2026/03/09

238. The Gospel of John and the Priesthood of the New Covenant: Soaring

After Pentecost, the twelve, now joined by Matthias, selected "seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom" (Acts 6:3), appointing them to official ministries, laying their hands upon them. This was a momentous decision. Soon, a great persecution arose against the Church, involving Paul's life at its very centre. Paul's work, which began with his conversion, teaches us that the apostolate and the gift of prophecy conferred by the descended Holy Spirit (cf. Jn 16:13) form the foundation for believers to collaborate with the Holy Spirit. In the Acts of the Apostles, both Paul and Barnabas are referred to as apostles (cf. Acts 14:14), and Paul himself called worthy disciples apostles (cf. Rom 16:7, Gal 1:19, 1 Thess 2:7). 

Paul heard many accounts about Jesus, particularly from the Apostle Peter, as well as from James, John, and Barnabas. From these accounts, he must have grasped the true meaning behind Jesus first choosing the Twelve, calling them 'apostles' and training them, imparting everything to them (cf. Jn 15:15), after that, conferring upon them the priesthood of the New Covenant at the institution of the Eucharist (cf. Lk 22:14–20), and then entrusting them with kingship (cf. 22:28–30). This kingship originated from the throne of David, as the angel had announced to Jesus' mother: "The Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David" (1:32). David had been a shepherd at first. Jesus declared, "I am the good shepherd" (Jn 10:11), and explained to the Pharisees how such a shepherd works (cf. 10:1–18). These events that the disciples experienced led, after Jesus' resurrection, to the following narrative: 

In the Gospel of John, the risen Jesus "said to Simon Peter, 'Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?' He said to him, 'Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.' He said to him, 'Feed my lambs'" (Jn 21:15). By saying "more than these," Jesus confirmed Peter's resolve to become the head of the disciples. He then asked twice more, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" and commanded, "Tend my sheep" (21:16) and "Feed my sheep" (21:17). Jesus, who declared, "I am the good shepherd," entrusted his staff to Peter, so to speak. These three commands indicate that this authority resides within the "sheepfold" (10:1), that is, within the Church. It pertains to the priesthood of the New Covenant. 

Then Jesus said to Peter, intending to show by what death he would glorify God, "Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you girded yourself and walked where you would; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish to go" (Jn 21:18). Paul must have heard these experiences from John, one of those "who were reputed to be pillars" (Gal 2:9). He would also have heard well Jesus' words concerning the destruction of Jerusalem. A new city must be prepared for the Christians. Thus, the staff of the "good shepherd" is guarded, and Jesus' formation is carried on. That staff was in Peter's hand, i.e., in his memory. 

The Acts of the Apostles records that in Ephesus, Paul "resolved in the Spirit to pass through Macedo'nia and Acha'ia and go to Jerusalem, saying, 'After I have been there, I must also see Rome.'" (Acts 19:21). Paul intuitively sensed that God desired Rome to become the new city for Christians. The Holy Spirit was with Paul in his resolve. "The Lord stood by him and said, ‘Take courage, for as you have testified about me at Jerusalem, so you must bear witness also at Rome’" (23:11). God's hand carried him to Rome. 

Paul understood the Lord’s words: "you must bear witness also at Rome." He knew his mission was to welcome Peter, entrusted with the staff of the "good shepherd," into the community in Rome. He had made arrangements to summon Peter there. Realising the time was ripe, Paul wrote to Timothy: "Do your best to come to me soon. ... Luke alone is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you; for he is very useful in serving me. ... When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Tro'as, also the books, and above all the parchments" (2 Tim 4:9–13). 

Timothy, who, from childhood, had been "acquainted with the sacred writings" (2 Tim 3:15), understood what Paul suggested in his letter well. The "cloak" signified the mantle cast by Elijah to Elisha – that is, succession. The words "the books, and above all the parchments" represented the "good shepherd's" staff in Peter's memory and Jesus' formation, namely the episcopate. The time had come to welcome Peter to Rome. Timothy accompanies Peter, taking Mark with him. Luke is with Paul. All is in place. Welcoming Peter to the Roman community is the crown of righteousness for Paul, who has fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith. That is as Paul wrote: "Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing" (2 Tim 4:8) 

Maria K. M.

 2026/03/02

237. The Gospel of John and the Priesthood of the New Covenant: Towards Enlightenment III

In the dialogue between Jesus and the Samaritan woman in John 4 and the scenes that follow, Jesus demonstrates the distinction between the apostolic office and the priesthood of the New Covenant. Incidents, depicted in these scenes, were also a place of formation for the Apostles to understand their role. Jesus first chose twelve men, naming them apostles and drawing people's attention to them, so that the formation He imparted to them on earth might become the formation of all believers. The apostolic office, together with the gift of prophecy, which would be conferred upon all believers by the descended Holy Spirit (cf. Jn 16:13), forms the foundation for believers to work with the Holy Spirit. Paul, who called himself an apostle, must have been aware of these things. 

Moreover, at the Last Supper, during the institution of the Eucharist, Jesus conferred the priesthood of the New Covenant upon the Apostles by commanding them, "Do this in remembrance of me" (Lk 22:19). He then continued, "I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel" (22:29-30), entrusting them with kingly authority. 

This kingly authority is what the angel announced to Mary the mother of Jesus: "He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end" (Lk 1:32–33). The words "of his kingdom there will be no end" would make the priesthood of the New Covenant, conferred by Jesus upon the Apostles he chose, be perpetually inherited for all eternity. Just before Jesus ascended, the Apostles gathered and asked Him, "Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" (Acts 1:6). This was because Jesus' words concerning the kingship remained in their memory. Jesus answered them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has fixed by his own authority" (1:7). 

Thus, the priesthood of the New Covenant, through the kingly authority Jesus entrusted to the Apostles, continues to fulfil His command: "Do this in remembrance of me." Furthermore, His words, "you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom," established that the priesthood of the New Covenant serves, both now and forever, at the "table." Though Jesus offered Himself on the cross, He is born a Eucharist upon the table surrounded by the faithful. 

Before the descent of the Holy Spirit, at the suggestion of Apostle Peter, the disciples chose Matthias as the twelfth apostle (cf. Acts 1:23–25). This was to ensure the succession of the priesthood of the New Covenant and the kingly office, entrusted by Jesus, along with the apostolic office upon which these offices were to be established, and to prepare them for the gift of prophecy to be bestowed by the Holy Spirit. At this time, already some 120 people were united with the Apostles. These believers from before Pentecost welcomed the approximately three thousand people who joined after Pentecost as fellow believers (cf. 2:41). As it is written, "And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers" (2:42), the believers from before Pentecost exerted a centripetal force within the many new believers. 

However, as the number of disciples grew, the situation within the community changed. Complaints arose from the Greek-speaking Jews against the Hebrew-speaking Jews. Hearing the word "Greek," the Apostles intuitively understood that the time Jesus had spoken of when ascending to heaven – "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has fixed by his own authority" – was just now. That was because the Holy Spirit reminded them that it had been precisely when some Greeks, coming up to Jerusalem, had asked to see Jesus that He, realising it had been the time of heading towards His passion, had spoken, "The hour has come for the Son of man to be glorified" (Jn 12:23). At this time too, the number of people following Jesus was increasing, becoming a crowd.

 In this situation, the Twelve summoned the whole company of disciples together and said, "It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brethren, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word" (Acts 6:2-4). 

Jesus had trained the twelve, called "Apostles," for the coming of the Holy Spirit. An "apostle" signified a believer whose humanity had been reconstituted upon the foundation of the "apostolic office" and the "prophetic office." Now that the Holy Spirit had descended, it was time for all believers to become apostles. The twelve Apostles, thanks to the Holy Spirit, understood that they themselves were such apostles, having been entrusted by Jesus with both kingly authority and the priesthood of the New Covenant. They realised they must become those who teach and administer the priesthood of the New Covenant, bestowed upon them by Jesus along with kingly authority, and work to establish it as an eternally sustainable ministry. They realised they must stand as today's "bishops." Their declaration to devote themselves to prayer and the ministry of the word became a momentous decision, one that certainly reaches us believers today. 

Maria K.M.

 2026/02/23

236. The Gospel of John and the Priesthood of the New Covenant: Towards Enlightenment II

In the scene of Jesus' dialogue with the Samaritan woman, Jesus clarified the difference between the vocation and role of his immediate disciples and those of the woman and the townspeople. We now know that this difference lies not in the "apostolic office" but in the "priestly office." 

When Jesus began his public ministry, there was yet no one worthy to receive the "apostolic office" suited to God's plan. Therefore, Jesus first needed to train the disciples who followed him as apostles. The twelve whom Jesus chose after praying all night (cf. Lk 6:12–13) received the formation for the "apostolic office" directly from Jesus and became models for later believers. They have become those who embodied Jesus' formation to pass it on to later generations. Eventually, the Holy Spirit, sent in Jesus' name, would connect with believers and bestow the "gift of prophecy" (cf. Jn 16:13). What sustains a person as a believer after Pentecost is the "apostolic office" and the "gift of prophecy." When believers work with the Holy Spirit, these two become one. All believers who desire to collaborate with the Holy Spirit will gradually have their humanity reconstituted upon the foundation of the apostolate and the gift of prophecy. 

The Apostle Paul taught the Ephesian believers: "So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built into it for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit" (Eph 2:19-22). Believers become one with the foundation of the apostles and prophets. Here we glimpse Paul's understanding of the "apostleship." 

Meanwhile, the twelve Apostles chosen by Jesus, having been formed as Apostles, received the priesthood of the New Covenant at the Last Supper. The life of all humanity is entrusted to women. For that life to enter the Kingdom of God, God entrusted the priesthood of the New Covenant to men. The Acts of the Apostles records that after Jesus' ascension, "All these with one accord devoted themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. In those days Peter stood up among the brethren (the company of persons was in all about a hundred and twenty), and said" (Acts 1:14-15). That happened before Pentecost. Here, the "his brothers" mentioned first and the subsequent "the brethren," that is, the company of persons which was "in all about a hundred and twenty," refer to the same group. Among them were surely the seventy-two whom Jesus had appointed and sent out (cf. Lk 10:1–12). 

These people immediately understood Peter’s proposal: "So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us -- one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection" (Acts 1:21–22). The Acts of the Apostles continues: "And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsab'bas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthi'as. And they prayed and said, 'Lord, who knowest the hearts of all men, show which one of these two thou hast chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside, to go to his own place.' And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthi'as; and he was enrolled with the eleven apostles" (1:23–26). 

Matthi'as was chosen "to take the place in this ministry and apostleship." "This ministry" refers to the priesthood of the New Covenant. It is the office of which Jesus spoke at the Last Supper, after instituting the Eucharist: "For which is the greater, one who sits at table, or one who serves? Is it not the one who sits at table? But I am among you as one who serves" (Lk 22:27). The priest of the New Covenant serves as best man of the Holy Spirit who works so that the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ; the priest is truly the "one who serves." Furthermore, the Apostles, who had received the following words of Jesus, needed to be twelve in number. 

"You are those who have continued with me in my trials; and I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel" (Lk 22:28–30).

 After the Holy Spirit descends, the twelve would come to realise that it is necessary for them to turn out those who would receive the priesthood of the New Covenant and kingship, bestowed and entrusted by Jesus, and to make them offices that last eternally. That was because the Holy Spirit would teach them all things and make them recollect all that Jesus had said to them (cf. Jn 14:26). 

Maria K. M.

 2026/02/16

235. The Gospel of John and the Priesthood of the New Covenant: Towards Enlightenment I

Since Blog No. 232, we have observed how Jesus guided people through God's special method, i.e., the themes of eating and drinking, life, and worship. These were within God's plan, as written in Genesis, where God created mankind as male and female, expecting the woman to participate in the creation of human life and the man to bear the priesthood. After completing the creation of heaven and earth, God desired to celebrate the seventh day—which He Himself had blessed and sanctified—together with humankind, created in His image and likeness, arranging for people to worship Him "in spirit and truth" (Jn 4:24). For this purpose, He breathed the breath of life into man, enabling him to receive God’s Spirit. However, due to the accident where the two partook of the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, which God had forbidden them to eat, He amended His plan. Throughout the Old Testament era, He chose and called a people, preparing them for the priesthood of the New Covenant. 

The Gospel of John had the priesthood of the New Covenant as its central theme. Consequently, it placed at the beginning a description designed to remind readers of the creation of heaven and earth in Genesis, while simultaneously suggesting the triune nature of God. Then, John the Baptist, born into a legitimate priestly family, directed people's attention to the Holy Spirit, testified that Jesus, upon whom the Spirit remained, was the Son of God, and prophesied that Jesus was the one who would bring the priesthood of the New Covenant. Furthermore, throughout the first three chapters, terms associated with the priesthood of the New Covenant are hinted at, including the Lamb of God, baptism, confirmation, the priesthood of the New Covenant, the Blood and Body, the work of the Holy Spirit, and Jesus' mission and purpose. Then, in chapter 4, we found that fundamental principles that those receiving the priesthood of the New Covenant, as well as the Church receiving them, must recognise in order to safeguard and preserve this priesthood, were concealed within the scene of Jesus and the Samaritan woman. 

Those are five points that emerged from God's method, progressing from the "theme of eating and drinking" to the "theme of life" and the "theme of worship." Last time, we summarised these five points as follows. The first point is that only God can employ an approach appealing to intrinsic motivation in a situation where there is no information. The second point is that one cannot fully receive Jesus' words without preparation to do so. The third point is that the priesthood of the New Covenant consists in partaking in the fruit of others' labours. The fourth point is that the Word is present with those who proclaim Jesus. The fifth point is that Jesus is always present in the flow whereby people come to accept and believe in him of their own accord. These principles have reached us, believers today, thanks to the fact that the decisions made by the Apostles in the following events were recorded in the New Testament. 

The Acts of the Apostles recounts that after the descent of the Holy Spirit, "Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists murmured against the Hebrews because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution" (Acts 6:1). At this time, the Apostles—now twelve in number, having been joined by Matthias, chosen as an Apostle before the descent of the Holy Spirit—called all the disciples together and said: "It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brethren, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word" (6:2–4). The Apostles were able to make this decision because they knew and understood the five points Jesus had taught them through God's method. 

The issue of the daily distribution for Hellenists and Hebrews would be resolved by appointing mediators. However, the problem that the widows were neglected pertained to the first and second points, so it was impossible to deal with it at that time. In this situation, as Jesus had said, "But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you" (Jn 14:26), the Apostles must have been reminded by the Holy Spirit of the first point—that only God can employ an approach appealing to intrinsic motivation in a situation where there is no information—and the second point—that one cannot fully receive Jesus' words without preparation to do so. 

Thus, the Apostles, who bore the priesthood of the New Covenant, relied upon the third point: partaking in the fruit of others' labours, which they had experienced in the scene with Jesus and the Samaritan woman. The twelve Apostles called all the disciples together and said, "Brethren, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom." The seven chosen men thus received a role to pertain to the same situation as that which had occurred with the Samaritan woman and the townspeople. They embodied the fourth point: that the Word is present with those who proclaim Jesus, as Stephen, who powerfully witnessed before his martyrdom (cf. Acts 6:8-7:60). They also embodied the fifth point: that Jesus is always present in the flow whereby people come to accept and believe in him of their own accord, as Philip (cf. 8:4-40). These things happened because the Holy Spirit, sent in Jesus' name, accompanied them. 

Subsequently, it is written, "And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith" (Acts 6:7). This testifies to the appropriateness of the Apostles' judgment. Thus, observing the Apostles who understood these five points, we see that what Jesus explicitly revealed in His dialogue with the Samaritan woman was that His direct disciples (the Apostles) and the woman and townspeople bore different callings and roles. We will continue this reflection next time. 

Maria K. M.

 2026/02/09

234. The Gospel of John and the Priesthood of the New Covenant: The Evangelist John's Insight III

Continuing the theme of John chapter 4. Although contemporaries might have guessed the Samaritan woman’s circumstances for coming to the well to draw water at the deserted hour of midday, Jesus, despite meeting her for the first time, told her, "You have had five husbands, and he whom you now have is not your husband" (Jn 4:18). This was because Jesus was God, and precisely as it is written: "He knew all men and needed no one to bear witness of man; for he himself knew what was in man" (2:25). 

Through her dialogue with Jesus, she became aware of the deep, urgent thirst for God within her own heart and asked Jesus for living water of her own accord. Jesus gave it, i.e., the living Word, to her. It was God, Jesus, who guided her, even if only for a short time. Only God can make such an approach appealing to intrinsic motivation in a situation where there is no information. This is the first point. 

At the end of their conversation, when she said, "I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ); when he comes, he will show us all things" (Jn 4:25), Jesus clearly answered, "I who speak to you am he" (4:26). Nevertheless, she could not fully receive Jesus' words. She was not prepared to do so. Her words spoken to the people when she went to the town show this: "Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?" (4:29). This is the second point. 

The Gospel inserts here the parable of the harvest that Jesus spoke to his disciples while the Samaritan woman was absent. As we have previously discussed, within this parable too, there is a progression from the theme of eating and drinking to the theme of life, and then to the theme of worship. That was to teach the disciples about the "true worshipers" (Jn 4:23), as Jesus had said, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to accomplish his work" (4:34), and then said, "He who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together" (4:36). The "reaper" referes to the disciples, and the "wages" the "reaper" receives refer to the fruit that leads to eternal life—that is, the people gathered around Jesus. 

Then, Jesus continued: "For here the saying holds true, 'One sows and another reaps.'" (Jn 4:37). In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus says, "The sower sows the word" (Mk 4:14). The Samaritan woman had indeed sown the word. Jesus' words, "You have had five husbands, and he whom you now have is not your husband," were the word of God. Furthermore, His words to His disciples, "I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor; others have labored, and you have entered into their labor" (Jn 4:38), were foretelling the theme of worship. The priesthood of the New Covenant consists in partaking of the fruit of others' labour. This is the third point. 

When the disciples, Jews, went into the Samaritan town to buy food, they would have been noticed by the townspeople. In this situation, the shocking experience of the Samaritan woman was recounted. Her experience was accompanied by the word of God. Thus, "they went out of the city and were coming to him [Jesus]" (Jn 4:30). Even if the townspeople had looked down on her in daily life, they were drawn by the account of her experience, relayed immediately after seeing the Jewish disciples, and came to Jesus. This is the fourth point. 

Jesus stayed there for two days at their request, and thus, they received God's formation, while the disciples learned the circumstances. The townspeople told the woman, "It is no longer because of your words that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world" (Jn 4:42). The townspeople declared that they had accepted Jesus and believed in his name of their own accord. At the heart of this entire sequence, Jesus was always present. This is the fifth point. 

The five points that have emerged here can be summarised as follows. The first point is that only God can employ an approach appealing to intrinsic motivation in a situation where there is no information. The second point is that one cannot fully receive Jesus' words without preparation to do so. The third point is that the priesthood of the New Covenant consists in partaking in the fruit of others' labours. The fourth point is that the Word is present with those who proclaim Jesus. The fifth point is that Jesus is always present in the flow whereby people come to accept and believe in him of their own accord. 

We, possessing the New Testament, can now know both the exchange between Jesus and the Samaritan woman when the disciples were absent, and what Jesus spoke to the disciples while the Samaritan woman was absent. Herein lies the fundamental principle that those who receive the priesthood of the New Covenant, and simultaneously the Church which receives them, must recognise to safeguard and preserve the priesthood of the New Covenant. These principles have been transmitted to us believers today due to the following decision of the Apostles: "But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word" (Acts 6:4). 

Maria K. M.

 2026/02/02

233. The Gospel of John and the Priesthood of the New Covenant: The Evangelist John's Insight II

Continuing from last time, we wish to discern the narrative of the priesthood of the New Covenant by approaching the perspective of John the Evangelist as closely as possible. Through his dialogue with the Samaritan woman, Jesus drew out her deep-seated, serious concern regarding the reality that her faith in God was not being brought to life within her. Jesus guided the woman towards the answer by creating a progression from the "theme of eating and drinking" to the "theme of life," and then to the "theme of worship." Jesus guides people deliberately using these themes because he is the triune God. He is the Son entrusted with the Father’s will, the Word in whom the Holy Spirit abides even after becoming human. This is also why the opening of John's Gospel is written to echo the opening words of the book of Genesis. 

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. In chapter 1, the "theme of life" and the "theme of eating and drinking" are described. Then, entering chapter 2, we find: "Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished his work which he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all his work which he had done in creation" (Gen 2:1-3), thus shifting to the "theme of worship." Considering this description alongside Jesus' words to the Samaritan woman, "But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for such the Father seeks to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth" (Jn 4:23-24), we see that God desired to celebrate with humanity the day He Himself blessed and hallowed. 

Thus, when God declared, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness" (Gen 1:26), He did not create humankind merely to rule over the earth. Therefore, as it is written, "The LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being" (2:7), God formed in man's physical body his "spirit" out of the "dust" from the ground and breathed the spontaneity of the spirit, appropriate to humanity. Even though it was but dust, it would gather and become those who worship God. Then, "the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east; and there he put the man whom he had formed" (2:8). It must have been a space where man, possessing a physical body like all living creatures, could live in harmony with the spirit breathed into him by God and dwell with God. God never abandoned this original plan thus prepared. Herein lies the perspective of John the Evangelist.

It is the priesthood of the New Covenant that brings to reality Jesus' words: "God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth." The disciples of Jesus receive the plan that Jesus brought from the Father. As stated at the beginning of chapter 4, "although Jesus himself did not baptize, but only his disciples" (Jn 4:2), Jesus himself, the God who brought the priesthood of the New Covenant, does not bear the priesthood. At the Last Supper, Jesus conferred it upon his disciples by instituting the Eucharist and revealing the priesthood of the New Covenant to them. 

Once the Holy Spirit descends, they themselves become priests of the New Covenant. They, like "Mel-chiz'edek king of Salem ... priest of God Most High" (Gen 14:18), bring the bread and wine and prepare the Lord’s table. Therefore, on the last day of Unleavened Bread, Jesus had his disciples prepare the Passover (cf. Lk 22:7-13). And through the institution of the Eucharist, he conferred upon his disciples the priesthood of the New Covenant (cf. 22:14-20). He further declared: "I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel" (22:29-30), thereby also conferring kingship. The priests of the New Covenant, who receive these through apostolic succession from generation to generation, become eternal priests, just like Melchizedek, King of Salem. 

When the disciple returned and the Samaritan woman went to the town, Jesus told his disciples in her absence, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to accomplish his work" (Jn 4:34). Jesus must grant eternal life to those who accept him, believe in his name, and are given the qualification to become children of God. That is so that he may raise them up at the last day. This means forming them into those who worship the Father in spirit and in truth. Before Jesus and his disciples was a water jar. It belonged to the Samaritan woman who had gone to the town after her conversation with Jesus ended. It was a sign that she had been given water to drink by Jesus. She had received Jesus's formation. 

Considering that it states, "He stayed there two days" (Jn 4:40), the disciples would have heard the full account of what Jesus had spoken to the Samaritan woman during their absence. Conversely, what Jesus spoke to the disciples while the Samaritan woman was absent remains known only to them. This contrast exists to safeguard and sustain the priesthood of the New Covenant they would bear. Next time, we will examine this thread. 

Maria K. M.

 2026/01/26

232. The Gospel of John and the Priesthood of the New Covenant: The Evangelist John's Insights I

When Jesus's conversation with the Samaritan woman at Jacob's Well paused, the disciples who had gone into town to buy food returned. Observing the subsequent developments of the story, we understand the disciples learned of the events that happened during their absence. Drawing upon their experience, John the Evangelist seems to have incorporated his own insights into Chapter 4. He thereby put the foreshadowing for safeguarding and nurturing the priesthood of the New Covenant. To make this visible, we shall examine two scenes from the Bible that share the same narrative characteristics as this passage. We will compare their common features and consider the purpose towards which they are directed. These two scenes, like that of the encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman, take the form of dialogue. All three scenes share the common characteristic of beginning with the theme of "eating and drinking," passing through "life," and culminating in "worship." 

First, let us review the scene of Jesus' dialogue with the Samaritan woman (cf. Jn 4:7–24). Jesus began the conversation with her by saying, "Give me a drink" (4:7), introducing the theme of "eating and drinking." Next, in response to the Samaritan woman's question, He offered a teaching: "Every one who drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst; the water that I shall give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life" (4:13-14). Here, we find the theme of "life" through the phrase "to eternal life". Finally, the woman said, "You say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship" (4:20), and Jesus replied, "Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father" (4:21). This brings us to the theme of "worship." 

The first of the two scenes examined here is one from the Synoptic Gospels, depicting Jesus being tempted by Satan in the wilderness (cf. Mat 4:1–11). Approaching Jesus, who was hungry after fasting, Satan said, "Command these stones to become loaves of bread" (4:3), thus introducing the theme of "eating and drinking." After Jesus responded to this, Satan then challenged him: "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, 'He will give his angels charge of you,' and 'On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone'" (4:6). Here lies the theme of "life." Finally, Satan said to Jesus, "All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me" (4:9), thus arriving at the theme of "worship." 

The second scene is from Genesis, the dialogue between the first woman and the "serpent" (cf. Gen 3:1–9). The "serpent" addressed the woman, asking, "Did God say, 'You shall not eat of any tree of the garden'?" (3:1). Thus, the dialogue began with the theme of "eating and drinking." In the following exchange with the woman, the serpent asserts, "You will not die" (3:4). This is the theme of "life." Then, the woman took from the tree God had forbidden them to eat from and ate. She also gave some to the man who was with her, and he ate. Soon, the two hid themselves among the trees of the garden, avoiding the face of the Lord God. They could no longer encounter God as they had before. Thus, the story reached the theme of "worship." 

As such, these three scenes share a common characteristic: they begin with the theme of "eating and drinking," pass through that of "life," and arrive at "worship." And, as examined previously, the scene in Genesis leads directly to the moment where God suggests to Adam the priesthood. Similarly, the wilderness scene in Matthew's Gospel immediately follows with Jesus calling his first disciples. He would eventually confer upon them the priesthood of the New Covenant. 

Once Jesus's exchange with the Samaritan woman concludes, the disciples return. Then, a dialogue between Jesus and the disciples begins. What structure can we find in this dialogue? The text states: "Meanwhile the disciples besought him, saying, 'Rabbi, eat.' But he said to them, 'I have food to eat of which you do not know'" (Jn 4:31–32). Here, too, the theme of "eating and drinking" is introduced. To the disciples who ask each other, "Has any one brought him food?" (4:33), Jesus declares, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to accomplish his work" (4:34). 

The meaning of "the will of him who sent me" is as Jesus himself later said: "For this is the will of my Father, that every one who sees the Son and believes in him should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day" (Jn 6:40). The theme of "life" was in what Jesus called "my food." This directly connects to the theme of "worship" when Jesus answered the Samaritan woman, "Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father." 

That is because the "will of the Father" expressed in "For this is the will of my Father, that every one who sees the Son and believes in him should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day" only becomes possible when Jesus' following words are made a reality: "But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for such the Father seeks to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth" (Jn 4:23-24). The expression "in spirit and truth" signifies the union of the Holy Spirit and the priesthood of the New Covenant. Next time, we will continue exploring this theme, drawing closer to the insights of John the Evangelist. 

Maria K. M.