Hi everyone. Welcome back to the Daily gospel exegesis podcast. This is the Catholic podcast where we look at the literal sense of scripture. We focus on the Gospel reading from the day's mass and we break it apart verse by verse to try and understand what it meant in its original context. Today we're going to do things a bit differently because today is Good Friday and it actually works a bit differently at today's mass.
So first thing to say is actually there is no mass today on Good Friday. In the Catholic Church, there is no Mass. There's only an afternoon celebration. So there is a service but it's not considered to be a mass. So what we're reading today is the reading for the Good Friday service. And it's a really long one. So what we're going to do today is we're going to read out this entire long text, and we're not really going to have an opportunity to break it down.
Verse by verse, as we normally would, because the text is just too long. However, if you want to hear a verse by verse exegesis of these really important parts of the Gospel, then you can hear that as bonus episodes of the podcast which are available through the patreon page. So, if you're listening to this text being read out today and you are interested in hearing a verse by verse exit, This, you can get access to that through the patreon page and the link to
that will be in the show notes. So I'll read out the entire text and then we'll finish by looking at just a couple of key catechism paragraphs which relate to today's reading. So the reading you would hear it. Today's service is a really long one. John chapter 18 verse 1 through 2 19:42. And the way this is actually read in the lectionary is and you've probably seen this done before is it's read by People people. So it kind of the lectionary he
breaks it down into characters. So, typically, there are four people who read out this reading. If you go to a service today, you'll probably see this, there's a narrator, there's someone who plays Jesus, there's someone who plays the crowd and there's usually someone else who plays the other characters as well. So you might have four or more people reading out today's reading when you go to the Good Friday service.
And that's actually the way it's written in the lectionary, it's intended to be read that way today. So already had all of the lines here. So John chapter 18 and John chapter 19. Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. There was a garden there and he went into it with his disciples Judas, the traitor knew the place.
Well since Jesus had often met his disciples there and he brought the cohort to this place together with a Detachment of guards sent by the chief priests and the Pharisees or with lanterns and torches and weapons. Knowing everything that was about, to happen to him. Jesus, then came forward and said, who are you looking for? They answered. Jesus. The Nazarene he said, I am he Now Judas, the traitor was standing among them. When Jesus said I am, he they moved back and fell to the ground.
He asked them a second time. Who are you looking for? They said, Jesus, the Nazarene, Jesus replied. I have told you that I am he, if I am the one you were looking for let these others go. This was to fulfill the words he had spoken. Not one of those. You gave me. Have I lost Simon Peter who carried a sword, drew it and wounded, the high priests servant cutting off his right ear, the servants name was malchus Jesus said to Peter, put your sword back in its Scabbard.
Am I not to drink the cup that the father has given me The cohort and it's Captain. And the Jewish guards sees Jesus and bound him, they took him first to Anise because anise was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was the high priest that year? It was Caiaphas who had suggested to the Jews. It is better for one man to die for the people. Simon Peter with another disciple follow Jesus. This disciple.
Who is known to the high priest? Went with Jesus into the high priests Palace. But Peter stayed outside the door. So the other disciple, the one known to the high priest went out, spoke to the woman who is keeping the door and brought Peter in the made on duty at the door. Said to Peter, aren't you? Another of that man's disciples? He answered. I am not. Now, it was cold and the servants, and guards had little charcoal file fire, and we're standing there warming themselves.
So, Peter stood there to warming himself with the others, the high priest questioned, Jesus about his disciples and his teaching, Jesus answered. I have spoken openly for all the world to hear. I have always taught in the synagogue and in the temple where all the Jews meet together. I have said nothing in secret but why ask me ask my heroes what I taught they know what I
said? at these words, one of the guards standing by gave Jesus a slap in the face saying is that the way to answer the high priest Jesus replied, if there is something wrong in what I said pointed out, but if there is no offense in it, why do you strike me? Then Anna sent him. Still bound to Caiaphas the high priest. As Simon Peter stood there warming himself. Someone said to him, aren't you? Another of his disciples? He denied it saying, I am not.
one of the high priests servants, a relation of the man, whose ear Peter had cut off said, didn't I see you in the garden with him again, Peter denied it and at once a cock crew, They then my Jesus from the house of Caiaphas to the praetorium, it was now morning. They did not go into the praetorium themselves or they would be defiled and unable to eat the Passover So pilate came outside to them and said, what charge do you bring against this man?
If they replied, if he were not a criminal, we should not be handing him over to you. Pilate said take him yourselves and try him by your own law, the Jews answered. We are not allowed to put a man to death. This was to fulfill the word, Jesus had spoken indicating the way he was going to die. So, pilate went back to the into the praetorium, and called Jesus, to him. And asked, are you the king of the Jews?
Jesus replied. Do you ask this of your own accord or have others spoken to you about me? Pilate answered am IA, Jew. It is your own people and the chief priests who have handed you over to me. What have you done? Jesus replied. Mine is not a kingdom of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my man would have fought to prevent my being surrendered to the Jews, but my kingdom is not of this kind. Pilate said so you are a king then Jesus answered it. Is you who say it?
Yes, I am a king, I was born for this, I came into the world for this to Bear witness to the truth and all who are on the side of Truth listens to my voice. Pilot said truth. What is that? And with that, he went out again to the Jews and said, I find no case against him, but according to a customer of yours, I should release one prisoner at the Passover. Would you like me then to release the king of the Jews at this? They shouted.
Not this man, but Barabbas Barabbas was a brigand pilot then had Jesus taken away and scourged and after this, the soldiers Twisted some Thorns into a crown and put it on his head and dressed him in a purple robe. They kept coming up to him and saying, hail King of the Jews and they slapped him in the face. Pilate came outside again and said to them. Look, I'm going to bring him out to you, to let you see that.
I find no case. Jesus then came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe pilot said. Here is the man. When they saw him the chief priests and the gout and the guards shouted, crucify him. Crucify him. Pilots said take him yourselves and crucify him. I can find no case against him. The Jews replied. We have a law.
And according to that law, he ought to die because he has claimed to be the son of God. When pilate heard them say this, his fears increased re-entering the praetorium, he said to Jesus, where do you come from? But Jesus made, no answer. Pilot then said to him, are you refusing to speak to me? Surely, you know, that I have the power to release you and I have power to crucify you Jesus replied.
You would have no power over me. If it had not been given you from above, that is why the one who handed me over to you has the greater guilt. From that moment pilot was anxious to set him free but the Jews shouted. If you set him free, you are no friend of Caesars. Anyone who makes himself King is to find Caesar. Hearing these words pilot had Jesus brought out and seated himself on a chair of Judgment at a place, called the pavement
in Hebrew gabbatha. It was passed over preparation day about the sixth hour pilate said to the Jews. Here is your king. They said take him away. Take him away, crucify him. Pilot said, do you want me to crucify your king? The chief priests answered. We have no King except Caesar. So in the end, pilot handed him over to them to be crucified. They then took charge of Jesus
and carrying his own cross. He went out of the city to the place of the skull or as it was called in Hebrew Golgotha where they crucified him with two. Others, one on either side with Jesus in the middle, Pilate wrote out a notice and had it fixed to the cross. It ran. Jesus, the Nazarene King of the Jews.
This notice was read by many of the Jews because the place where Jesus was crucified was not far from the city and the writing was in Hebrew Latin and Greek. So the Jewish Chief priests said to pilate, you should not write King of the Jews, but this man said I am King of the Jews. Pilate answered what I have written. I have written.
When the soldiers had finished crucifying Jesus, they took his clothing and divided it into four shares one for each Soldier. He's undergarment with seamless woven in one piece from neck to him. So they said to one another instead of tearing it, let's throw dice to decide who is to have it. In this way, the words of scripture were fulfilled. They shared out my clothing among them. They cast lots for my clothes. This is exactly what the
soldiers did. Near the cross of, Jesus stood his mother and his mother's Sister Mary, the wife of clopas and Mary of magdala seeing his mother and the disciple. He loved standing near Jesus said to his mother woman, this is your son. Then to the disciple. He said, this is your mother. And from that moment, the disciple made a place for her in his home. After this Jesus knew that everything had now been completed and to fulfill the scripture perfectly.
He said I am thirsty. A Jar full of vinegar. Stood there sir. Putting a sponge soaked in the vinegar on his lipstick. They held it up to his mouth. After Jesus had taken the vinegar, he said it is accomplished and bowing his head, he gave up his spirit. It was preparation day and to prevent the bodies remaining on the cross during the Sabbath since that Sabbath was a day of special solemnity. The Jews asked pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken away.
Consequently, the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with him and then over the other. When they came to Jesus, they found he was already dead. And so instead of breaking his legs, one of the soldiers pierced his side with a lance and immediately they came out blood and water. This is the evidence of one who saw it trustworthy evidence and he knows he speaks the truth and he gives it so that you may believe as well.
Because all this happened to fulfill the words of scripture, not one of his bones will be broken. And again, in another place, scripture says, they will look on the one whom they have pierced. After this, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, though, a secret one because he was afraid of the Jews asked pilate to let him remove the body of Jesus, pilate gave permission, so they came and took it away. Nicodemus came as well. The same one who had first come
to Jesus at night time. And he brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about 100 pounds, they took the body of Jesus and wrapped it with the spices in linen cloths following the Jewish burial custom at the place where he had been crucified. There was a garden and in this Garden a new Tomb in which no one had yet. Been buried. Since it was the Jewish Day of preparation and the tomb was near at hand, they laid Jesus there. So that's the end of our long
text for Good Friday today. And once again, if you want to hear a verse by verse exegesis of this text where we break it down, a lot slower in in more detail that is available to you through the patreon page, and you should be able to see a link to that in the episode description.
Now, as you would expect, there's heaps of places where the catechism references passages from John chapter, 18 and 19. There's many, many paragraphs of the catechism which reference John's crucifixion account in. To John's crucifixion account, gets reference more probably even than all the others. So it's considered to be very important texts in helping us understand the meaning of Jesus life and his death. So I just want to read it a few
of the key ones. So paragraph, 607 through 2609, I'll read out all three paragraphs because they quote heavily hear from John chapter, 18 and 19. Christ offered himself to his father for our sins, the desire to embrace his father's plane of redeeming Love Inspired. Jesus whole life for his Redemptive Mission and this was the very reason for his Incarnation and so he asked and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour. No, for this purpose. I have come to this hour.
And again, shall I not drink the cup which the father has given me from the cross just before it is. Finished. He said I first after agreeing to baptize him along with the Sinners, John, the Baptist looked at Jesus and pointed him out as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the World by doing. So he reveals the Jesus is at the same time, the suffering servant, who silently allows himself to be led to the
slaughter. and the one who Bears, the sin of the multitudes, and also the Paschal Lamb, the symbol of Israel's Redemption at the first Passover, Christ's whole life, expresses his mission to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many by embracing in his human heart, The Father's Love For Men. Jesus loved them to the end for greater love has no, man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. In suffering and death.
His Humanity became the free and perfect instrument of his Divine love, which desires the salvation of men, indeed, out of love for his father. And for men, whom the father wants to save Jesus freely. Accepted his passion and death. No one takes my life from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. Hence, the Sovereign freedom of God, Son. As he went out to his death, So, those are quite beautiful and amazing, theologically Rich paragraphs, and there's a lot in that.
Let's go to paragraph. 26, 05. This is about how Jesus praise when the hour had come for him to fulfill the father's plan of love. Jesus allows a glimpse of the boundless depth of his filial prayer. Not only before his freely delivered himself up, Abba not my will, but yours, but even in his last words on the cross where prayer and the gift of self are. But one Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.
Truly, truly, I say to you today, you will be with me in Paradise woman, behold your son behold your mother. I thirst my God. My God. Why have you forsaken me? It is finished. Father into your hands. I commit my spirit until the loud cry as he expires giving up his spirit. There are many other paragraphs of the catechism, which reference this, but we'll leave it there today on this solemn occasion. Thanks for listening and hopefully you'll tune in again tomorrow.
When we'll do a proper verse by verse exegesis of the text, you'll hear at Mass