- When we read the other gospels,
we notice that Matthew
starts with a genealogy
tracing the lineage of Jesus
all the way back to Abraham.
In the gospel of Luke, his genealogy
traces the line Jesus back to Adam.
Matthew is proving that
Jesus was a rightful heir
to the kingdom of David.
Luke's burden was to prove
that Jesus was a real man.
But John begins his
gospel even further back.
It's very reminiscent of Genesis 1:1.
So in John 1:1 it says this,
"In the beginning was the word."
John mimics Genesis on purpose.
He simply goes back as far
as time allows by saying
in the beginning.
In the beginning before
Abraham was called out by God.
In the beginning, even
before Adam was formed
from the dust of the earth.
In the beginning already
in existence was the word.
And John uses a certain verb
here to clarify that this word
of which he speaks did not
begin at the beginning,
but was already in existence.
The word was already
there in the beginning.
Another way of saying it would be to say
that from eternity past the
word was already existing.
But what is this word?
What does that even mean?
Well, the word was a familiar
concept in the 1st Century
but one that carried various meanings.
To the Greeks. the idea of
the word meant one thing
and to the Jews, it meant another.
So John was appealing to both
cultures by using this phrase.
So to the Greek,
the idea of the word was
at least 300 years old
and it represented an uncreated
impersonal divine logic
that kept everything in the world
obeying the laws of nature.
To the Jew, the word was the
expression of divine power
and wisdom.
So as I mentioned before,
the parallel of John 1
and Genesis 1 are evident.
We know that in creation
God demonstrated his power
and wisdom by speaking
creation into existence.
So to the Greeks, John was
saying this impersonal uncreated,
divine logic that you think is the word
is actually very personal.
You can know him personally,
he's not just a logic,
but a legitimate person.
And to the Jews, John was saying,
this expression of power and
wisdom has come in the flesh.
He is real and he is the expression,
the exact replication of God.
And this is why Jesus will
say later in the gospel,
"Anyone who has seen me
has seen the Father,"
but don't miss John's point, this word.
The expression and power and wisdom
was continually existing
before time even began.
And that's one reason he
can offer you eternal life.
Today, please pray for
Michael and Ruth Poirier
our missionaries in Canada.
Also remember the Nyakyusa
Lifeword Broadcast
heard in Malawi and Tanzania.
