Throughout John’ gospel, familiar Jewish themes and traditions are given surprising spins as they are reframed by an author who stands on the other side of the resurrection event. For example, John’s prologue presents the Genesis creation story, but transforms the very nature of divine creativity by asserting that “In the beginning was the Word.”

In this week’s gospel reading John takes a well-known miraculous scene from Israel’s past, the healing of those Israelites bitten during a plague of snakes (Numbers 21:4-9). The bronze serpent Moses lifted up on a pole brought healing and new life to all those in the camp who looked upon it. The snake, the very symbol of punishment and death, was transformed into a life-restoring force for those who witnessed it.

Now John takes that familiar image …