04_Parker_222_244_222-244 10/07/15 12:41 Pagina 231 231 IS THE SUBJECT OF tete,lestai IN JOHN 19,30 “IT” OR “ALL THINGS” ? 231 natural reading of the passage is that his work of preparing the dis- ciples (17,6-8) is distinguished from the work of the cross (the “hour”) that was yet to be accomplished and the return to glory (17,1). Moloney describes these two phases well: The fundamental orientation of the life of Jesus was to complete the task given him by the Father (cf. 4:34; 5:36). Jesus tells the Father that this has now been accomplished (v. 4), and because of that a de- cisive turning point in Jesus’ story has been reached (v. 5a; kai nun). The revelation of God in and through the words and action of Jesus is complete (v. 5b), and thus Jesus can ask the Father to glorify him (nun doxason me) by restoring him to the Father’s presence with the glory that was his before the world was made … But this can only happen through the “hour” of the “lifting up”, that the glory of God may be revealed and the Son may be glorified … This “hour” has come (v. 1 elēluthen hē hōra). Crossing the threshold into his “hour”, Jesus looks back across his life and ministry. He is able to point to the people at table with him as proof of the claim that he has brought to perfection the task the Father gave him (vv. 6-8; cf. v. 4) … 34 Finally, the “work” of the Father in 4,34 seems to be closely linked to the labors of gathering in the Samaritan harvest (4,35-38). Of the three passages treated here, the latter comes closest to giving an overall description of the mission of Jesus. Nevertheless, the con- nection between the overall mission of Jesus and teleio,w in John is not so firm as some of the advocates of this position have claimed. Another common interpretation is that “it” refers to the fulfill- ment of the whole range of Messianic prophecies. In favor of this view, tele,w is employed in Luke-Acts for the fulfillment of Mes- sianic prophecies that are related to the passion narrative 35. Also, 34 MOLONEY, The Gospel of John, 461. For others who see a transition from one stage of Jesus’ mission to another in 17,4, see B. LINDARS, The Gospel of John (NCBC; Grand Rapids, MI 1972) 520; MICHAELS, John, 293- 294. In contrast to this view, CARSON, Gospel of John, 557, distinguishes be- tween the glory on earth (17,4; including the cross) and the future glory of Christ in heaven (17,5). However, the request that the Father glorify the Son in 17,5 echoes that of 17,1 which also refers to the “hour.” Thus, the work of the cross appears to be a part of the future glory (17,5) and distinguished from the glory of the past (17,4). 35 Luke 18,31b (kai. telesqh,setai pa,nta ta. gegramme,na dia. tw/n profhtw/n tw/| ui`w|/ tou/ avnqrw,pou), 22,37a (le,gw ga.r u`mi/n o[ti tou/to to.