ADVENT: INCARNATION: A PARALLEL ACT TO CREATION, John 1:4-5

John’s prologue to his gospel of Jesus (1:1-5) is set within the theological context of Genesis 1, “In the beginning” (1:1).  That context is important for understanding John.  (See “Advent: And the Word Was God?” 11/30/25.)  John’s narrative proper begins at v. 6 with the introduction of John the Baptist with his announcement of the Incarnation at v 14, when God’s Utterance (the Logos/Word) became flesh.  I have been thinking about 1:4-5 in this prologue:

“In Him [referring back to the Utterance] was Life and the Life was the Light of all people.  And the Light in the darkness shines, and the darkness did not overcome it.”

It strikes me that with the Utterance becoming flesh a parallel act of creation to that of Genesis 1 has taken place.

Proper context
To explain, I have to set to one side a popular doctrine, that of creation ex nihilo (out of nothing).  It was important to the early Church Fathers to espouse creation ex nihilo in order to counter a couple of popular notions of their day, that the cosmos was eternal and that there had always been opposing forces of good and bad or spirit and matter.  They needed to teach, rightly, about God as the Creator who was sovereign.  However, that teaching is not found in the narrative of Genesis 1 and should not be read into it.
    Genesis 1 begins with the same starting point as the earlier ancient Near Eastern creation accounts of the Israelites’ culture, accounts which the biblical writers adopted and then adapted to speak the truth about God and reality.  Those accounts start with the reality that all humans face, chaos that constantly seeks to overpower life.  Illustration: before one can farm land, one must bring order into the physical chaos of the land; and, once one has planted a crop, one constantly has to fight the forces of chaos that would consume the garden.  Survival is a struggle against physical forces of chaos as a well moral chaos.  
    Genesis 1 begins with three elements that are contra life: a topsy-turvy “earth,” that is encased in a watery deep and surrounded in utter darkness (Gen 1:2).  However, God speaks, and the Spirit that breaths out the Utterance of God, speaks light into darkness, order into the chaotic watery deep and topsy-turvy earth, and brings forth life. This is what John is thinking about. 

Application
John is thinking about Jesus as the God’s Utterance by which all things came into being (1:3).  But as John is thinking about how the Utterance (logos) became flesh (1:14), he is recognizing in verse 4-5 how that Utterance will/does function as the Life who is the Light of all people (see, too v. 9).  In other words, it seems to me that John is thinking of the Incarnation as a parallel creational act of God.
    The reality of life as we face it is full of chaos and darkness, physical and moral, just as the “world” was before God began to speak light, order, and life into that chaos in Genesis 1.  In this new beginning work of God, the Incarnation, the Utterance of God became flesh and dwelt with us bringing light, order, and life into our existence which constantly struggles with that which is contra life.  Jesus is this Light, and the forces of chaos, darkness, and death cannot overcome the Light.  Rather, the Light exposes all that is of darkness and done in darkness so that people do not have to walk in darkness (e.g. 8:12).  The Light offers eternal life to those who receive Jesus and entrust themselves (“believe into”) Jesus (1:12).  The Utterance become flesh parallels the work of God in Genesis 1.

Lord, before surrendering to Jesus, I walked in darkness.  Darkness, chaos, and sin still envelop my world, yet by the Light you guide me.  Darkness cannot overcome your Light.  Help me to always desire to stay in the Light.  Amen.

 

 

 

ADVENT: AND THE WORD WAS GOD? (John 1:1-2)

What was John saying in 1:1-2 about the Word (logos)?  I, like others, do not think I can capture the Greek concepts in English.  I will try, but what I notice is that many commentators get hung up on the individual word issues and miss the broader cultural understanding of speaking that lies behind John’s imagery.

Issues
“In beginning”: indicating temporality or causality is not as important as the fact that John is thinking of Genesis 1:1.
“Word” (logos): can mean word, speech act, reason or plan, etc.  The context of a speech act that alludes to Genesis 1 matters.
“With God”: the preposition pros can have a wide range of nuances; appropriate to the context here is a nuance of extension and an expression of relationship.
“Was God”: 1) Jehovah Witnesses want to translate it as “was a God” because there is no definite article; however, 2) the predicate noun stated first can be definite without the definite article; but more significantly 3) it could be qualitative, as in “fully divine.” [See Net Bible for a discussion.]  Again, the context matters.

Cultural Concept
Understanding the cultural concept of the speech act is more important than debating the words individually.  In that culture, when someone spoke, that person did so by their very life essence, their spirit or breath (Hebrew: ruach; Greek: pneuma).  As a result, the utterance was something real and “tangibly” of the speaker.  One can even feel words breathe out of the person’s mouth.  This is why words of blessing and words of cursing were taken as real and powerful as the speaker.  

In Genesis 1, of which John is thinking, God utters forth creation: “God said … and it came to be.”  God’s utterance divides light from darkness.  God’s utterance divides order from chaos.  God’s utterance brings about life.  God’s utterance in creation was understood to be continually efficacious, maintaining the creational order in the presence of chaos. God’s utterance was of the very life essence (Spirit) of God.

Application
John’s parallel to Genesis 1 is identifying Jesus as that creational ordering, efficacious utterance of God that is itself (Himself) inseparably of the essence and person of God.*  Through this Utterance, “All things through Him came into being; and apart from Him nothing has come into being” (1:3).  Here is a paraphrase, inadequate but maybe helpful, of 1:1-2:
    In the beginning, was God’s Ordering, Life-giving Utterance [the Word].
    And the Ordering Utterance was the extension of God.
    And fully expressing the Divine was the Ordering Utterance.
    This One was from the beginning the extension of God.
As I think about Jesus, I am overwhelmed by the realization that the Divine Utterance became flesh, became a person.  This is the Christ.  This is the Savior of the world.  The world came into being through Him.  I came into being through Him.  I am moved to worship.
Lord, Jesus, I am yours.  Amen.
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*Although I am not saying that John was attempting to give a theological metaphor for the Trinity, if I was to put words in John’s mouth, I would use the image of God the Utterer (Father), God the articulating Breath (Spirit), and God the Utterance (Son) – all of the same Godhead, all distinct, all in unity.

ADVENT INCARNATION: WHAT DOES JESUS’ HUMANITY MEAN TODAY?

The role in which Jesus serves us today in his humanity is often overlooked.  Yes, our God became incarnate and emptied himself to become of servant and to die in humility.  But that is not the end significance of Jesus humanity.  I will circle around to this point.

I love the story of the father who brought demon-possessed son to Jesus’ disciples and they failed to heal him (Mark 9:14 – 29).  They then brought the boy and his father to Jesus, and the father said,

“But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us."
“’If you can,’” said Jesus. "Everything is possible for one who believes."
Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"
(Mk. 9:22-23 NIV)

The father made a request or prayer to Jesus, basically saying, "I am trusting!  Help my insufficient, or weak, trust!"  This father is modeling a prayer for us today, one that Jesus will answer – on the basis of his humanity, his vicarious humanity.  Here are four key texts from Hebrew with a focus on Jesus’ humanity.

(Hebrews 2:17-18) For this reason he (Jesus) had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.  Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

(Hebrews 4:15-16) For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are-- yet was without sin.  Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

(Hebrews 5:7-10) During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.  Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.

(Hebrews 7:23-26) Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood.  Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.  Such a high priest meets our need-- one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens.

First Point:  In his humanity, Jesus was and still is our high priest.  The priest represented the people before God.  The priest interceded for the people before God.  And, although Jesus offered a sacrifice once for all, these texts make clear that He was not a one-time priest; He continues in the role of high priest, interceding for us.  And does so on the basis of His humanity.  Jesus’ perfect human life makes him the perfect high priest and intercessor, because He was tempted in all ways human, but remained holy.

Background to second point:  Participation Theology
Over and over, the Bible teaches participation theology.  Not only do we participate in the life of Jesus, but that He participates in our lives.  Supporting texts:

·        John 14-15: unity with Jesus through the Holy Spirit, “Abide in me and I will abide in you….” (John 15:4)  “ I am the vine, you are the branches” (15:5)

·        Being filled with the Spirit (Eph 5:18) and walking in the Spirit.

·        United with Jesus in His death and resurrection (Romans 6:5)

·        Raised with Christ and living in Christ (Col 3:1 – 4).

Second Point:  Jesus is with us to help us in our weakness of faith.  Jesus is there to believe in us, with us, for us, and through us.  He is “able to help those who are being tempted” “so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”  So, too, brothers and sisters in Christ are there to believe for each other.  We one Body in Christ.  Therefore, when we are weak in faith, we can cry out to Jesus, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"  Jesus, who understands our humanity, is there to intercede for us.  And, our brothers and sisters in Christ, are also there to believe for us when we cannot.

Lord, Jesus, thank you that you became incarnate and became a high priest.  Thank you that in your humanity, you intercede still as my high priest.  Help me with my unbelief.  Amen.

IMMANUEL, GOD WITH US, ADVENT: THROUGH THE EYES OF A CHILD

 One of my best reflections on Advent came from a second-grade child.  My wife and I teach a young children’s Sunday School class using the Godly Play curriculum.*  At the end of the year, we review the life of Jesus.  Setting out the first panel of the birth story, we asked children to go around the room and pick out an item from a lesson that they saw as connected to the birth story.  There was one young girl who was always spinning around in her twirly dress and who did not seem to pay close attention.  She went over to the OT section, picked up a model of the ark of the covenant/testimony, and set in next to the manger.  One of us politely asked, “Why did you bring the ark?  She said,

“The ark of the covenant let God’s people know that he was with them.  And, Jesus is called Immanuel, which means that he is God with us.”

Amen!  She understood -- profoundly.  The ark was apparently modeled after a footstool to a portable Egyptian king-throne and would have represented the invisible presence of God enthroned above it.  The Israelites carried the ark of the covenant with them in their wilderness wandering, and prior to the building of the Temple, to remind them that their God was present with them.

About the ark:

“I will meet with you there, and from above the atonement lid [the cover of the ark], from between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the testimony” (Exod. 25:22).

About Jesus:

“The virgin will conceive and bear a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God with us’” (Matt. 1:23).

 I would like to take that girl’s association one step further by noting how the cover of the ark of the covenant, the “atonement lid” or “mercy seat,” functioned and how that term is used of Jesus as well.  In the Tent of Meeting and later in the Temple, the ark was kept in the back chamber, the Holy of Holies.  That chamber physically represented the closest point in “sacred space” in which one could come near God.  Only the High Priest, who mediated between the people and God, could enter there, and only on one day of the year, the Day of Atonement.  On the top cover of the ark, the “atonement lid,” were two gold cherubim symbolizing the heavenly realm.  The lid of the ark symbolically was the closest point of contact between the people and God.  It was on it that the sin offering of the blood of atonement was made.

About the lid:

“He [the High Priest] is to sprinkle it [the blood of the sin offering] on the atonement lid….  So he is to make atonement for the holy place from the impurities of the Israelites and from their transgressions with regard to all their sins (Lev. 16:15b – 16 a).

 About Jesus:

“… [for those] being declared righteous by his [God’s] grace through the deliverance in Christ Jesus, whom God dedicated as the atonement lid through faith in his blood [the atonement sin offering]” (Rom 3:24 – 25a).#

Back to the young girl.  She understood.  God has always wanted the people who entrust themselves to him to know that he is present with them.  He gave them the ark of the covenant.  But that was not enough.  He wanted to become closer.  So he “emptied himself and took expression as a slave” (Phil 2:6; see devotional of 11/24/23).

Lord, may the eyes of my heart see as clearly as this young girl.  Amen.

*I highly recommend this curriculum.  It invites children of all ages to "enter" the stories of the Bible and to relate to God at their level rather than asking them to recite platitudes that they do not understand.  See: https://www.godlyplayfoundation.org/
#Unfortunately, most English translations do not capture this connection to the Day of Atonement.  [If interested in a detailed translation and commentary on Rom 3:1-26, see "Part 2: An Illustration from Translating Paul (Romans 3:21–26)" in "Hope for the Future of New Testament Theology" (https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/12/11/975).]

JESUS IS NOT THE SOLUTION -- THE SCANDAL OF THE INCARNATION

I dislike billboard slogans like, “Jesus is the solution” of “God will fix your problems.”  What sorry, cheap theology!  As we are coming up to Advent in a little over a week, I am thinking about the scandal of the Incarnation.

“…who being the expression of God’ essence… emptied himself and took expression as a slave, becoming in appearance human… humiliated himself, being obedient up through death, the death of a cross” (Phil 2:6-8)

No one in their imagination creates a suffering, humiliated god who makes himself a slave.  Particularly charlatan Christians and prosperity preachers want nothing to do with a god who willfully puts himself at the bottom of human ranking.  They preach a god who makes people (themselves) rich and makes all one’s problems magically vanish.

That is not Jesus.  Jesus understands suffering and humiliation.  Jesus entered the chaos of human existence.  He does not remove it.  However, he still enters it.  As the Risen-Incarnate Jesus, he embraces us and walks with us through the brutal side life.  In creation, God breathed order into the midst of chaos and brought about life that exists within chaos (Gen 1).  In the same way Jesus breathes order and Life into the midst of the chaos of our lives.

I need to clarify that I need no sympathy.  My life has been easier than over 99% of the world’s population.  Still, I know that at those times of chaos, Jesus was there.  Also, I tend to believe beneath our active imaginations that would create a god who is above it all, we essentially long for One who comes down to us.  I do.

The Incarnation is a glorious scandal!

Lord, help me this coming Advent season to evermore appreciate your Incarnation.  Amen.