Dr Augustine Sokolovski
In the Orthodox Church, Bright Thursday is dedicated to the Paschal reading of the first part of Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus. By “Paschal reading,” theology refers to a way of interpreting sacred texts in which the words and deeds of the Lord Jesus are viewed in light of His Resurrection. The text, which usually recounts what Jesus did before the Resurrection, becomes a manifestation of the Risen One. “Jesus is the story of the One who lives,” as one of the great theologians of the last century put it.
Like Lazarus, the friend of God, the conversation with Nicodemus is mentioned only in the Gospel of John. In biblical theology, there is a theory that Lazarus was the author of the fourth Gospel. If this is even partially true, nothing prevents the Church, as a community of interpreters, from considering Nicodemus among the co-authors.
Aside from the Apocalypse, John’s other work, it is precisely his Gospel that is best suited for an Easter reading. The ancient Church Fathers praised its mysterious uniqueness, and the Church established the practice of reading it during the period from Easter to Pentecost. Because of this overwhelming Paschal character, Tradition has called John the Evangelist “the Theologian.” The Church Fathers said that theology is akin to prayer, and conversely, a theologian is one who prays much. Whoever imbues words with theological meaning never loses focus in prayer.
The Gospel of John is written from the perspective of messianic time. Messianic time is life-giving; it breaks through the chronology that leads into an irrevocable past. Just a week ago, during Holy Week, Nicodemus buried Jesus in silence. Now, in the words of his conversation with Him, he sees the Risen Christ. In this paradoxical and salvific diachrony, the divine inspiration of Scripture is revealed as the place of the sacrament of the Word, from which God looks upon the faithful and reveals Himself to the Church. Christ is risen!