Wednesday 03 January 2024

Background

This wonderful prologue to John’s Gospel might be the only text that needs to be studied this week. The theme of this week – 'Glory to God' – shines through the word pictures that are created in the text's combinations of poetry and prose. How many of us will have attended carol services over the past few weeks and looked forward to the reading of this timeless passage? It beautifully expresses the context for the ministry of Jesus, for the glory of God to be seen in everyday living.

In our reading yesterday, Paul encouraged Timothy to see beyond the present troubles to an eternal view of God. Today’s reading provides the foundation for such hopeful living: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”(v.1) By using the Greek word logos  ('Word') John deliberately introduces the idea of God himself involved in creative activity – logos is more action verb than noun. Moreover, this creativity is also intentionally connected by John to the beginning of Genesis: “In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). Throughout the Old Testament 'Word of God' is used for actions of God, rather than something written down; God’s glory is seen in actions. 

There are four gospels and  three of them – the 'synoptic' gospels of Mark, Matthew and Luke – are all set in the limited context of the lifespan of Jesus. In today’s prologue, John's Gospel takes us elsewhere. Luke and Matthew's Gospels begin with the birth of the baby; but John's Gospel begins with the heart of God. Genealogies and dates of Jewish or Roman rulers set the scene in Luke and Matthew's accounts, but John's Gospel starts “In the beginning”. The canvas that John uses moves us from the immediate, temporal situation to the eternal creativity that is the Word of God.

These 18 verses are more than an overture to an opera, much more than familiarising us to a tune; they give us an eternal context, within which we are able to understand Jesus’s ministry, death and resurrection. In today’s verses Jesus is signalled as the presence of God. When we read on, Jesus becomes the 'doer' of the Word. The whole of John's Gospel is about demonstrating that the Kingdom of God is present in Jesus, who embodies and enacts the eternal kingdom values, the Word of God. Ivor Jones’ hymn 'Christ, our King before creation' (318 in the Methodist hymnbook 'Singing the Faith') includes the words: “Through your body recreating life as life is meant to be.”

“No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.” (v. 18)  “And we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.”(v.14)

To Ponder:

• The hymn 'Christ, our king before creation' (No. 318 in the Methodist hymnbook 'Singing the Faith') has such a meaningful ending to all three verses. “Make us humble in believing… come and reign in us today!” May we reflect such mature awareness of both self and God in our prayers today.

Prayer

In the words of Teresa of Avila we pray:“We are yours, O God, for you have made us and loved us. We are yours, O God, for you have saved us and called us. Being yours, O God, let us eternally rejoice your presence.”