{"id":303,"date":"2013-04-17T20:37:22","date_gmt":"2013-04-17T20:37:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/?p=303"},"modified":"2014-12-18T11:30:10","modified_gmt":"2014-12-18T11:30:10","slug":"commentary20130421","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/commentary20130421\/","title":{"rendered":"Commentary on 4th Sunday of Easter 21.04.2013"},"content":{"rendered":"<p align=\"center\"><strong>JOHN 10: 27\u201330<\/strong><\/p>\n<p align=\"center\"><strong>Fourth Sunday of Easter, Year C<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong> <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 TEXT<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><em>27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me; 28 and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father\u2019s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 EXPLANATION<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>Introduction<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This Gospel passage forms part of a section where the Jews are in their fifth dispute with Jesus. \u201c<em>The Jews gathered round him and said to him, \u2018How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ<\/em> [Messiah], <em>tell us plainly<\/em>\u2019\u201d (Jn. 10: 24). Their purpose in challenging him in this manner is to hear him say something which will lead to his arrest. He does not fall into their trap. He tells them that they do not believe because they are not his sheep. Today\u2019s Gospel passage continues from this point.  <!--more-->  <\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me; 28 and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cMy sheep hear my voice<\/em>\u201d \u2014 To \u201chear\u201d [<em>audire<\/em>] and to \u201cobey\u201d [<em>ob\u2013audire<\/em>] are two Latin words from the same root. To obey means to hear and put into practice what is heard. Jesus is saying that his sheep obey him when he speaks. This is because of their faith in what he tells them about himself.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c<em>and I know them<\/em>\u201d \u2014 He repeats what he already said: \u201c<em>I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep<\/em>\u201d (Jn. 10: 14\u201315).<\/p>\n<p>To \u201c<em>know<\/em>\u201d is a technical term in John\u2019s Gospel meaning that one person has a special relationship with someone else, usually because of some mutual experience. Jesus has a special relationship with his sheep: they hear his voice and they follow him who loves them so much that he will die for them.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c<em>and they follow me<\/em>\u201d \u2014 They imitate Jesus, doing what he does or has done.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c<em>and I give them eternal life<\/em>\u201d \u2014 The sheep follow him to the pasture which is eternal life. He feeds them with his divine life. They follow him when they believe in him, that is, when they accept him and commit themselves to following him. \u201c<em>Whoever believes in him will have eternal life<\/em>\u201d (Jn. 3: 15).<\/p>\n<p>John 17: 2\u20133 explains: Jesus \u201c<em>looked up to heaven and said, \u2018Father, \u2026 you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent<\/em>\u2019\u201d. As stated above to \u201c<em>know<\/em>\u201d means to have a special relationship with another person. We, the sheep, have a special relationship with God our Father when we accept that there is no other God in our lives but him and when we acknowledge that the Father sent Jesus for our salvation.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c<em>and they shall never perish<\/em>\u201d \u2014 The sheep are secure because they have eternal life which cannot be taken from them by the devil or others. Of course they can discard it by themselves.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c<em>and no one shall snatch them out of my hand<\/em>\u201d \u2014 He has already stated that \u201c<em>this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up at the last day<\/em>\u201d (Jn 6: 39). He will elaborate in the following verse that no one will snatch his sheep out of his hand because \u201c<em>no one is able to snatch them out of the Father\u2019s hand<\/em>\u201d.<\/p>\n<p><em> <\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father\u2019s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.\u201d <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201c<em>My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all<\/em>\u201d \u2014 The Father is more powerful than all other forces even should they join together.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c<em>and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father\u2019s hand.<\/em>\u201d \u2014 Because the Father is the almighty, all\u2013powerful God.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c<em>I and the Father are one.<\/em>\u201d \u2014 Jesus repeats a theme from John\u2019s Gospel (Jn. 1: 1, 14; 5: 19\u201338; 8: 16; 10: 17).<\/p>\n<p>He does not say \u2018I am the Father\u2019 nor \u2018I and the Father are one Person\u2019. He makes it clear that they are <em>distinct,<\/em> that is two Persons, Father and Son in the flesh (Jn. 1: 1, 14). As they are \u201c<em>one<\/em>\u201d they cannot be <em>diverse<\/em>. This means that they are one in substance as far as their essence and nature is concerned.<\/p>\n<p>One in substance is called \u201cconsubstantial\u201d, which is the word used in the Nicene Creed at Mass each week, \u201cconsubstantial with the Father\u201d. The creed explains this by saying that the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages, is God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God \u2014 which means that there is absolutely no diversity between the Father and the Son. They are the same substance, essence and nature.<\/p>\n<p>Because they are one nature they are co\u2013equal and one in power (and honour, love, life, operation, etc.). The previous verse stated that no one can snatch his sheep from the hand of the Father. Because Jesus has the power of the Father no one can snatch his sheep out of his hand either. They are also one in purpose, to give eternal life to everyone.<\/p>\n<p>Jesus has now given the Jews the answer to their question, \u2018Are you the Messiah?\u2019 he says, \u2018Yes, I am because of my relationship with my Father\u2019.<\/p>\n<p>The Jews understood what he meant and they showed their animosity in the following verses.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>C,\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 APPLICATION<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong> <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u201cI and the Father are one\u201d<\/strong> \u2014 The great scripture scholar, Fr. Raymond Brown, sums up the relationship in John\u2019s Gospel between Father and Son. His list is as follows:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The Son comes from the Father (Jn.      8: 42);<\/li>\n<li>Yet the Father who sent him is      with him (Jn. 8: 29);<\/li>\n<li>The Father loves the Son (Jn 3:      35);<\/li>\n<li>The Son knows the Father      intimately (Jn 8: 55; 10: 15);<\/li>\n<li>In his mission on earth the Son      can do only what he has seen the Father do (Jn )5: 19;<\/li>\n<li>The Son can judge and speak only      what he hears from the Father (Jn 5: 30);<\/li>\n<li>The Son was taught by the Father      (Jn 8: 28);<\/li>\n<li>The Son has received from the      Father powers such as that of judgement (Jn 5: 22);<\/li>\n<li>Also the powers of giving and      possessing life (Jn 5: 21; 6: 57);<\/li>\n<li>The Son does the will of the      Father (Jn 4: 34; 6: 38);<\/li>\n<li>The Son has received a command      from the Father that concerns his death and resurrection (Jn. 10: 18).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>It is the will of the Son who prays to the Father \u201c<em>that they <\/em>[people] <em>may be one, even as we are one<\/em>\u201d (Jn 17: 11). This is God\u2019s desire, that we be one with God and with one another.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>Shepherd and Sheep<\/strong> \u2014 Four terms are used to describe the special relationship between Shepherd and Sheep, between Jesus and his followers. They \u201c<em>hear<\/em>\u201d his voice and \u201c<em>follow<\/em>\u201d him. He \u201c<em>knows<\/em>\u201d them and \u201c<em>gives them eternal life<\/em>\u201d. It follows from this that they shall \u201c<em>never perish<\/em>\u201d nor will any power on earth or above the earth be capable of snatching them out of his hand.<\/p>\n<p>To \u201c<em>hear<\/em>\u201d in this context means more than being aware that his voice is in the background. It means attentive hearing which is based on the trust the sheep have in the shepherd. He is their leader, their authority who loves them, cares for them, protects them and provides for them.<\/p>\n<p>It is because they recognise his voice that the sheep \u201c<em>follow<\/em>\u201d him (Jn. 10: 4). Simon Peter put this very well when at the end of the discourse on the Blessed Eucharist Jesus asked his disciples if they wished to leave him because of what he had taught. Peter replied, \u201c<em>Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God<\/em>\u201d (Jn. 6: 68\u201369).<\/p>\n<p>Peter declares the disciples\u2019 special relationship with Jesus whom he knows to be \u201c<em>the Holy One of God<\/em>\u201d. Whatever Jesus says or teaches must be true because of whom he is.<\/p>\n<p>Because of this also they will never perish nor be separated from Jesus. Even though they did not stand by Jesus in his passion and death, nothing bad happened to the disciples; Jesus protected them. He remained the shepherd of the scattered sheep. When they were in danger of being arrested he told his captors, \u201c\u2018<em>Let these men go\u2019.<\/em> <em>This was to fulfil the word that he had spoken, \u2018I did not lose a single one of those whom you gave me\u2019\u201d<\/em> (Jn. 18: 8\u20139). We may on occasions be tempted to be condemnatory of them but not Jesus who understood them and their weaknesses. It was Jesus who made them his. They were important in his eyes, a lesson that also applies to us, thank God.<\/p>\n<p>Jesus \u201c<em>knows<\/em>\u201d us. What a relationship he has with us \u2014 he created the world for us; he redeemed us when our first parents sinned by coming into the world for our salvation. He has made us one with him and has prayed that we continue to be one with him (Jn. 17: 22). He has ascended to heaven to prepare a place for us. He has given us \u201c<em>eternal life<\/em>\u201d both now and in its fullness in heaven in the future. He searches for us when we need him and when we stray and he does not give up until he finds us. He allows us be in constant contact with him through prayer, the sacraments, the liturgy, the sacred scriptures, the poor and marginalised, our families and many and much more. We may not be aware of his voice speaking but he does speak to us through the people and events we encounter in daily life. We have to improve our listening. What all of this teaches is that Jesus has a special and personal relationship with us. What a pity if we think that our relationship is merely a matter of obeying rules and regulations.<\/p>\n<p>We are accustomed to seeing sheep with the marks of their owners clearly manifest. This Gospel passage tells us that Jesus\u2019 mark of ownership on us his sheep is our \u201chearing\u201d and \u201cobeying\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>JOHN 10: 27\u201330 Fourth Sunday of Easter, Year C \u00a0 A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 TEXT \u00a0 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me; 28 and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[45,2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-303","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-commentary","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/303","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=303"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/303\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":664,"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/303\/revisions\/664"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=303"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=303"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=303"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}