Good Friday of the Lord's Passion

1st Reading: Isaiah 52:13-53:12

Fourth Song of the Servant of the Lord
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[13] Behold, my servant shall prosper, he shall be exalted and lifted up, and
shall be very high. [14] As many were astonished at him--his appearance was
so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the sons of
men--[15] so shall he startle many nations; kings shall shut their mouths because
of him; for that which has not been told them they shall see, and that which they
have not heard they shall understand.

[1] Who has believed what we have heard? And to whom has the arm of the LORD
been revealed? [2] For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root
out of dry ground; he had no form or comeliness that we should look at him, and
no beauty that we should desire him. [3] He was despised and rejected by men;
a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide
their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

[4] Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him
stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. [5] But he was wounded for our transgres-
sions, he was bruised for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that
made us whole, and with his stripes we are healed. [6] All we like sheep have
gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD has laid on
him the iniquity of us all.

[7] He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a
lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is dumb,
so he opened not his mouth. [8] By oppression and judgment he was taken away;
and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the
living, stricken for the transgression of my people? [9] And they made his grave
with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no vio-
lence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.

[10] Yet it was the will of the LORD to bruise him; he has put him to grief; when
he makes himself an offering for sin, he shall see his offspring, he shall prolong
his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand; [11] he shall see the fruit
of the travail of his soul and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one,
my servant, make many to be accounted righteous; and he shall bear their ini-
quities.

[12] Therefore I will divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil
with the strong; because he poured out his soul to death, and was numbered with
the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the
transgressors.

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Commentary:

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번역자 주: 가톨릭 보편 교회의 전례력에 있어 네 개의 "고통받는 종의 노래들"은 다음과 같이 
발췌되고 있다:
(i) 첫 번째 고통받는 종의 노래는 이사야서 42,1-4/9
    (매년 성 월요일 및 매년 주님 세례 축일 제1독서에 포함됨), 
(ii) 두 번째 고통받는 종의 노래는 이사야서 49,1-6
    (매년 성 화요일, 가해 연중 제2주일 및 매년 세례자 요한 탄생 대축일 제1독서), 
(iii) 세 번째 고통 받은 종의 노래는 이사야서 50,4-9/11
    (매년 성 수요일 제1독서, 나해 연중 제24주일 제1독서, 매년 주님 수난 성지 주일  
    제1독서를 포함함), 그리고 
(iv) 네 번째 고통받는 종의 노래는 이사야서 52,13-53,12 
    (매년 성 금요일 제1독서, 나해 제29주일 제1독서를 포함함)에 있다.
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52:13-53:12. This fourth Song of the Servant is one of the most commented on
passages in the Bible, as regards both its literary structure and its content. From
the point of view of structure, it interrupts the hymn-style of chapter 52 (which is
taken up again in chapter 54); the style here is more reflective; the theme, the
value of suffering. In terms of content, the song is unusual in that it shows the
servant triumphing through his humiliation and suffering. Even more than that--he
makes the pains and sins of others his own, in order to heal them and set them
free. Prior to this, the idea of "vicarious expiation" was unknown in the Bible. The
passage is original even in its vocabulary: it contains forty words that are not to
be found elsewhere in the Bible.

52,13-53,12. 바로 이 종의 네 번째 노래는, 그 문학적 구조와 그 내용에 관하여, 성경에 
있어 가장 많이 주석된 구절들 중의 하나입니다. 구조의 관점에 있어, 이것은 (제54장에서 
또다시 택해지는) 제52장의 찬미가 양식(hymn-style)을 일시적으로 중단하며, 그리고 
여기서 그 양식은 더욱 더 재귀용법적(reflective)이며 그리고 그 주제는 고통받음
(suffering)의 가치입니다. 문맥의 표현에 있어, 이 노래는 이 종이 자신에 대한 모욕과 
고통받음을 통하여 승리함을 보여주는 점에 있어 이례적(unusual)입니다. 심지어 
이보다 더, 그는 다른 이들의 고유한 고통(pains)들과 죄(sins)들을, 그들을 
치유하기 위하여 그리하여 그들을 자유롭게 하기 위하여, 자신의 고유한 것들로 
만듭니다. 이것 이전에, [바로 이러한 내용의] "대속(代贖)[대인속죄(代人贖罪), 
vicarious expiation]"(*)이라는 관념은 성경에 있어 알려져 있지 않았습니다.  
이 구절은 심지어 그 어휘에 있어서도 다음과 같이 독창적(original)입니다: 이 구절은 
성경에 있어 다른 어떤 곳에서도 발견되지 않는 40개의 단어들을 포함하고 있습니다. 

[내용 추가 일자: 2021년 10월 17일]
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(*) 번역자 주: 다음의 주소에 접속하면, 한문 문화권 천주교회의 용어들인, 이들 번역 
용어들의 출처, 기원 등에 대하여 학습할 수 있다: 
http://ch.catholic.or.kr/pundang/4/soh/1753.htm <----- 필독 권고 
http://ch.catholic.or.kr/pundang/4/soh/2247.htm [개정판 가톨릭대사전 오류] <----- 필독 권고 
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[이상, 2021년 10월 17일자 내용 추가 끝]

The poem, which is very carefully composed, divides into three stanzas: the first
(52:13-15) is put on the Lord's lips and it acts as a kind of overture to what follows
--taking in the themes of the triumph of the servant (v. 13), his humiliation and
suffering (v. 14), and the stunning effect that this has on his own people and on
strangers.

매우 신중하게 지어진 이 시는 다음과 같은 세 개의 연(聯, stanzas)들로 나누어집니다: 
첫 번째(52,13-15)는 주님의 입술들 위에 얹혀지며 그리고 이것은, 그의 모욕 및 
고통받음(제14절), 그리고 이것이 그의 고유의 사람들에게 및 이방인들에게 계획 
중인 깜짝 놀라게 하는 결과라는, 이 종의 승리의 주제들 (제13절) 안에서 작동중인, 
뒤따르는 바에 대한 일종의 서장(序章, overture)으로서 역할을 합니다.

The second stanza (53:1-11a) celebrates the servant's trials, and the good effects
they produce. This is spoken in the first person plural, standing for the people and
the prophet: both feel solidarity with the servant of the Lord. This stanza has four
stages to it: first (53:1-3) it describes the servant's noble origins (he grew up before
the Lord like a young plant: cf. v. 2) and the low esteem in which he is held as a
"man of sorrows". Then we learn that all this suffering is atonement for the sins of
others (53:4-6). Traditionally, suffering was interpreted as being a punishment for
sins, but here it is borne on behalf of others. This is the first lesson to be learned
by those who see him "stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted", and it marks the
climax of the poem. Thirdly (53:7-9), the point is made, again that he has freely
accepted suffering and meekly, offers himself as a sacrifice of atonement (he is
like a lamb, like a sheep). His death is as ignominious as the suffering that pre-
cedes it. Finally (vv. 10-11a) we are told how fruitful all this suffering is: like the
patriarchs of old (the text seems to imply) the servant will have many offspring
and a long life and be a man of great wisdom.

두 번째 연(聯, stanzas)(53,1-11ㄱ)은 이 종의 시련(trials)들을, 그리고 이들이 
산출하는 선한 결과들을을 경축합니다. 이것은, 이 백성과 이 예언자를 나타내는, 
제1인칭 복수로 말해지며, 그리고 둘 다 주님의 종과의 연대(solidarity)를 느낍니다. 
이 연은 이 연대를 향하는 다음과 같은 네 개의 단계들을 가지고 있습니다: 첫 번째로
(53,1-3) 이 연은 이 종의 고귀한 태생(origins)을 묘사하며 (그는 주님 앞에서 
새싹처럼 자랐다: 제2절을 참조하라) 그리고, 그 안에서 그가 한 명의 "후회/고뇌하는 
사람(a "man of sorrows")으로서 유지되는, 바로 그 비천한 평가를 묘사합니다. 
그런 다음에 우리는 이러한 고통받음(suffering) 모두가 다른 이들의 죄들에 대한 
속죄(atonement)임을 알게 됩니다 (53,4-6). 전통적으로, 고통받음은 죄들에 대한 
어떤 벌인 것으로서 해석되었으나, 그러나 여기서 고통받음은 다른 
이들을 위하여 거두어들이게 된 것입니다(is borne)(*). 
이것이 바로 그를 "벌받은 자, 하느님께 매맞은 자, 천대받은 자" 로 보는 자들이 
배우게 될 첫 번째 교훈(lession)이며, 그리고 이것은 이 시의 절정(climax)을 눈에 
돋보이게 합니다. 세 번째로(53,7-9), 그가 고통받음을 이미 자유롭게 받아들였으며 
(has freely accepted) 그리고 온순하게, 자기 자신을 한 개의 속죄의 희생 제물
(a sacrifice of atonement)로서 [그는 한 마리의 어린 양(a lamb)과 같고, 한 마리의 
양(a sheep)과 같습니다] 제공한다는 주안점이, 또다시, 마련됩니다(is made). 
그의 죽음은 이 죽음에 앞서는 고통받음만큼이나 치욕적(ignominious)입니다. 
끝으로 (제10-11ㄱ)  우리에게 이러한 고통받음 모두가 얼마나 결실이 많은지
(fruitful) 다음과 같이 말해집니다:  (이 본문은 다음을 나타내는 것 같습니다) 
옛날의 선조들처럼 이 종이 수많은 후손을 가질 것이고 그리하여 장수할 것이며 
그리하여 커다란 지혜의 사람이 될 것입니다. 

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(*) 번역자 주: 영어본 성경들의 이샤야서 53,11에서 사용되고 있는 영어로 "bear"로 
번역되는 용어의 우리말 번역 표현, "거두어들인다" 에 대한 더 자세한 고찰은 다음의 
글에 있다:
http://ch.catholic.or.kr/pundang/4/soh/1151.htm <----- 필독 권고

그리고, 다음의 주소에 있는, 가톨릭 교회의 전례력에 있어 홀수해 연중 제3주간 
월요일 제1독서(히브리 9,15.24-28)의 해설도 또한 읽도록 하라:
http://ch.catholic.or.kr/pundang/4/navarre/ot_3_mon.htm <----- 필독 권고 
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In the third stanza (53:11b-12) the Lord speaks again, finally acknowledging that
his servant's sacrifice is truly efficacious: he will cause many to be accounted
"righteous", that is, he will win their salvation (v. 11) and will share in the Lord's
spoils (v. 12).

세 번째 연(聯, stanzas)(53,11ㄴ-12)에서 주님께서는 또다시 말씀하시는데, 당신의 
종의 희생이 진실로 효능이 있음을 다음과 같이 최종적으로 인정하십니다: 그는 많은 
이들로하여금 "의로운(righteous)" 자들로서 셈하여지도록(be accounted) 할 것입니다, 
즉, 그는 그들의 구원을 획득할 것이며 (제11절) 그리고 주님의 전리품(spoils)들에 
함께 할 것입니다 (제12절).

The fourth song of the servant of the Lord was from very early on interpreted as
having a current application. When the Jews of Alexandria made the Greek trans-
lation of the Old Testment (the Septuagint) around the second century BC, they
tinkered a little with the text to indicate that the servant in the poem stood for the
people of Israel in the diaspora. Those Jews, who encountered huge obstacles in
their effort to maintain their identity in that Hellenistic and polytheistic environ-
ment, found comfort in the hope that they would emerge enhanced, just like the
servant.

주님의 종에 대한 이 네 번째 노래는 매우 일찍부터 어떤 현재의 적용을 가지는 
것으로서 해석되었습니다. 알렉산드리아의 유다인(the Jews of Alexandria)들이 
기원전 2세기경에 구약 성경의 그리스어 번역본(칠십인 역)을 만들었을 따에, 그들은 
이 시에 있어서의 종이 디아스포라(diaspora)에 있는 이스라엘 백성을 나타냄을 
암시하기 위하여 이 본문을 약간 어설프게 고쳤습니다. 헬레니즘적 및 다신교적 
환경에서 자신들의 정체성을 유지하기 위한 그들의 노력들에 있어 커다란 장애들에 
직면하였던 이들 유다인들은, 이 종과 꼭 마찬가지로, 자신들이 강화되어 나타날 
것이라는 희망에서 위안을 찾았습니다.

Jews of Palestine identified the victorious servant with the Messiah, but they re-
interpreted the sufferings described here to apply them to the pagan nations. The
Dead Sea Scrolls interpret this song in the light of the ignominy experienced by
the Teacher of Righteousness, the probable founder of the group that established
itself at Qumran.

팔레스티나의 유다인들은 이 승리를 거둔 종을 메시아(Messiah)와 동일시하였으나, 
그러나 그들은 여기에 묘사되어 있는 고통들을, 다신교 민족들에게 그들을 적용하기 
위하여, 재해석하였습니다. 사해 문서(the Dead Sea Scrolls)들은, 꿈란(Qumrarn)에 
스스로 설립하였던 집단의 개연적인(probable) 설립자인, 의로움의 스승(the Teacher 
of Righteousness)에 의하여 경험하게 되었던 불명예(ignominy)에 비추어 이 노래를 
해석합니다. 2) 

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(2) 번역자 주: 따라서 이것으로부터, 기원전 약160년-기원후 68년의 기간 동안에 
예루살렘 동쪽의 사해  주변에 존재하였던 유다교의 한 분파인 꿈란 공동체의 
구성원들이 그리스도교로 개종하지 않았을 것임을 우리가 추론할 수 있다는 생각이다.
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Jesus revealed his redemptive mission to be that of the suffering servant prophe-
sied by Isaiah here. He referred to him on a number of occasions -- in his reply to
the request made by the sons of Zebedee ("the Son of man came not to be served
but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many": Mt 20:28 and par.); at the
Last Supper, when he announced his ignominious death among transgressors,
quoting 53:12 (Lk 22:37); in some passages in the fourth Gospel (Jn 12:32, 37-38);
etc. He also seems to refer to it in his conversation with the disciples of Emmaus
(Lk 24:25ff) to explain his passion and death. Therefore, the first Christians inter-
preted Jesus' death and resurrection in terms of this poem; evidence of this is the
expression "in accordance with the scriptures" in 1 Corinthians 15:3; the words
"for our trespasses" (Rom 4:25; 1 Cor 15:3?5); the Christological hymn in the
Letter to the Philippians (Phil 2:6-11); and expressions used in the First Letter of
Peter (1 Pet 2:22-25) and in other New Testament passages (Mt 8:17; 27:29;
Acts 8:26-40; Rom 10:16; etc.).

예수님께서는 여기서 이사야(Isaiah)에 의하여 예언되었던 고통받는 종(the suffering 
servant)의 바로 그것이 될 당신의 구속(救贖) 사명(his redemptive 
mission)을 드러내셨습니다. 당신께서는, 제베대오(Zebedee)의 아들들에 의하여 
청해졌던 요구에 대한 당신의 답변 ("사람의 아들도 섬김을 받으러 온 것이 아니라 
섬기러 왔고, 또 많은 이들의 몸값으로 자기 목숨을 바치러 왔다": 마태오 복음서 20,28 
및 병행 구절들)으로, 그리고, 이사야 53,12를 인용하시면서, 무법자(transgressors)들 
가운데서 당신의 불명예스러운 죽음을 선포하셨던 때인  최후의 만찬에서 (루카 복음서 
22,37), 그리고  네 번째 복음서에 있는 일부 구절들 (요한 복음서 12,32.37-38) 등의 
여러 번의 경우들에서 이사야에 대하여 언급하셨습니다. 당신께서는 또한 당신의 
수난과 죽음을 설명하기 위하여 엠마오에 관계되는 제자(the disciples of Emmaus)들과 
당신의 대화에서도 이 구절에 대하여 언급하신 것 같습니다 (루카 복음서 24,25 및 
이어지는 몇 개의 절들). 그러므로, 첫 그리스도 사람들은 예수님의 죽음과 부활을 
이 시의 용어들로 해석하였으며, 그리고 이러한 것에 대한 증거는 1코린토 15,3에 있는  
"성경 말씀대로" 라는 표현, "우리의 잘못 때문에" (로마 4,25; 1코린토 15,3-5), 필리피 
사람들에게 보낸 서간에 있는 그리스도론적 찬미가(the Christological hymn) 
(필리피 2,6-11), 그리고 베드로의 첫 번째 서간 (1베드로 2,22-25)에서 사용된 표현들 
그리고 다른 신약 성경 구절들에 (마태오 복음서 8,17.27.29; 사도행전 8,26-40; 
로마 10,16 등) 있습니다.

Patristic tradition reads the song as a prophecy that found fulfillment in Christ (cf.
St Clement of Rome, "Ad Corinthios", 16:1-14; St Ignatius Martyr, "Epistula ad
Polycarpum", 1, 3; the so-called "Letter of Barnabas", 5, 2 and "Epistula ad
Diognetuin", 9, 2; etc.). The Church uses it in the Good Friday liturgy.

교부들의 전통은 이 노래를 그리스도 안에서 구현을 발견하는 한 개의 예언으로서 
읽습니다 [로마의 성 클레멘트(St. Clement of Rome), "Ad Corinthios", 16:1-14; 
성 이냐시오 순교자(St. Ignatius Martyr), "Epistula ad Polycarpum", 1, 3; 소위 말하는 
"바르나바의 서신(Letter of Barnabas)", 5, 2 그리고 "Epistula ad Diognetuin", 9, 2 
등]. 교회는 이 구절을 성 금요일 전례에서 사용합니다.

52:14. "Beyond human semblance": this phrase sums up the description given in
53:2-3 and shows the intense pain reflected in the servant's face: the description
is so graphic that Christian ascetical writing, with good reason, reads it as antici-
pating the passion of our Lord: "The prophet, who has rightly been called 'the Fifth
Evangelist', presents in this Song an image of the sufferings of the Servant with a
realism as acute as if he were seeing them with his own eyes: the eyes of the
body and of the spirit. [...] The Song of the Suffering Servant contains a description
in which it is possible, in a certain sense, to identify the stages of Christ's Passion
in their various details: the arrest, the humiliation, the blows, the spitting, the con-
tempt for the prisoner, the unjust sentence, and then the scourging, the crowning
with thorns and the mocking, the carrying of the Cross, the crucifixion and the
agony" (John Paul II, "Salvifici Doloris", 17; cf. idem, "Dives in Misencordia", 7).

52,14. "사람 같지 않게 망가지고(beyond human semblance)": 이 구절은 53,2-3에 
주어진 묘사를 요약하며 그리고 이 종의 얼굴에 반영된 강렬한 고통(pain)을 나타내며, 
이 묘사가 대단히 사실적이어서 그리스도교의 금욕적인(ascetical) 저술은, 충분한  
이유와 함께, 이것을 우리의 주님의 수산을 예견하는 것으로서 다음과 같이 읽습니다: 
"'다섯 번째 복음사가'로 올바르게 불리어져 오고 있는 이 예언자는 이 종의 고통받음
(sufferings)들에 대한 어떤 모습(an image)을, 바로 이 노래에서 마치 그가, 몸의 
그리고 영의 눈들인 자신 고유의 눈들로써 이 고통받음(sufferings)들을 보고 있었던 
것과 마찬가지로 날카로운 현실성과 함께, 제시합니다. [...] 고통받는 종의 노래는 
그 안에서, 어떤 의미에 있어, 그리스도의 수난의 단계들을 다음과 같은 그들의 
다양한 항목들로 식별하는 것이 가능한 한 개의 묘사(a description)를 포함하고 
있습니다: 체포, 모욕(humiliation), 구타들, 칩뱉음, 죄수에 대한 멸시(contempt), 
불의한 선고(the unjust sentence), 그러고나서 채찍질, 가시나무로 관을 엮어 머리에 
씌우기 및 조롱(the mocking), 십자가의 운반, 십자가형과 고뇌" [요한 바오로 2세
(John Paul II) 1984년 교서, "구원에 이르는 고통(Salvifici Doloris)", 17; cf. idem, 
"Dives in Misencordia", 7].

53:1. St Paul cites this verse to prove the need for preaching (Rom 10:16). The
verse also underlines the extraordinary degree of undeserved suffering endured by
the Servant. It is sometimes interpreted as a further sign of the humility of Christ,
who, being divine, took on the form of a servant: Christ is a man of humble
thought and feeling, unlike those who attack his flock. The heart of God's majesty,
the Lord Jesus Christ, did not come with loud cries of arrogance and pride; he
came in humility, as the Holy Spirit said of him: "Who has believed what we have
heard?" (St Clement of Rome, "Ad Corinthios", 16, 1-3).

53,1. 성 바오로는 설교의 필요성을 입증하기 위하여 이 절을 인용합니다(로마 10,16). 
이 절은 이 종에 의하여 견디게 되는 부당한(undeserved) 고통받음의 엄청난 정도에 또한 
밑줄을 긋습니다. 이 절은, 종의 모습을 취하셨던, 하느님이신, 그리스도의 모욕에 대한 
다음과 같은 어떤 한층 더한 표징으로서 때로는 해석됩니다: 그리스도께서는, 당신의 
무리[교회 회중(his flock)]을 공격하는 자들과는 달리, 겸손한 생각과 느낌(feeling)의 
사람이십니다.  하느님 존엄의 심장(heart)이신 주님이신 예수 그리스도께서는 오만
(arrogance)과 교만(pride)이라는 시끄러운 외침들과 함께 오시지 않았으며, 당신께서는, 
성령께서 당신에 대하여 다음과 같이 말씀하셨듯이, 겸손의 상태로 오셨습니다: "우리가 
들은 것을 누가 믿었던가? (이사야 53,1)" [로마의 성 클레멘트(St. Clement of Rome, 
즉 교황 클레멘트 1세, 재위기간: 88-97년), "Ad Corinthios", 16, 1-3].

53:4-5. "He has borne our griefs [or pains]": the servant's sufferings are not due to
his own personal sins; they are atonement for the sins of others. "The sufferings
of our Savior are our cure" (Theodoret of Cyrus, "De Incarnatione Domini", 28). He
suffered on account of the sins of the entire people, even though he was not guilty
of them. By bearing the penalty for those sins, he expiated the guilt involved. St
Matthew, after recounting some miraculous cures and the casting out of devils,
sees the words of v. 4a fulfilled in Christ (Mt 8:17). He interprets Jesus Christ as
being the servant foretold by the prophet, who will cure the physical suffering of
people as a sign that he is curing the root cause of all types of evil, that is, sin,
iniquity (v. 5). The miracles worked by Jesus for the sick are therefore a sign of
Redemption: "Christ's whole life is a mystery of 'redemption'. Redemption comes
to us above all through the blood of his cross (cf. Eph 1:7; Col 1:13-14; 1 Pet
1:18-19), but this mystery is at work throughout Christ's entire life" ("Catechism
of the Catholic Church", 517).

53,4-5. "그는 우리의 병고[혹은 고통]들을 이미 거두어들였으며": 이 종의 고통받음들은 
자신 고유의 인격적 죄들 때문이 아니며, 이 고통받음들은 다른 이들의 죄들에 대한 
속죄(atonement)입니다. 

"우리의 구세주의 고통받음들은 우리의 치유입니다" [키르의 테오도레트(Theodoret 
of Cyrus, 393-457년), "De Incarnatione Domini", 28]. 

당신께서는 전체 사람들의 죄들 때문에, 비록 당신께서 이 죄들을 범하지 않으셨음에도 
불구하고, 고통을 겪으셨습니다. 이들 죄들에 대한 처벌을 거두어들임(bearing, 
떠맡음)으로써, 당신께서는 개입된 죄 있음(the guilt)을 속죄하셨습니다(expiated). 
성 마태오(St. Matthew)는, 몇 개의 기적적인 치유들과 악령들의 내쫓음을 이야기한 
이후에, 제4절의 첫 문장의 표현이 그리스도 안에서 구현됨을 봅니다 (마태오 복음서 8,17). 
그는 예수 그리스도를, 당신께서 모든 유형들의 악의 근본적인 원인(the root cause), 
즉, 죄(sin), 죄악(iniquity)을 치유하고 계심(제5절)에 대한 한 개의 표징(a sign)으로서 
사람들의 신체적 고통받음을 장차 치유할 자인, 이 예언자에 의하여 예고되었던, 종으로서 
해석합니다. 그러므로 병자들을 위하여 예수님께서 행하셨던 기적들은 다음과 같이 
속량(Redemption, 구속)에 대한 표징입니다: "그리스도의 전체 생애는 한 개의 '속량' 
신비(a mystery of 'redemption', 구속 신비) 입니다. 속량(구속)은 무엇보다도 당신의 
십자가의 피를 통하여 우리들에게 오나 (에페소 1,7; 콜로새 1,13-14; 1베드로 1,18-19를 
참조하라), 그러나 바로 이 신비는 그리스도의 전체 생애에 걸쳐 활동적으로 일을 하고
(at work) 있습니다" ["가톨릭 교회 교리서(Catechism of the Catholic Church)", 제517항].


2nd Reading: Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9

Our Confidence is Based on Christ's Priesthood
---------------------------------------------------------------------
[14] Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens,
Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. [15] For we have not a high
priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every
respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sinning. [16] Let us then with
confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find
grace to help in time of need.

Christ Has Been Made High Priest by God the Father
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
[7] In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud
cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard
for his godly fear. [8] Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what
he suffered; [9] and being made perfect he became the source of eternal salvation
to all who obey him, [10] being designated by God a high priest after the order of
Melchizedek.

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

14-16. The text now reverts to its main theme (cf. 2:17), that is, the priesthood of
Christ. It highlights the dignity of the new high priest, who has passed through
the heavens; and His mercy, too, for He sympathizes with our weaknesses. We
have, therefore, every reason to approach Him with confidence. "The believers
were at that time in a storm of temptation; that is why the Apostle is consoling
them, saying that our High Priest not only knows, as God, the weaknesses of
our nature: as man, He has also experienced the sufferings that affect us, al-
though He was free from sin. Since He knows our weaknesses so well, He can
give us the help we need, and when He comes to judge us, He will take that
weakness into account in His sentence" ("Interpretatio Ep. Ad Haebreos, ad loc.").

We should respond to the Lord's goodness by staying true to our profession of
faith. The confession or profession of faith referred to here is not simply an exter-
nal declaration: external confession is necessary but there must also be commit-
ment and a spirit of fidelity. A Christian needs to live up to all the demands of his
calling; he should be single-minded and free from doubts.

15. "If we should some time find ourselves sorely tempted by our enemies, it will
greatly help us to remember that we have on our side a high priest who is most
compassionate, for He chose to experience all kinds of temptation" ("St. Pius V
Catechism", IV, 15, 14). In order to understand and help a sinner to get over his
falls and cope with temptation, one does not oneself need to have experience of
being tempted; in fact, only one who does not sin knows the full force of tempta-
tion, because the sinner gives in prior to resisting to the end. Christ never yielded
to temptation. He therefore experienced much more than we do (because we are
often defeated by temptation) the full rigor and violence of those temptations which
He chose to undergo as man at particular points in His life. Our Lord, then,
allowed Himself to be tempted, in order to set us an example and prevent us from
ever losing confidence in our ability to resist temptation with the help of grace (cf.
notes on Matthew 4:1-11 and paragraph).

"There is no man", St. Jerome comments, "who can resist all tests except He
who, made in our likeness, has experienced everything but sin" ("Comm. In Ioan-
nam", II, 46). Christ's inlessness, often affirmed in Sacred Scripture (Romans 8:3;
2 Corinthians 5:21; John 8:46; 1 Peter 1:19; 2:21-24), follows logically from His
being God and from His human integrity and holiness. At the same time Christ's
weakness, which He chose to experience out of love for us, is a kind of invitation
from God to pray for strength to resist sin. "Let us adore Christ who emptied Him-
self to assume the condition of a slave. He was tempted in every way that we are,
but did not sin. Let us turn in prayer to Him, saying, 'You took on our human
weakness. Be the eyes of the blind, the strength of the weak, the friend of the
lonely'" ("Liturgy of the Hours", Christmas Day, Evening Prayer I).

16. The "throne" is the symbol of Christ's authority; He is King of the living and
the dead. But here it speaks of a "throne of grace": through the salvation worked
by Christ, the compassionate Priest and Intercessor, God's throne has become
a judgment seat from which mercy flows. Christ has initiated for mankind a time
of forgiveness and sanctification in which He does not yet manifest His position
as Sovereign Judge. Christ's priesthood did not cease to operate with His death;
it continues in Heaven, where He forever pleads on our behalf, and therefore we
should have confident recourse to Him.

"What security should be ours in considering the mercy of the Lord! 'He has but
to cry for redress, and I, the Ever-Merciful, will listen to him' (Exodus 22:27). It
is an invitation, a promise that He will not fail to fulfill. 'Let us then with confidence
draw near to the throne of grace, and we may receive mercy and find grace to
help in time of need'. The enemies of our sanctification will be rendered powerless
if the mercy of God goes before us. And if through our own fault and human weak-
ness we should fall, the Lord comes to our aid and raises us up" (St. J. Escriva,
"Christ Is Passing By", 7).

7-9. This brief summary of Christ's life stresses his perfect obedience to the Fa-
ther's will, his intense prayer and his sufferings and redemptive death. As in the
hymn to Christ in Philippians 2:6-11, the point is made that Christ set his power
aside and, despite his being the only-begotten Son of God, out of obedience
chose to die on the cross. His death was a true self-offering expressed in that
"loud voice" when he cried out to the Father just before he died, "into thy hands
I commit my spirit" (Lk 23:46). But although Jesus' obedience was most obvious
on Calvary, it was a constant feature of "the days of his flesh": he obeyed Mary
and Joseph, seeing in them the authority of the heavenly Father; he was obedient
to political and religious authorities; and he always obeyed the Father, identifying
himself with him to such a degree that he could say, "I have glorified thee on
earth, having accomplished the work which thou gavest me to do [...]. All mine
are thine and thine are mine" (Jn 17:4, 10).

7-9. 그리스도의 삶에 대한 이 짧은 요약은 성부의 뜻을 향한 당신의 탁월한 순명
(obedience), 당신의 강렬한 기도 그리고 당신의 고통받음(sufferings)들 그리하여 
속량하시는 죽음(redemptive death)을 강조합니다. 필리피서 2,6-11에 있는 
그리스도에 대한 찬미가에서처럼, 그리스도께서는 당신의 힘을 따로 제쳐 두시고 
그리고, 당신께서 독생 성자(the only-begotten Son of God)이심에도 불구하고, 순명 
때문에 십자가 위에서 죽는 것을 선택하셨다는 바로 그 요점이 나타내어집니다(is 
made). 당신의 죽음은, 당신께서 죽기 직전에 성부께 외치셨던 때에 "제 영을 아버지 
손에 맡깁니다" (루카 복음서 23,46) 라는 바로 그 "큰 소리(loud voice)"로 표현하셨던, 
하나의 참된 자기-봉헌(self-offering)이었습니다. 그러나 비록 예수님의 순명은 
골고타(Calvary)에서  가장 분명하였으나, 당신의 순명은 다음과 같이 "당신의 육의 
날들"의 한 개의 변함없는 특징이었습니다: 당신께서는, 마리아와 요셉에게, 그들 
안에서 천상 성부(the heavenly Father)의 권위를 보면서, 순명하셨고, 그리고 
당신께서는 정치적 및 종교적 권위들에도 순명하셨으며, 그리고, 당신께서 "아버지께서 
저에게 하라고 맡기신 일을 완수하여, 저는 땅에서 아버지를 영광스럽게 하였습니다. 
저의 것은 다 아버지의 것이고 아버지의 것은 제 것입니다" (요한 복음서 17,4.10)라고 
말씀하실 수 있는 바로 그러한 정도에 이르기까지 당신 자신과 성부를 동일시
하심으로써, 당신께서는 성부께 항상 순명하셨습니다.

The passage also points to Jesus prayer, the high point of which occurred in
Gethsemane on the eve of his passion. The reference to "loud cries and suppli-
cations" recalls the Gospel account of his suffering: "And being in an agony he
prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling
down upon the ground" (Lk 22:44).

이 구절은 예수님의 기도를 향하여 또한 가리키는데, 이 기도의 절정(the high 
point)은 당신의 수난의 밤에 겟세마니(Gethsemane)에서 있었습니다. "큰 소리들과 
탄원들"에 대한 언급은 다음과 같은 당신의 수난에 대한 복음서 이야기를 생각나게 
합니다: "예수님께서 고뇌에 싸여 더욱 간절히 기도하시니, 땀이 핏방울처럼 되어 
땅에 떨어졌다" (루카 복음서 22,44).

Hebrews 5:7-9 is probably referring not so much to his prayer in the Garden, still
less to any prayer of Christ asking to be delivered from death, but to our Lord's
constant prayer for the salvation of mankind. "When the Apostle speaks of these
supplications and cries of Jesus," St John Chrysostom comments, "he does not
mean prayers which he made on his own behalf but prayers for those who would
later believe in him. And, due to the fact that the Jews did not yet have the ele-
vated concept of Christ that they ought to have had, St Paul says that 'he was
heard', just as the Lord himself told his disciples, to console them, 'If you loved
me, you would have rejoiced, because I go to the Father; for the Father is greater
than I' [...]. Such was the respect and reverence shown by the Son, that God the
Father could not but take note and heed his Son and his prayers" ("Hom. on Heb",
11).

히브리서 5,7-9는, 이 동산에서의 당신의 기도에 대하여 그리 많이 언급하고 있는 것도 
아니며, 죽음으로부터 구해 질 것을 그리스도께서 청원하시는 어떤 기도에 대하여서는 
더더구나 아니며,  아마도 인류의 구원을 위한 당신의 우리의 주님의 변함없으신 기도에 
대한 언급일 것입니다. 성 요한 크리소스토모(St. John Chrysostom)는 다음과 같이 
주석합니다: "이 사도가 예수님의 이들 탄원들과 외침들에 대하여 말할 때에 그는 
당신께서 당신 자신을 위하여 하셨던 기도들을 뜻하는 것이 아니고 이후에 당신 쪽으로 
믿을(believe in) 자들을 위하여 기도들을 하셨던 것을 뜻합니다. 그리고, 유다인들은 
자신들이 마땅히 가졌어야만 하였던 그리스도에 대한 숭고한 개념을 아직 가지지 
못하였다는 사실 때문에, 성 바오로는, 주님 몸소 당신의 제자들에게, 그들을 위로하기 
위하여 '너희가 나를 사랑한다면 내가 아버지께 가는 것을 기뻐할 것이다. 아버지께서 
나보다 위대하신 분이시기 때문이다' [...] (요한 복음서 14,28) 라고 말씀하셨던 것과 
꼭 마찬가지로, '하느님께서는 들어주셨습니다(he was heard)' (히브리 5,7) 라고 
말합니다." 그러한 것은 아드님에 의하여 나타내어졌던 존경과 공경(reverence)이었기에, 
그 결과 성부 하느님께서는 당신의 아드님에 주목하시고 그리고 당신의 기도들을 마음에 
새기실 수 밖에 없으셨습니다" [성 요한 크리소스토모(St. John Chrysostom), "Hom. 
on Heb", 11].

7. "In the days of his flesh", a reference to the Incarnation. "Flesh" is synonymous
with mortal life; this is a reference to Christ's human nature--as in the prologue to
St John's Gospel (elf. Jn 1:14) and many other places (Heb 2:14; Gal 2:20; Phil
1:22-24; 1 Pet 4:1-2) including where mention is made of Jesus being a servant
and capable of suffering (cf. Phil 2:8; Mt 20:27-28). Jesus' human nature "in the
days of his flesh" is quite different from his divine nature and also from his human
nature after its glorification (cf. 1 Cor 15:50). "It must be said that the word 'flesh'
is occasionally used to refer to the weakness of the flesh, as it says in 1 Cor
15:50: 'flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God'. Christ had a weak and
mortal flesh. Therefore it says in the text, 'In the days of his flesh', referring to
when he was living in a flesh which seemed to be like sinful flesh, but which was
sinless" (St Thomas Aquinas, "Commentary on Heb", 5, 1). So, this text under-
lines our Lord's being both Victim and Priest.

"Prayers and supplications": very fitting in a priest. The two words mean much
the same; together they are a form of words which used to be employed in peti-
tions to the king or some important official. The plural tells us that there were lots
of these petitions. The writer seems to have in mind the picture of the Redeemer
who "going a little farther fell on his face and prayed, 'My Father, if it be possible,
let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt" (Mt 26:39).
St Thomas comments on this description of Christ's prayer as follows: "His action
was indeed one of offering prayers and supplications, that is, a spiritual sacrifice:
that was what Christ offered. It speaks of prayers in the sense of petitions be-
cause 'The prayer of a righteous man has great power' (Jas 5:16); and it speaks
of supplications to emphasize the humility of the one who is praying, who falls
on his knees, as we see happening in the case of him who 'fell on his face and
prayed' (Mt 26:39)" ("Commentary on Heb", 5, 1).

To emphasize the force of Christ's prayer, the writer adds, "with loud cries and
tears". According to rabbinical teaching, there were three degrees of prayer,
each stronger than the last--supplications, cries and tears. Christian tradition
has always been touched by the humanity of the Redeemer as revealed in the
way he prays. "Everything that is being said here may be summed up in one
word--humility: that stops the mouths of those who blaspheme against Christ's
divinity saying that it is completely inappropriate for a God to act like this. For,
on the contrary, the Godhead laid it down that [Christ's] human nature should
suffer all this, in order to show us the extreme to which he truly became incar-
nate and assumed a human nature, and to show us that the mystery of salvation
was accomplished in a real and not an apparent or fictitious manner" (Theodoret
of Cyrus, "Interpretatio Ep. ad Haebreos, ad loc."). Christ's prayer, moreover,
teaches us that prayer must 1) be fervent and 2) involve interior pain. "Christ had
both [fervor and pain], for the Apostle by mentioning 'tears' intends to show the
interior groaning of him who weeps in this way [...]. But he did not weep on his
own account: he wept for us, who receive the fruit of his passion" (St Thomas,
"Commentary on Heb., ad loc.").

"He was heard for his godly fear." St John Chrysostom's commentary is very
apposite: "'He gave himself up for our sins', he says in Gal 1:4; and elsewhere
(cf. 1 Tim 2:6) he adds, 'He gave himself as a ransom for all'. What does he mean
by this? Do you not see that he is speaking with humility of himself, because of
his mortal flesh? And, nevertheless, because he is the Son, it says that he was
heard for his godly fear" ("Hom. on Heb.", 8). It is like a loving contention between
Father and Son. The Son wins the Father's admiration, so generous is his self-
surrender.

And yet Christ's prayer did not seem to be heeded, for his Father God did not save
him from ignominious death--the cup he had to drink--nor were all the Jews, for
whom he prayed, converted. But it was only apparently so: in fact Christ's prayer
was heard. It is true that, like every one, the idea of dying was repugnant to him,
because he had a natural instinct to live; but, on the other hand, he wished to die
through a deliberate and rational act of his will, hence in the course of the prayer,
he said, "not my will, but thine, be done" (Lk 22:42). Similarly Christ wanted to
save all mankind--but he wanted them to accept salvation freely (cf. "Commentary
on Heb., ad loc.").

8. In Christ there are two perfect and complete natures and therefore two diffe-
rent levels of knowledge--divine knowledge and human knowledge. Christ's human
knowledge includes 1 ) the knowledge that the blessed in heaven have, that is, the
knowledge that comes form direct vision of the divine essence; 2) the knowledge
with which God endowed man before original sin (infused knowledge); and 3) the
knowledge which man acquires through experience. This last-mentioned knowledge
could and in fact did increase (cf. Lk 2:52) in Christ's case. Christ's painful expe-
rience of the passion, for example, increased this last type of knowledge, which is
why the verse says that Christ learned obedience through suffering. There was a
Greek proverb which said, "Sufferings are lessons." Christ's teaching and example
raise this positive view of suffering onto the supernatural level. "In suffering there is
concealed' a particular 'power that draws a person interiorly close to Christ', a
special grace [...]. A result of such a conversion is not only that the individual
discovers the salvific meaning of suffering but above all that he becomes a com-
pletely new person. He discovers a new dimension, as it were, 'of his entire life
and vocation'" (John Paul II, "Salvifici Doloris", 26).

In our Lord's case, his experience of suffering was connected with his generosity
in obedience. He freely chose to obey even unto death (cf. Heb 10:5-9; Rom 5:19;
Phil 2:8), consciously atoning for the first sin, a sin of disobedience. "In his suf-
fering, sins are canceled out precisely because he alone as the only-begotten
Son could take them upon himself, accept them 'with that love for the Father which
overcomes' the evil of every sin; in a certain sense he annihilates this evil in the
spiritual space of the relationship between God and humanity, and fills this space
with good" ("Salvifici Doloris", 17). Christ "learned obedience" not in the sense that
this virtue developed in him, for his human nature was perfect in its holiness, but in
the sense that he put into operation the infused virtue his human soul already
possessed. "Christ knew what obedience was from all eternity, but he learned
obedience in practice through the severities he underwent particularly in his pas-
sion and death" (St Thomas Aquinas, "Commentary on Heb., ad loc.").

Christ's example of obedience is something we should copy. A Christian writer
of the fifth century, Diadochus of Photike, wrote: "The Lord loved (obedience) be-
cause it was the way to bring about man's salvation and he obeyed his Father
unto the cross and unto death; however, his obedience did not in any sense dimi-
nish his majesty. And so, having--by his obedience--dissolved man's disobedience,
he chose to lead to blessed and immortal life those who followed the way of obe-
dience" ("Chapters on Spiritual Perfection", 41).

9. Obviously Christ as God could not increase in perfection. Nor could his sacred
humanity become any holier, for from the moment of his Incarnation he received
the fullness of grace, that is, he had the maximum degree of holiness a man could
have. In this connection Thomas Aquinas points out that Christ had union (that is,
the personal union to the Son of God gratuitously bestowed on human nature):
clearly this grace is infinite as the person of the Word is infinite. The other grace
is habitual grace which, although it is received in a limited human nature, is yet
infinite in its perfection because grace was conferred on Christ as the universal
source of the justification of human nature (cf. "Summa Theologiae", III, q. 7, a.
11). In what sense, then, could Christ be "made perfect"? St Thomas provides the
answer: Christ, through his passion, achieved a special glory--the impassibility
and glorification of his body. Moreover, he attained the same perfections as we
shall participate in when we are raised from the dead in glory, those of us who
believe in him (cf. "Commentary on Heb., ad loc."). For this reason our Redeemer
could exclaim before his death, "It is finished" (Jn 19:30)--referring not only to his
own sacrifice but also to the fact that he had completely accomplished the re-
deeming atonement. Christ triumphed on the cross and attained perfection for
himself and for others. In Hebrews the same verb is used for what is translated
into English as "to be made perfect" and "to finish". Christ, moreover, by obeying
and becoming a perfect victim, truly pleasing to the Father, is more perfectly posi-
tioned to perfect others. "Obedience" is essentially docility to what God asks of
us and readiness to listen to him (cf. Rom 1:5; 16:26; 2 Cor 10:5; Heb 4:3).
Christ's obedience is a source of salvation for us; if we imitate him we will truly
form one body with him and he will be able to pass on to us the fullness of his
grace.

"Now, when you find it hard to obey, remember your Lord: 'factus obediens usque
ad mortem, mortem autem crucis": obedient even to accepting death, death on a
cross!'" (St. J. Escriva, "The Way"

Gospel Reading: John 18:1-19:42

The Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John

The Arrest of Jesus
----------------------------
[1] When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples
across the Kidron valley, where there was a garden, which he and his
disciples entered. [2] Now Judas who betrayed him, also knew the place; for
Jesus often met there with his disciples. [3] So Judas, procuring a band of
soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went
there with lanterns and torches and weapons. [4] Then Jesus, knowing all
that was to befall him, came forward and said to them, "Whom do you seek?"
[5] They answered him, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus said to them, "I am he."
Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. [6] When he said to them,
"I am he," they drew back and fell to the ground. [7] Again he asked them,
"Whom do you seek?" And they said, "Jesus of Nazareth." [8] Jesus ans-
wered, "I told you that I am he; so, if you seek me, let these men go." [9] This
was to fulfill the word which he had spoken, "Of those whom thou gayest me I
lost not one.' [10] Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the
high priest's slave and cut off his right ear. The slave's name was Malchus.
[11] Jesus said to Peter, "Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink
the cup which the Father has given me?"

Jesus Before Annas and Caiaphas. Peter's Denials
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
[12] So the band of soldiers and their captain and the officers of the Jews
seized Jesus and bound him. [13] First they led him to Annas; for he was
the father-in-law of Caiaphas who was high priest that year. [14] It was
Caiaphas who had given counsel to the Jews that it was expedient that
one man should die for the people.

[15] Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. As this
disciple was known to the high priest, he entered the court of the high
priest along with Jesus, [16] while Peter stood outside at the door. So the
other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the
maid who kept the door, and brought Peter in. [17] The maid who kept the
door said to Peter, "Are not you also one of this man's disciples?" He said,
"I am not." [18] Now the servants and officers had made a charcoal fire,
because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves;
Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself.

[19] The high priest then questioned Jesus about his disciples and his
teaching. [20] Jesus answered him, "I have spoken openly to the world; I
have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews come
together; I have said nothing secretly. [21] Why do you ask me? Ask those
who have heard me, what I said to them; they know what I said." [22] When
he had said this, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand,
saying, "Is that how you answer the high priest?" [23] Jesus answered him,
"If I have spoken wrongly, bear witness to the wrong but if I have spoken
rightly, why do you strike me? [24] Annas then sent him bound to Caiaphas
the high priest.

[25] Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. They said to him,
"Are not you also one of his disciples? He denied it and said, "I am not." [26]
0ne of the servants the high priest, a kinsman of the man whose ear Peter
had cut off, asked, "Did I not see you in the garden with him? [27] Peter again
denied it; and at once the cock crowed.

The Trial before Pilate: Jesus is King
-----------------------------------------------------
[28] Then they led Jesus from the house of Caiaphas to the praetorium. It
was early. They themselves did not enter the praetorium, so that they might
not be defiled, but might eat the passover. [29] So Pilate went out to them
and said, "What accusation do you bring against this man?" [30] They
answered him, "If this man were not an evildoer, we would not have handed
him over." [31] Pilate said to them, "Take him yourselves and judge him by
your own law." The Jews said to him, "It is not lawful for us to put any man
to death." [32] This was to fulfill the word which Jesus had spoken to show
by what death he was to die.

[33] Pilate entered the praetorium again and called Jesus, and said to him,
"Are you the King of the Jews?" [34] Jesus answered, "Do you say this of
your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?" [35] Pilate
answered, "Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed
you over to me; what have you done?" [36] Jesus answered, "My kingship is
not of this world; if my kingship were of this world, my servants would fight,
that I might not be handed over to the Jews; but my kingship is not from the
world." [37] Pilate said to him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You
say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I have come into the
world, to bear witness the truth. Every one who is of the truth hears my
voice." [38] Pilate said to him, "'What is truth?"

After he had said this, he went out to the Jews again, and told them, "I
find no crime in him. [39] But you have a custom that I should release one
man for you at the Passover; will you have me release for you the King of
the Jews?" [40] They cried out again, "Not this man, but Barabbas!" Now
Barabbas was a robber.

The Scourging at the Pillar and the Crowning with Thorns
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[1] Then Pilate took Jesus and scourged him. [2] And the soldiers plaited a
crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and array him in a purple robe; [3]
they came up to him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" and struck him with
their hands. [4] Pilate went out again, and said to them, "Behold, I am
bringing him out to you, that you may know that I find no crime him." [5] So
Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said
to them, "Here is the man! [6] When the chief priests and the officers saw
him, they cried out, "Crucify him, crucify him!" Pilate said to them, "Take
him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no crime in him." [7] The Jews
answered him, "We have a law, and by that law he ought to die, because
he has made himself the Son of God." [8] When Pilate heard these words,
he was the more afraid; [9] he entered the praetorium again and said to Jesus,
"Where are you from?" But Jesus gave no answer. [10] Pilate therefore said
to him, "You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have power to re-
lease you, and power to crucify you?" [11] Jesus answered him, "You would
have no power over me unless it had been given you from above; therefore he
who delivered me to you has the greater sin."

Pilate Hands Jesus Over
-----------------------------------
[12] Upon this Pilate sought to release him, but the Jews cried out, "If you
release this man, you are not Caesar's friend; every one who makes himself
a king sets himself against Caesar." [13] When Pilate heard these words, he
brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at place called The
Pavement, and in Hebrew, Gabbatha. [14] Now it was the day of Preparation
for the Passover; it was about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, "Here is
your King!" [15] They cried out, "Away with him, away with him, crucify
him!" Pilate said to them, "Shall I crucify your King?" The chief priests
answered, "We have no king but Caesar." [16] Then he handed him over
to them to be crucified.

The Crucifixion and Death of Jesus
--------------------------------------------------
[17] So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the
place called the place of a skull, which is called in Hebrew Golgotha. [18]
There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and
Jesus between them. [19] Pilate also wrote a title and put it on the cross;
it read, "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews." [20] Many of the Jews
read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city;
and it was written in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek. [21] The chief priests
of the Jews then said to Pilate, "Do not write, 'The King of the Jews,' but,
'This man said, I am King of the Jews."' [22] Pilate answered, "What I have
written I have written."

[23] When the soldiers had crucified Jesus they took his garments and made
four parts, one for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was without seam,
woven from top to bottom; [24] so they said to one another, "Let us not tear it,
but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be." This was to fulfill the scripture,
"They parted my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.

[25] So the soldiers did this. But standing by the cross of Jesus were his
mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary
Magdalene. [26] When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he
loved standing near, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son!"
[27] Then he said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother!" And from that
hour the disciple took her to his own home.

[28] After this Jesus, knowing that all was now finished said (to fulfill
the Scripture), "I thirst." [29] A bowl full of vinegar stood there; so they
put a sponge full of the vinegar on hyssop and held it to his mouth. [30]
When Jesus had received the vinegar, he said "It is finished"; and he
bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Jesus' Side is Pierced. His Burial
------------------------------------------------
[31] Since it was the day of Preparation, in order to prevent the bodies
from remaining on the cross of the sabbath (for that sabbath was a high
day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they
might be taken away. [32] So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the
first, and of the other who had been crucified with him; [33] but when they
came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his
legs. [34] But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once
there came out blood and water. [35] He who saw it has borne witness--his
testimony is true, and he knows that he tells the truth--that you also may
believe. [36] For these things took place that the scripture might be
fulfilled, "Not a bone of him shall be broken." [37] And again another
scripture says, "They shall look on him whom they have pierced."

[38] After this Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly,
for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus,
and Pilate gave him leave. So he came and took away his body. [39] Nico-
demus also, who had at first come to him by night, came bringing a mixture
of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds' weight. [40] They took the body
of Jesus, and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom
of the Jews. [41] Now in the place where he was crucified there was garden,
and in the garden a new tomb where no one has ever been laid. [42] So
because of the Jewish day of Preparation, as the tomb was close at hand,
they laid Jesus there.

*******************************************************************************************
Commentary

1. The previous chapter, dealing as it did with the glory of the Son of God
(cf. Jn 17:1, 4, 10,22,24), is a magnificent prologue to our Lord's passion
and death, which St John presents as part of Christ's glorification: he
emphasizes that Jesus freely accepted his death (14:31) and freely allowed
himself to be arrested (18:4, 11). The Gospel shows our Lord's superiority
over his judges (18:20-2 1) and accusers (19:8, 12); and his majestic
serenity in the face of physical pain, which makes one more aware of the
Redemption, the triumph of the Cross, than of Jesus' actual sufferings.

Chapters 18 and 19 cover the passion and death of our Lord--events so impor-
tant and decisive that all the books of the New Testament deal with them, in
some way or other. Thus, the Synoptic Gospels give us extensive accounts
of what happened; in the Acts of the Apostles these events, together with the
resurrection, form the core of the Apostles' preaching. St Paul explains the
redemptive value of Jesus Christ's sacrifice, and the catholic epistles speak
of his salvific death, as does the Apocalypse, where the Victor, enthroned in
heaven, is the sacrificed Lamb, Jesus Christ. It should also be noted that
whenever these sacred writings mention our Lord's death they go on to refer
to his glorious resurrection.

St John's Gospel locates these events in five places. The first (18:1-12) is
Gethsemane, where Jesus is arrested; after this (18:13-27) he is taken to
the house of Annas, where the religious trial begins and Peter denies Jesus
before the high priest's servants. The third scene is the praetorium
(18:28-19:16), where Jesus is tried by the Roman procurator: St John gives
an extensive account of this trial, highlighting the true character of Christ's
kingship and his rejection by the Jews, who call for his crucifixion. He then
goes on (19:17-37) to describe the events which occur after the procurator's
unjust sentence; this scene centers on Calvary. St John then reports the
burial of our Lord in the unused tomb near Calvary belonging to Joseph of
Arimathea.

The climax of all these events is the glorification of Jesus, of which he
himself had spoken (cf. Jn 17:1-5)----his resurrection and exaltation to his
Father's side.

Here is Fray Luis de Granada's advice on how to meditate on the passion
of our Lord: "There are five things we can reflect on when we think about
the sacred passion. [...] First, we can incline our heart to sorrow and
repentance for our sins; the passion of our Lord helps us do this because
it is evident that everything he suffered he suffered on account of sins, so
that if there were no sins in the world, there would have been no need for
such painful reparation. Therefore, sins--yours and mine, like everyone
else's--were the executioners who bound him and lashed him and crowned
him with thorns and put him on the cross. So you can see how right it is for
you to feel the enormity and malice of your sins, for it was these which really
caused so much suffering, not because these sins required the Son of God
to suffer but because divine justice chose to ask for such great atonement.

"We have here excellent motives, not only to abhor sin but also to love
virtues: we have the example of this Lord's virtues, which so clearly shine
out during his sacred passion: we can follow these virtues and learn to
imitate then especially his great humility, gentleness and silence, as well
as the other virtues for this is one of the best and most effective ways of
meditating on the sacred passion--the way of imitation.

"At other times we should fix our attention on the great good the Lord does
us here, reflecting on how much he loved us and how much he gave us and
how much it cost him to do so. [...] At other times it is good to focus our
attention on knowledge of God, that is, to consider his great goodness, his
mercy, his justice, his kindness, and particularly his ardent charity, which
shines forth in the sacred passion as nowhere else. For, just as it is a greater
proof of love to suffer evils on behalf of one's friend than to do good things for
him, and God could do both [...], it pleased his divine goodness to assume
a nature which could suffer evils, very great evils, so that man could be quite
convinced of God's love and thereby be moved to love him who so loved man.

"Finally, at other times one can reflect [...] on the wisdom of God in choosing
this manner of atoning for mankind: that is, making satisfaction for our sins,
inflaming our charity, curing our pride, our greed and our love of comfort, and
inclining our souls to the virtue of humility [...], abhorrence of sin and love for
the Cross" ("Life of Jesus Christ", 15).

1-2. "When Jesus had spoken these words": this is a formula often used in
the fourth Gospel to indicate a new episode linked with what has just been
recounted (cf. Jn 2:12; 3:22; 5:1; 6:1; 13:21; etc.).

The Kidron (etymologically "turbid") was a brook which carried water only
during rainy weather, it divided Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, on
slopes of which lay the garden of Gethsemane (cf. Mt 26:32; Lk 21:37;
22:39). The distance from the Cenacle, where the Last Supper took place,
to the garden of Gethsemane was little more than a kilometer.

3. Because Judea was occupied by Romans, there was a garrison stationed
at Jerusalem--a cohort (600 men) quartered in the Antonia tower, under the
authority of a tribune. In the Greek what is translated here as "a band of
soldiers" is "the cohort", the name for the whole unit being used though
only part is meant: it does not mean that 600 soldiers came out to arrest
Jesus. Presumably the Jewish authorities, who had their own temple guard
--referred to here as "officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees"--must
have sought some assistance from the military. Judas' part consisted in
leading the way to where Jesus was and identifying the man to be arrested.

4-9. Only the fourth Gospel reports this episode prior to Jesus' arrest,
recalling the words of the Psalm: "Then my enemies will be turned back in
the day when I call" (Ps 56:9). Our Lord's majesty is apparent: he surrenders
himself freely and voluntarily. This does not, however, mean that the Jews
involved are free from blame. St Augustine comments on this passage: "The
persecutors, who came with the traitor to lay hold of Jesus, found him whom
they sought and heard him say, 'I am he'. Why did they not lay hold of him
but fell back to the ground? Because that was what he wished, who could do
whatever he wished. Had he not allowed himself to be taken by them, they
would have been unable to effect their plan, but neither would he have done
what he came to do. They in their rage sought him to put him to death; but
he also sought us by dying for us. Therefore, after he displayed his power to
those who had no power to hold him, they did lay hands on him and by
means of them, all unwitting, he did what he wanted to do" ("In Ioann. Evang.",
112, 3).

It is also moving to see how Jesus takes care of his disciples, even though
he himself is in danger. He had promised that none of his own should perish
except Judas Iscariot (cf. Jn 6:39; 17:12); although his promise referred to
protecting them from eternal punishment, our Lord is also concerned about
their immediate safety, for as yet they are not ready to face martyrdom.

10-11. Once again we see Peter's impetuosity and loyalty; he comes to our
Lord's defense, risking his own life, but he still does not understand God'
plans of salvation: he still cannot come to terms with the idea of Christ
dying--just as he could not when Christ first foretold his passion (Mt 16:21-22).
Our Lord does not accept Peter's violent defense: he refers back to what he
said in his prayer in Gethsemane (cf. Mt 26:39), where he freely accepted
his Father' will, giving himself up to his captors in order to accomplish the
Redemption.

We should show reverence to God's will with the same docility and meekness
as Jesus accepting his passion. "Stages: to be resigned to the will of God;
to conform to the will of God; to want the will of God; to love the will of
God" (St. J. Escriva, "The Way", 774).

13-18. Jesus is brought to the house of Annas, who, although he was no
longer high priest, still exercised great religious and political influence
(cf. note on Lk 3:2). These two disciples, St Peter and the other disciple,
probably John himself, are disconcerted; they do not know what to do, so
they follow Jesus at a distance. Their attachment to him was not yet
sufficiently supernatural; discouragement has displaced bravery and
loyalty--and will soon lead to Peter's triple denial. However noble his
feelings, a Christian will be unable to live up to the demands of his faith
unless his life has a basis of deep piety.

19-21. During this first interrogation--preliminary to his later examination
by the Sanhedrin (Lk 22:66-71)--Jesus lays stress on the fact that he has
always acted openly: everyone has had an opportunity listen to him and to
witness his miracles--so much so that at times he has been acclaimed as
the Messiah (cf. Jn 12:12-19 and par.). The chief priests themselves have
seen him in the temple and in the synagogues; but not wishing to see (cf.
Jn 9:39-41), or believe (cf. Jn 10:37-38), they make out that his objectives
are hidden and sinister.

22-23. Again, we see Jesus' serenity; he is master of the situation, as he
is throughout his passion. To the unjust accusation made by this servant,
our Lord replies meekly, but he does defend his conduct and points to the
injustice with which he is being treated. This is how we should behave if
people mistreat us in any way. Well-argued defense of one's rights is
compatible with meekness and humility (cf. Acts 22:25).

25-27. Peter's denials are treated in less detail here than in the Synoptic
Gospels, but here, as there, we can see the Apostles' humility and sincerity
which lead them to tell about their own weaknesses. Peter's repentance is
not referred to here, but it is implied by the mention of the cock crowing:
the very brevity of St John's account points to the fact that this episode
was well known to the early Christians. After the resurrection the full
scope of Jesus' forgiveness will be evidenced when he confirms Peter in
his mission as leader of the Apostles (cf. Jn 21:15-17).

"In this adventure of love we should not be depressed by our falls, not even
by serious falls, if we go to God in the sacrament of Penance contrite an
resolved to improve. A Christian is not a neurotic collector of good
behavior reports. Jesus Christ our Lord was moved as much by Peter's
repentance after his fall as by John's innocence and faithfulness. Jesus
understands our weakness and draws us to himself on an inclined plane.
He wants us to make an effort to climb a little each day" (St. J. Escriva,
"Christ is Passing By", '75).

28. The Synoptics also report the trial before Pilate, but St John gives a
longer and more detailed account: in 18:28-19:16 is the center of the five
parts of his account of the Passion (cf. note on 18:1). He describes the
events that take place in the praetorium, highlighting the majesty of Christ
as the messianic King, and also his rejection by the Jews.

There are seven stages here, marked by Pilate's entrances and exits. First
(vv. 29-32) the Jews indict Jesus in a general way as an "evildoer". Then
follows the dialogue between Pilate and Jesus (vv. 36-37) which culminates
in Christ stating that he is a King, after which Pilate tries to save our Lord
(vv. 38-40) by asking the people if they want him to release "the King of the
Jews".

The centerpoint of the account (19:1-3) is the crowning with thorns, with
the soldiers mockingly doing obeisance to Christ as "King of the Jews".
After this our Lord is led out wearing the crown of thorns and draped in the
purple robe (vv. 4-7)--the shameful scene of the Ecce Homo. The Jews'
accusation now turns on Jesus' making himself the Son of God. Once again,
Pilate, in the praetorium again, speaks with Jesus (vv.8-12) and tries to
probe further into his divine origin. The Jews then concentrate their hatred
in a directly political accusation: "Everyone who makes himself a king sets
himself against Caesar" (Jn 19:12). Finally (vv. 13-16), in a very formal
way, stating time and place, St John narrates how Pilate points to Jesus
and says: "Here is your King!" And the leaders of the Jews openly reject
him who was and is the genuine King spoken of by the prophets.

"Praetorium": this was the Roman name for the official residence of the
praetor or of other senior officials in the provinces of the Empire, such as
the procurator or prefect in Palestine. Pilate's usual residence was on the
coast, in Caesarea, but he normally moved to Jerusalem for the major
festival periods, bringing additional troops to be used in the event of civil
disorder. In Jerusalem, at this time and later, the procurator resided in
Herod's palace (in the western part of the upper city) or else in the Antonia
tower, a fortress backing onto the northeastern corner of the temple espla-
nade. It is not known for certain which of these two buildings was the
praetorium mentioned in the Gospel; it was more likely the latter.

"So that they might not be defiled": Jewish tradition at the time ("Mishnah";
"Ohalot" treatise 7, 7) laid down that anyone who entered a Gentile or pagan
house incurred seven days' legal defilement (cf. Acts 10:28); such defilement
would have prevented them from celebrating the Passover. It is surprising that
the chief priests had a scruple of this sort given their criminal inclinations
against Jesus. Once more our Lord's accusation of them is seen to be well
founded: "You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel"
(Mt 23:24).

29-32. St John has omitted part of the interrogation which took place in the
house of Caiaphas and which is reported in the Synoptics (Mt 26:57-66 and
par.), which tell us that the meeting at Caiaphas' terminated with Jesus hem
declared deserving of death for the blasphemy of proclaiming himself the Son
of God (cf. Mt 26:65-66). Under the Law of Moses blasphemy was punishable
by stoning (cf. Lev 24:16); but they do not proceed to stone him--which the
certainly could have done, even though the Romans were in control: they were
ready to stone the adulterous woman (cf.Jn 8:1-11) and a short time later
they did stone St Stephen (cf. Acts 7:54-60)--because they wanted to bring
the people along with them, and they knew that many of them regarded Jesus
a Prophet and Messiah (cf. Mt 24:45-46; Mk 12:12; Lk 20:19). Not daring to
stone him, they will shrewdly manage to turn a religious charge into a politics
question and have the authority of the Empire brought to bear on their side
they preferred to denounce Jesus to the procurator as a revolutionary who
plotted against Caesar by declaring himself to be the Messiah and King of
the Jews; by acting in this way they avoided risking the people's wrath and
ensured that Jesus would be condemned by the Roman authorities to death
by crucifixion.

Our Lord had foretold a number of times that he would die in this way (cf.
Jn 3:14; 8:28; 12:32-33); as St Paul later put it, "Christ redeemed us from
the curse of the law, having become a curse for us--for it is written,
'Cursed be every one who hangs on a tree"' (Gal 3:13; cf. Deut 21:23).

33-34. There is no onus on Pilate to interfere in religious questions, but
because the accusation levelled against Jesus had to do with politics and
public order, he begins his interrogation naturally by examining him on the
main charge: "Are you the King of the Jews?"

By replying with another question, Jesus is not refusing to answer: he
wishes to make quite clear, as he has always done, that his mission is a
spiritual one. And really Pilate's was not an easy question to answer,
because, to a Gentile, a king of the Jews meant simply a subverter of the
Empire; whereas, to a Jewish nationalist, the King-Messiah was a politico-
religious liberator who would obtain their freedom from Rome. The true
character of Christ's messiahship completely transcends both these
concepts--as Jesus explains to the procurator, although he realizes how
enormously difficult it is for Pilate to understand what Christ's Kingship
really involves.

35-36. After the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and the fish, Jesus
refused to be proclaimed king because the people were thinking in terms of
an earthly kingdom (cf. Jn 6:15). However, Jesus did enter Jerusalem in tri-
umph, and he did accept acclamation as King-Messiah. Now, in the passion,
he acknowledges before Pilate that he is truly a King, making it clear that his
kingship is not an earthly one. Thus, "those who expected the Messiah to
have visible temporal power were mistaken. 'The kingdom of God does not
mean food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit'
(Rom 14:17). Truth and justice, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. That is the
kingdom of Christ: the divine activity which saves men and which will reach
its culmination when history ends and the Lord comes from the heights of
paradise finally to judge men" (St. J. Escriva, "Christ is Passing By", 180).

37. This is what his kingship really is: his kingdom is "the kingdom of
Truth and Life, the kingdom of Holiness and Grace, the kingdom of Justice,
Love and Peace" (Preface of the Mass of Christ the King). Christ reigns over
those who accept and practise the truth revealed by him--his Father's love
for the world (Jn 3:16; 1 Jn 4:9). He became man to make this truth known
and to enable men to accept it. And so, those who recognize Christ's
kingship and sovereignty accept his authority, and he thus reigns over them
in an eternal and universal kingdom.

For its part, "the Church, looking to Christ who bears witness to the truth,
must always and everywhere ask herself, and in a certain sense also con-
temporary 'world', how to make good emerge from man, how to liberate the
dynamism of the good that is in man, in order that it may be stronger than
evil, than any moral, social or other evil" (John Paul II, "General Audience",
February 1979).

"If we [Christians] are trying to have Christ as our king we must be
consistent. We must start by giving him our heart. Not to do that and still
talk about the kingdom of Christ would be completely hollow. There would be
no real Christian substance in our behavior. We would be making an outward
show of a faith which simply did not exist We would be misusing God's name
to human advantage. [...] If we let Christ reign in our soul, we will not become
authoritarian. Rather we will serve everyone. How l like that word: service! To
serve my king and, through him, all those who have been redeemed by his
blood. I really wish we Christians knew how to serve, for only by serving can
we know and love Christ and make him known and loved" (St. J. Escriva,
"Christ is Passing By", 181-182).

By his death and resurrection, Jesus shows that the accusations laid against
him were based on lies: it was he who was telling the truth, not his judges
and accusers, and God confirms the truth of Jesus--the truth of his words, of
deeds, of his revelation--by the singular miracle of his resurrection. To men
Christ's kingship may seem paradoxical: he dies, yet he lives for ever; he is
defeated and is crucified, yet he is victorious. "When Jesus Christ him ap-
peared as a prisoner before Pilate's tribunal and was interrogated by him...did
he not answer: 'For this I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to
bear witness to the truth'? It was as if with these words [...] he was once more
confirming what he had said earlier: 'You will know the truth, and truth will
make you free'. In the course of so many centuries, of so many generations,
from the time of the Apostles on, is it not often Jesus Christ himself that has
made an appearance at the side of people judged for the sake of truth? And
has he not gone to death with people condemned for the sake of truth? Does
he ever cease to be the continuous spokesman and advocate for person who
lives 'in spirit and truth'? (cf. Jn 4:23). Just as he does not cease to be it
before the Father, he is it also with regard to the history of man" (J Paul II,
"Redemptor Hominis", 12).

38-40. The outcome of the interrogation is that Pilate becomes convinced of
Jesus' innocence (cf. Jn 19:4, 12). He probably realizes that the accusations
made against Jesus were really an internal matter in which the Jews were
trying to involve him; but the Jewish authorities are very irate. It is not easy
for him to find away out. He tries to do so by making concessions: first, he
has recourse to a passover privilege, offering them the choice between a
criminal and Jesus, but this does not work; so he looks for other ways to
save him, and here also he fails. His cowardice and indecision cause him to
yield to pressure and commit the injustice of condemning to death a man he
knows to be innocent.

"The mystery of innocent suffering is one of the most obscure points on the
entire horizon of human wisdom; and here it is affirmed in the most flagrant
way. But before we uncover something of this problem, there already grows
up in us an unrestrained affection for the innocent one who suffers, for
Jesus, [...] and for all innocent people--whether they be young or old--who
are also suffering, and whose pain we cannot explain. The way of the cross
leads us to meet the first person in a sorrowful procession of innocent people
who suffer. And this first blameless and suffering person uncovers for us in
the end the secret of his passion. It is a sacrifice" (Paul VI, "Address on
Good Friday", 12 April 1974).

1-3. Christ's prophecy is fulfilled to the letter: the Son of Man "will be
delivered to the Gentiles, and will be mocked and shamefully treated and
spit upon; they will scourge him and kill him, and on the third day he will
rise" (Lk 18:32f; cf. Mt 20:18f).

Scourging was one of the most severe punishments permitted under Roman
law. The criminal was draped over a pillar or other form of support, his naked
back exposed to the lash or "flagellum". Scourging was generally used as a
preliminary to crucifixion to weaken the criminal and thereby hasten his
death.

Crowning with thorns was not an official part of the punishment; it was an
initiative of the soldiers themselves, a product of their cruelty and desire to
mock Jesus. On the stone pavement in the Antonia tower some drawings
have been found which must have been used in what was called the "king
game"; dice were thrown to pick out a mock king among those condemned,
who was subjected to taunting before being led off for crucifixion.

St John locates this episode at the center of his narrative of the events in
praetorium. He thereby highlights the crowning with thorns as the point
which Christ's kingship is at its most patent: the soldiers proclaim him as
King of the Jews only in a sarcastic way (of. Mk 15:15, 16-19), but the
evangelist gives us to understand that he is indeed the King.

5. Wearing the insignia of royalty, Christ, despite this tragic parody, projects
the majesty of the King of Kings. In Rev 5:12 St John will say: "Worth is the
Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might
and honor and glory and blessing!"

"Imagine that divine face: swollen by blows, covered in spittle, torn by
thorns, furrowed with blood, here fresh blood, there ugly dried blood. And,
since the sacred Lamb had his hands tied, he could not use them to wipe 
away the blood running into his eyes, and so those two luminaries of heaven
were eclipsed and almost blinded and made mere pieces of flesh. Finally, so
figured was he that one could not make out who he was; he scarcely seemed
human; he had become an altarpiece depicting suffering, painted by those
cruel artists and their evil president, producing this pitiful figure to plead his
before his enemies" (Fray Luis de Granada, "Life of Jesus Christ",
4).

6-7. When Pilate hears the Jews accuse Jesus of claiming to be the Son
of God, he grows still more alarmed: his wife has already unnerved him by
sending him a message, after a dream, not to have anything to do with this
"righteous man". But the shouting (v. 12) orchestrated by the Jewish
authorities pressurizes him into agreeing to condemn Jesus.

Although technically Jesus is crucified for supposedly committing a political
crime (cf. note on Jn 18:29-32), in fact it is on clearly religious grounds that he
is sent to death.

8-11. Pilate is impressed by Jesus' silence, by his not defending himself, and
when the procurator says that he has power to release him or to condemn him,
our Lord then says something quite unexpected--that all power on earth comes
from God. This means that in the last analysis even if people talk about the
sovereignty of the king or of the people, such authority is never absolute; it is
only relative, being subject to the absolute sovereignty of God: hence no human
law can be just, and therefore binding in conscience, if it does not accord with
divine law.

"He who delivered me"--a reference to all those who have contrived our Lord's
death, that is, Judas, Caiaphas, the Jewish leaders, etc. (cf. 18:30-35). They
are the ones that really sent Christ to the cross; but this does not exonerate
Pontius Pilate from blame.

13. "The Pavement", in Greek "Iithostrotos", literally a "pavement", "flagged
expanse", therefore a yard or plaza paved with flags. The Hebrew word "Gabba-
tha" is not the equivalent of the Greek "lithostrotos"; it means "height" or
"eminence". But both words refer to the same place; however, its precise
location is uncertain due to doubts about where the praetorium was located:
cf. note on Jn 18:28.

Grammatically, the Greek could be translated as follows: "Pilate... brought
Jesus out and sat him down on the judgment seat": in which case the
evangelist implies that Pilate was ridiculing the Jewish leaders by a mock
enthronement of the "King of the Jews". This would fit in with Pilate's
attitude towards the Jewish leaders from this point onwards (vv. 14-22) and
with the purpose of the inspired writer, who would see in this the
enthronement of Christ as King.

14. "The day of Preparation", the Parasceve. The sixth hour began at midday.
Around this time all leavened bread was removed from the houses and replaced
by unleavened bread for the paschal meal (cf. Ex 12:15ff), and the lamb was
officially sacrificed in the temple. St John notes that this was the time at which
Jesus was condemned, thereby underlying the coincidence between the time
of the death sentence and the time the lamb was sacrificed: Christ is the new
Paschal Lamb; as St Paul says (cf. 1 Cor 5:7), "Christ, our paschal lamb, has
been sacrificed".

There is some difficulty in reconciling what St John says about the sixth hour,
with the information given in Mark 15:25 about Jesus being crucified at the third
hour. Various explanations are offered, the best being that Mark is referring to
the end of the third hour and John to the beginning of the sixth hour both would
then be talking of around midday.

15. The history of the Jewish people helps us understand the tragic paradox
of the attitude of the Jewish authorities at this point. The Jews were very
conscious all along of being the people of God. For example, they proudly
asserted that they had no Father but God (cf. Jn 8:4). In the Old Testament
Yahweh is the true King of Israel (cf. Deut 33:5; Num 23:21; 1 Kings 22:19;
Is 6:5); when they wanted to copy the neighboring peoples and asked Samuel
for a king (cf. I Sam 8:5. 20), Samuel resisted, because Israel had only one
absolute sovereign, Yahweh (1 Sam 8:6-9). But eventually God gave in to their
request and himself designated who should be king over his people. His first
choice, Saul, was given sacred anointing, as were David and his successors.
This rite of anointing showed that the Israelite king was God's vicar. When the
kings failed to meet the people's expectations, they increasingly yearned for
the messianic king, the descendant or "Son" of David, the Anointed "par excel-
lence" or Messiah, who would rule his people, liberate them from their enemies
and lead them to rule the world (cf. 2 Sam 7:16; Ps 24:7; 43:5; etc.). For
centuries they strove heroically for this ideal, rejecting foreign domination.

During Christ's time also they opposed Rome and Herod, whom, not being
a Jew, they regarded as an illegitimate king. However, at this point in the
Passion, they hypocritically accept the Roman emperor as their true and
only king. They also reject the "easy yoke" of Christ (cf. Mt 11:30) and bring
the full weight of Rome down upon him.

"They themselves submitted to the punishment; therefore, the Lord handed
them over. Thus, because they unanimously rejected God's government, the
Lord let them be brought down through their own condemnation: for, rejecting
the dominion of Christ, they brought upon themselves that of Caesar" (St
John Chrysostom, "Hom. on St John", 83).

A similar kind of tragedy occurs when people who have been baptized and
therefore have become part of the new people of God, throw off the "easy
yoke" of Christ's sovereignty by their obstinacy in sin and submit to the
terrible tyranny of the devil (cf. 2 Pet 2:21).

17. "The place of a skull" or Calvary seems to have got its name from the
fact that it was shaped like a skull or head.

St Paul points to the parallelism that exists between Adam's disobedience
and Christ's obedience (cf. Rom 5:12). On the feast of the Triumph of the
Cross the Church sings "where life was lost, there life has been restored",
to show how,just as the devil won victory by the tree of paradise, so he was
overpowered by Christ on the tree of the Cross.

St John is the only evangelist who clearly states that Jesus carried his own
cross; the other three mention that Simon of Cyrene helped to carry it. See
note on Mt 27:31 and Lk 23:26.

Christ's decisiveness in accepting the cross is an example which we should
follow in our daily life: "You yourself must decide of your own free will to take
up the cross; otherwise, your tongue may say that you are imitating Christ,
but your actions will belie your words. That way, you will never get to know
the Master intimately, or love him truly. It is really important that we Chris-
tians convince ourselves of this. We are not walking with our Lord unless we
are spontaneously depriving ourselves of many things that our whims, vanity,
pleasure or self-interest clamor for" (St. J. Escriva, "Friends of God", 129).

As Simeon had prophesied, Jesus would be a "sign that is spoken against"
(Lk 2:34)--a standard raised on high which leaves no room for indifference,
demanding that every man decide for or against him and his cross: "he was
going therefore to the place where he was to be crucified, bearing his own
Cross. An extraordinary spectacle: to impiety, something to jeer at; to
piety a great mystery. [...] Impiety looks on and laughs at a king bearing,
instead of a scepter, the wood of his punishment; piety looks on and sees
the King bearing that cross for himself to be fixed on, a cross which would
thereafter shine on the brow of kings; an object of contempt in the eyes of
the impious, but something in which hereafter the hearts of the saints
should glorify, as St Paul would later say, But God forbid that I should
glory; save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ" (St Augustine, "In Ioann.
Evang.", 117, 3).

18. Knowing what crucifixion in ancient times entailed will help us
understand much better the extent of the humiliation and suffering Jesus
bore for love of us. Crucifixion was a penalty reserved for slaves, and
applied to the most serious crimes; it was the most horrific and painful
form of death possible; it was also an exemplary public punishment and
therefore was carried out in a public place, with the body of the criminal
being left exposed for days afterwards. These words of Cicero show how
infamous a punishment it was: "That a Roman citizen should be bound is
an abuse; that he be lashed is a crime; that he be put to death is virtually
parricide; what, then, shall I say, if he be hung on a cross? There is no
word fit to describe a deed so horrible" ("In Verrem", II, 5,66).

A person undergoing crucifixion died after a painful agony involving loss of
blood, fever caused by his wounds, thirst, and asphyxiation, etc. Some-
times the executioners hastened death by breaking the person's legs or
piercing him with a lance, as in our Lord's case. This helps us understand
better what St Paul says to the Philippians about Christ's humiliation on
the Cross: "he emptied himself, taking the form of a servant [or slave],
being born in the likeness of men... ; he humbled himself and became
obedient unto death, even death on a cross (Phil 2:7-8).

St John says little about the other two people being crucified, perhaps
because the Synoptic Gospels had already spoken about them (see notes
on Lk 23:39-43).

19-22. The "title" was the technical term then used in Roman law to indicate
the grounds on which the person was being punished. It was usually written
on a board prominently displayed, summarizing the official document which
was forwarded to the legal archives in Rome. This explains why, when the
chief priests ask Pilate to change the wording of the inscription, the procu-
rator firmly refuses to do so: the sentence, once dictated, was irrevocable:
that is what he means when he says, "What I have written I have written."
In the case of Christ, this title written in different languages proclaims his
universal kingship, for it could be read by people from all over the world who
had come to celebrate the Passover--thus confirming our Lord's words: "I am
a king. For this I was born, and for this I have come into the world" (Jn 18:37).

In establishing the feast of Christ the King, Pope Pius XI explained: "He is
said to reign 'in the minds of men', both by reason of the keenness of his
intellect and the extent of his knowledge, and also because he is Truth itself
and it is from him that truth must be obediently received by all mankind. He
reigns, too, in the wills of men, for in him the human will was perfectly and
entirely obedient to the holy will of God, and further by his grace and inspira-
tion he so subjects our free will as to incite us to the most noble endeavors.
He is King of our hearts, too, by reason of his 'charity which surpasseth all
knowledge', and his mercy and kindness which draw all men to him; for there
never was, nor ever will be a man loved so much and so universally as Jesus
Christ" (Pius XI, "Quas Primas").

23-24. And so the prophecy of Psalm 22 is fulfilled which describes
accurately the sufferings of the Messiah: "They divide my garments among
them, and for my raiment they cast lots" (Ps 22:19). The Fathers have seen
this seamless tunic a symbol of the unity of the Church (cf. St Augustine,
"In Ioann. Evang.", 118,4).

25. Whereas the Apostles, with the exception of St John, abandon Jesus in
the hour of his humiliation, these pious women, who had followed him during
his public life (cf. Lk 8:2-3) now stay with their Master as he dies on the
cross (cf. note on Mt 27:55-56).

Pope John Paul II explains that our Lady's faithfulness was shown in four
ways: first, in her generous desire to do all that God wanted of her (cf. Lk
1:34); second, in her total acceptance of God's Will (cf. Lk 1:38); third,
in the consistency between her life and the commitment of faith which she
made; an finally, in her withstanding this test. "And only a consistency
that lasts throughout the whole of life can be called faithfulness. Mary's
'fiat' in the Annunciation finds its fullness in the silent 'fiat' that she repeats
at the foot of the Cross" ("Homily in Mexico Cathedral", 26 January 1979).

The Church has always recognized the dignity of women and their important
role in salvation history. It is enough to recall the veneration which from the
earliest times the Christian people have had for the Mother of Christ, the
Woman "par excellence" and the most sublime and most privileged creature
ever to come from the hands of God. Addressing a special message to women,
the Second Vatican Council said, among other things: "Women in trial, who
stand upright at the foot of the cross like Mary, you who so often in history
have given to men the strength to battle unto the very end and to give witness
to the point of martyrdom, aid them now still once more to retain courage in
their great undertakings, while at the same time maintaining patience and
an esteem for humble beginnings" (Vatican II, "Message to Women", 8
December 1965).

26-27. "The spotless purity of John's whole life makes him strong before the
Cross. The other apostles fly from Golgotha: he, with the Mother of Christ,
remains. Don't forget that purity strengthens and invigorates the character"
(St. J. Escriva, "The Way", 144).

Our Lord's gesture in entrusting his Blessed Mother to the disciple's care,
has a dual meaning (see p. 19 above and pp. 35ff). For one thing it ex-
presses his filial love for the Virgin Mary. St Augustine sees it as a lesson
Jesus gives us on how to keep the fourth commandment: "Here is a lesson
in morals. He is doing what he tells us to do and, like a good Teacher, he
instructs his own by example, that it is the duty of good children to take
care of their parents; as though the wood on which his dying members were
fixed were also the chair of the teaching Master" (St Augustine, "In Ioann.
Evang.", 119, 2).

Our Lord's words also declare that Mary is our Mother: "The Blessed Virgin
also advanced in her pilgrimage of faith, and faithfully persevered in her
union with her Son unto the cross, where she stood, in keeping with the
divine plan, enduring with her only begotten Son the intensity of his suffering,
associating herself with his sacrifice in her mother's heart, and lovingly con-
senting to the immolation of this victim who was born of her. Finally, she was
given by the same Christ Jesus dying on the cross as a mother to his disciple"
(Vatican 11, "Lumen Gentium", 58).

All Christians, who are represented in the person of John, are children of
Mary. By giving us his Mother to be our Mother, Christ demonstrates his love
for his own to the end (cf. Jn 13:1). Our Lady's acceptance of John as her
son shows her motherly care for us: "the Son of God, and your Son, from the
Cross indicated a man to you, Mary, and said: 'Behold, your son' (Jn 19:26).
And in that man he entrusted to you every person, he entrusted everyone to
you. And you, who at the moment of the Annunciation, concentrated the whole
program of your life in those simple words: 'Behold I am the handmaid of the
Lord; let it be to me according to your word' (Lk 1:38): embrace everyone, draw
close to everyone, seek everyone out with motherly care. Thus is accomplished
what the last Council said about your presence in the mystery of Christ and the
Church. In a wonderful way you are always found in the mystery of Christ, your
only Son, because you are present wherever men and women, his brothers and
sisters, are present, wherever the Church is present" (John Paul II, "Homily in
the Basilica of Guadalupe", 27 January 1979).

"John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, brought Mary into his home, into his life.
Spiritual writers have seen these words of the Gospel as an invitation to all
Christians to bring Mary into their lives. Mary certainly wants us to invoke her,
to approach her confidently, to appeal to her as our mother, asking her to 'show
that you are our mother"' (St. J. Escriva, "Christ is Passing By", 140).

John Paul II constantly treats our Lady as his Mother. In bidding farewell to the
Virgin of Czestochowa he prayed in this way: "Our Lady of the Bright Mountain,
Mother of the Church! Once more I consecrate myself to you 'in your maternal
slavery of love'. "Totus tuus"! I am all yours! I consecrate to you the whole
Church--everywhere and to the ends of the earth! I consecrate to you humanity;
I consecrate to you all men and women, my brothers and sisters. All peoples
and all nations. I consecrate to you Europe and all the continents. I consecrate
to you Rome and Poland, united, through your servant, by a fresh bond of love.
Mother, accept us! Mother, do not abandon us! Mother, be our guide!" ("Farewell
Address" at Jasna Gora Shrine, 6 June 1979).

28-29. This was foretold in the Old Testament: "They gave me poison for food,
and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink" (Ps 69:21). This does not mean
that they gave Jesus vinegar to increase his suffering; it was customary to offer
victims of crucifixion water mixed with vinegar to relieve their thirst. In addition
to the natural dehydration Jesus was suffering, we can see in his thirst an ex-
pression of his burning desire to do his Father's will and to save a souls: "On
the Cross he cried out "Sitio"!, 'I thirst'. He thirsts for us, for our love, for our
souls and for all the souls we ought to be bringing to him along the way of the
Cross, which is the way to immortality and heavenly glory" (St. J. Escriva,
"Friends of God", 202).

30. Jesus, nailed on the cross, dies to atone for all the sins and vileness of
man. Despite his sufferings he dies serenely, majestically, bowing his head
now that he has accomplished the mission entrusted to him. "Who can sleep
when he wishes to, as Jesus died when he wished to? Who can lay aside his
clothing when he wishes to, as he put off the flesh when he chose to?... What
must be hope or fear to find his power when he comes in judgment, if it can
be seen to be so great at the moment of his death!" (St Augustine, "ln loann.
Evang.", 119, 6).

"Let us meditate on our Lord, wounded from head to foot out of love for us.
Using a phrase which approaches the truth, although it does not express its
full reality, we can repeat the words of an ancient writer: 'The body of Christ
is a portrait in pain'. At the first sight of Christ bruised and broken--just a life-
less body taken down from the cross and given to his Mother--at the sight of
Jesus destroyed in this way, we might have thought he had failed utterly.
Where are the crowds that once followed him, where is the kingdom he fore-
told? But this is victory, not defeat. We are nearer the resurrection than ever
before; we are going to see the glory which he has won with his obedience"
(St. J. Escriva, "Christ is Passing By", 95).

31-33. Jesus dies on the Preparation day of the Passover--the Parasceve--
that is, the eve, when the paschal lambs were officially sacrificed in the
Temple. By stressing this, the evangelist implies that Christ's sacrifice took
the place of the sacrifices of the Old Law and inaugurated the New Alliance
in his blood (cf. Heb 9:12).

The Law of Moses required that the bodies should be taken down before
nightfall (Deut 21:22-23); this is why Pilate is asked to have their legs broken,
to bring on death and allow them to be buried before it gets dark, particularly
since the next day is the feast of the Passover.

On the date of Jesus' death see "The Dates of the Life of our Lord Jesus Christ"
in "The Navarre Bible: St Mark" pp. 48ff.

34. The outflow of blood and water has a natural explanation. Probably the water
was an accumulation of liquid in the lungs due to Jesus' intense sufferings.

As on other occasions, the historical events narrated in the fourth Gospel
are laden with meaning. St Augustine and Christian tradition see the sacra-
ment and the Church itself flowing from Jesus' open side: "Here was opened
wide the door of life, from which the sacraments of the Church have flowed out,
without which there is no entering in unto life which is true life. [...] Here the
second Adam with bowed head slept upon the cross, that thence a wife might
be formed of him, flowing from his side while he slept. 0 death, by which the
dead come back to life! is there anything purer than this blood, any wound
more healing!" (St Augustine, "In Ioann. Evang.", 120, 2).

The Second Vatican Council, for its part, teaches: "The Church--that is, the
kingdom of Christ--already present in mystery, grows visibly through the
power of God in the world. The origin and growth of the Church are symbo-
lized by the blood and water which flowed from the open side of the crucified
Jesus (Vatican II, "Lumen Gentium", 3).

"Jesus on the cross, with his heart overflowing with love for men, is such an
eloquent commentary on the value of people and things that words only get
in the way. People, their happiness and their life, are so important that the
very Son of God gave himself to redeem and cleanse and raise them up"
(St. J. Escriva, "Christ is Passing By", 165).

35. St John's Gospel presents itself as a truthful witness of the events of
our Lord's life and of their spiritual and doctrinal significance. From the
words of John the Baptist at the outset of Jesus' public ministry (1:19) to
the final paragraph of the Gospel (21:24-25), everything forms part of a
testimony to the sublime phenomenon of the Word of Life made Man.
Here the evangelist explicitly states that he was an eyewitness (cf. also
Jn 20:30-31; 1 Jn 1:1-3).

36. This quotation refers to the precept of the Law that no bone of the
paschal lamb should be broken (cf. Ex 12:46): again St John's Gospel is
telling, us that Jesus is the true paschal Lamb who takes away the sins
of the world (cf. Jn 1:29).

37. The account of the Passion concludes with a quotation from Zechariah
(12:10) foretelling the salvation resulting from the mysterious suffering and
death of a redeemer. The evangelist thereby evokes the salvation wrought
by Jesus Christ who, nailed to the cross, has fulfilled God's promise of
redemption (cf. Jn 12:32). Everyone who looks upon him with faith receives
the effects of his Passion. Thus, the good thief, looking at Christ on the
cross, recognized his kingship, placed his trust in him and received the
promise of heaven (Cf. Lk 23:42-43).

In the liturgy of Good Friday the Church invites us to contemplate and adore
the cross: "Behold the wood of the Cross, on which was nailed the salvation
of the world", and from the earliest times of the Church the Crucifix has
been the sign reminding Christians of the supreme point of Christ's love,
when he died on the Cross and freed us from eternal death.

"Your Crucifix.--As a Christian, you should always carry your Crucifix with
you. And place it on your desk. And kiss it before going to bed and when
you wake up: and when your poor body rebels against your soul, kiss it 
again" (St. J. Escriva, "The Way", 302).

38-39. Our Lord's sacrifice produces its firstfruits: people who were previously
afraid now boldly confess themselves disciples of Christ and attend to his
dead Body with exquisite refinement and generosity. The evangelist mentions
that Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus used a mixture of myrrh and aloes
in lavish amount. Myrrh is a very expensive aromatic resin, and aloes a juice
extracted from the leaves of certain plants. They were used as an _expression
of veneration for the dead.

40. The Fourth Gospel adds to the information on the burial given by the
Synoptics. Sacred Scripture did not specify what form burial should take,
with the result that the Jews followed the custom of the time. After piously
taking our Lord's body down from the cross, they probably washed it carefully
(cf. Acts 9:37), perfumed it and wrapped it in a linen cloth, covering the head
with a sudarium or napkin (cf. Jn 20:5-6). But because of the imminence of
the sabbath rest, they were unable to anoint the body with balsam, which the
women planned to do once the sabbath was past (cf. Mk 16:1; Lk 24:1).
Jesus himself, when he praised Mary for anointing him at Bethany, had fore-
told in a veiled way that his body would not be embalmed (cf. note on Jn 12:7).

41. Many of the Fathers have probed the mystic meaning of the
garden--usually to point out that Christ, who was arrested in the Garden of
Olives and buried in another garden, has redeemed us superabundantly from
that first sin which was committed also in a garden, the Garden of Paradise
They comment that Jesus' being the only one to be buried in this new tomb
meant that there would be no doubt that it was he and not another that rose
from the dead. St Augustine also observes that "just as in the womb of the
Virgin Mary none was conceived before him, none after him, so in this tomb
none before him, none after was buried" ("In Ioann. Evang.". 120, 5).

Among the truths of Christian doctrine to do with Christ's death and burial
are these: "one, that the body of Christ was in no degree corrupted in the
sepulchre, according to the prediction of the Prophet, 'Thou wilt not give
thy holy one to see corruption' (Ps 16:10; Acts 2:31); the other... that
burial, passion and death apply to Christ Jesus not as God but as man,
yet they are also attributed to God, since, as is clear, they are predicated 
with propriety of that Person who is at once perfect God and perfect man"
("St Pius V Catechism", I 5, 9).

*********************************************************************************************
Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States. We encourage readers to purchase
The Navarre Bible for personal study. See Scepter Publishers for details.

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