, when the Jews spoke of the name of God, they had in mind the sacred four-letter symbol, the so-called Tetragrammaton, expressed approximately by the following letters - IHVH. This name was considered so sacred that it was never spoken. Only the High Priest, entering the Holy of Holies on the Day of Atonement, could recite it. These four letters symbolize the name Yahweh. We usually use the word Jehovah, but this change in vowels comes from the fact that the vowels in the word Jehovah are the same as in the word Adonai, which means Lord. The Hebrew alphabet had no vowels at all, and later they were added in the form of small signs above and below the consonants. Since the letters IHVH were sacred, the vowels of Adonai were placed under them, so that when the reader approached them, he could read not Yahweh, but Adonai - the Lord. This means that during the life of Jesus on earth, the name of God was so sacred that ordinary people should not have known, much less pronounced it. God was a distant, invisible King whose name was not supposed to be spoken by the common people, but Jesus said: “I have revealed to you the name of God, and that name which was so sacred that you did not dare to pronounce it can now be pronounced because I committed. I have brought the distant, invisible God so close that even the simplest person can talk to Him and pronounce His name out loud.”

Jesus claims that He revealed to men the true nature and character of God, and brought Him closer to Him so that even the humblest Christian can speak His previously unspoken name.

THE MEANING OF DISCIPLESHIP (John 17:6-8 (continued)

This passage also sheds light on the meaning and significance of discipleship.

1. Discipleship is based on the knowledge that Jesus came from God. A disciple is one who has realized that Jesus Christ is the Messenger of God, and that His speech is the voice of God, and His deeds are the deeds of God. A disciple is one who sees God in Christ and understands that no one in the entire universe can be what Jesus is.

2. Discipleship is demonstrated by obedience. A disciple is one who fulfills the word of God by receiving it from the mouth of Jesus. This is the one who accepted the ministry of Jesus. As long as we are willing to do as we please, we cannot be disciples, because discipleship means obedience.

3. Apprenticeship is given for the intended purpose. Jesus' disciples were given to Him by God. They were meant to be disciples in God's plan. This does not mean that God appoints some people to be disciples and deprives others of this calling. This does not at all mean a predestination to discipleship. A parent, for example, dreams of greatness for his son, but the son may abandon his father's plan and take a different path. Likewise, a teacher may choose a huge task for his student to glorify God, but a lazy and selfish student may refuse.

If we love someone, we dream of a great future for such a person, but such a dream may remain unfulfilled. The Pharisees believed in fate, but at the same time they believed in free will. They insisted that everything was decreed by God, except the fear of God. And God has a destiny for every person, and our greatest responsibility is that we can accept destiny from God or refuse it, but we are still not in the hands of fate, but in the hands of God. Someone noted that fate is essentially a force that forces action, and fate is the action that God intended for us. No one can avoid what they are forced to do, but everyone can avoid the work ordained by God.

In this passage, as in the whole chapter, there is Jesus' confidence in the future. When he was with the disciples whom God had given Him, He thanked God for them, having no doubt that they would do the work assigned to them. Let us just remember who Jesus’ disciples were. One commentator once remarked about Jesus' disciples: “Eleven fishermen from Galilee after three years of labor. But these are sufficient for Jesus, for they are the guarantee of the continuation of God’s work in the world.” When Jesus left the world, it seemed that He had no reason to have much hope. He seemed to achieve little and win over few followers to his side. The Orthodox religious Jews hated Him. But Jesus had divine trust in people. He was not afraid of humble beginnings. He looked optimistically into the future and seemed to say: “I have only eleven simple men, and with them I will rebuild the world.”

Jesus believed in God and trusted man. Knowing that Jesus has confidence in us is a great spiritual support for us, for we are easily discouraged. And we should not be afraid of human weakness and humble beginnings in work. We, too, should be strengthened by Christ's faith in God and trust in man. Only in this case we will not be discouraged, because this double faith opens up unlimited possibilities for us.

9-19 JESUS' PRAYER FOR THE DISCIPLES (John 17:9-19)

This passage is filled with such great truths that we can only comprehend the smallest parts of them. This speaks of the disciples of Christ.

1. Disciples were given to Jesus by God. What does it mean? This means that the Holy Spirit motivates a person to respond to the call of Jesus.

2. Jesus was glorified through the disciples. How? In the same way that a recovered patient glorifies his healer-doctor, or a successful student glorifies his diligent teacher. The bad man who became good through Jesus is the honor and glory of Jesus.

3. A disciple is a person authorized to serve. Just as God sent Jesus with a specific task, so Jesus sends the disciples with a specific task. Here the mystery of the meaning of the word peace is explained. Jesus begins by saying that He is praying for them, not for the whole world, but we already know that He came into the world because “He so loved the world.” From this Gospel we learned that the world means that society of people that organizes its life without God. It is into this society that Jesus sends His disciples, in order through them to return this society to God, to awaken its consciousness and memory of God. He prays for his disciples that they will be able to convert the world to Christ.

1. First, His complete joy. Everything He told them then should have brought them joy.

2. Secondly, He gives them a warning. He tells them that they are different from the world, and that they have nothing to expect from the world except enmity and hatred. Their moral views and standards are not consistent with those of the world, but they will find joy in conquering storms and fighting the waves. In facing the hatred of the world, we find true Christian joy.

Next, in this passage, Jesus makes one of His most powerful statements. In prayer to God He says: “All that is mine is yours and yours is mine.” The first part of this phrase is natural and easy to understand, because everything belongs to God and Jesus has already repeated this many times. But the second part of this phrase is amazing in its boldness: “And all are Yours.” Luther said this about this phrase: “No creature can say this about God.” Never before had Jesus expressed His oneness with God so clearly. He is one with God and manifests His power and right.

JESUS' PRAYER FOR THE DISCIPLES (John 17:9-19 continued)

The most interesting thing about this passage is what Jesus asked the Father for His disciples.

1. We must convert Special attention that Jesus did not ask God to take them out of the world. He did not pray that they might find deliverance for themselves, but he prayed for their victory. The kind of Christianity that hides in monasteries would not be Christianity at all in the eyes of Jesus. That kind of Christianity, the essence of which some see in prayer, meditation and isolation from the world, would seem to Him a greatly reduced version of the faith for which He came to die. He argued that it was in the very hustle and bustle of life that a person should manifest his Christianity.

Of course, we also need prayer, and meditation and solitude with God, but they do not represent the goal of a Christian, but only a means to achieve this goal. The goal is to manifest Christianity in the everyday dullness of this world. Christianity was never meant to separate a person from life, but its purpose is to provide a person with the strength to fight and apply him to life in any conditions. It does not offer us deliverance from everyday problems, but it gives us the key to resolving them. It does not offer peace, but victory in the struggle; not the kind of life in which all tasks can be bypassed and all troubles avoided, but one in which difficulties are faced head-on and overcome. However, just as it is true that a Christian must be not of the world, it is equally true that he must live in the world as a Christian, that is, “live in the world, but be not of the world.” We should have no desire to leave the world, but only a desire to gain it for Christ.

2. Jesus prayed for the unity of the disciples. Where there is division and rivalry between churches, there the cause of Christ suffers, and Jesus’ prayer for unity also suffers damage. The gospel cannot be preached where there is no unity among the brothers. It is impossible to evangelize the world among divided, competing churches. Jesus prayed that the disciples would be as one as He was with His Father. But there is no prayer that is more prevented from being fulfilled than this one. Its implementation is hindered by individual believers and entire churches.

3. Jesus prayed that God would protect His disciples from the attacks of the evil one. The Bible is not a speculative book and does not go into the origin of evil, but it confidently speaks about the existence of evil in the world, and about evil forces that are hostile to God. It is a great encouragement for us that God, like a sentry, stands over us and protects us from evil, encourages and delights us. We often fall because we try to live on our own and forget about the help that God, who protects us, offers us.

4. Jesus prayed that His disciples would be sanctified by the truth. The word sanctified - hageazein comes from the adjective hagios, which translates as holy or set apart, different. This word contains two ideas.

A) It means to set apart for special service. When God called Jeremiah, He said to him: “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, and before you came out of the womb, I sanctified you; I appointed you to be a prophet to the nations” (Jer. 1:5). Even before his birth, God placed Jeremiah in a special ministry. When God established the priesthood in Israel, He told Moses to anoint the sons of Aaron and ordain them as priests.

B) But the word hagiazein does not only mean setting aside for a special task or service, but also equipping a person with those qualities of mind, heart and character that will be needed for this service. In order for a person to serve God, he needs certain divine qualities, something from God’s goodness and wisdom. He who thinks to serve a holy God must himself be holy. God not only chooses a person for a special ministry and separates him from others, but also provides him with all the necessary qualities to fulfill the ministry entrusted to him.

We must always remember that God has chosen us and dedicated us to a special ministry. It is that we love Him and obey Him and bring others to Him. But God did not leave us to ourselves and our insignificant strength in the performance of His service, but in His goodness and mercy fits us for service if we surrender ourselves into His hands.

20-21 LOOKING TO THE FUTURE (John 17:20, 21)

Gradually, Jesus' prayer reached all the ends of the earth. First He prayed for Himself, since the Cross stood before Him, then He passed on to His disciples, asking God for help and protection for them, and now His prayer covers the distant future and He prays for those who in distant countries in future centuries will also accept the Christian faith .

Two character traits Jesus is clearly expressed here. First, we saw His complete faith and bright confidence. Despite the fact that He had few followers and the Cross awaited Him ahead, His confidence was unshakable and He prayed for those who would believe in Him in the future. This passage should be especially dear to us, for it is Jesus' prayer for us. Secondly, we saw His confidence in His disciples. He saw that they did not understand everything; He knew that they would all soon leave Him in His greatest need and trouble, but it was to them that He spoke with complete confidence so that they would spread His name throughout the world. Jesus never for a moment lost His faith in God or His trust in people.

How did He pray for the future Church? He asked that all its members be as united with each other as He is one with His Father. What kind of unity did He have in mind? This is not administrative or organizational unity, or unity based on agreement, but the unity of personal communication. We have already seen that the unity between Jesus and His Father was expressed in love and obedience. Jesus prayed for a unity of love, a unity where people love each other because they love God, a unity based solely on the relationship of heart to heart.

Christians will never organize their churches the same way, and they will never worship God in the same way, they will never even believe in exactly the same way, but Christian unity transcends all these differences and binds people together in love. Christian unity today, as throughout history, has suffered and been hindered because people loved their own church organizations, their own rules, their own rituals more than they loved each other. If we truly loved Jesus Christ and each other, no church would exclude Christ's disciples. Only the love implanted by God in the human heart can overcome the barriers that people have erected between individuals and their churches.

Further, in praying for unity, Jesus asked that it be unity that would convince the world of the truth and the position that Jesus Christ occupies. It is much more natural for people to be divided than to be united. People tend to scatter in different directions rather than merge together. True unity among Christians would be “a supernatural fact in need of a supernatural explanation.” It is a sad fact that the Church has never shown true unity before the world.

Looking at the division of Christians, the world cannot see high value Christian faith. It is the duty of each of us to show unity of love with our brothers, which would be the answer to the prayer of Christ. Ordinary believers, members of churches can and are obliged to do what the “leaders” of the Church refuse to do officially.

22-26 THE GIFT AND PROMISE OF GLORY (John 17:22-26)

The famous commentator Bengel, reading this passage, exclaimed: “Oh, how great is the glory of the Christian!” And indeed it is so.

First, Jesus says that He gave His disciples the glory that the Father had given Him. We need to fully understand what this means. What was Jesus' glory? He Himself spoke about it in three ways.

A) The cross was His glory. Jesus did not say that he would be crucified, but that he would be glorified. This means that first of all and most importantly, the glory of a Christian should be the cross that he is supposed to bear. Suffering for the sake of Christ is the honor of a Christian. We do not dare to think of our cross as a punishment, but only as our glory. The more difficult the task given to the knight, the greater his glory seemed to him. The more difficult the task given to a student or an artist or a surgeon, the more honor they receive. And therefore, when it is difficult for us to be Christians, let us consider this the glory given to us by God.

B) Jesus' complete submission to the will of God was His glory. And we find our glory not in self-will, but in doing the will of God. When we do as we please, which many of us do, we find only sorrow and disaster for ourselves and for others. The true glory of life can only be found in complete obedience to the will of God. The stronger and more complete the obedience, the brighter and greater the glory.

C) The glory of Jesus was that His relationship with God could be judged by His life. People recognized in His behavior signs of a special relationship with God. They understood that no one could live the way He lived unless God were with Him. And our glory, like the glory of Jesus, should be that people see God in us, recognize by our behavior that we are in close relationship with Him.

Second, Jesus expresses his desire for the disciples to see His heavenly glory. Believers in Christ are confident that they will be partakers of the glory of Christ in heaven. If a believer shares His Cross with Christ, he will share His glory with Ninus. “This is a true saying: if we died with Him, we will also live with Him; if we endure, then we will reign with Him; if we deny, He will also deny us” (2 Tim. 2:11, 12). “Now we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face” (1 Cor. 13:12). The joy that we feel here is only a foretaste of the future joy that still awaits us. Christ promised that if we share His glory and His suffering on earth, we will share with Him His triumph when earthly life comes to an end. Can anything surpass such a promise?

After this prayer, Jesus went to face betrayal, judgment and the cross. He no longer had to talk to the students. How pleasant it is to see, and how dear to our memory to remember, that before the terrible hours that lay before Him, last words Jesus' words were not words of despair, but words of glory.