We’re used to hearing the prologue of John’s gospel at Christmas time. That’s John 1:1-18. It fits well for that, giving theological weight to the birth of Jesus. But when we only ever use it that way we miss its bigger purpose in John.
John’s gospel does not read like the other three: Matthew, Mark, and Luke. It’s not as much a story as it is a collection of short stories of people encountering Jesus. John’s main purpose in writing the gospel is to answer the question, “Who is Jesus?”
But before we can get to that answer we have to start somewhere else. This somewhere else is something John knew was essential to understanding who Jesus is.
Let’s remind ourselves that the Bible’s authors used more complex and sophisticated writing styles than we use today. They used patterns and formulas in their writing. They deliberately created contrasts and contradictions in what they wrote. They were not aiming to teach limited truths, but rather open doors to multiple levels of understanding. They knew that their writings could be understood at a simple level by children and also speak in a sophisticated way to highly educated adults. Their writings were very carefully crafted and very thoughtful. Never approach an ancient text thinking it is a product of the ignorant past. While they didn’t have the scientific techniques and technologies of today, they were our equals or superiors when it comes to understanding and communicating complex ideas. John’s gospel, like the other gospels, easily holds its own in the world of complex literature.
So, keeping that in mind, when it comes to answering who is Jesus, John gives us eight answers in Chapter 1. They are:
Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world
Son of God
Rabbi
Messiah
Him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote
Son of Joseph from Nazareth
King of Israel
Son of Man
There are more to come in the chapters that follow. But that is not actually where John wants to begin. John knows he cannot answer directly for you who Jesus is. Or perhaps I should say, John knows that before we can understand who Jesus is, we have to understand who we are.
Give your mind time to ponder that at some point. Who is God? Who is Jesus? Perhaps it is best to first ask, “Who am I?” But, tempting as it may be to ponder that now, I invite you to do that at another time. For now I want to keep your attention on a dynamic that John is creating. You see, for John, knowing who you are and knowing who Jesus is, is an ongoing dialog and development. There’s no point in your life where you truly and fully know who you are – at least not in a sense where you have become a static and unchanging being. Each new day brings something different. It brings a new part of yourself into being. It is certainly going to be informed by yesterday. And it will be guided by plans for tomorrow, but it is still a learning and growing process.
So, who is Jesus?
Who are you?
That’s an ever-changing dynamic that is a way of life. Let’s call it an adventure.
Notice what happens in Johns 1. Each person we meet sees something different in Jesus and bears witness in his own way. In Chapter 1 we met John the Baptist, Andrew, Simon, Philip, and Nathanael. Each one comes to Jesus with differing expectations and needs – one needed a teacher, another the Messiah, another the fulfillment of scripture – and each of these needs was met.
As we read further into John’s gospel in the weeks to come we will encounter more and more people. The way we’re going to read it is to look at each encounter on its own each week, or perhaps a couple encounters if they’re meant to be a contrast. That’s how John wants his gospel to be read and interpreted. Each person will come to Jesus with their own history, their own understanding, and their own needs. And each one will discover something different about Jesus. This goes all the way to Pontus Pilate when Jesus is on trial!
As the gospel progresses the list of answers to who Jesus is will be replaced, transformed, expanded, or redefined by Jesus’ words and actions; and ultimately by his death and resurrection.
From a literary perspective, John’s gospel is a brilliant way to learn about Jesus. From a theological perspective, John’s gospel gets at the truth that who Jesus is, and more broadly who God is, is not someone that is confined to definite and consistent limits.
Commentator Gail O’Day notes this, “The rich variety of testimonies in chapter 1 is both cautionary and celebratory. It cautions the reader not to limit Jesus to preconceived categories and expectations but to keep one’s eyes open for a surprising revelation of God.” (New Interpreter’s Bible, Volume 9, Page 533)
Indeed, at no point in our lives can we say that we fully “know” Jesus, or know all there is to know about him. And, while there are certainly things that Jesus is not, it is wrong to confine him to what we think he has to be. Different people are going to have different experiences. Jesus meets you where you are, wherever you are.
That is a key part to John’s gospel, and of deep importance to him. Among the most important things John wants you to know about Jesus is that Jesus meets you where you are, wherever you are; in whatever state you are in. Jesus isn’t called this in Chapter 1, or anywhere specifically, but he is the “abiding one”.
One of John’s favorite words is “abide” when referring to Jesus. It occurs 4 times in Chapter 1. 34 times in John’s gospel. 22 times in the letters attributed to John. When you consider “abide” occurs 110 times in the entire New Testament you realize that over half of them are in John.
Happy with God? Jesus is the abiding with you.
Mad at God? Jesus is the abiding with you.
Living a clean wholesome life? Jesus is abiding with you.
Living in shame and filth feeling unfit to be considered a human being? Living in the deepest and darkest of depressions? Jesus is abiding with you; whether you can feel him or not.
Believing deeply in God? Jesus is abiding with you.
Not believing in God completely and totally; the strongest, staunchest atheist that ever lived? Jesus is still the abiding one.
We’re going to encounter just about all of that in John’s gospel in the weeks ahead. Jesus is there always, solidly, strongly, securely, in whatever way and place people are.
Let’s note one more thing about John 1. This is a Lutheran Church and we throw the word “grace” around quite a bit. Grace shows up lots of times in Paul’s writings. It shows up rarely in the gospels. It never shows up in Matthew or Mark. It shows up in Luke’s gospel eight times, I believe. And it shows up in John’s gospel only four times; all of them in Chapter 1. You probably know verse 16 particularly well, “From his fullness we have all received grace upon grace.” Grace means unmerited, or unearned favor.
While grace may only be used four times at the beginning of John’s gospel the rest of the gospel is a witness to it. Lots of people encounter Jesus. None of them has any claim to his presence or can say they deserve his presence. But Jesus is willing to give favor to them all; although not all accept it.
We journey through John’s gospel this summer and encounter many people as they encounter Jesus. May we relate to them and in so doing also relate to our abiding Lord.
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