If you’ve been with this journey since the beginning, congrats! You’ve read three of the four gospels so far this year. Today we begin the last gospel - John’s. John’s gospel has a lot of differences with the other three gospels. It’s beautiful. And wordy. And very intentional, particularly with those words. There is quite often a word behind the word behind the word. When we remember that the gospels were not written in English, but in Greek, we note that we are the recipients of a translation. But often, the words in Greek are being used for a meaning deeper or wider than their general meaning. So it can take some work to find that fuller meaning sometimes, especially in John. But it’s beautiful.
I promise to do my best to avoid talking about Greek words in these daily readings - as best as possible - as my intent will continue to be that you receive something to think about, but not get lost in. In the end, the goal is still to learn about and follow Jesus each day, who exists not just in words, but in the truth and beauty of a person and a way (of living).
Actually, John’s gospel helps immensely with this faith understanding.
So hold on as we dig in.
A word on the path forward: It is the intent that we finish John’s gospel before the beginning of Advent, which will mean we go through it rather quickly (and actually finish reading all the gospels in ~11 months rather than the original plan of a full year). So yes, I’ve decided to continue Jesus Daily for another year, but to align us even more with the schedule that is the Church calendar.
With all that said, below is a short beginning for us today.
John 1:1 | 1 John 1:1
Much has been said about the first chapter of the gospel of John. And rightly so. The intentionality of the first 5 verses and then again the first 14 verses is incredible and sets the stage for the rest of the book.
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What is a word?
It’s kind of a weird question. But you know the answer with every word you read. Including the ten words in that previous sentence. ← And the eight in that one. Get it?
A word is the collection of smaller images that make up a new image that give the picture of another thing or meaning. So when we read the word phone, we are very quickly seeing five very familiar images - P, H, O, N, and E - that collectively make the image of that thing you’re seeing in your head right now that is used to communicate over wires (and no wires!) with other people. Phone.
It gets a bit more sticky when we think about the fact that the image in my head might differ slightly from the image in your head. Someone who died 40 years ago would picture one kind of phone (maybe a rotary one) and someone who was born 15 years ago almost certainly pictures another kind of phone (likely an iPhone).
Now add 2000 years to the scenario and think about all the words in the Bible and you can begin to see the task of interpreting scripture!
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John 1 begins by describing Jesus Christ with the word, word.
John 1:1
In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.
I John 1:1
We announce to you what existed from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have seen and our hands handled, about the word of life.
Prayer
God,
Communication is hard. I mean, sometimes it’s easy, but it’s pretty hard, too.
In relationships, in writing, in speaking, as parents, as children of parents, as siblings, as people of one culture or another, and in so many other countless ways, communicating is hard.
As I go about this day, help me to communicate well, whether I’m speaking or whether I’m just looking at someone. I want to communicate love and grace and mercy, so help me to do so whether I’m looking at my partner or teaching a child.
Also help me to receive communication well, whether it’s from you or another human. Keep me from distractions that would distract me from hearing others. I confess I can be so distracted. Sometimes my intention to hear somebody by looking directly at them actually makes me miss what they say! It’s frustrating.
So help me to be a patient listener and give me a wise grace to be a welcomed receptor of what people need to be heard.
Like Jesus was and is.
By your spirit & in Christ,
Amen.