Gospel of John

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Gospel of John

• Prologue

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PrologueJn 11-18
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Prologue

• Originally Independent
• Hymn to Christ as God?
• Has parallels outside the Gospel
• Introduces Major themes of Johns Gospel
• Pre-existence 11 175
• Light of men/world 14, 9 812 95
• Light vs. Darkness 15 319
• Seeing His glory 114 1241
• The only Son 114, 18 316
• No one has seen God 118 646
• John the Baptist 17, 15 119, 30

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Prologue

• Combines Divine Logos Wisdom
• Logos (word) Gods self-revelation
• Existed in the beginning (11-2)
• Became human (114)
• Embodied divine glory, revealing God (118)

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Proverbs 120-32

• 20Wisdom crieth without she uttereth her voice
  in the streets
•  21She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in
  the openings of the gates in the city she
  uttereth her words, saying,
•  22How long, ye simple ones, will ye love
  simplicity? and the scorners delight in their
  scorning, and fools hate knowledge?
•  23Turn you at my reproof behold, I will pour
  out my spirit unto you, I will make known my
  words unto you.
•  24Because I have called, and ye refused I have
  stretched out my hand, and no man regarded
•  25But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and
  would none of my reproof
•  26I also will laugh at your calamity I will
  mock when your fear cometh
•  27When your fear cometh as desolation, and your
  destruction cometh as a whirlwind when distress
  and anguish cometh upon you.
•  28Then shall they call upon me, but I will not
  answer they shall seek me early, but they shall
  not find me
•  29For that they hated knowledge, and did not
  choose the fear of the LORD
•  30They would none of my counsel they despised
  all my reproof.
•  31Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their
  own way, and be filled with their own devices.
•  32For the turning away of the simple shall slay
  them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy
  them.

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Proverbs 8

• 1Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth
  her voice?...
•  12I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out
  knowledge of witty inventions.
•  20I lead in the way of righteousness, in the
  midst of the paths of judgment
•  21That I may cause those that love me to inherit
  substance and I will fill their treasures.
•  22The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his
  way, before his works of old.
•  23I was set up from everlasting, from the
  beginning, or ever the earth was.
•  24When there were no depths, I was brought
  forth when there were no fountains abounding
  with water.
•  25Before the mountains were settled, before the
  hills was I brought forth
•  26While as yet he had not made the earth, nor
  the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of
  the world.
•  27When he prepared the heavens, I was there
  when he set a compass upon the face of the depth
  
•  28When he established the clouds above when he
  strengthened the fountains of the deep
•  29When he gave to the sea his decree, that the
  waters should not pass his commandment when he
  appointed the foundations of the earth
•  30Then I was by him, as one brought up with him
  and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always
  before him
•  31Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth
  and my delights were with the sons of men.
•  32Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children
  for blessed are they that keep my ways.
•  34Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching
  daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my
  doors.
•  35For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall
  obtain favour of the LORD.
•  36But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his
  own soul all they that hate me love death.

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Sirach 241-11

• Wisdom sings her own praises, before her own
  people she proclaims her glory
• In the assembly of the Most High she opens her
  mouth, in the presence of his hosts she declares
  her worth
• "From the mouth of the Most High I came forth,
  and mistlike covered the earth.
• In the highest heavens did I dwell, my throne on
  a pillar of cloud.
• The vault of heaven I compassed alone, through
  the deep abyss I wandered.
• Over waves of the sea, over all the land, over
  every people and nation I held sway.
• Among all these I sought a resting place in
  whose inheritance should I abide?
• "Then the Creator of all gave me his command, and
  he who formed me chose the spot for my tent,
  Saying, 'In Jacob make your dwelling, in Israel
  your inheritance.'
• Before all ages, in the beginning, he created me,
  and through all ages I shall not cease to be.
• In the holy tent I ministered before him, and in
  Zion I fixed my abode.
• Thus in the chosen city he has given me rest, in
  Jerusalem is my domain.

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1 Enoch 421-2

• Wisdom found not a place on earth where she could
  inhabit her dwelling therefore is in heaven.
• Wisdom went forth to dwell among the sons of men,
  but she obtained not a habitation. Wisdom
  returned to her place, and seated herself in the
  midst of the angels. But iniquity went forth
  after her return, who unwillingly found a
  habitation, and resided among them, as rain in
  the desert, and as a dew in a thirsty land.

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Wisdom 721-28

• Such things as are hidden I learned and such as
  are plain
• for Wisdom, the artificer of all, taught me. For
  in her is a spirit intelligent, holy, unique,
  Manifold, subtle, agile, clear, unstained,
  certain, Not baneful, loving the good, keen,
  unhampered, beneficent,
• kindly, Firm, secure, tranquil, all-powerful,
  all-seeing, And pervading all spirits, though
  they be intelligent, pure and very subtle.
• For Wisdom is mobile beyond all motion, and she
  penetrates and pervades all things by reason of
  her purity.
• For she is an aura of the might of God and a pure
  effusion of the glory of the Almighty therefore
  nought that is sullied enters into her.
• For she is the refulgence of eternal light, the
  spotless mirror of the power of God, the image of
  his goodness.
• And she, who is one, can do all things, and
  renews everything while herself perduring And
  passing into holy souls from age to age, she
  produces friends of God and prophets.
• For there is nought God loves, be it not one who
  dwells with Wisdom.

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Prologue

• Wisdom herself preaches (Prov. 120)
• Wisdom is consulted in creation (Sirach 241-11)
• Wisdom is hidden and must be accepted through
  revelation (1 Baruch 39-44)
• Hiddenness of wisdom derived from her rejection
  by mankind (1 Enoch 421-2)
• Wisdom only reveals herself to chosen souls
• Favored souls receive wisdoms revelation and are
  friends of God and prophets

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First strophe v.1-2The Word with God

• In the beginning
• Genesis 11 (LXX)
• Was the word
• Wordmessage which brings salvation (524 153)
• Divine communication, not just Divine idea
• Prov 822-26 The Lord created me, the
  beginning of his ways
• Sir. 11-19 Before time, from the beginning he
  created me
• PhiloWisdom is old enough to precede my birth
  and that of the entire universe
• Jerusalem Targum, Gen. 11 In wisdom he
  created

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First strophe v.1-2

• Word was with God
• Pros ton theon. Accompany? (Jn. 175)
• Could be in Gods presence
• Emphasizing relationship also distinguishes (2
  Cor. 1313)
• Wisdom as Gods companion Prov. 830 Wis. 99)
• PhiloWisdom is virgin mother of world, along
  with Father God

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First strophe v.1-2

• Word was God
• Yet distinct!
• Divine? Theios, not Theos.
• Inclusio with Jn 2028 My God
• Jesus charged with making himself God (1033
  518)

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Second strophe v.3-5The Word Creation

• All thingsthrough himcame into being
• Genesis 1 Col. 116
• Apart from him nothing was made
• Jn 155 Apart from me you can do nothing.
• 1QS 611 All things came to pass by his
  knowledge, he establishes all things by his
  design, and without him nothing is done
• Creation is an act of revelation God has a claim
  on us all (Rom. 119-20)

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Second strophe v.3-5The Word Creation

• Wisdom as creator of the world
• Prov. 830 wisdom called master-workman
• Prov. 827-30with God during creation
• Job 2825-29God searched wisdom out in creation
• God uses wisdom to create (Prov. 319 etc)
• 2 Enoch wisdom creates man at Gods request,
  then states by my supreme wisdom I have
  contrived it allI created from the lowest
  foundation and up to the highest and out to their
  end (333f.)
• That which came into being in Him was life
• Includes all history of salvation and all things
• Life Gen. 13, 11
• Eternal life Gen. 29 322 Rev. 222 Jn.
  844)

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Second strophe v.3-5The Word Creation

• Light shines on darkness, but darkness did not
  overcome it
• Same word used in Jn. 1235
• Compare Gen. 3 sin wishes to master us
• Compare with Rev. 12!
• Wisdom 729-30 compares Wisdom to a light that
  darkness cannot supplant wickedness does not
  prevail over wisdom.
• Odes of Solomon 186 That the light may not be
  overcome by the darkness.

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Parenthesis v.6-9JBs witness to the light

• there came into being a manJohn
• JB sent by God (Jn. 133 328) primarily to
  Israel (Jn. 131), yet to touch all men (Jn. 17)
• he was not the light
• JB a lamp (Jn. 535), but not the light of the
  world!
• lights all men and comes into the world
• Jesus gives the light of revelation to all (Jn.
  316-17).
• comes into world used only of Jesus in John
  (319 1246)

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Third Strophe v.10-12The Word in the World

• the world
• Only that part of creation capable of response
• Men loved darkness rather than light.
• Enoch 422, wisdom rejected by humans wisdom
  came to make her dwelling place among the
  children of men and found no dwelling place. See
  Jn. 332-33
• he came unto his own
• Israel, who refused to accept him (Jn 311 543)
• he empowered to become children of God
• Not sons (used only of Jesus), but family.

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Third Strophe v.10-12The Word in the World

• believe into Him/His name begotten
• Synonymous terms put faith into a person.
  Transfer allegiance.
• All (Jew/Gentile) made into one body

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Fourth Strophe v.14, 16Community
Word-become-flesh

• Word became flesh
• tabernacled/ pitched his tent
• Skin of tabernacle Gods localized presence on
  earth
• Sirach 24 The Creator of allchose the spot for
  my tent, saying, In Jacob make your tabernacle,
  in Israel your inheritance.
• We beheld his glory
• Apostolic witness at transfiguration, and in life
• glory is powerful manifestation (see Ex. 24
  34).
• only son (monogenes)
• Unique/ one-of-a-kind
• Not only begotten (see Heb. 1117)
• grace and truth
• Enduring love covenant love and enduring
  faithfulness (hesed emet)

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Fourth Strophe v.14, 16Community
Word-become-flesh

• Compare v.1 v. 14
• The word was The word became
• The word in Gods presence The word among us
• The word as God The word became flesh
• grace upon grace

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Appendix v.17-18

• Speaks honorably of Moses (145 314 546)
• But pales in comparison to the Word (Heb. 11)
• no one has ever seen God (Jn. 537 646)
• Yet the Word/Jesus has!
• God the Only Son
• ever at the Fathers side
• he has explained, revealed him
• Jesus is the message AND image of God!