A reading of our
Scripture passage, especially John 1:1-5, allows us to take a peek behind the nativity
scene-a theological excursus to the realm of eternity.
ancient early Christian lyrics - The prologue of John’s Gospel is
hymnic as to literary form. We’re dealing with ancient early Christian lyrics. We’ve
also got one of the most challenging texts in the New Testament on our hands! The
synoptics (Mark excepted) at least begin in the wings of the drama, sending in
forerunners, prophecies, singing angels, stunned shepherds, and bewildered couples. Not
John. John passes up swaddling clothes and no vacancy inns for a theological exploration
of the cosmic pre-existence of the Logos and the Logos’ relationship to the world.
And all of this within the hymnic qualities of poetic style.
nib - Every word of v. 14 is important. It begins by announcing
that the logos, the eternal Word, "became flesh." This is the first time the
verb "to become" (ginoma) has been used of the Word; prior to v. 14, only the
verb "to be" has been used . . .
. . . "To make one’s dwelling," (skenoo) is a verb rich with OT
associations, because it recalls God’s promise to dwell with God’s people. It
comes from the same root as the noun for "tabernacle" or "tent" , the
place where ‘God spoke to Moses (Exodus 33:9) and where God’s glory was seen
(Exodus 40:34). The verb is the first in a series of images recalling Israel’s Sinai
experience (Exodus 19-40) that figure in the concluding verses of the Prologue
("glory," "law", "Moses, verse 17).
What exactly are we empowered to
become? God's adopted children? Children in the sense of legal heirs? God's
"mind-children"? How can it be that all persons have been created through
the Word, yet only who accept the Word can become children of God? Do the others not
also have their being through the Word, i.e. aren't they also children of God in some
sense?
How exactly does this metamorphosis take place and what is our part in it (apparently
if we are given power, there is something we must do)? Apparently John is alluding
to a contrast to the power given us and the power of the flesh / human will. Is John
suggesting that we those who accept Christ have power to choose good over evil?
God's will over our own will? And making right choices will allow us to become
children of God?
Theme #1
"Light-darkness" dichotomy - Light and darkness are extreme
opposites-like black and white. What does John's metaphor conjure up in our
minds: light's natural quality of enabling the sense of sight? What does
darkness and and light represent in our minds? Blindness and 20/20 vision?
Ignorance and knowledge? Sin and holiness? Evil and goodness? Is this still a lucid
metaphor to use in today's gray-zone of postmodernism? Is there room in John's
theology for the concept of twilight, dawn, shade?
Theme #2 "Word" metaphor: Without resorting to the
commentaries first to look up the various shades of meanings of the Greek logos, what does
this metaphor mean to us, to the people in the pews? The obvious representation of
the Word is Jesus. What about the pre-existing Word though? Was it of the same
essence than Jesus? Or was it more than the person of Jesus? In other words,
is Jesus just one expression of the logos (perhaps in its purest form)? According to
John, without the logos nothing has been created. Does this mean that a little
"spark" of the Word is in all of us? What cultural appeal does the concept
of Word have? Information...news...group of letters...a unit in a sentence that has
a certain function..."word of wisdom"..."word is out"-rumor...
