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.. . . .
The Book of John is so different from the Synoptic Gospels; it stresses on Jesus Christ’s divine nature by pointing out that Jesus is the incarnation of the divine Logos through whom all things were made.
“1In the beginning was the Word. . . He was with God in the beginning.” (John 1.1-2). The very first sentence of the Book indicates the pre-existence of the Word, who is beyond time and space, and He preexists all things that are made. Not only that the Word is not a created being, but it is also the cause of all the existence; for the Book of John tells us, “3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made” (1.3). This is also verified by Colossians “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him” (1.16).
Something more extraordinary and valuable is that it tells us, “the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (1.1). For me, this is indeed an enigma, but I do believe—and in reality it does clearly express the relation between the Word and God—the Word and God are two persons since “the Word was with God.” However, a Christian who believes in one God, and John, who is a Jew and has absolute faith in only one God, must deny the possible explanation or affirmation of polytheism. Consequently, this must be a very stern affirmation for John and for all the Christians: “the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (1.1).
The same thing was also affirmed by Thomas. After Jesus Christ’s resurrection, he came and stood among his disciples, and said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” (John 20.28). Thomas answered, “My Lord and my God!” This is indeed an enigma for me, but I do believe that Jesus Christ is “the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power” (Hebrews 1.2-3).
Jesus said to Thomas, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20.29).
“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 1.4-5). That is to say, the Word was life and the light of men. Unless the Word was God, as it is told, or He cannot be life and the light of men. In Psalms, the words “life” and “light” are used to refer to God: “For with you is the fountain of life;/ in your light do we see light” (36.9).
“There was a man sent from God whose name was John” (John 1.6). John “was sent” from “God” in order to be “a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe” (John 1.7).
John was the son of a priest named Zechariah and Elizabeth, who was a descendant of Aaron (Luke 1.5). John was not the light, but he was sent to “bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God” and “to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord” (Luke 1.16). The duty of John is clearly stated in the Gospel of Luke which corresponds to the Book of John: “He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light” (1.8).
The Book of John is so different from the Synoptic Gospels; it stresses on Jesus Christ’s divine nature by pointing out that Jesus is the incarnation of the divine Logos through whom all things were made.
回覆刪除“1In the beginning was the Word. . . He was with God in the beginning.” (John 1.1-2). The very first sentence of the Book indicates the pre-existence of the Word, who is beyond time and space, and He preexists all things that are made. Not only that the Word is not a created being, but it is also the cause of all the existence; for the Book of John tells us, “3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made” (1.3). This is also verified by Colossians “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him” (1.16).
Something more extraordinary and valuable is that it tells us, “the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (1.1). For me, this is indeed an enigma, but I do believe—and in reality it does clearly express the relation between the Word and God—the Word and God are two persons since “the Word was with God.” However, a Christian who believes in one God, and John, who is a Jew and has absolute faith in only one God, must deny the possible explanation or affirmation of polytheism. Consequently, this must be a very stern affirmation for John and for all the Christians: “the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (1.1).
回覆刪除The same thing was also affirmed by Thomas. After Jesus Christ’s resurrection, he came and stood among his disciples, and said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” (John 20.28). Thomas answered, “My Lord and my God!” This is indeed an enigma for me, but I do believe that Jesus Christ is “the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power” (Hebrews 1.2-3).
Jesus said to Thomas, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20.29).
“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 1.4-5). That is to say, the Word was life and the light of men. Unless the Word was God, as it is told, or He cannot be life and the light of men. In Psalms, the words “life” and “light” are used to refer to God: “For with you is the fountain of life;/ in your light do we see light” (36.9).
回覆刪除“There was a man sent from God whose name was John” (John 1.6). John “was sent” from “God” in order to be “a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe” (John 1.7).
回覆刪除John was the son of a priest named Zechariah and Elizabeth, who was a descendant of Aaron (Luke 1.5). John was not the light, but he was sent to “bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God” and “to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord” (Luke 1.16). The duty of John is clearly stated in the Gospel of Luke which corresponds to the Book of John: “He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light” (1.8).