John's Gospel II & III: God in the Flesh
Sermon Review
08 July 2001; 15 July 2001
John 1:1-14Introduction
Two weeks ago we learned that there are many things in the other Gospels that are not in John, and that there are many things in John that are not in the other Gospels. In fact it is 90% unique. We also discovered that John’s selection of what was in and what was out was intentional so as to supplement the other Gospels, delve more deeply into Jesus teaching, contest Gnostic teaching and be evangelistic amongst a predominantly Greek influenced audience. With these things in mind, would you have begun with the Logos passage? The Word becoming flesh in the person of Jesus? How would you have begun?
If you take a moment to look at his purpose in 20:30,31, you will see that he intended to demonstrate that Jesus was the Son of God. This was no doubt because in his opinion and experience, it was true. But secondly, establishing his divinity would most certainly make Jesus authoritative; what he said to be considered as true and trustworthy; and as his intention was evangelistic, the term ‘The Word’ presented Jesus’ divinity in a way that either a Greek or Jewish audience could relate to.
1. Greek Influenced Audience
In ancient times, long before Jesus was born at Bethlehem, Greek thinkers and philosophers had looked at the world around them and deduced from its inherent order that a rational guiding force was behind its creation and operation. In fact it was decided by many that the rational capability of humans was a spark of this force. Heracletus of the 6th. Century B.C. used this term ‘Logos’ to represent this force. In his mind it was always existent, and all things in the universe happened through it. This force was not personal, but still sentient and rational. It became known as the source of all things as well as the guiding hand behind all things. This understanding seems to have been particularly common. Hence, the word Logos would have not been startling to a Greek influenced audience, and stimulated up thoughts of the rational creative force that lay behind the fact and functioning of the visible world. Additionally, ancient Greek thinkers had a conception of two worlds. The world we live in, although magnificent, was only a poor copy of another world of which this is a copy. In other words, the physical world, along with all our ideas and opinions, are a world of dim shadows and shabby duplicates of the real world, or true reality, as they saw it. Plato systematised this idea in his theory of ‘forms or Ideas’ in the 5th. Century BC. By using the term ‘the Word’ and ‘true light’, John was communicating to the Greek minded hearers that Jesus was the source and overseer of our Universe, and also from this ‘true reality’. In his opening passage, John quite clearly indicates Jesus identity and authority in an easily understood way.
2. Jewish Influenced Audience
The term ‘Word’ had strong meanings for Jews also. ‘In the beginning’ would have turned anyone familiar with the O.T to Gen.1 which describes God’s voice as a powerful creative force eg. ‘let there be light’ etc. The Jews were very familiar with the idea of God’s spoken will and thoughts as having power – it was not just a noise eg. Isa.55:11; Jer.23:29. God’s word was the powerful expression of God’s thoughts and will – his creative power!
Further more, in the 100 years or so before Christ came, two important developments ocurred. 1. The hebrew language became largely the language of the Scholars and forgotten by the average person. Aramaic replace Hebrew in the common vernacular. Aramaic was actually a more modern version of Hebrew like modern English which evolved from Olde English. As this was the common language amongst Jewish communities, the Hebrew Scriptures had to be translated into Aramaic. These translations, or more correctly, paraphrases, were called Targums. So the common practice that developed in Synagogues was to have the Hebrew Scriptures read and a Targumist translate it into Aramaic.
At the same time as this was happening, increasing concern over the awesomeness of God and the need for legalism to protect the Law of Moses, in this case, the 3rd. commandment ie. ‘You shall not take the Lord’s name in vain’, developed. Consequently, the Targumists would translate the names of God with the term ‘Word of God’. For example, Ex.19:17 ‘to meet God changed to meet the Word of God’; Ex.31:13 ‘sabbvath a sign between me and you changed to between my word and you’. In one preserved Targum, the Jonathan Targum, the phrase ‘word of God’ occurs 320 times. Without a doubt the Targumists made the term ‘Word of God’ one of the most commonest forms of Jewish expressions for God.
So, when John said in the beginning was ‘The Word’, and ‘true’, all in the audience, both Jewish and Greek influenced, would have a good appreciation of what he meant. For the Greek inclined person it would have meant that the rational creative mind behind the universe, from the perfect reality, was being referred to. And to the Jewish inclined person it would have meant the God of the Jewish Scriptures. It was a brilliant and an ideal choice, one that he sustains throughout the gospel
The Divinity of Jesus
Q: I wonder how you would go about demonstrating Jesus’ divinity after your great introduction?
John 1:1-14 is John’s view of Jesus. We have no record of Jesus calling himself the Logos, so it is his view of Jesus. Therefore it is an interpreted view. He must have had a basis for believing this. Further more, he would need to reveal this basis to his audience in order to sustain the claims of his opening passage
Let’s assume that at least 3 things would be needed:
- Material demonstrating what Jesus thought of himself
- Material demonstrating what hearers, especially antagnostic hearers thought he was saying about himself.
- Material demonstrating how Jesus backed up his claims.
Activity:
Let’s consider no.1&2. Take out your Bible and read through some of the following passages:
- 5:16 - 30 ‘my Father’ not ‘our Father’ (Jesus uses the term ‘Father or my Father’ no less than 117 times in John). Jesus referral to ‘His Father’ in this passage was seen by his antagonists as a claim to equality with God. Jesus didn’t deny it. Instead he went on to list out the divine prerogatives that were his eg. he does what he sees the father doing, he has the authority and power to raise the dead, and in fact will raise all in the future; he has the right and power to grant eternal life; he has the right to exercise all judgment, he is to be granted exactly the same honour as God the Father.
- His ‘I Am’ statements like 8:51-59 shows that he saw himself as one with the God of the O.T. Ex.3:14, and eternal. The fact that the hearers picked up stones to stone him demonstrate that they interpreted what he said as blasphemous ie. to take God’s name in vain, or to speak irreverently about him.
- Worship of the healed blind man 9:38. Here we see Jesus asking the blind man he healed to believe in him. This man responds by believing and worshipping Jesus. For the Jew, only God was to be worshipped. Jesus response is to say that this mans appreciation of him was not only right, but one of the reasons that he came into the world was to help those unable to see this, to see just as he had.
- Unity with the father 10:30-39. Here we see Jesus claims that he and the father are one. The hearers react hostily again and wish to kill him for it. Why? For blasphemy – for making himself out to be God v39. We also see from Jesus’comments that calling himself the Son of God was a synonym for being equal with God, and he and the Father being one 36-39.
Consider also these other passages: like father like son 12:45,14:9,10; need to know him and father for eternal life, and glory 17:3,5; all God has was his and vice versa 17:10; John and reason for crucifixion19:7;and finally Thomas 20:28.
Throughout the Gospel John lets us know that Jesus saw himself as Divine, the image of God the Father in human form, and that his hearers, especially antagonistic hearers, recognised that he was indeed making those claims.
Q. How did John demonstrate that Jesus backed up his claims?
- His miracles. Jesus miracles support who he said he was eg. Feeds the 5,000 and then calls himself the Bread of Life; he raises Lazarus from the dead, demonstrating that he is the Res. and the Life etc. Johnalso specifically highlights Jesus’ miracles as signs to reveal his glory Eg. water to wine in Cana 2:11; the healing of the sick son in Capernaum while still in Cana 4:53-54; the feeding of the 5,000 6:14. John tells us that Jesus did many other ‘miraculous signs’ not recorded, but these were recorded so that they would inspire faith in him as the divine messiah 20:30. But not only the fact of miracles is used by John, but how Jesus interpreted them 10:38 & 14:11‘he and father one’ which are claims to divinity!
- The way he taught: 26 times Jesus is recorded as saying, ‘I tell you the truth’ eg. 1:51, 3:3,5, 5:19,24,25, 6:26,32,47,53, 8:34,51,58 etc. I tell you the truth is the same as saying today that, ‘I swear in advance the truthfulness of what I am about to say to you’. Instead of referring to other authorities like normal Rabbi’s, He believed that he had authority above the O.T. & the prophets to utter direct divine utterances cf. 17:14-18.
- What he taught: eg. Abba Father – 117 times! This was in intimate term for son and father. It had never been used for God before. Further, he encouraged others to use it, signifying that he was the initiator of a new covenental relationship with God, one that could only occur through him eg. John.14:6, 17:2 etc.
So John continually presents Jesus as divine in one form or another by revealing Jesus’ view of himself, the view of his hearers, and how Jesus backs up his claims through his miracles, how he interpreted them, and both how he taught as well as what he taught. Of course, John is only making claims that other writers in the New Testament make also eg. Paul Col.1:15; The writer to the Hebrews 1:8 etc.
Q. How helpful has it been for God to reveal himself in the person of Jesus Christ?
In a Science Fiction book by E.E. Doc Smith, 4 people escape from 3 dimensional space into 4 dimensional space which is inhabited by strange beings. These beings subject 2 of these people to intensive analysis and despite every effort, conclude they mere beasts, despite that fact that the two being analysed made every effort to communicate to them. 3 dimensional reality was simply incomprehensible to 4th. dimensional beings. Similarly, God is incomprehensible to humans till he makes the effort and takes the initiative to enter into our world of time and space. The Old Testament records his interventions, but it is in Jesus that the best communication takes place – He is God’s final and best statement about himself Heb.1:1,2. He makes God more comprehensible than ever eg. 1:18 ‘No one has ever seen God but God the only Son who is at the Father’s side, has made him known’.
Q. How do you think that Jesus would react to John’s introductory passage and demonstration of His divinity?
"Whoa there!" or, "Yes, John, I am that and more!"
Q. How did John react to it?
John had no doubt about Jesus’ divinity eg. Transfiguration and God’s endorsing Jesus divinity. It was essential to his understanding of Jesus. He makes this clear in his letter of 1John.1:1-3. Further, he had the opportunity after writing John to encounter the glorified Christ, an encounter which would have convinced him yet again that Jesus was indeed God in the flesh Rev.1:12-18. An encounter which highlighted that Jesus was ‘the first and the last’- a designation of God. He had spoken of him as being there in the ‘beginning’ John.1:1; now he was confronted with him as also ‘the end’. Later in this revelation given him, John was to have revealed to him the name of Jesus as both ‘The Word of God’ and the ‘King of Kings and Lord of Lords’ 19:11-16.
I have no doubt that as he fell to the floor before Jesus, he would call all others to do the same. As he again had the divinity of Jesus clearly and emphatically spelt out to him, he would have endorsed every word that Jesus spoke to the 7 Churches, and encouraged all believers to listen and obey what he says eg. Ephesus – repent and return to your first love; Smyhrna – be faithful to the point of death; Pergamum & Thyatira – repent from holding false teachings; Sardis – wake up for you are more dead than alive; Philadelphia – hold on to what you have; and Laodicea – make up your mind and be either hot or cold, for I am about to spew you out of my mouth!
Q. How should you react to it?
What difference is Jesus’ divinity made in your life, is making, and will you let it make in your life? They are the crucial questions that I have no doubt John would be asking of us here today. What will you answer?
Conclusion
John began his gospel with the ‘Logos’ passage to present Jesus’ divinity in a way that the audience would have the best chance of understanding and accepting. Establishing His divinity presented Jesus as authoritative, true and trustworthy, as well as being the Son of God. For us today Jesus’ divinity means that we are much more able to understand God, and are called to live in light of what he taught, said, and did.
Blessings