Some Thoughts on John 1

The Prologue's Got it All.

This Lent (a liturgical season of the Christian Church) at Evergreen we are going through the Gospel of John. This Sunday during our Ann Arbor Missional Community, we were talking about the first three chapters of John, and today, specifically the prologue of the gospel, found in verses 1-18.

I started thinking during the teaching portion of our time together about how the prologue has the Gospel written inside of it, all while introducing the rest of John's book. Generally, if we want to break the prologue into it's 'paragraphs', we can separate out four different sections, all with such deep truths about who Jesus Christ is and what that means for us as followers of him.

The Cosmological Christ Creates.

Verses 1-5 starts out the Gospel with a beautiful combination of prose and poetry where the writer of John introduces us to the cosmic Christ. The Word in the beginning from which all creation has come, and from whom life proceeds and is sustained. What do we notice here, and how does it communicate the Gospel?

Christ is in the beginning, with God, and is God. Not only is Jesus Christ the source of all creation, but creation happens through the Word, Jesus Christ. Without Jesus, without the Word of God, creation would not happen. Nothing came into being without the Word! The Word, Jesus Christ, is light that shines in the darkness.

In the NRSV, we read that "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it." I love the way the translation team decided to translate this verse. I think it speaks so much about the message of the Gospel and how Jesus Christ has defeated the powers of sin, death, and darkness. The light shines. This is a present tense translation. The light did not JUST shine, but it continues to do so and bring light. What else we should notice is that the darkness did not overcome it. This is not something that is a continuous battle. The light has defeated the darkness to where it does not have power over the light. Jesus Christ is that light that has defeated the darkness - the powers of sin and death - that keep us in chains, but no more as we are in Christ.

God brings the Good News through humanity.

Verses 6-8 tell us about John the Baptist, who has come as a witness to Jesus, to the light. What is so beautiful in this section is that we read that "The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world."

Two things here. First, the light was the true light. Not everything that we seek to bring understanding in our lives will be the true light. It might be a deflected ray that brightens things from darkness to a dim light, but the true light has come. Second, the light enlightens everyone. The light not only brings light to some, but to the whole world. We see this theme later on in John as Jesus speaks to Nicodemus and tells him about new birth. Not only is brining light to everyone, but Jesus, the light, enlightens them. There are so many readings to that word, but all of those readings speak to so many actions of Jesus in themselves.

Jesus in the World, the World through Jesus.

It's hard to say what my favorite part of the prologue is, but verses 10-13 is up there on top. These four verses carry SO MUCH information about who Jesus is as well!

Just a few things to mention include: Jesus did not create the world from the outside, but he was in the world. And he did not create from some other means, but created through himself. However! The world did not know him.

Verse 11 in my study bible has a great note that mentions the verse could be read to say "his own home." I think that this is such a beautiful reading, because we can relate to it so well. When we create our home, when we put it together with all our favorite things, we do not do it in a way that is impersonal. Creating a home is something that has our own personal touch to it. This is what Jesus did as he created the world. "The rocks will cry out" and tell us that they too have been formed by the Word in such a way that was particular and decided! 

We also read that to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God. We, as we have also created a home, as children of God, hear the knock of Jesus Christ at the door. Receive him. Believe in his name, and he gives us the power to become part of the family of God. This is such a central theme of the Gospel. We are not simply saved from far away, from some impersonal force, from some thing to something else, but we become part of the family of God. This is not of the blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. It is Godself that has wanted us to become part of the family of God, and it is not of our own power to do so. Amen and amen! How beautiful it is to be born into the family.

Jesus, you've got me, I've been seen right here!

I said I loved verses 10-13, but wow, take some time and sit with 14-18 will you please?

Jesus, the Word, the Son of GOD! Has become flesh and lived among us. We have seen his glory. He is the father's only son! And he is full of grace and truth. Grace and Truth are the key attributes as to how the writer of John sees Jesus Christ. We can see so many interactions between Jesus Christ and various people in the Gospel where Jesus offers grace to them, but also delivers truth. Jesus is so full of grace and truth that it oozes out of him and people can feel it around them. They flock to Jesus because of who he is. When Jesus meets with people, he offers grace and in the same breath tells them to "go and sin no more." Jesus offers grace, he offers forgiveness, but he also requires that repentance, that turning around and walking the other way. It is not only up to us, but Christians are empowered, are helped by the power of the Holy Spirit, to turn from Sin and to shake off sin.

We are constantly searching for what fulfills us. We want to see what we think is good for us and make it happen. On our own terms. At our own pace. We might find something that scratches our itch for fulfillment and completeness, but we can never find that fullness. Jesus Christ is that fullness, offers that completeness. He is full - complete. Nothing more do we need to seek to 'find our place' in life, 'to find happiness,' because we have all received, grace upon grace.

Not only are we constantly searching for what fulfills us, but we are also searching for ways to touch God, ways to see God. As Jesus Christ has become God incarnate, we no longer have to strive for ways to touch God, for ways to see God. Jesus walked the Earth. The God who lowered himself to become one of humankind and live as a servant to all, was able to be seen. He was able to be touched, but what we are told is this. Before Jesus came as God incarnate, No one has ever seen God. It just was not possible. But what is more important is this! It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father's heart, who has made him known. Seeing God, knowing God, is not what really matters. We, through all our ways to try to see or touch the holy, are really seeking the heart of God. We are seeking to know God, and to be fully known by God and those around us. It is Jesus Christ who most of all, who is close to the Father's heart, and who knows God. Believe, repent, be born again, become part of the family of God. Become close to the Fathers heart and know and be known.