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![]() Duccio di Buoninsegna, 'Christ Taking Leave of His Disciples' panel from the Maesta Altarpiece (1308--1311), Museo dell'Opera Metropolitana del Duomo, Siena, Italy. |
The genre of Farewell Discourses is seen elsewhere the final words or testaments of famous men in the Hellenistic world, but especially in the Bible -- Jacob's last words to his sons (Genesis 49), Joshua's final words to Israel (Joshua 22-24), and David's address to Solomon (1 Chronicles 28-29).
Two important questions have been raised about Jesus' Farewell Discourses. First, where do they begin? Some believe they begin them at 14:1, where Jesus begins to talk of his leaving the disciples. Others see the beginning at 13:31, where Jesus speaks of a "new commandment," to love one another.[279] I've begun this section when Jesus and his disciples had a meal in the Upper Room, following the close of Jesus' public ministry.[280]
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A second important question is whether these discourses were completed in the Upper Room or perhaps elsewhere, because of Jesus' words, "Come now; let us leave" at the end of chapter 14. We'll consider that question in Lesson 25.
Endnotes
[279] So Carson, John, pp. 476-477.
[280] So Morris, John, pp. 610-611.
Copyright © 2025, Ralph F. Wilson. <pastorjoyfulheart.com> All rights reserved. A single copy of this article is free. Do not put this on a website. See legal, copyright, and reprint information.