On Good Friday, the Church’s liturgy commemorates the Passion and Death of our Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross. Although no Eucharistic celebration is celebrated on Good Friday nevertheless the Church celebrates a special liturgy during which the Johannine Passion account is read.

My personal query, and perhaps even that of many others, is simply this: How come that the Church purposely opts for John’s version of Jesus’ Passion account every year? What makes this Passion account so unique and peculiar?

John’s story of the Passion, which clearly distinguishes it from the synoptic accounts (of Matthew, Mark and Luke), stems from the original portrayal of Jesus’ attitude by the Fourth evangelist.

The careful reader will be amazed by two details which appear in the Johannine text, namely the total self-awareness of Jesus which is shown several times together with his majesty that prompts him to go forward to his Passion.

The original Greek text periodically unveils Jesus’ self-awareness of what he is going through by making use of the word ‘eidōs’, which is normally translated as “well knowing that,” “fully aware of what was going to happen”. In the garden episode when the soldiers and the ministers, sent by the high priests, come to arrest him, “Jesus, knowing all that was to befall him, comes forward and says to them: ‘Whom do you seek?’” (18,4). “They drew back and fell to the ground” (18,6). Unlike the synoptic version of the Passion account, the Johannine Jesus personally takes the initiative. He comes forward and talks to them, “knowing well what was to happen”. Moreover, on the cross John’s text delves even deeper: “Then Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, so that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said: ‘I thirst’” (19,28). Before he dies Jesus scrutinizes his entire life, and he “knows,” he is absolutely conscious of having accomplished everything according to the Scripture. All this shows that Jesus was truly aware of his divine Sonship, of his unity with the Father. He expressed it by constantly submitting himself to his Father’s will. This is the crux of John’s Passion account.

Jesus goes to his Passion with dignity and majesty. The text is totally silent concerning his agony at the Gesthemane garden. He meets his enemies with serenity. The same dignity is also illustrated during Annas’ interrogation as well as in Jesus’ reaction to the blow he received by the servant of the high priest. The whole trial before Pilate offers a revelation of the royal majesty of the prisoner. The ‘via crucis’ is to be seen as Jesus’ triumphal walk. Throughout this march there is no wobbling or falling down but just: “He went out, bearing his own cross” (19,19). Lastly, the cross becomes Jesus’ royal throne as King, the king of truth.

The Preface for the feast of Christ the King manifests this truth splendidly: “You anointed Jesus Christ, your only Son, with the oil of gladness, as the eternal priest and universal King.  As priest he offered his life on the altar of the cross and redeemed the human race by this one perfect sacrifice of peace. As king he claims dominion over all creation, that he might present to you, his almighty Father, an eternal and universal kingdom: a kingdom of truth and life, a kingdom of holiness and grace, a kingdom of justice, love and peace”.

In John’s Passion account Jesus is triumphant because he lovingly and with great dignity accepts his fate from the Father’s hands, in total awareness of the messianic mission he has to fulfill till the very end.  Do we carry out our Father’s will lovingly and with dignity?

■ Fr Mario Attard OFM Cap

San Gwann