We have seen in other reflections at other times that Jesus received great inspiration from the prophet Isaiah. In the synagogue in Nazareth, he read a passage from Isaiah and immediately applied it to himself (Lk. 4). In answer to John the Baptist's question he replied in the words of Isaiah. One of the great ideas of Isaiah was that of universalism: sooner or later the whole world would hear the word of God and all mankind would come to Jerusalem, that is, would be converted to God: God's servant would "bring forth justice to the nations."

In different ways, the Apostles accepted this universalism: Jesus sent them on mission "to the ends of the earth." The passage which we read from St John today has the High Priest Caiaphas announce that it was better for one man to die for the sake of the people, that is, for Israel. John immediately adds the universal dimension: "not for this nation only, but to gather into one all the scattered children of God." Jesus died for all of us.