Gospel of Saint John

In Lecture 12 of our study of the Gospel of Saint John, we step back and read chapters 13–17 as a single great movement: the covenantal testament of Jesus Christ.

• (00:00) - Lecture 12: The Upper Room in Context
• (07:53) - The Covenantal Testament of Christ
• (14:49) - John 13: The Hour, Humility, and Self-Denial
• (20:34) - John 14: “Let Not Your Hearts Be Troubled”
• (29:07) - “I Will Not Leave You Desolate”: The Peace of Christ
• (33:38) - John 15: The Vine, the Branches, and the Fruit of Virtue
• (38:02) - The Hatred of the World and Sorrow Turned to Joy
• (40:54) - John 17: Christ Prays for His Church
• (42:03) - The Great Question of John 13–17
• (44:36) - Abiding in Christ and the Interior Mission of the Holy Spirit
• (50:11) - Love, Mission, Persecution, and Final Destiny
• (53:03) - Learning to Meditate on Scripture
• (55:00) - What Is Christian Joy?
• (01:00:47) - Closing Prayer

You can download the slides and notes for this lecture here.

Our Lord knows that His hour has come. He is returning to the Father, but He will not leave His disciples desolate. Like the great farewell testaments of Scripture, these chapters prepare the people of God for life after the visible departure of their Lord. Yet Christ’s testament is unlike any that came before it: He does not merely tell His disciples what they must do—He promises to remain with them, give them His peace, send the Holy Spirit, make them fruitful, and ultimately bring them home.

Along the way, we explore the washing of the feet, “Let not your hearts be troubled,” the Vine and the branches, the hatred of the world, the interior work of the Holy Spirit, Christ’s prayer for His Church, and the great call to abide in Him.

The lecture concludes with a reflection on Christian joy—not mere pleasure or cheerfulness, but the fruit of charity and communion with God: truth clothed in hope.

At the heart of the entire discourse stands one consoling promise: Christ is leaving, but His people will never be abandoned.