Tuesday (3/3/20)

Read John 1

The epistle of John varies drastically from the other three gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke.  It starts off just as the whole Bible starts off in Genesis 1:1 with “In the beginning.”  Yet notice the difference if you compare the two.  In Genesis, it continues by saying, “God created the heavens and the earth.” In John, there’s no mention of creation but instead “In the beginning, was the Word.”  The Word was not created.

  • What questions do you have about God always being?

The Word is God and with God.  This can be a bit confusing as it may sound like two different beings.  The word “with” in Greek is pros and means toward or in relation.  Kind of like in Genesis 1 when God says “let us” referring to the Trinity: Father, Son, & Holy Spirit.

  • What draws you to believe that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us? 
  • How is it different and significant that Jesus did not just visit, but experienced humanity?
  • How would you explain to someone the difference between being created “in the image of God” and “becoming a son or daughter of God?” What happens here?

In Greek, “Word” is logos.  The idea is that one’s words are an expression of oneself. My words have told you what I am like, and my body language and my actions have likewise told you what I am like.  Thus, these expressions of myself have given you an idea of what I am like.  Never have you had a chance to scan my heart and soul directly.  Rather, you have only gotten to know me by the expressions of myself that you have seen and heard.  The word logos carries with it this idea of expression.  It is said that the ancient Greeks realized that there must be a God, but they also believed that He was far and away beyond human comprehension.  They could not reach Him, could not reason Him out, could not get to know Him by any means that they had.  Thus, they yearned for some sort of “expression,” some logos of God, some person or thing that could express God to them and show them what He is like.  They called this theoretical expression of God the Logos.  And John starts out his book with the startling fact that he is going to set forth this very Logos to us! – Nathan Johnson