I am excited for this book and our discussions. We have all moved so far and really are getting the understanding of the New Testament. This book will challenge us! I am ready!! Although there is some "controversy" as to the author of the book, we can use "John" to reference the author.
These first few lines are not only an introduction/ prelude to John, I also see them and the summary of John! The rest of the text focuses on and "explains" the Word, life, light, grace, truth, and revelation.
John refers to Jesus as "the Word" immediately (Greek "logos") meaning Jesus is the definition of God. "Logos" means to put "sense" into our language; Jewish rabbis would refer to God by saying "the word of God". John sets up the beginning of the Trinity. God and Son, separate yet together; separate but not individuals; equal yet distinct. As an interesting side note, the Jehovah's Witness Bible (The Watchtower, New World Translation) reads as: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god." A little bit (?) different than ours!
John then describes for us the work and nature of "the Word"- Creator (vv 3-4) and Light (vv 4-5). Referencing back to the Genesis stories, John brings us the creation aspect of God. We are nothing without God; without God, nothing exists. Darkness was feared in ancient times; the Light gets rid of that darkness and keeps us safe and complete.
John the Baptist is introduced as the announcer of the coming Light (vv 6-9). John was well received and many thought he was the Messiah, but there is definite words in John's gospel that John the Baptist was not the one. There was a large contingency of people that followed John the Baptist and was determined that he was the Messiah. We will read about John's testimony in vv 19-28.
John then gives us troubling (?) words (v 10). God came to the world that God had created, yet people didn't know God. Why is that true- why don't we recognize God? Some people did accept God, and they are known as "God's children" (v 12).
The closest we get to a birth narrative in John is vv 14- 18, "The Word became flesh..." Wait? What? How can God's Word become living?! Imagine being an ancient Jew or Greek hearing these words! God would lower God's self to become a mere human? I mean, the Greek and Roman gods were super-human and would no way become human! Why would God do that?! And God came to us! We didn't have to seek God!
When questioned by the religious authority, John the Baptist denies his messiahship (v 20). I am not! But if you only knew how close the Messiah was! He denies that he was Elijah (as many though he might be the reincarnated Elijah) or a prophet. John the Baptist defines his role as "road sign: pointing people to Jesus the Messiah. John was really a messenger calling people to wake up and smell the coffee! Someone is coming that will change your life!!
"The next day..." (v 29) is an odd way to start this section as we have no idea when the last verse (v 28) happened! The common theological thought is that the time frame between v 28 and 29 is the 40 day temptation of Jesus by Satan in the desert. Common thought is John is still in the baptizing arena and Jesus comes back after his 40 day trial to check on John. John immediately draws attention to Jesus (v 29) by referring to a sacrifice (calling Jesus a lamb- a Hebrew Bible reference).
Although John was born first, he refers to Jesus' pre-existence (v 30). We then get John's interpretation of the baptism of Jesus (vv 32-33).
John the Baptist is with two of his disciples (Andrew and probably John the author) and points to Jesus as "the Lamb of God" and the two follow after Jesus (assuming John the Baptist gave them permission!). John the Baptist was probably ok with them leaving! It was a memorable experience for the author as he remembered it was "the tenth hour" (4PM in the afternoon, v 39). Andrew was excited enough at meeting Jesus that he ran and got his brother Simon to join the group. Jesus renames him Cephas (Peter- we just read his epistles!). Each time Andrew is mentioned in John's Gospel, he is bringing someone to Jesus. For centuries, this is how the church has grown- a Peter has to be introduced to God by an Andrew! Are you an Andrew?
A quick trip to Galilee and Jesus calls Philip (v 43). In the other Gospels, we know that Jesus and Philip had been introduced several times and spent time together, so this wasn't the first meeting of the two. Philip joins the group and runs to get Nathaniel. Jesus compliments Nathaniel (v 47) as being an honest and sincere person. Jesus mentions "under a fig tree" (v 48); the rabbis would use this phrase as a way to say meditating on the scriptures and praying. Nathaniel was a holy man. Nathaniel immediately calls Jesus "Son of God" (v 49). This quickly in Jesus' ministry and someone already points to Jesus as the Messiah!
So much to drink in in the first chapter! Wow! God-overload here! I hope you enjoy this!
Have a great day!
Shalom+
Pastor Paul
With just this first chapter, I am already in love with the gospel according to St. John! I think it's because we are finally brought back to the life of Jesus. I love John's description of the "beginning" of the world. I can almost picture the scene at the Jordan River between John the Baptist and the priests and the Levites and then between John the Baptist and Andrew and John. I can almost see Jesus walking by and John the Baptist telling Andrew and John that He is the messiah. How excited they must have been to know that they would be living in the times of Jesus and knowing Him. Even though John does not mention Jesus going to Galilee and "recruiting" Peter/Simon, Andrew, John and James, I believe the scene at Jordan happened first and then Jesus, when he actually begins his ministry, calls his first disciples. In my translation it says in vs. 31 and 33, at the beginning "I knew him not" which is surprising when I remember that when Mary visiting Elizabeth when they were both pregnant, Elizabeth mentioned that her "son" jumped with joy when he heard Mary's voice - but he now "knew him not"? My commentary says John the Baptist didn't know that Jesus was the Messiah until the sign of the dove. ???? It's funny that Jesus compliments Nathaniel after Nathaniel saying that nothing good comes from Nazareth. I wish I were an Andrew, but.......
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to more reading!
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DeleteIt is good to be back to Jesus' life! Different than the epistles!
DeleteGood reading- John knew Jesus when John was inside Elizabeth- but I don't know of they ever met in real life. Maybe tat is what John is referring to?
Lots of good comments!
Thanks Donna!!
I do like the book of John because it's so different than the other Gospels. I studied it long ago and remember that it was different and interesting.
ReplyDeleteI love the imagery of Jesus as the Word and the Light. "The true light shines in the darkness" and "the true light that gives light to every man".
A problem could be, if we only had the Gospel of John, what would Christmas look like? Can you imagine telling a congregation that this year we are going to do a "bringing the light into the world celebration?" The weeks leading up to December 25th would start out all about John the Baptist.
Instead of shepherds and wise men we would have priests, Levites, Pharisees, all questioning John the Baptist. "Are you Elijah?, are you the prophet?, Who are you?"
John replies with the words from Elijah- "I am the voice of one calling in the desert, 'Make straight the way for the Lord.' (Another very familiar part of Handel's Christmas portion of the Messiah).
Maybe Christmas Eve would be a baptism service because vs 29 in my Bible says "The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!"
John then testifies to seeing the Holy Spirit descend and remain with Jesus and tells the people that Jesus will baptize with the Holy Spirit.
I don't think a lot of people would be impressed with this version of Christmas. Christmas is an emotional time of year for lots of people. Even people who don't know anything much else about Christianity know the Christmas story. I learned when I was on staff at Central UMC that making even the tiniest change in Christmas planning could bring on a firestorm.:)
I hope no one is offended by this post, by the way.
Good point Cathy- there is no Christmas in John! I imagine if clergy did the Christmas story as presented by John, they would be run out on a rail!
DeleteAhh...baptism on Christmas Eve! Hmm...wonder if I can work that in there?
And I agree with your comment about firestorm! There are certain things that have to happen- scriptural or not!
I like to shake things up and move people outside their box of comfort- but I don't do that with Christmas (too much anyway!)
Great points!
Thanks Cathy!
The first thing I noticed about this gospel was that it did not begin with the Christmas Story as the other gospels did. In fact, this gospel starts with the story of John the Baptist and, more importantly, John the Baptist identifying Jesus as the son of God, thus verifying is prediction (paraphrased) that someone will follow me of whom I will be unworthy to tie His shoelaces.
ReplyDeleteThis chapter thus begins with the beginning of Jesus’s ministry around His age of 30. His ministry lasted about three years and ended, of course, with his crucifixion, resurrection, and eventual ascension into heaven. I wish that more was known about Jesus’s life before his encounter with John the Baptist.
I believe that his first disciples were selected (if that is the proper term) at this time. They were Simon-Peter, Andrew, John, and James. I am assuming that the remaining eight will be named in the coming chapters.
You wrote, “God came to the world that God had created, yet people didn't know God.” How would anyone know God? Were people expecting God? If the were, they probably expected to see Him as a monolith, or something similar. I doubt if anybody expected him to appear as a baby born to a virgin. Even then, how many people expected Him or knew that this was the Messiah?
Right- we meet Jesus when He is just beginning ministry. No Christmas story!
ReplyDeleteJesus did immediately select the disciples in chapter 1, more will come later, but they are not named as these were. We actually meet them at the wedding in Cana in chapter 2.
Good point- we weren't expecting a baby to be Messiah!
Lots of good stuff Jack! Thanks!