2026/09/28

267. The Gospel of John and the Priesthood of the New Covenant: The Covenant

Judas Iscariot was "a thief, and as he had the money box he used to take what was put into it" (Jn 12:6). The Gospel of Matthew records the end of Judas as follows: "When Judas, his betrayer, saw that he was condemned, he repented and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, saying, 'I have sinned in betraying innocent blood.' They said, 'What is that to us? See to it yourself.' And throwing down the pieces of silver in the temple, he departed; and he went and hanged himself" (Mat 27:3–5). Matthew, a former tax collector who knew the power of money first-hand, could well understand the situation into which Judas had fallen. However, he does not explain why Judas ultimately turned to the chief priests and elders. 

This is akin to the reason we examined last time as to why we believers behave in a somewhat peculiar manner during the Communion Rite in the Mass. Reciting the centurion's words of humility before the Eucharist reflects the Church's higher desire to cultivate humility as a virtue and become worthy of Christ. That is because the Church, likening Christ to a bridegroom, conceives of itself as a bride who grows to be worthy of that bridegroom. This conception stems from the Old Covenant people’s practice of likening the covenant relationship between God and His people to the marital covenant—the most familiar and enduring relationship for human beings—and we, the Church, have inherited and developed this expression. However, all the Gospels record scenes in which Jesus addresses the people, saying, "Your Father who is in heaven." Furthermore, since Jesus himself said, "I and the Father are one" (Jn 10:30), the covenant relationship between Christ and the Church is indeed that of Father and Son. 

Considering the people of the Old Covenant likened the covenant relationship between God and His people to a marital covenant, if this was a well-known religious image rooted in the Old Testament for the people in Jesus' time, it is only natural that the Jews should have harboured resentment towards Jesus for seeking to introduce a covenant relationship between Father and Son into that context. It is understandable that even Judas, who had remained with Jesus whilst preoccupied with money, ultimately came to share the same scepticism as the other Jews, placing his trust in the chief priests and elders, siding with them and betraying Jesus. 

When we examine the narrative of Noah's covenant in Genesis chapter 6, we need to consider the fact that, at that time, Greek culture was widespread across the region and began to mingle with local cultures. The gods of Greek mythology, who had human-like family relationships, had been introduced (cf. Gen 6:1–8). They say the lore of the Great Flood is found worldwide. We can understand this narrative as conveying the message that God is the one and only God and the importance of upholding that faith through the imagery of the ark. God, who told Noah, "I will establish my covenant with you" (6:18), protected him and called him to faith in the one true God. He "built an altar to the LORD, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar" (8:20). Thereupon, God made the first covenant with humankind (cf. 9:1–17). The terms of that covenant and its sign are clearly set out therein. Thus, from the very beginning, the terms of the Old Covenant were clearly laid out and attested by a sign. 

However, Jesus used the word "covenant" only once, at his Last Supper, when he said, "Drink of it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins" (Mat 26:27–28). These words include a covenant between the Father and the Son, which is difficult for us to comprehend, even when we hear His words of testimony: "For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life, that I may take it again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again; this charge I have received from my Father" (Jn 10:17–18). 

We, the Church, without grasping the full picture of the New Covenant Jesus bestowed upon us, have inherited the Old Covenant people's expression, which likened the covenantal relationship between God and His people to a marital covenant. Not only that, but in forming the faithful, we begin the Liturgy of the Word at Mass with the first reading from the Old Testament and chanting the Psalms. We have also used the Psalms in the Divine Office. Furthermore, we have taught the path of virtue and greatly drawn upon "The Song of Songs, which is Solomon's" (Sg 1:1). Solomon, who initially pleased God, loved many women and eventually became enslaved to them; as a result, he rebelled against God and ceased to obey Him, which led him and his people into the tragedy of destruction (cf. 1 Kgs 11:1–13). 

The teachings of the Song of Solomon in the Old Testament convey, from various angles, the nature of the stimulation that such enticements bring to the human senses—even without actually experiencing sexual love—so that the reader may not follow in Solomon's footsteps and become a son of perdition. Ultimately, this leads one to rely on human beings, like Judas, and betray God, having been swayed by the power of money (cf. Sg 8:11–14). 

Maria K. M.