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The Gospel of John, Part 16
Chapter 12:1--36
Talk by Metropolitan Jonah (Paffhausen)
October 21, 2025

Description: 
Metropolitan Jonah introduces the Gospel of John, especially its historical context as understood by modern scholarship. Note: These are not Church teachings, which focus on a spiritual / religious understanding of the text. Topics include: 
(1) Discussion of differences between the Synoptic Gospels and the Gospel of John; 
(2) Mary's anointing of Jesus as an act not only of humility and love, but of worship. 300 denarii is 300 days wages; 
(3) Judas Iscariot: his corruption and greed (and in contrast to Mary, his indifference to Jesus' impending death); 
(4) The Feast of Tabernacles and Palm Sunday, with reference to Leviticus 23.Its layers of meaning include a harvest festival, a commemoration of the Exodus, and the entrance of David into Jerusalem, dancing before the Ark of the Lord. Reference to Zechariah 9; 
(5) The expectations of the people were for a Christ who would deliver them from Roman dominion. And the Jewish leaders had a nice system that brought them praise and temple money, and Jesus threatened this and exposed their corruption and hypocrisy; 
(6) Verse 25: What you keep eventually vanishes from you (Augustine); 
(7) Verse 36: Jesus as the Light of the world. A properly painted icon of Christ has no shadows because Christ is the source of the light.