The Explanation (8)
1Before the universe began to be,
and all that it consists of and contains,
the Word already was. He is the Power,
the Explanation, and the Reason for
all things. He was before all things with God,
and He was God. 2Yes, He was with God when
the universe and all that is began
to be, 3and He created everything.
Apart from Him, without His will and power,
not anything that has been made was made.
4In Him was life, eternal life, the light
of men, 5which shines into the darkness to
expose unrighteousness with grace and truth,
and show the way to life. And darkness has
not overcome it, no, nor ever shall.
6God sent a man named John. 7He came to be
a witness to the Light, that all who heard
him might renounce unrighteous ways, and through
the Light believe. 8This John was not the Light;
he came to testify about the Ligh
tand to prepare the way before Him. 9For
the True Light, Who gives light to everyone,
was coming to the world. 10And He was in
the world – which He created – yet the world
did not acknowledge Him. 11The Light came to
His own, but they did not receive Him.
- John 1.1-11
It’s instructive to consider the multiple ways John, in this prelude to his gospel, presents the One Who is its subject and theme.
John, the author of this gospel, is not the same as John the Baptist, to whom we were introduced in our last installment. John the author became one of the disciples of Jesus of Nazareth, Whose appearing John the Baptist heralded and John the author is building up to in these opening verses of his gospel.
John believed that the Man called Jesus, the Man from Nazareth, was the “Word” of God – the Reason, Explanation, and Creator of all things. He insists that this Word of God was God and was with God – one of the “Persons” making up the Godhead – and that He existed before everything that now exists began to be. He created everything; therefore, as the Word/Creator, the Explanation of all things, He gives meaning to everything that is.
John’s worldview centered on Him Whom he regarded as the Explanation of all things.
Now John tells us that this Word/Explanation of God is also the Light Who comes into the world, having made and given meaning to everything, to illuminate the world and overcome the darkness of men. He came into the world to give Light to all men, but, as Jesus will later explain (John 3.19, 20), men love darkness rather than Light, because the darkness conceals, or at least, does not expose, what Jesus explained as their self-centered, wicked deeds. The Light does, however, and therefore many people will not receive the Light. They do not want to admit to or forsake those practices which they find to be agreeable, but which are out of sorts with the Light and Word of God.
As the Word, the Explanation of all things, Jesus gives meaning to life and all things. This is the heart and core of the worldview John the author and John the Baptist espoused. As the Light of men Jesus illuminates our lives, showing us the extent to which we are living in the darkness, explaining the true meaning of life, and calling us to return to His Explanation of all things.
As you can imagine, that can be a difficult call to heed.
He came into the world
John says that the Explanation and Light of the world was “in the world.” The Creator of the world came into the world as one of its creatures. But not just any creature, or a creature like any other. The Word and Light of God, God Himself, came into the world. He came “to His own,” that is, the people of the race among whom He took on flesh. He came at a time when much of the world was oppressed and longing for something more than what the Roman Empire provided.
The Explanation came to give Light to men, so that they could find their way back to the true meaning and purpose of their lives. He came in the form of a Person named Jesus, Who grew up in a city of Judea called Galilee.
That a person named Jesus from a city in Galilee called Nazareth actually lived is beyond dispute.
Unless, of course, historical records mean nothing to you. In which case, why should anyone believe your birth certificate? Or your diploma? Or your CV?
Thousands and thousands of period historical documents and archaeological artifacts report the existence of Jesus of Nazareth. Not only the New Testament but secular and other historical records from the period confirm His existence in the time and place which John reports in his gospel.
Jesus actually lived; the records are conclusive. And John says this Jesus was the Explanation and Light of the world.
But if even those who saw Him, heard Him, observed the miracles and wonders He performed – if even most of these people did not receive Him, not even the people of His own nationality, why should anyone today give any credence to John’s or Jesus’ claims about Him?
That’s a very good question.
Why?
John suggests the reason why we should pay attention to Jesus:
He explains us.
And not only us, but the whole world. He is the Explanation Who brings Light into our confusion, fears, doubts, uncertainties, and wayward ways, enabling us to find the path – the Way, as Jesus will describe Himself (John 14.6) – back to the kind of creatures we were intended to be in the beginning.
It would not be a good reason to give Jesus a second thought simply because He claimed to be the Word, Light, Way, and Truth sent from God for the salvation of the world. I’m sure many have made such claims.
But John will go on in his gospel – as do the other three gospel writers, and all the writers of the New Testament – to report many things Jesus did, in the presence of hundreds of observers, and many things He said which were designed to confirm His claims as Explanation and Light.
In His day, not even His most determined opponents could deny that He did what He did and said what He said.
And if John’s report is true, that having predicted He would die and rise from the dead, Jesus the Explanation and Light of the world actually did so, then He bears listening to, at least, to hear out His message as One Who has power even over death.
Many people over the years have declined to accept John’s report concerning Jesus, or to believe in Jesus as Explanation and Light of their lives. Indeed, in our day denying and disbelieving Jesus as the Explanation and Light of the world has become quite fashionable. It’s the choice of “thinking people.”
This is only what we might expect where men love darkness more than Light.
But, given the life and claims of Jesus, and the testimony of 2,000 years and untold millions who have embraced Him and His Word, they are just silly who either refuse to consider Him or Who allow their understanding of Him to be determined by anything other than first-hand exposure, at least to those who knew Him – like John, the author of this gospel.
It would be silly to exclude Jesus from one’s worldview just because someone said you don’t need to consider Him.
Especially since, as I suspect, your own worldview hardly suffices as an explanation for all things, or the kind of worldview you would recommend as the light of understanding and life for all people.
And especially since, as multitudes have discovered, this Jesus is able to bring Explanation and Light to satisfy all the deepest concerns, fondest hopes, and highest aspirations of human life.
So why should you consider Jesus?
Why not?
Let’s try this: Make a list of all the reasons someone might not want to consider Jesus, that is, to take a careful look at His teachings, life, and claims, in order to see whether or not John’s claims about Him have any merit. Talk with some friends about these reasons. Do they hold up? Why or why not? Is it really “silly” to have a Person like Jesus on the historical record, and yet to refuse even to consider Him? Why or why not?
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