2026/08/10
260. The Gospel of John and the Priesthood of the New Covenant: Death and Hades
Chapter 5 of the Gospel of John reveals that, deep within those who persecuted Jesus and sought to kill him, lay a lack of understanding regarding the Sabbath and the frustration of a people who were unable to call God their Father. Rather than feelings regarding the legalistic observance of the Law of Moses, the recitation of the Psalms must surely have sustained the people’s longing for the era of the kings, said to have enjoyed the height of prosperity, and their hope for the day when they would be liberated from Roman subjugation and saved. Might Jesus, together with those who now longed for the emergence of a prophet who would become a king greater than David or Solomon, or a saviour, have also recited the Psalms and opened the prophetic books with them in the synagogue? Yet Jesus carried with him an entirely new teaching and formation for the priesthood of the New Covenant. From that point on, everything was made new.
In the previous issue, we discussed how the priesthood of the New Covenant—which Jesus conferred upon the Apostles at the same time as the institution of the Eucharist through the words "Do this in remembrance of me"—unites with the Holy Spirit sent in Jesus' name to re-enact the scene of the table of the Last Supper, at which Jesus was present, during the Mass. We therefore also considered that the Mass is celebrated not only for the faithful to share in that table, but also offered towards the tables around the world where people gather. Moreover, we concluded that it is so that we, believers, by continually receiving the Eucharist, may perpetuate the work of Jesus—who, through His once-for-all death on the Cross, atoned for all the sins of humanity, descended into Hades, and saved the souls of those who suffer even after death due to their ignorance. We then cited and confirmed the passage in Peter's Epistle conveying this fact.
The Gospel of Matthew describes the events following Jesus' death on the cross as follows: "And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom; and the earth shook, and the rocks were split; the tombs also were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many" (Mt 27:51–53). In Chapter 5 of the Gospel of John, Jesus speaks a teaching that appears to corroborate this description. He says, "For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will" (Jn 5:21). These words refer to those who had died and been laid in their tombs, for the living already have His teaching. Therefore, Jesus said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears my word and believes him who sent me, has eternal life; he does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life" (5:24).
Regarding those who have died and are in their tombs, Jesus said as follows: "Truly, truly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself, and has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of man. Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come forth, those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment" (Jn 5:25–29). These words are deeply connected to the "second death" described in the Book of Revelation:
"Then I saw a great white throne and him who sat upon it; from his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Also another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, by what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead in them, and all were judged by what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire; and if any one's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire" (Rev 20:11–15).
The Eucharist unites us, the faithful who receive it, with the only begotten Son of God and through it brings unity to the Church. The Eucharist is truly the Bread of Life that gives life to both each believer and the Church. However, not only that: by our receiving the Eucharist, Christ, who is truly present therein, can descend once more into Hades to call the souls of the dead—who await there in suffering—to salvation. We who receive the Eucharist are thus able to provide Christ with the opportunity to do so.
At the conclusion of this theme in Chapter 5 of the Gospel of John, Jesus says, "I can do nothing on my own authority; as I hear, I judge; and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me" (Jn 5:30). Next time, we shall continue our reflection from this point and examine in detail the events unfolded in Chapter 6, as the words "I can do nothing on my own authority" evoke the image of the Eucharist, the Bread of Life.
Maria K. M.
