September 26th, 2017

John 1:1-3 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
 
AS we begin to study John, one thing to keep in mind throughout the gospel is John’s education and personality. We have a tendency, I think, to believe that John was a somewhat immature, mild-mannered young man. Jesus tells us otherwise as he labeled John and his brother James “Sons of Thunder” (Mark 3:17). The Bible also records a close relationship between John and his passionate cousin Peter. John may have been the only disciple who would allow Peter to be in his company after Jesus’ death. Together, they were the first disciples to see the empty tomb. Acts records their powerful ministry together as the church began. The Bible and other historical writings tell us he was well educated. He also lived in God’s grace into his 90’s.
   The apostle was equipped to be an intelligent, staunch advocate for Jesus Christ of Nazareth to the Jews. From his hand the Holy Spirit has given us John, 1, 2 & 3 John and Revelation. Writing his gospel toward the end of his life, John’s purpose is to prove to the Jews – and to the world – that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah; he is the divine Son of God.
   Thus, John begins with what to us seems to be an imprecise definition of Jesus. Who is” the Word (who) was with God in the beginning” and  “the Word was God”? Why does John make Word a person?
   The Jews and Greeks reading this understood John perfectly. “Word” to those cultures meant “logic” or “wisdom”. This wisdom was an absolute force that brought order and harmony to the universe. We see the divine wisdom in Proverbs 8:22 “The Lord brought me (wisdom) forth as the first of his works, before his deeds of old; 23 I was appointed from eternity, from the beginning, before the world began…26 before he made the earth or its fields or any of the dust of the world. 27 I was there when he set the heavens in place, when he marked out the horizon on the face of the deep, 28 when he established the clouds above and fixed securely the fountains of the deep.
   To the Jews and Greeks, then, John is claiming the Word is an eternal, living and divine force that fulfilled God’s spoken word in Genesis, “And God said” as he created the world. The Word is also God’s Law, spoken to form his people into a nation. The Word is God. John hasn’t written the name “Jesus”, yet. But he’s moving his readers minds in a logical order to point to Jesús’ divine nature.
   Is Jesus the source of your wisdom? Does he form your mind to the things of God?  May God’s wisdom be a divine, living force to draw you more closely to Jesus.
 
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for sending Jesus to speak into our lives. I pray for his wisdom to form my mind, heart and soul to you. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.