2025/12/22
227. The Gospel of John and the Priesthood of the New Covenant: Except What Is Given Him from Heaven
As discussed in blog posts №224-226, the Gospel of John chapter 1 begins by depicting the triune God—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—using the key concepts of God, the Word, and life/light. Then, through the testimony and prophecy of John the Baptist, we saw within expressions such as "the Lamb of God," "baptise with water," "the Spirit descend," and "he who baptises with the Holy Spirit," the image of the Messiah and the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Orders, conferring the priesthood. Moreover, in chapter 2, the image of His blood is reflected at the wedding at Cana, and the image of His body is reflected in the episode at the temple in Jerusalem, revealing the Sacrament of the Eucharist. Thus, from its very first chapter, the Gospel of John portrays the priesthood of the New Covenant as its central theme. Chapter 3 expresses this same theme through Jesus' own words.
In his dialogue with Nicodemus, Jesus mentioned baptism, confirmation, and the kingdom of God (cf. Jn 3:5), revealing Himself as the Triune God by using the pronoun "we" (3:11). He also invoked the ancient story of those who looked at the bronze serpent lifted up by Moses in the wilderness and lived, thereby presenting an image of Jesus Himself to be lifted up on the cross and hinting at the Body of Christ to be lifted up by the hands of the priest (cf. 3:14-15). The subsequent message about eternal life and the salvation of the world also pertains to both Jesus Himself and the Eucharist. John the Baptist then reappears, prophesying about the priesthood of the New Covenant (cf. 3:22-36/Blog No. 222).
In this episode, John the Baptist said, "No one can receive anything except what is given him from heaven. You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him" (Jn 3:27-28). This prompts the readers to recall the scene when Jesus came to be baptised by John the Baptist with water. The readers were present there with the disciples of John the Baptist. At that time, John the Baptist said, "I myself did not know him; but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.'" (1:33). He was given words from heaven and received the opportunity to bear witness to the Son of God (cf. 1:34).
Thus, John the Baptist’s words, "No one can receive anything except what is given him from heaven," came from his own experience. "Heaven" here refers to God. Within the New Testament, there is another who received words directly from God: the Apostle Peter. We can see that because, when Peter said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" (16:16), answering Jesus' question, "But who do you say that I am?" (Mat 16:15), Jesus testified, "For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven" (16:17).
Apostle Peter, like John the Baptist, was given words from heaven. And he received Jesus' subsequent words: "And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven" (Mat 16:18-19). According to the Gospel of John, Jesus had decided to call him Peter at their first meeting (cf. Jn 1:42). Jesus had chosen him from the beginning for this very moment. The words Jesus spoke first, "I tell you, you are Peter," were imbued with this intention.
The time came for Jesus' choice to be realised. Peter was given the words revealed by the heavenly Father and spoke the words. He then received Jesus' words. The "rock" of which Jesus said, "on this rock I will build my church," was the very words the heavenly Father revealed to the Apostle Peter: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." This declaration of who Jesus Christ is is the cornerstone of Jesus' Church, against which "the powers of death shall not prevail." Yet, as Peter writes in his epistle, it also becomes "A stone that will make men stumble, a rock that will make them fall" (1 Pt 2:8). That is because, after Jesus' Ascension and the descent of the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, to whom these words are to be addressed, is the Holy Eucharist.
I fervently hope that the day will come when, whilst the Mass on earth and in heaven remain united through the "keys of the kingdom of heaven" bestowed upon the Apostle Peter, believers worldwide publicly proclaim that the Eucharist is the Christ, the Son of God.
Maria K. M.
