Friday, March 28, 2008

"little children"

Today's Gospel is John's story of the appearance of the Risen Jesus by the Sea of Galilee (and its attendant catch of fish at the unlikely morning hour). But there is one aspect of this Gospel that I can't seem to find an explanation for. Even the intensely detailed Jerome Biblical Commentary passed right over it! It is that when the Risen Christ, on the shore, calls to the men in the boat, he doesn't call them "Brothers" (the term he used in commissioning Mary Magdalen), but "Children."
Children?
So I looked at the Greek, which was "paidia"--children, school children. It wasn't "tekna" (the term for "offspring"). In the epistles of John, these two terms are used back and forth, but tekna is the preferred word. Here, I suppose, John is saying that Christ is still "teaching" his disciples; when the time comes, they (especially in the person of Peter) will then lead, teach and guide the flock.

2 comments:

debangel said...

This is fascinating! Sister Anne, is there a book you could recommend that contains these kinds of "footnotes"...or will you please write one? I'm dying to learn more!

P.S. This was my first Easter Mass since I was 10! It was wonderful, and I thought of you...I still have that silver olive leaf for you (it would make a nifty bookmark), if you'd like to email me with your address?

Anonymous said...

To Debangel Welcome Back.