After the resurrection of Jesus the apostolic Church questioned itself about the obscure enigma of the ignominious death of the Messiah. They lost no time in finding the answer to this enigma in His relationship with human sin. This echo springs from the most ancient profession of Christian faith, conserved in 1 Cor 15:3, “Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures”.

Starting from that point there began an endless reflection on the New Testament by the Fathers. They were theologians and mystics, and they forced themselves to understand the connection between the cross of Christ and our liberation from sin. Various modes of thinking were used, i.e. the cult model of expiatory sacrifice, the social model of ransom from slavery, etc. The apostolic Church considered the image of The Servant of the Lord (Is chapters 42-53) and discovered there an impressive symmetry with the event of Jesus. It was a valuable means to understand, announce and justify the development of the passion of the Lord (Cf. Acts 8:32-34; 1 Pt 2:21-25)¹.

After the events of the “third day” the interest of the first Christian community led them to concentrate on the Passion of Jesus; then, little by little, they started to concentrate on the “deeds and words” of His earthly ministry. To discover the solidarity of Jesus, as a man of His time, we had recourse to the synoptic versions and from them we gathered the aspects which each of the different Gospels offered us. We do not, however, claim, to speak of a typical Christology for each Gospel, at least not for the moment.

1.1. Mark

In the Gospel of Mark the designation of Jesus as the “Nazarene” was used four times (Cf. 1:24, 10:47, 14:67, 16:6) against the total absense of it in Matthew (there are, however, two occasions in which a more enigmatic name appears: “Nazoreo”) and its being used only twice in Luke (plus “Nazoreo” once). Obviously Mark emphasizes one of the fundamental coordinates of the Incarnation; that is to say, the precise, geographic and social place from which Jesus came. “Nazarene” is the name used in history, in every day normality. He is Nazarene as many others were, even if readers probably are not acquainted with any others².

Another original designation seems to be that of “Spouse” (2:19,20), in which Jesus Himself speaks of His disciples as friends of the Spouse, those who should not fast while He is with them³.

The title “Son of God” appears five times and runs through the full account: it is used by the voice of God during the baptism in the Jordan (Cf. 1:11), and it is in the affirmation of the centurion at the foot of the cross (Cf. 15:39). Therefore, already from the beginning, the reader knows everything about the person that he is going to be reading about in the Gospel. He knows that the Gospel is about a person whom God Himself has declared to be His Son, and in whom are contained at least three characteristics derived from the Old Testament: the state of being Messiah, the love of the Father, the function as servant⁴. Mark is faithful to his true Christological character: in His profound identity Jesus does not correspond to human preconception; on the contrary, it is necessary to take into account the unexpected results which reveal Jesus in the full depth of His mystery.

The title, “Son of Man” (used 14 times) - both at the beginning (Cf. 2:10: the forgiveness of sins) and at the end (Cf. 14:62: His rising above the clouds of heaven) - is connected with a manifestation of power; nevertheless, starting from 8:31 it is related to the unheard of theme of suffering, which in 10:45 finds its fullest and most typical expression, “For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many”. Here this goes beyond the simple and traditional Jewish apocalyptic dimension. Here we have the figure of the Son of Man being brought from the clouds of heaven in order to inhabit the earth, where pardon for sins and the expulsion of Satan are presented as forms of solidarity and service to man. It is in this way that the reader of Mark’s Gospel comes to understand all about the news being announced by this Jesus, by this man who is as concrete as earth and, nevertheless, as surprising as He is indescribable.

1.2 Matthew

Let us start by making an outline of the Christology of this Gospel according to three main headings which the Evangelist offers us⁵:

a) Jesus as Messiah. Literally the Hebrew-Aramaic designation of “Mesías”, Messiah, does not exist in Matthew⁶. The post- Easter Church pretty soon changed the Greek Equivalent Christós into a term in its own right. Nevertheless, Matthew reveals a particular interest in the meaning of this name⁷.

Jesus as Messiah, in Matthew, consists essentially in the fact that He fulfills the expectations of Israel. The Evangelist shows this in two ways. First of all he emphasizes the definition of Jesus as being a son of David, by showing how He fulfills this definition in various ways (Cf. 1:1,6,7,17; 9:27; 20:30; 21:9; etc.). Secondly Matthew refers to Jesus in association with the prophesies of the Old Testament. The form expressing fulfillment appears 12 times(1:22; 2:15,17,23; 4:14; etc.)⁸

b) Jesus as Teacher. Matthew does not use the specific title “Teacher”⁹ as many times as Mark; nevertheless he does it with a certain originality. In the first place one can observe the way in which Matthew opens the subject of Jesus’ public ministry. While in Mark He manifests himself immediately in the Synagogue in Capernaum as a powerful exorcist (Cf. Mk 1:21-28), in Matthew Jesus starts with an immense teaching activity through the long Sermon on the Mount (Cf. Mt 5:7), where He solemnly instructs His disciples and the multitude concerning the conditions which must characterize those who decide to follow Him. The first image of Jesus which Matthew offers is not one of a miracle worker but of a teacher with authority¹⁰.

In the second place it is used with originality to show it with an apparently opposite meaning. This can be observed in relation to the people who used the term Teacher in the development of the account. In effect, Mark has not only ordinary people but also the disciples going to Jesus and calling Him “Teacher” (Cf. Mk 4:38; 9:5). Matthew instead, during the direct dialogue between the disciples and Jesus, changes the name from “Teacher” to “Lord”, and reserves Mark’s title only for use by those who are not intimate with Jesus (Cf. Mt 8:19; 19:16; 26:49). In contrast with this practice, one can find in Matthew (and only in Matthew) an important passage in which He forbids the use of this title by His disciples (Cf. Mt 23:8,10).

The question has been raised of knowing to what extent Jesus is seen in Matthew as a new Moses, and therefore with the characteristics of a new law-giver, of a type mentioned more than once¹¹. In any case, Matthew has something to say about Jesus which goes well beyond His being this type of law-giver.

c) Jesus as Emmanual Among the authors of the New Testament only Matthew explicitly evokes the symbolic name attributed by Isaiah 7:14; 8:8,10 (Hebrews TM: ‘immânû’êl, Greek LXXX: ‘Emmanouêl) to a person whose identity is debatable but who appears bearing great hopes for the kingdom of Judah¹². The passage from Isaiah is quoted directly in Mt 1:23 (with the Greek translation of the Hebrew name meth’humôn ho Theós, “God with us”) with regard to the virginal conception of Jesus. The Messianic interpretation of the prophetic passage is something which is exclusive to Matthew and is not found in any preceding witness¹³. The quotation from Isaiah constitutes the first biblical text mentioned by the Evangelist and therefore gives a key for the interpretation of the entire composition. In effect, it is possible to read the whole Gospel in the light of a Christology which has its basis in the specific theme of the presence of God in the midst of and in solidarity with His people¹⁴.

The idea is developed in the Gospel of Matthew, above all in two other occasions: in 18:20 (“For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them, en mésoi humôn”)¹⁵, and in 28:20 (“I am with you always <egò meth’ humôn> until the end of the age”). In the Evangelist’s interpretation, the saving presence of God is now the Emmanuel, Son of the Virgin, that is to say, Jesus. What was foreseen in the proclamation concerning this child reaches its fullness in the Resurrected One, to whom was given all power in heaven and on earth (28:18), who will keep watch in the midst of His Church until the end of centuries. The strategic placing of these passages in Matthew’s Gospel, at the beginning, at the middle and at the end, permits the reading of this Gospel in the light of this strongly Christological theme. Therefore, Matthew appears particularly sensitive to the double and complimentary theme of the presence of God in Jesus and the presence of Jesus in the midst of His own people.

Matthew presents Jesus as the authentic interpreter of God’s will contained in the law (Mt 5:21-48) - to say that Matthew presents Jesus as an authentic interpreter of the law would be much too little. The Evangelist unites three moments of the history of salvation: 1) the Israel of God, born witness to in the “Scriptures”, to whom God has reveled His will by means of the law; 2) Jesus as fulfillment of the law and new image of the presence of God in the midst of His people; 3) the community of Matthew which receives and transmits this teaching to all peoples as a regulatory element, and in this way keeps the word of Jesus alive and in force. The presence of the Resurrected One gives us the authority and the ability for this task. On this basis depends the Christological understanding of Emmanuel¹⁶.

The biblical name “Emmanuel” is also a somewhat functional name¹⁷. With the last words of the Resurrected Jesus “I will be with you always, until the end of the age” Matthew substitutes the promise of the Holy Spirit, with which both Lk 24:49 (Cf. Acts 1:8) and also Jn 20:19-25 (and the discourse of the Last Supper) conclude. According to Matthew the presence of Jesus in the midst of His community is assessed not so much with His Spirit as with His personal dimension, alive and immediate¹⁸. The manner of Jesus’ presence is important, especially as it is with “the little ones” whom He identifies Himself: “Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me” (Mt 25:40). The disciple is called to discover this presence and to respond to it in solidarity.

1.3 Luke (and Acts)

The fundamental newness of Luke, as opposed to Matthew and Mark, consists in the fact that he does not limit himself to narrating the story of Jesus but conceives a far-reaching literary and theological plan, showing that the action of salvation initiated by Jesus continues in the history of the Church. The work of Luke results in a single whole and must be considered as such¹⁹. Thus, the Gospel presents a very organic Christology²⁰.

Limiting ourselves to the Gospel we can point out the existence of some linguistic elements, typical of Luke’s narration, which have a relationship between them and have a Christological importance: a) One of the first things to be gathered is in reference to the intervention of the narrator himself who, in his text, openly professes his personal faith in Jesus as “Lord”, Kyrios. In contrast to Mark and Matthew, who use this title solely in direct speech, Luke uses it in his own telling of the story, as an expression of his own pen. In places where he tells the story in the third person, for example “the Lord says...” it appears 14 times (Cf. 7:13,19; 10:1,39,41; etc..). b) In addition, no other Evangelist uses the Greek adverb semeron, “today”, to indicate the importance of the time of Jesus’ presence. Luke, on the other hand, uses it five times (Cf. 2:11 “For today in the city of David a savior has been born...”; 4:21; 19:5,9; 23;43). Luke is interested in pointing out that with the living presence of Jesus, and for the way He was received, something decisive for mankind is accomplished; that is to say, the foundations are laid for its salvation²¹. c) Nor do any of the other Synoptic Evangelists use the word cháris, “grace”, which Luke employs eight times, giving it, at least half of the time, a theological value (Cf. 1:30; 2:40,52; 4:22)²². This concept is really important for our holy author²³. d) Lastly, only Luke emphasizes the fact that, directly or indirectly, in Jesus there is something which “must” deî (or “should” édei) of necessity happen (Cf. 2:49; 4:43; 9:22; 12:12; etc.)²⁴.

The manifestation and demonstration of grace is found in the fact that in Christ, God reveals the fullness of His compassion: “because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the daybreak from on high will visit us” (Lk 1:78)²⁵. The two moments, the manifestation and the demonstration, are well represented in the pages of the Gospel. In the first place, the manifestation is presented almost as an introduction, after the first two chapters dedicated to the events of the childhood of Jesus. In contrast to Matthew, in Luke 1 and 2 the principle Christological titles are revealed to the reader²⁶. The dialectic theme of the casting down of the mighty and the raising up of the humble (Cf. 1:46-55), personified in the figures of the ‘amawîm’, “poor”, (Cf. Mary, the shepherds, Ann, Simeon) already anticipates the development of values which are confirmed in the action of Jesus the Messiah as revelation of the fact that “His mercy is from age to age to those who fear him” (1:50).

In the second place, the personal manifestation of the grace of God happens almost like a ‘manifesto’ in the inauguration of His ministry in the synagogue of Nazareth (Cf. 4:16-30). This passage has an important hermeneutical function for understanding the whole Gospel of Luke: in the context of the last Jubilee year, the grace which brings the Good News of the liberation of the poor, of prisoners, of the blind, of the oppressed is proclaimed.

Luke presents this mercy (éleos), with particular emphasis, not only as a verbal announcement but also, and above all, as the effective manifestation of the ministry carried out by Jesus. In effect this Gospel, in addition to the parallels in Mark and in Q, contains material of its own regarding this dimension²⁷. Chapter 15 amply develops this characteristic of Luke²⁸. The first verses introduce the three parables, which follow immediately, referring to mercy: The Lost Sheep (vv. 3-7), The Lost Coin (vv. 8-10) The Lost Son (vv. 11-32): all lost and found again. This last parable, whose teaching contains significant values for the entire Gospel, combines, at the same time, the theme of grace and that of “divine necessity”, deî: “But now it is necessary that we celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found” (v. 32). Luke never gives a definition either of grace or of its necessity. This “is necessary” is love without any calculation, of pardon without conditions; in a word, it is God’s love of humanity²⁹. The main point is festive mercy. The Christological value of what is related is clear: in the behavior of Jesus there is manifested and demonstrated the mercy of God Himself. What in the parable is simply a story, in the life of Jesus, instead, is a reality.

In Luke the image of Jesus is generally marked by Christology. The Evangelist makes an image appear which, in subsequent Christian generations, keeps the living memory of Jesus; but which, at the same time, allows for Luke’s predilection for the humanity of Jesus to be seen: for His decisive action in favor of the poor, of the dispossessed, for His care and goodness towards women, and for His profound piety.

1.4. The Compassion of Jesus

The solidarity of Jesus is expressed in the Synoptic Gospels in a special way through the word splagchnízomai (to have compassion on, to be merciful). In the New Testament the word (used in the passive form) appears only in the Synoptic Gospels 12 times in all³⁰. Its meaning is almost always indicated by means of synonyms, of feeling “mercy, compassion”³¹.

“When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things” (Mk 6:34).

Mark introduces (almost like a reportage) the story of the miracle by means of which He gave food to five thousand people, alluding clearly to EZ 34, in such a way that the Jesus who has pity on them appears like the representative (escatological) of God Himself; in the second story (the miracle of feeding four thousand people) Mark puts these words on the lips of Jesus himself: “My heart is moved with pity for the crowd, because they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat” (Mk 8:2). Matthew takes up both of these passages from Mark (Mt 9:36 and 14:14, repeating the sentiments in 15:32) and edits Mk 10:52 by adding (in Mt 20:34) the words “moved with pity” as an explanation of the motive for the curing of the blind. In harmony with this, one finds in Lk 7:13 (“When the Lord saw her, he was moved with pity for her and said to her, ‘Do not weep’”), as well as the motivation which appears in Mk 1:41 (“Moved with pity...” in The Cleansing of a Leper) and Mk 9:22 (when the father of the possessed boy says “have compassion on us...”).

The word splagchnízomai also appears in three of Jesus’s parables: in Mt 18:23-35 (v.27), in reference to the master of the servant who did not show mercy; in Lk 15:11-32 (v.20), in reference to the father of the prodigal son; (here the elder son, with his anger at his father’s behavior, emphasizes the contrast, v.28). In the parable of the example of the compassionate Samaritan (Lk 10:30-37), the word splagchnízomai is mentioned as the decisive reason for his good action towards the man who had been a victim of robbers. The journey of the Samaritan - the mission of Jesus - is the very compassion of God for His sons. Here the meaning of the word reaches all its expressiveness: to have mercy, compassion, is to arrive at “being moved” in the deepest sense; since the bowels of God³² are moved when faced with the evils of mankind, His Son becomes the only one who can expiate it by offering all His love in solidarity.

2. Saint John

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life” (Jn 3:16).

At a certain moment the dialogue of Jesus with Nicodemus becomes a monologue (that important Pharisee seems to disappear into the night which had brought him) in which one finds an ample development of the theme of the Incarnation. God delivered up (in the Incarnation and also in His own death) His own Son so that we might have life (Cf. Rm 8:32; Gal 2:20). Thus the mission of Jesus is not one of condemnation but of salvation³³.

The preceding text reveals the infinite reach of Jesus’ solidarity with mankind. The study of the theme in the literature credited to John can be seen from many perspectives, given the complexity and the richness which the Christology of the Fourth Gospel offers³⁴. Nevertheless, we must choose to consider simply one aspect of the meaning of the solidarity of Jesus, which is the foundation of the communion of the believer with Him and the consequences for the community living the life of charity³⁵.

2.1. Jesus, Fecund Center of Ecclesial Communion

The Doctrine of John regarding the Church, which lives solely through Jesus, is found in synthesis within the two great, symbolic discourses of the Master: that of the shepherd (10:1-16) and that of the vine (15:1-17)³⁶.

a) The Good Shepherd (Jn 10:1-16; 10:25-30) - The image has a large tradition in the world of the ancient Middle East, above all in the Old Testament. The Synoptic Gospels also recognize the image and the Parable of the Good Shepherd, which Jesus applies to Himself³⁷, however, in John this image achieves much greater and deeper Christological and ecclesiastical values.

1. In the sermon about the Good Shepherd, Jesus declares before all (Cf. also in Jn 10:1-5): “I am the gate for the sheep” (10:7); “I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved” (10:9). 2. Jesus is the one whom the sheep follow as their legitimate and known shepherd. 3. Jesus is the Good Shepherd who offers His life for the sheep (Cf 10:11). The disciples live by His voluntary decision. 4. With Jesus and in Jesus there began the great universal mission of uniting everyone so that there will be “one flock and one shepherd” (10:16). 5. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, looks after His flock eternally, and He will give them eternal life. No one will be able to take them out of His hand nor out of the hand of His Father (Cf. 10:25-30). 6. The mutual recognition between Jesus and His disciples is based on the reciprocal relationship between Jesus and the Father (Cf. 10:14,15). This means that the communion between Jesus and the Father (Cf. 10:30) is the basis of the communion between the disciples and Jesus; and Jesus is the Good Shepherd because He gave His life for His own, in accordance with “This command I have received from my Father” (10:18).

b) The true vine (Cf. Jn 15:1-17) - The symbolism of the vine is well known in the Old Testament (Cf. Is 5:1-7) and finds a great development in the Synoptic Gospels³⁸. All the Parables of the Synoptic Gospels have in common the fact that the vine, or the people related to it, represent Israel or a part of it. A contrast is established between the fruit which Israel, as it is a vine planted by God, meaning the people who work in the vineyards, must give or must produce with their work, and the scarce or negative result which, in fact, was being achieved.

This traditional material undergoes a transformation in the Gospel of John, both in its literary form and in its content. With regard to the form, in John there is no particular story (or Parable) related, unless it has a general and allegorical observation regarding the vine; the entire story is dominated by the first phrase: “I am” (egò eimí). In “I am” we meet a Christological concentration of the symbol of the vine. As for the content, John takes the coin of the Parable from the context of the escatalogical crisis produced by the ministry of Jesus, and He applies it to the daily life of the Church: the vine stops representing Israel and is transformed into a Christological definition applied to Jesus himself.

Reading into John’s presentation of this, the image starts to become the symbol of discipleship, and also of the profound and absolutely necessary unity maintained between the disciples and Jesus. Only by being “united to Jesus” and “remaining in Him” can Christians succeed in becoming such, can they can live as Christians³⁹. In Christ resides the fruitfulness of true service to God, the fruitfulness of prayer and of obedience in mutual love and solidarity. Only those who “dwell in Him” are the friends of Jesus (Cf. 15:14) and of necessity they dwell in unity and love among themselves (Cf. 15:9-12).

To the weak spirituality of many Christians who feel their religious duties like a weight to be borne, Jesus proposes a the religious duties of interior communion as well as joyful and generous love. It is a question of taking very good care of the life of Jesus that we have within ourselves (dwelling in Him) so that in the world the immense vineyard of the Lord will grow in love and solidarity and will ever develop towards unity.

2.2. Reciprocal Communion in 1 John

More than fighting against errors, the main objective of this letter is to reflect positively on faith and on Christian existence⁴⁰. We would like to center our reflection on the prologue of this letter (1 Jn 1:1-4).

The word koinonia appears only four times in 1 John. However, we can also find that there are other expressions which re-state and amplify both its content and its method; for example be in and dwell in; to know, to love and to love each other. Each of these expressions keeps its specific characteristic and when put together they speak of “communion”, a concept which is not without complexity. Now, in a similar way as with communion, let us think about the theme of solidarity.

The semantic group to which the word koinonia belongs expresses the sentiment of the “sharing of the same goods” on the part of two or more persons. Hence the significance of “reciprocity” among the members who participate in the same goods. This presents an important notice: it is important to have the cooperation of all for the common good⁴¹. In the four cases mentioned the word koinonia in 1 John appears with the same expression: “having communion with” (metá). Communion is then something which can be possessed (echein). “Dwelling in (menein)” and “being in”. These words express not only the intimacy and the profundity of the presence, but also its stability. One cannot speak of communion where being united is provisional and occasional: being united is not simply having something attached. John’s first letter uses the words agapan and agape to refer to a concrete love which can be accomplished and verified in practice.

“So that you too may have fellowship with us” (1:3). “So that” (hina) means that communion is the objective to which everything that precedes it is drawn to. The objective of the letter is not directly missionary but ecclesial. The writer is addressing Christians who are running the risk of losing their relationship with the origin of their faith. The subject “us” refers to contemporary eye-witnesses of the events of Jesus, to those who today faithfully continue their witness. Communion is constructed in a common tradition. However, the expression “with us” says something more. It is not reduced to being in simple harmony with the message which is born witness to and proclaimed. It demands, at the same time, that there be a bond of belonging, of experience and of life with the group of “us” which proclaims and bears witness. For its part the Greek preposition metá followed by the genitive indicates company, solidarity, being in accord with, being united with. Koinonia governs itself by faith, but it always implies a vital relationship between persons.

“Then we have fellowship with one another” (1:7). The word koinonia evolves to appear (1:6-7) in a different context than in the prologue of the letter. In the prologue attention is placed above all on fidelity to “what was from the beginning”: only by inserting oneself in the living tradition which comes from the origins, does one enter into communion with God. The accent from here on out is placed on practice: only if one walks in the light will one accomplish truth, will one be in communion with God and among ourselves.

“If we say ‘We have fellowship with him’, while we continue to walk in darkness, we lie and do not act in truth. But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, then we have fellowship with one another” (1:6,7).

Attention is called, before all else, to the fact that communion with God and communion with one another are interchangeable. Included in this is the fact that the two dimensions of communion appear to be superimposed upon each other. In effect, without betraying the text, one can construct this parallel: if we walk in the darkness we have no communion with God, if we walk in the light we have communion with one another⁴².

¹ F. DUCI, “Partecipi dell’offerta di Cristo” (Participation in the Offering of Christ), in Oblative, Reparatory, Spirituality, Dehoniana, Bologna, 1989 p.137.

² At any rate, none of such celebrity.

³ Certainly, after Mark, this Christological metaphor was to see a considerable development in reference to Jesus (Cf. 2 Cor 11:2; Mt 22:1,2; 25:1.13; Jn 2:29 (2:1-11); Eph 5:22-33; Acts 19:7; 21:2-9).

⁴ The declaration from Heaven alludes to what is mentioned in Psalms 2:7 (Jn 22:2 LXX; Is 42:1).

⁵ For an analysis of the editing of the treatment of the classic titles Son of Man and Son of God, which are not the exclusive property of the Evangelists, Cf. R. SCHNACKENBURG, La persona de Jesucristo reflejada en los cuatro Evangelios (The Persona of Jesus Christ Reflected in the Four Gospels), Herder, Barcelona 1998 (orig. Freiburg i.B. 1993) 150-165; G. SEGALLA, Evangelo e vangeli, (The Gospel and The Evangelists), Dehoniana, Bologna 1992, 102-104.

⁶ In the whole of the New Testament it is to be found only in Jn 1:41; 4:25.

⁷ This name can be found 17 times in Matthew, while it appears 7 times in Mark, and 12 times in Luke.

⁸ In Mark and Luke the expression appears only twice in each Gospel, Cf. R. SCHNACKENBURG, La persona de Jesucristo reflejada en los cuatro Evangelios, (The Persona of Jesus Christ Reflected in the Four Gospels), 165ff.

⁹ Both in the Greek form didáskalos as well as in the Hebrew form rabbî.

¹⁰ There is an abundant bibliography on this reference, Cf. U. LUZ, El Evangelio seg_n San Mateo (The Gospel According to Saint Matthew) (Mt 1:7), Sígueme, Salamanca 1993 (orig. Sürich-Köln 1985), 257-259.

¹¹ Cf. Especially D.C. Allison, The New Moses. A Matthean Typology, T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1993.

¹² For a status quaestionis Cf. J. JENSEN, “Immanuel”, in The Ancor Bible Dictionary 3, 392-395.

¹³ Cf. the discussion of the text in R.E. BROWN El nacimiento del Mesías. Comentario a los Relatos de la Infancia (The Birth of the Messiah, Commentary on the Accounts of His Childhood) Cristiandad, Madrid 1982 (orig. New York 1977), 143-153.

¹⁴ This is one of the starting points of the thesis of W. TRILLING, Il vero Israele. Studi sulla teologia del vangelo di Matteo, (The Real Israel. Studies on the Theology of the Gospel of Matthew), Piemme, Casale Monferato (orig. Leipzig 1975), 53-58.

¹⁵ We have decided that to avoid printing problems e will represent the greek letter eta, o will represent the letter omega, and the letter i after omega will represent iota underlined.

¹⁶ H.E. LONA, Gracia y Comunidad de Salvación, el fundamento bíblico (Grace and Community of Salvation, the Biblical Foundation), Estudios Proyectos 21, Buenos Aires 1998, 134.

¹⁷ R. PENNA, I Ritratti originali de Gesù il Cristo, Inizi e sviluppi della cristologia neo-testamentaria II. Gli sviluppi (The Original Portraits of Jesus Christ. The Beginnings and Development of New Testament Christology II. The Developments), San Paolo, Milan 1999, 362.

¹⁸ In this sense there is a continuity with the Old Testament with regard to Yahweh Himself, who assures His presence in the midst of His people with the words “I am with you” (Hg 1:13; 2:4). In Israel, the presence is particularly dwelt upon in three successive moments: in the thiophene of Sinai, in the promise related to Jerusalem, and both through the Davidic monarchy and through the permanent presence of God in the temple. It is subsequently related to the more transcendent dimension, after the destruction of the temple, as the constant nearness of God to His people.

¹⁹ R.E. O’TOOLE, L’unità della Teologia di Luca. Un’analisi del Vangelo e degli Atti (The Unity of the Theology of Luke. An Analysis of the Gospel and the Acts), EDC. Turin, Leumann 1994, (orig. English. Wilmington 1984). See the unity and the theology of Luke on the theme of salvation.

²⁰ PENNA, I Titratti originali de Gesù il Cristo, II (The Original Portraits of Jesus the Christ, II), 364.

²¹ Cf. J.A. FITZMYER, El Evangelico según Lucas I (The Gospel According to Luke I), Cristiandad, Madrid 1986 (orig. New York 1981) 250.

²² John uses the word cháris three times, and only in the Prologue. This word in Luke, in conformity with its significance in Greek, has various shades of meaning, can be used in different ways, and is often understood to mean “favor, pleasure”. However the grace of God is more than that: it is pardon for sins (Acts 14:43, Cf. 39ff), and message of salvation (Acts 14:3; Cf. 20:24,32; 15:11). Cf. R. SCHNACKENBURG, La persona de Jesucristo reflejada en los cuatro Evangelios (The Persona of Jesus Christ Reflected in the Four Evangelists), 212ff.

²³ It must be kept in mind that Luke connects the grace of God only with Jesus and Mary.

²⁴ S. ZEDDA, Teologia della salvezza nel vangelo di Luca (The Theology of Salvation in the Gospel of Luke), Dehoniana, Bologna 1991, 14.

²⁵ In addition to the word cháris, “grace”, Luke, more than any other Evangelist, uses the word éleos, “mercy”, (6 times against 3 times in Matthew and not at all in Mark and John).

²⁶ Two titles are particularly important sôtêr (2:11) and Christòs kyrios.

²⁷ Cf. Lk 7;11-17 (The Raising of the Widow’s Son); 7:36-50 (The Pardon of the Sinful Woman); 10:29-37 (The Parable of the Good Samaritan); 13:10-17 (The Cure of a Crippled Woman on the Sabbath); 16:1-9 (The Dishonest Steward); 16:19-31 (The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus); 17:7-10 (The Attitude of a Servant); 17:11-19 (The Cleansing of Ten Lepers); 18:1-8 (The Parable of the Persistent Widow); 18:9-14 (The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector); 19:1-10 (Zacchaeus the Tax Collector); 23:39-43 (The Crucifixion - The Good Thief); 24:13-35 (The Appearance on the Road to Emmaus).

²⁸ This could be considered as “the heart of the third Gospel”, Cf. L. RAMAROSON, “Le coeur du troisieme Evanglile: Lc 15” (The Heart of the Third Gospel: Luke 15), Bib 60 (1979) 348-360.

²⁹ J.N. ALETTI, El arte de contar a Jesucristo (The Art of Telling the Story of Jesus Christ), Sígueme, Salamanca 1992 (orig. Paris 1989) 184.

³⁰ Mark 4 times, Matthew 5 times, Luke 3 times.

³¹ N. WALTER, “splagchnízomai”, H. BALZ- G. SCHNEIDER (eds.), DENT, Sígueme, Salamanca 1998 (orig. Stuttgart 1992) 1469.

³² Cf. Lk 1:78: “Because of the tender mercy of our God”. Cf. S. ZEDDA, Teologia della salvezza nel vangelo di Luca (The Theology of Salvation in the Gospel of Luke), 36.

³³ R. E. BROWN, Il vangelo e le lettere di Giovanni (The Gospel and the Letters of John), Queriniana, Brescia 1994 (orig. Collegeville, MN. 1988), 45.

³⁴ Cf. R. SCHNACKENBURG La persona de Jesucristo reflejada en los cuatro Evangelios (The Persona of Jesus Christ Reflected in the Four Gospels), 319ff; R. PENNA, I ritratti originali di Gesù il Cristo, II (The Original Portraits of Jesus the Christ, II), 388ff.

³⁵ We can, therefore, only take into consideration two texts from the Gospel of John (Jn 10:1-16 and 15:1-17) and another one from the first letter of John which refers to communion (1 Jn 1:1-4). In John, the theme of the symbolism of the “pierced Heart” is particularly important; Cf. D. MOLLAT, La Palabra y el Espíritu. Exégesis espiritual (The Word and the Spirit. Spiritual Exegesis), Sígueme, Salamanca 1984.

³⁶ For a more detailed exegesis we have recourse to the great Commentaries and to the recent work by G. ZEVINI, “La vita di comunione tra Gesù e i suoi, la vera vite e i tralci(Gn 15:1-17)” (The Life of Communion Among Jesus and His; The True Vine and the Vine Shoot <Jn 15:1-17>), PSV 31 (1995) 93-109. Cf. V. MANNUCCI, Giovanni il Vangelo narrante (John, the Narrating Gospel), Dehoniana, Bologna 1997, 284-285.

³⁷ Mk 6:34; Mt 9:36; 18:12-14; Lk 15:3,4.

³⁸ Mk 12:1-9; Mt 21:33-41; Lk 20:9-16; etc.

³⁹ “Without me you can do nothing” (Jn 15:5). In this line there is expressed the Church’s comprehension of itself. Cf. R. Schanackenburg, El Evangelio según San Juan (The Gospel According to Saint John), Herder, Barcelona 1987 (orig. Freiburg i. Br. 1975) III, 122-149.

⁴⁰ B. MAGGIONI, “La comunione nella prima lettera di Giovanni” (Communion in the First Letter of John), PSV 31 (1995) 205-218.

⁴¹ A. DALBESIO, Quello che abbiamo udito e veduto. L’esperienza cristiana nella prima lettera di Giovanni (What we have seen and heard. Christian Experience in the First Letter of John), Dehoniana, Bologna 1990, n.83.

⁴² The word “to walk” (peripatein - being used two times) will reveal the truth or the falseness of double communion. The metaphor of walking is significant and must be taken in its many implications (Cf. 2:9-11).