On the Gospel of John the Divine

I am reading the Commentary on the Gospel of John by St. John Chrysostom (c. 386) (the name "golden-mouth" was given to him by the people because of his eloquence in preaching.)  St John C. begins his homilies by reflecting on the background of the Gospel-writer, John ("The Divine"), a name given to him because his Gospel seems to have descended from heaven itself.

John Chrysostom says that if John the Divine were coming to speak to us, we might want to know about his family, his background, his education, and his qualifications to speak about Jesus -- something I had never thought to ask.  But if we think about it, as does St. John C., we really have to laugh.  The Gospel-writer John comes from Galilee, the most remote and backward region of all Palestine, and from that region, the poorest village---"Can anything good come out of Nazareth?"

In this village, the poorest trade -- his father and brothers and he himself were all fishermen.  As John Chrysostom says, "Nothing can be poorer, meaner, no, nor more ignorant, than fishermen."  And he was called from "mending their nets," which indicates even greater poverty.  Luke points out in Acts 4:13 that Peter and the others were "unschooled, ordinary men," but the people took note that "they had been with Jesus."

This fisherman, then, who had "never learned letters either before or after he accompanied Christ" (Homilies of St. John Chrysostom), "let us see what he utters, and on what matters he converses with us.  Is it of things in the field?  Is it of things in the rivers?  On the trade in fish?....but no...we shall hear of things in heaven, and what no one ever learned before this man." 

St. John C. points out that before John the Evangelist, the disciples of Plato and Pythagoras and other philosophers had inquired into these questions on the nature of divinity - and in all have been more shamefully ridiculous than children....for since they assert everything on uncertain and fallacious arguments, they are like men carried hither and thither....

But this unlettered man, the ignorant, the native of Bethsaida, the son of Zebedee...so much the brighter does what we have with us appear, for when a barbarian and an untaught person utters things which no man on earth ever knew....who will not wonder at the power that dwells in him?  As for the writings of the Greeks, they are all put out and vanished, but this man's shine brighter day by day....wherefore we who hear them would prefer to give up our lives than the doctrines by him delivered to us.

What St. John Chrysostom says about the Apostle John is so obvious that we have completely overlooked it.  Reading the Gospel of John makes us forget its origin as coming from the most simple and untaught of men.  When we read In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God....through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made...In Him was life and that life was the light of men...., we immediately bow our heads before a great and learned philosopher and writer of truth.  But upon further reflection, we must realize the Source of John's wisdom --- it came not from himself or from his background or education or from teachers, but from heaven itself. 

As a very young man (no more than 17 years old), John was "the Beloved Disciple."  He describes himself as "the one Jesus loved," -- probably because he was so young and so untouched by the world's sophistication.  He had a pure soul, one that could absorb divine teaching.  And the radiance of that teaching continues today to enlighten the whole world, despite Greek and Roman philosophy which existed at the time of John's exile and Gospel.  I have heard it said that if one wants to begin reading the Bible, he should first read the Gospel of John 7 times.  Then he will be ready to embark on the rest of the Bible.  It might not be a bad idea for all of us to read the Gospel of Jesus Christ as seen through the eyes of an unlettered fisherman during this Lenten season.  Then and only then will we be ready for the glory of Easter Sunday.