THE GOOD NEWS OF JESUS, THE CHRIST AND THE SON OF GOD, ACCORDING TO JOHN. Manfred Diefenbach

The Evangelist “paints” Jesus in “knowing” (cf. vv. 6c, 61a and John 8:14; 13:11, 18, 21–27) His destiny “from /the/ beginning”⁶¹⁰ (of His ministry, speech or calling of His disciples?): “the non-believers” (v. 64d – plural) in Jesus and “Judas … Iscariot” (v. 71a – singular) “who” (in Greek “tís” in v. 64e) “delivered/handed over Him” (in Greek “para-dídomɩ”⁶¹¹ in vv. 64e, 71c and in 12:4; 13:11; 18:2, 5; 21:20).

      God is the “centre”, the “attractive power/pull”, the “appeal” of a person – note the parallels⁶¹² of verses 44a–b and 65c–d (cf. 12:32). It is His gift – note the contrast between the verbum simplex “dídomɩ” (= to give in vv. 27c, 31c, 32c, d, 33b, 34b, 37a, 39b, 51f, 52b, 65d) and the verbum compositum “para-dídomɩ” in verses 64e, 71c – like Jesus who is the giver of the food in God’s name.

      + The Reaction of Many Disciples of Jesus (v. 66)

      Their ideals, enthusiasms, dreams were taken away – also their loyalties to Him were taken away so that they decided against Jesus of Nazareth, the “son of Joseph” (v. 42b) and deserted Him and fell/went away as well as did not “walk with Him”⁶¹³ (v. 66b) because of His “scandalous” (cf. v. 61d), blasphemous self-revelation (cf. v. 46). At this turning point Jesus lost disciples/followers: Because they misunderstood Him (cf., for example, Nicodemus in 3:1–13; 6:52) or were opposed to and did not believe in Him (cf. vv. 41–42, 52, 60–66). In view of the “believing in Jesus”, the Fourth Gospel, so rich in characters, shows the range of possibilities through the example of His disciples: The point of view and purpose of the Fourth Gospel is the discernment: “This man believes in Jesus” (cf. 20:30–31) or “this man does not believe in Him”. He is looking at the range of Yes or No to Jesus⁶¹⁴ – then and now. In this way, all believers in Him are going to be saved (cf. 3:17c) and have everlasting life (cf. v. 16c): “whoever hears my word and believes Him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; He has crossed over from death to life” (5:24).

      - The Dialogue between Jesus and “the Twelve” (vv. 67–71)

      Who: Jesus, the Twelve, Simon Peter (vv. 68–69), Judas Iscariot (vv. 70–71)

      Where: the synagogue of Capernaum (v. 59)

      When: “on the next day” (v. 22a) – “near the Passover” (v. 4)

      + Jesus’ Asking the Twelve (v. 67)

      After the act of many of His followers’ rejection of His discourse about Jesus as “Bread from Heaven” of “eternal Life” in the Eucharistic sense, He asked the “Twelve”⁶¹⁵ (vv. 67c, 70b, 71c and 20:24) as His twelve co-workers in the Jewish tradition of the 12 tribes⁶¹⁶: “( ) /Do/ you will (not also) go away?” In other words: Either “walk with Him” (v. 66b) or “go away”⁶¹⁷ with them.

      + Peter’s Creed as a Positive Verbal Answer (vv. 68–69⁶¹⁸)

      v. 68: “Simon”⁶¹⁹ “Peter”⁶²⁰ (vv. 8b, 68a and 1:40, 42; 13:6, 9, 24, 36; 18:10, 15, 25; 20:2, 6; 21:2–3, 7, 11, 15) answered faithfully⁶²¹ as the spokesman of “the Twelve” during Jesus’ ministry in the form of a (personal⁶²²) question: “To whom shall we go?” and a creed (cf. v. 69b and Mark 8:29; Matthew 16:16; Luke 9:20 [Peter]; John 1:45 [Andrew]; 1:49 [Nathanael]; 11:27 [Martha]; 20:28 [Thomas]; Matthew 14:33 [the Twelve] …). In his mind, there is no alternative way to Jesus, the (“word/s” [vv. 60b, 63c] of eternal) life, and the life-giver – here and now as well as in the future/eternity (cf. John 3:15–16, 36; 4:14, 36; 5:24, 39; 6:27, 40, 47, 54; 10:28; 12:25, 50; 17:2–3). He proclaimed Jesus as “Lord” – note the vocative in Greek “kúrɩos” in verses 34b, 68b – equivalent to the Jewish titles “prophet” (v. 14c) or “rabbi” (v. 25b) and

      v. 69: he has “believed” and “known” – both verbs are in perfect! – that Jesus is⁶²³ “the Holy /One/ of God” (cf. Mark 1:24/Luke 4:34; Acts 3:14; 4:30; 1 John 2:20; Revelation 3:7 and Leviticus 19:2; Isaiah 6:3; 10:20; 30:15; 45:11; Psalms 99:9[; 106:16 – Aaron]). This last messianic title points out the heavenly, spiritual dimension of Jesus in His divine being as the “Son of God”, “the Christ” (John 20:31). Peter decided in favour of Jesus and he walked with Him. However, in the ears of “the Jews” it was blasphemy (cf. 10:36).

      + Jesus’ Prediction of His Handing/Delivering over⁶²⁴ (by Judas Iscariot) (vv. 70–71)

      v. 70: Jesus continues the dialogue with His “twelve” (in Greek “dódeka” in vv. 67c, 70b, 71c) disciples, saying: “( ) /Did/ I (not) [choose⁶²⁵] you, the Twelve [ ]?

      And /yet/ ( ) one (of you) [is] /a/ devil⁶²⁶ [ ]” (cf. John 8:44; 13:2; 1 John 3:8, 10).

      The Fourth Evangelist identified this “satanic” (cf. v. 70c and John 13:2, 27; Luke 22:3 as well as Simon Peter in Mark 8:33/Matthew 16:23) person

      v. 71: as “Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot” (cf. John 12:4; 13:2, 26, 29; 18:2, 3, 5; Mark 3:19; 14:10, 43; Matthew 10:4; 26:14, 25, 47; 27:3; Luke 6:16; 22:3, 47–48) who would “hand/deliver (Him) over ( )” (cf. vv. 64e; 71c and John 12:4; 13:2, 11, 21; 18:2, 5; 21:20). He is “one” (John 12:4; 13:21; 20:24; Mark 14:10, 18, 43; Matthew 26:14, 47; Luke 22:47) “of the ‘Twelve’” (cf. vv. 67c, 70b, 71c and John 20:24; Mark 3:16–19; Matthew 10:2–4; Luke 6:13–16) and is always listed at the end. In this way, there is a contrast⁶²⁷ between Peter’s creed (cf. vv. 68–69) and Judas’ renunciation the faith (cf. vv. 64c–e, 70–71).