April 23, 2010
Sunday Scripture
Fourth Sunday of Easter
BY FATHER DONALD DILGER
The chapter from which this gospel reading is taken begins with various preliminary statements that lead into the parable of the Good Shepherd. First, Jesus is said to be the door or gate of the sheep pen. This is followed by a comparison between the shepherd, who is known to the sheep, and the stranger, whose voice and figure the sheep do not recognize. The sheep follow the one, but reject the other. John notes that those who heard these statements did not grasp their meaning. Then John, through words and ideas attributed to Jesus some sixty years earlier, uses Ezekiel 34 to develop the well-known parable of the Good Shepherd.
A major intention of the parable of the Good Shepherd is John’s proclamation that Jesus is God. John does this by demonstrating that what was said by Ezekiel, 600 B.C., of God as shepherd, is validly said of Jesus also. This enables John to close today’s gospel reading with the words of Jesus, “I and the Father are One.” Before we take up today’s gospel, John inserts a discussion among the hearers of Jesus. Many said that Jesus had a demon or that he was just plain crazy. Others answered, “These are not the words of a man who has a demon.” They refer back to one of Jesus’ seven miracles in the Gospel of John — giving sight to a man born blind, “Can a demon open the eyes of a blind man?” The answer is negative. Jesus did not restore sight. The man was born sightless. Jesus created his sight, and only God can create. Thus again a proclamation of Jesus as God.
John gives the setting for the whole chapter, “It was the Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah) at Jerusalem.” Why? Because Hanukkah celebrated events of about 165 B.C., when God raised up devout shepherds of Israel, his flock, to defeat and drive out the heathen Syrians who had defiled the temple and its great altar with pagan gods and unclean offerings to them. If we recall that Jesus engaged in cleansing the temple back in chapter two, John demonstrates that history is being repeated in Jesus. Only this time, the Shepherd who is raised up by God is the ultimate Shepherd/King, the Christ/Messiah. That is why John adds a question from those surrounding Jesus in the temple, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ/Messiah, tell us openly.” Jesus replies that this should already be evident from what he told them in the parable of the Good Shepherd and through the works (miracles -signs of his identity) which he has done in his Father’s name. Why don’t they grasp (believe) this? “Because you are not of my sheep.”
At this point John briefly reviews the meaning of the parable of the Good Shepherd: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” Earthly shepherds guard the life of their flock. This Shepherd does more, “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, and no one will take them out of my hand (my power).” Jesus affirms that his sheep are a gift from his Father, “My Father who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can take them out of the Father’s hand.” Note that John attributes to both the hand of Jesus and the hand of the Father the same quality, “”No one shall (is able) to take them out of my (his) hand.” Again a proclamation of the equality of Father and Son! As if this proclamation/revelation is not sufficiently clear, John closes today’s gospel reading with this revelation attributed to Jesus, “I and the Father are One.”
About twenty years ago, a devout Jehovah Witness couple visited this writer. Their announced purpose was to encourage him to read the Bible. This writer invited them to enter his library. Viewing the Scriptures and other books lying open before them in languages unknown to them, they said, “Who are you?” After this was explained, they said they would demonstrate from the Gospel of John that Jesus is not God. They did not succeed. With a few exceptions, almost every sentence of John proclaims Jesus as God.
Paul and Bamabas are in what is today central Turkey. As usual, these two faithful Jewish/Christians went to the local synagogue on the Sabbath. They gained many converts to Jesus. The following Sabbath huge crowds gathered to hear the two missionaries. The crowds included pious Gentiles who in many places adhered to the Jewish synagogues, but did not join the Jewish faith. Paul and Bamabas were confronted with jealousy, opposition, and contradiction from some of the pious Jews of the local synagogue. The missionaries turned to the Gentiles among their audience, “and the word of the Lord continued to spread . . . .” One door was closed to them, but another door was opened.
The Christian prophet John, in a visionary trance, sees in heaven, “a great multitude . . . from every nation, race, people, language, standing before the throne and the Lamb.” It is a scene of the universality of the Church. There are no barriers between peoples. We see the Lamb as God, “in the center of the throne.” The reading was chosen to correspond to today’s gospel in these words, “The Lamb will shepherd them and lead them.”