Galatians 5 and the Farewell Discourse

June 16, 2013

There are a remarkable number of echoes between Galatians (and in particular, chapter 5) and Jesus’ Farewell Discourse in the Gospel of John. The chapter, and more broadly, the letter, is almost like an exposition of aspects of the Discourse.

For example:

  1. The first part of John 15 is about bearing fruit by remaining in the vine, Jesus, and much of the surrounding material is about how Jesus will send the Spirit in His own place and as the one who communicates the things of Christ to His disciples. Meanwhile, the virtue list of Galatians 5 is about bearing the fruit of the Spirit.
  2. John 15:6 warns that those who do not remain in the vine will be cast forth as branches; Galatians 5:4 warns that those who become circumcised have become severed from Christ.
  3. John 15:12–17 highlights the commandment of love of the disciples for one another; Gal 5:13–14 highlights serving one another through love.
  4. John 14:27 speaks of Christ’s peace which stands in contrast to that of the kosmos. Jesus says He leaves this peace with them, just after saying that He will send the Spirit to them (14:26). Then John 15:9–11 deal with love and joy. Meanwhile, Gal 5:22 lists love, joy, and peace as the first three aspects of the fruit of the Spirit.
  5. In addition, the peace Jesus gives is in connection with a repeated encouragement that the disciples not be troubled in heart (μὴ ταρασσέσθω ὑμῶν ἡ καρδία; 14:1, 27); the opponents in Galatia are styled as “troublers” (Gal 1:7; 5:10, 12; cf 6:17, although 5:12 uses a different Greek term).
  6. There is a repeated metaphor of following/way/going in both passages (Jn 13:36–37; 14:4–6; Gal 5:7, 16, 18, 25).
  7. John 16:11 says that the Holy Spirit will convict the world of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged; the broader context in Galatians says that the world itself has been crucified (Gal 6:14).
  8. Jesus speaks of the travail of birthpangs in John 16:21; Paul says he is having that travail for the Galatians in Gal 4:19.
  9. There is a fairly strong theme of persecution in the Farewell Discourse (e.g. Jn 15:18ff) as well as in Galatians (1:13, 23; 4:29; 5:11; 6:12).
  10. In Jn 14:19, Jesus says, “Because I live, you shall live also,” adding that whoever keeps His commandments and loves Jesus will be loved by Jesus and the Father; in Gal 2:20, Paul says, “I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
  11. It is in the Farewell Discourse that Jesus elevates the disciples’ status from slaves to friends (Jn 15:15), a major theme in Galatians in the transition from rule by the paidagogos and the elements of the world to inheritance as mature sons (see esp Gal 3:23–4:10).

Given all these echoes, I also wonder a bit of Peter’s departure from table fellowship with Gentiles (Gal 2:11ff) makes Paul think of John 13:18, where Jesus cites the passage, “He who eats my bread has lifted up his heel against me.” Certainly, it would fit with what follows almost immediately: “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who received whoever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me” (Jn 13:20). Interestingly, provision for the poor comes up in both close contexts too (Jn 15:29–30; Gal 2:10), although in John, it’s incidental, based on a false supposition.

There may be further connections, but my familiarity with the Farewell Discourse is considerably inferior to my familiarity with Galatians. Given that some of these themes are central to the gospel narrative, overlap shouldn’t be surprising. But the sheer number of resonances suggest there’s a bit more involved.

Which does raise interesting questions regarding the assumptions of scholars regarding the lateness of John’s Gospel, as well as how well-acquainted Paul really was with the words and deeds of Jesus.