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Series: Unveiling the Bible Story – Seeing Glory & Walking in Grace Today: What’s So Glorious @ Jesus? (John 1:1-18)
Intro:
*** Jn 1:1-18 reveals that Jesus is all the ________ of the _________of God.
Jn 1 reveals the overwhelming _______:
I. … that Jesus is the eternal _________-God. II. … that Jesus is the loving _________ -God.
III. … that Jesus is the merciful ____________-God.
IV. … that Jesus is the __________ "saving-&-__________"-God.
Concl:
Digging Deeper into John 1:1-18 by Pastor Jeff
The gospel according to John, like the other 3 complementary gospel accounts, is filled with and largely based on Old Testament Scripture. I list below some of the main allusions to OT texts that John has in mind in Jn 1:1-18. Please note that this “prologue” is a kind of “foyer” to the rest of his gospel & that almost all John has to say is introduced in these 1st 18 verses. Seeing these OT allusions helps us “see” who Jesus is.
1. Jn 1:1 clearly echoes Gen 1:1 & locates Jesus in eternity past with God. Jn has the highest possible understanding of who Jesus is. 2. “The Word” also echoes Gen 1 (Gen 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 24 & 28-29). Please note that the Psalmists & Prophets also speak of the Word of God as being powerful & almost personal (Ps 33:6, 107:20, 147:15 & 18, & Is 55:10-11) 3. Jn 1:4-5 also draws on Genesis motifs: · “light vs. darkness” – see Gen 1:3-5, 14-18 & also Num 24:17, Is 9:2, 42:6-7, 49:6, 60:1-5, Mal 4:2 & Lk 1:78-79) · “life” – see Gen 1:2-31, 2:7 7 3:20) 4. Jn 1:12-13 speaks of us becoming “children of God”. This is alluding to the OT perspective that Israel is God’s “son” – see Dt 14:1, Ex 4;22 & 1 Jn 3:1-2 but children not based on natural human descent but from God – see Jn 8:41-47 & 11:51-52) 5. Jn 1:14 says the Word “dwelt among us” which is literally “pitched his tent/tabernacled” among us. This clearly alludes to many OT texts including Ex 25:8-9, 33:7, 2 Sam 7:6, Ps 15:1, 26:8, 27:4-6, 43:3, 74:7, 84:1, & Eze 37:27-28; see also Ex 33:9 & 40:34-35, I K 8:10-11) 6. Jn 1:16-17 where Jesus & His gospel are compared to Moses & the Law alludes to many OT texts including Ex 31:18 & 34:28. Jesus is thus “greater than Moses” (Jn 5:46-47, 9:28) as He is also superior to Jacob (Jn 4:12) & Abraham (Jn 8:53). 7. Jn 1:14 says in Jesus we see God’s “glory”. “Glory” is the ultimate summary of who God is. God’s glory is the manifestation of all that God is – of all his holy qualities (Ex 33:22, Num 14:10, Dt 5:24, Ps 26:8, 102:151-6, Jer 17:12, Eze 10:4). In Jesus the glory of God has returned to His people. To bring glory to God the Father is the ultimate goal of Jesus (Jn 9:7, 12:6, Lk 20:13) & so He is the unique & only way to God (Jn 14:6). 9;3, 11:4 & 40). John repeatedly says that Jesus is & expresses the glory of God (Jn 17:2-5) through His “signs” (Jn 2:11 & others), but mainly in & through the cross (Jn 12:23-33, 13:31-32, 14:13, 17:1, 4-5) 8. That Jesus is full of “grace & truth” (Jn 1:14, 17) also alludes to OT texts & mainly to Ex 34:6 which speaks of God’s “loving-kindness & faithfulness”. The later refers to God’s covenantal “faithfulness” or truth (see also Ex 33:18-19, Ps 25:10, 26:3, 40:10, Pr 16:6). 9. Jesus is God’s “one & only Son” (KJV “only begotten Son”) – used in Jn 1:14, 18 & Jn 3:16, 18 & 1 Jn 4:9. This is the exact Greek word used in the LXX (Septuagint – the Greek translation of the OT) for Isaac in Gen 22:2, 12 & 16. Jesus is God’s “one of a kind” Son. Isaac was a “type” of Jesus in that he too was a son of promise (He 11:17). Isaac points to who Jesus is & what Jesus has accomplished. Jesus is God’s “beloved Son” (Mk 1:11, 9:7, 12:6, Lk 20:13) & so He is the unique & only way to God (Jn 14:6).
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