seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
15 (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”) 16 Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.
Hello! We've read the first three Gospels. They were "synoptic" which to me means they are like a report of what happened, according to a tax collector [scoundrel], a kid [evangelist], and a doctor. Matthew, Mark, and Luke talked to people who were involved. They told it as it was told to them. They put the story together as inspired. John, on the other hand, was there. He was with Jesus at the Mount of Transfiguration. John was there when Jesus called Lazarus out of the tomb. John was there when Jesus was hanging on the Cross. John was there!
I was surprised to learn that John and James, his brother, were the Zebedee boys! The Zebedee boys were the "Sons of Zebedee". They were also known as the "Sons of Thunder". I guess they got things done. John's Mother, Salome, was one of the women who went to the tomb on the first day after the Sabbath. John's Mother is the one who insisted her boys ask for a seat at the "Right Hand" when Jesus brought His Kingdom to earth. She was ambitious and she raised her boys to be ambitious. In spite of Salome, John was the human Jesus kept around the most.
John was also a partner with Simon [Peter] on a fishing boat. John was working, with Simon, whom Jesus named "Peter", when he met Jesus. He and his business partner, Simon [Peter] just walked away from the boat, the fish, and the money. They became the first Disciples.
This is John's version of what happened. This is the story according to an eyewitness.
And now.... on to John 1.
John begins by saying, Jesus has been around since before time. He was with God when God said, "Let there be light".
John continues by talking about how John the Baptist, not John son of Zebedee but John the Baptist. He says John came first, to spread the news that Jesus was coming soon. John the Baptist was like the town crier announcing "company's coming, clean up your act". John the disciple wrote that John the Baptist was the light. John the Baptist, it has been reported, was related to Mary, the mother of Jesus. John the Baptist and Jesus were cousins.
Then John continues his gospel with the reason Jesus came to earth. He came so we could become "children of God". As part of the family, we will enjoy eternal life. We'll always have grace and hope to depend on. We will live eternally!
Now.... look at verse 13. See it there? "Or a husband's will". OK... I've been looking at commentaries about this verse this morning. None of them address these particular words. Back in the days of Jesus and John, women were property. If their husbands, brothers, and/or cousins gave them permission, they could follow Jesus. If their husbands allowed them, they could go sit on the hill and listen. If a husband let them have access to Jesus, they would receive Salvation.
Welcome to John's version of what really happened to his friend, Jesus of Nazareth.
