I have always found John’s gospel difficult. Language and grammar are simple, but the train of thought – if there is one – is hard to find or follow. This is certainly true for the discourses and conversations of Jesus that make up a big part of John. It is especially true for his final discourse right before his arrest, essentially his farewell speech (John 13-16 plus a concluding prayer in John 17). What is its point? Or are there many points? Or none?
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Asking ChatGPT for Help
I decided to ask ChatGPT. One reason: If we are going to use this tool – and I assume, with time, we will – we need to learn how to engage with it critically, not gullibly. Plus, I wanted to check if it would confirm my conclusion or perhaps point me in a better direction.
I copied and pasted the entire text of John 13-17, so that it would hopefully work with the text and not other people’s opinions on it, and asked my question: So, ChatGPT, what are the main themes and key points of John 13-17? Answer:
Thank you for sharing the full text of John 13:31-17:26. Here is an analysis of the main themes and key points: …
I will spare you the rest of the answer, because ChatGPT came up with ten themes and seven key points, each with a brief clarification. This is too much for anyone to deal with. Not helpful.
What Holds John 13-17 Together?
So I challenged ChatGPT: Is this bewildering array of topics all there is to it – random thoughts – or is there a central concern behind it all? Of course, ChatGPT agreed with me (have you ever had it disagree with you?). But as part of its response, it also provided a precious one-liner:
At first glance, Jesus’ discourse in John 13-17 does cover a range of topics – love, the Holy Spirit, joy, unity, persecution, truth, glory, and more. But these aren’t random or disconnected themes. There is an underlying unity that holds everything together.
The Unifying Thread: Jesus Preparing His Disciples for His Departure
At the core of John 13-17 is a single unifying purpose:
Jesus is preparing His disciples for life after His departure – His crucifixion, resurrection, and return to the Father. [all bold text here and below by ChatGPT]
That, I believe, hits the nail on the head. The response continues:
Everything He teaches in these chapters is oriented toward this reality:
- How will they relate to Him once He is gone [comment: here and in the following lines, can or should is more appropriate than will]?
- How will they relate to one another?
- How will they relate to the world?
- How will they carry on His mission?
How do we relate to Jesus (and the Father), to one another, and to the world while we continue to carry out his mission, in his absence – that seems to be an adequate summary of the final message of Jesus.
Jesus continues: He is leaving, but this is for their benefit. Only in this way can the Holy Spirit come. They can and should continue to be deeply connected to him, like branches of the vine (John 15:1-8). “Love one another” (John 13:34f, 15:12-17) is the program and the strategy. The world will hate them, but Jesus has overcome the world (John 15:18-16:4).
I only found one point to disagree with in this part of the answer; ChatGPT adds: “Since Jesus is leaving, their unity and love for each other will be what sustains them.” I don’t see that at all; it is not what Jesus says. What will sustain them is abiding in Christ. Unity and love have a place. They will support and demonstrate the testimony (John 13:35). They are essential for the mission. But there is no indication they will sustain the disciples.
A Cohesive Roadmap
All in all, however, this is pretty good. I will return to the discourse next month (those mansions in heaven you may be hoping for, John 14:2 – not so sure about that). But for now, I will leave the final word to ChatGPT:
The Big Picture: A Shift in the Disciples’ Relationship with Jesus
Before this moment, the disciples followed Jesus physically – walking with Him, eating with Him, learning from Him face to face.
But now, that relationship is about to change.
They will relate to Him through the Spirit, through abiding in His words [and in him; that part is missing here], and through mission in the world.
[I disagree with the final phrase; they do not relate to Jesus through mission; rather, their mission flows from their abiding in him and being empowered by the Spirit – mission is an effect, not the cause or means of relationship].
Conclusion: The Unity in John 13-17
Everything Jesus says in these chapters is part of His farewell message – a final preparation to ensure His disciples know how to live, love, and serve after He is gone.
It’s not a random collection of teachings. It’s a deeply cohesive roadmap for the disciples’ future—and by extension, for us today.
Attribution
Pictures used are taken from Pixabay.com
References
Unless indicated differently, Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.