Now there’s a
statement of fact if ever there was one.
I realize it is in essence a self-authenticating statement of fact, but
it leaves very little room for ambivalence.
The Word, in this context, describes active expression. The Word is the active divine expression—active
because the Word is. Before anything
exists, the Word simply is. The Word is
divine expression because The Word is and has forever existed in the presence
of the Divine. In every sense and
essence, the Word is God!
It is with those
words that the apostle John begins his narrative on the life of Jesus
Christ. John sets off to share the story
of Jesus in a totally different way than the other three “synoptic”
gospels. While the other three stories
see the events of the life and times of Jesus from distinct yet similar perspectives,
John’s narrative is unlike the other three in most everything. His perspective is mostly unique and a clear
departure from the other three inspired recollections.
Somewhat
ironically, John begins his treatise with a theological statement about
Jesus—the Word—the Verb of God, while the other three are more focused on the
actions that led or defined Jesus’ life and ministry. With an opening statement like that, you
would think John would have focused on the “actions” of Jesus, yet he
emphasizes the words of Jesus—the message that gives validity and credence to
the things He did. Ultimately, John is
unabashedly and unapologetically trying to convince his readers to believe in
Jesus as the very Son of God—divinity incarnate. Boy, are we in for a ride. What a way to begin.
2 comments:
This conversation feels like a ride I would like to tag along on. Blogs are new technology for me. This is my first venture to read a blog and to interact.
I have a new car. I am planning on trips where the destination may not be known to me because it is the journey itself that is the focus and point of the road trip-that is the feeling I have for this experience.
One technique I already figured out – my mind sees pictures and hears sounds to comprehend reading words on a page (definitely Not a speed reader – which does not translate to my driving pattern). So, I’m reading paragraph by paragraph vs. verse by verse.
The other thing I’m figuring out is that “a picture is worth a thousand words”, so … I will have to learn to package my responses in a zip drive fashion for posting.
Day 1 for me.
Dy
My goals (my prayer): To read this without prejudice; Listen-feel-pause; Analyze but not to the point of over thinking as a prideful exercise or as an avoidance of the Holy Spirit.
John’s first 4 words peeked my curiosity: What did a 1st Century man know about the natural sciences of astronomy, biology and chemistry to make any statement about “before the world began”? Also, since John, in the next 22 words references “the Word” being “with God in the beginning”, I conclude, for myself, that the “before the world began” is talking about Planet Earth. Sorry if these statements seem obvious and simplistic-it is just how my brain is wired to create a foundation that hopefully is less likely to lean, sway or crumble.
I always wonder, what did Bible students do Before they had those wonderful margin helpers that show me if the word I am reading is a literal translation; not in an original Bible time language; if the covenant name of God is being used; if it is poetry or prose and if there are a bunch of other Bible texts that put this one into a particular prism of perspective …
What I think I have learned so far is:
1. What or Who “the Word” is co-existed in time with God (if time is even a relevant term next to the word God).
2. “the Word” has a relationship to Planet Earth as being the medium of Creation (which is synonymous with life-{trying hard to avoid a sci-fy fault line of if rocks/mineral etc. is life form}).
Seems really important to John for me to visualize/feel “the Word” with the same sight/emotions as I breathe the word God.
3. John loses me with references to light/life/darkness … but it is just the 1st paragraph. Will read on … but not, just now. Hmmm … will read your comments on these verses in prep for paragraph 2 in the Book of John.
Oh, without using those margin helps, at this point, John hasn’t called “the Word” Jesus, so I won’t either.
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