SBL Conference: Morality in John
I returned the other day from the Society of Biblical Literature’s annual convention, which was in San Diego this year. I had never been before, but I went with some of the other seminarians from Kenrick and Dr. Kitz, our Old Testament professor.
I enjoyed the conference very much, and some of the talks I attended were very good. At a minimum, almost all of them were thought-provoking. My overall impression is that Catholics have a huge advantage in interpreting the Bible for several important reasons: the living Tradition1, the Magisterium, the sacraments2, having the lived experience of ritual and liturgy, etc.
There was one talk on morality as presented in the Gospel according to John, which was particularly good. The thesis of the presentation was basically that scholars usually presume that John contains no moral teaching (other than, obviously, the Mandatum), but that, in fact, because of the genre of the Gospel as a biography, the emphasis of the entire work is on following the example of Jesus. This is heading in the direction indicated by Veritatis Splendor, which says “The way and at the same time the content of this perfection [of the moral life] consist in the following of Jesus” (19).
From a philosophical position, it’s nice to see somebody who can see Positivism for what it is. I’m not surprised that people don’t see “moral teaching” unless it’s spelled out in the form of “do this; don’t do that” commandments. While it would be impossible for this one talk to encompass the full consequences of the direction in which it was heading, it brought to my mind the following considerations.
The question about morality is summed up in the Synoptic Gospels by the question of the rich young man: “Good teacher, what must I do to have eternal life?” In John, the question does not need to be asked, and, in fact, Jesus gives the same answer in both the Synoptics and in John. In the Synoptics, he replies “keep the commandments,” but ultimately his answer is “follow me.” In John, he tells us, “I am the [...] life.” Thus, the Person of Christ himself gives us the content of morality.
The talk also mentioned how the Mandatum has been interpreted as exclusive to “the world,” that is, as something for the Johannine community alone. The presenter did well to point out that not every instance of “the world” in John is negative. One has only to attend any sporting event to see the guy in the rainbow “wig” testifying to John 3:16.3 In fact, if we understand the Mandatum properly in the context of John 3:16 (”love one another as I have loved you“), we necessarily regard loving as Jesus loves as non-introverted.
The question this raises is: “How is that possible?” We can’t love as Jesus loves. The only way we can fulfill the great commandment, indeed, the only way we can follow Jesus is if the love of God is “poured into our hearts” (Romans 5:5). Now, especially if John is written as late as is usually thought, this Gospel presumes the sacramental life of the community.
Therefore, John answers the question about morality in very concrete terms in a catechesis on the sacraments. How is the love of God poured into our hearts? John 3:5 tells us about Baptism, which makes it possible for us to have the Spirit that gives life (Cf. John 4, John 6). John 6, especially, answers the question about morality with the Eucharist.
“What must I do to have eternal life?”
“I am the life.”
“The water that I will give will become a spring welling up unto eternal life.”
“Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.”
The sacraments! Following Jesus is not an external imitation. Indeed, even if one were to give up his life but not have the love of God in his heart, he would profit nothing (Cf. 1 Corinthians 13). This love (the grace of Charity) is given through the sacraments. John’s catechesis to his community on the power of the sacraments is not only theologically profound but concrete; it directs them and us to the Lord where he can be found and not as if he were a distant exemplar from the past.
1 See the story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch. “So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’ And he said, ‘How can I, unless someone guides me?’” (Acts 8:30-31)
2 I believe that unless someone receives the Eucharist, he is not going to be able to understand the Bible; even the literal sense of the text will sometimes escape him. See the story of the Road to Emmaus in Luke 24.
25 And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
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30 When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. 32 They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?”
3 You can thank “the brother” for the colorful phraseology.3a
3a And for suggesting the phrase “colorful phraseology.”
