Monday, May 20, 2013

Word

1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:1-5)B
Hey! We made it through Luke!
Now on to John, the nonsynoptic Gospel. The synoptic gospels all follow the same basic outline, with additions and subtractions throughout them. But John follows a different line altogether. He attacks the subject of Christ’s life from a theological level. It’s a great book.
In the beginning was the word, Ho Logos, if you can abide my transliteration. The Word is the subject throughout the discourse. It dominates. The word is before God, the preposition there, Pros, doesn’t mean merely with, it has the connotation of being in front of, therefore before God, but with God. And the Logos, the word, is God. God is the word. This becomes the basis of Trinitarian thought in the New Testament and the Christian church. When the fathers like Athanasius are trying to solve the riddle of the trinity, how can Jesus be God, and still pray to God in the garden, they start finding their answers here.
And here also is what it means to be God, they made the world. They are in control over the world. John is quick to point this out, nothing is made without the word. “And God said, Let there be light.” God said it, he spoke it, he created with the mere use of his word. So the world exists at his word, and is destroyed at his word. But then more importantly it is redeemed at his word. But only he who has created this world can redeem it. And so John lets us know straight away what the program is. The Word is God, The Word created the world, The Word is light and life. Our life is in him.

No comments: