This week's gospel reading begins on what is, according to John's text, the fourth in a series of days that mark the beginning of Jesus' public ministry. After the meeting with John the Baptist on the first day, the gospel writer notes three subsequent days (verses 29, 35, 43) in which familiar characteristics of Jesus' mission are introduced and his identity is further revealed. It's in the conclusion of today's text, the fourth day that Jesus makes his first definitive self-revelation.

As potentially revealing as is verse 51, however, this fourth day begins with significantly less clarity. While most translations read "The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee" (verse 43), the text itself offers no specific subject to the verb ethelesen ("he decided"). Some scholars suggest that the "…