Comments on John 1:1-14

Thank you to those who came to our study on this text. Combining 50 pages of Luther’s commentary with the text is almost overwhelming. We had good conversation on the topics we had time to discuss. We probably left with more questions than answers, but questions start turning the wheels that press against faith to strengthen it and help it to grow. They also keep faith moving forward instead of remaining in one place and stagnating. Let’s remember that ‘faith’ means ‘trust’ – not the teaching of tradition or fact. Our first priority in discussing Scriptures is to discern how the Word speaks to us and shows us how it applies to us in our lives. Watching how Luther applied it to the challenges he faced may help us to learn how God speaks to us today, also. Here are some highlights and additions: This first text in John tells who Jesus is, and why Jesus came into the world. Luther thought this Gospel text was the most important because it is founded on the important article of faith concerning the divinity of Christ. The Word (Son of God) existed before creation, was with God, and was God. The Word created all things. The Word confirms the Godhead is made up of more than one Person, yet remains one God. The Word reveals the image of God in God’s entirety. This is where one big question arose. If the Word, who is Jesus, is God and when we look at Jesus, we see the entirety of God, then why do we feel upset if we try to interchange Jesus with God as described in the Old Testament? We read some verses in Deuteronomy 29 and substituted “Jesus” name in place of ‘the Lord’ or ‘God’ to see if there was a consistent picture. This is what it looks like: vs. 27, “Therefore Jesus’ anger burned against this land, so that he brought on it all the curses written in this book. In furious anger and in great wrath, Jesus uprooted them from their land and thrust them into another land, as it is now…” That was a very mild place to insert Jesus. I just happened to open the Old Testament to that place. There are many other places that exchanging Jesus’ name for God are quite disturbing. So, the Word made flesh is one with God? Then why can’t we exchange them? Maybe this is why St. Paul said we must work out our own faith with fear and trembling. An answer might be found in the 18th verse of John 1: “No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made Him known.” Jesus reveals God and makes God known. He is God. One with the Father. Luther said this text gives Christ three titles or attributes: the Word, the Life, the Light. We talked about Jesus as the Life, the fountain and cause of life and how this is a reference to eternal life. Much of the time, life and death refer to spiritual life and spiritual death in Scripture while the body still lives, moves, and breathes. Several Bible commentaries tell us that the phrase ‘eternal life’ – at least in the days of the writing of the Bible – referred to a quality of life only God can provide. So many people today think of eternal life as ‘heaven after we die.’ Luther agrees with eternal life being accessible in our time on earth, in section #39 of his sermon he says, “Yes, natural life is a part of eternal life, its beginning…those who believe in Him, and acknowledge Him from whom they have their being, shall never die; but this natural life of theirs will be extended into eternal life, so that they will never taste death, as John 8:51 says…” Time is up right now, so I’ll return in a day or two to continue… Blessings! PWM