Last Supper Discourse

Today's Reflections

 

      

 

Last Supper Discourse 

 

Jn 14:1-12

[Jesus told his disciples,] ¹“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. ²In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? ³And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be. ⁴Where [I] am going you know the way.” ⁵Thomas said to him, “Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?” ⁶Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ⁷If you know me, then you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” ⁸Philip said to him, “Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.” ⁹Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? ¹⁰Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who dwells in me is doing his works. ¹¹Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else, believe because of the works themselves. ¹²Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father.”

Looking to the future. We see in the “last farewell” of Jesus the events that lie ahead after his passion and glorification.

The “farewell address” is a common literary form in the Bible. We have farewell addresses from Jacob (Gn 49), Joseph (Gn 50), Moses (Dt 31-33), Joshua (Jos 23-24), and Paul (Acts 20), among others. In general, the address is introduced by an indication that the speaker is about to die or depart. Then follows an exhortation to his successor/s or followers.

Elements of the address vary. There are words of prophecy or caution about the future. There is also reference to God’s intention for the future.

In his farewell address in John, Jesus intimates with his disciples his impending departure. He speaks of his death. He consoles them by saying that his absence will redound to their benefit: he will prepare “dwelling places” for them in the Father’s kingdom. Moreover, it is by his going away that the Holy Spirit will come, sent by the Father as their consoler.

Jesus tells them how they should live from then on. He gives them a new commandment: that they love one another. People will know that they are his disciples by their love for one another (cf Jn 13:34-35).

Jesus also shares with his disciples a “secret”: the “way” to the Father, the “way” to meet God. It is none other than through him who is “the way and the truth and the life.” Focus here is on “life.” If we want to live life to the full, the kind of life that the Father desires and preserves, then we must follow the “way” of Jesus.