Moments to Ponder

Episode 119: John: the beginning (John 1:1-18)

• Betsy Marvin • Season 15 • Episode 119

Share episode

Thought to share? Send me a text...

Discover the mysteries of the Gospel of John with Betsy Marvin in the launch of Season 15 of Moments to Ponder. 

Jesus Christ, the wonder of the Word made flesh and his divine presence dwelling among us. Betsy draws parallels between Jesus' earthly ministry and God's glory in the Old Testament tabernacle, inviting us to reflect on the significance of divine love and grace in our lives. Through an exploration of Jesus as the creative force and fountain of life, you will uncover how His eternal light guides us through darkness, transforming our understanding of His mission and impact. Embrace the truth of the divine residing within us, offering hope and a fresh perspective on the essence of the Gospel.

To read my blog, find out more about me, or to book a speaking engagement, head to
https://betsymarvin.com/

For access to past podcasts and transcripts, head to
https://betsymarvin.com/podcasts/

You can follow me on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/betsyjmarvin/
and Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/betsy.marvin.98

Speaker 1:

Hi friends, welcome to Moments to Ponder. This is a podcast designed to help you spend a few moments in God's Word, gain fresh perspectives and find meaningful takeaways to ponder throughout your week. I'm Betsy Marvin and this meaningful takeaways to ponder throughout your week. I'm Betsy Marvin and this is Episode 119. It's been a bit since I put out a new podcast and it is really good to be with you as we begin Season 15, I know, like 15, we're taking on a gospel. I've been praying about which scripture to ponder together and my heart continues to be drawn to this gospel the good news of Jesus as told by John.

Speaker 1:

This is one of the four gospels found in the New Testament and it's often recommended as the first book to read if you've not read the Bible before. John writes with imagery and purpose, and that might be one of the reasons to read it first If you've been around the Bible for a while. This series will be filled with stories you've come to know and to love. This series will be filled with stories you've come to know and to love. Yet I pray you're able to glean some fresh perspectives and insights as we journey through together. As we begin, it's important to set the stage by looking at the writer, the context of that writing and the audience that he's writing to. So first, our author and his purpose. His name is John.

Speaker 1:

In my study for this series, I've discovered that there are scholars that believe that John the Elder wrote this book, while others say it is the Apostle John. Now, john the Elder was a church leader during the same time as our Apostle. There are even some scholars that believe that John the Elder and John the Apostle are the same guy, and still others believe that there is a third John, john the Seer, that wrote Revelation. For me it's a bit like all the Marys there are so many Johns and it can be hard to keep them all straight. Needless to say, we are going to stay with the long-standing belief that the Apostle John wrote this book. In chapter 20, verses 30 and 31, john makes the purpose of his book very clear. He writes the disciples saw Jesus do many other miraculous signs in addition to the ones recorded in this book, but these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life. By the power of his name, john, a former fisherman, was called by Jesus, along with his brother James and his friends Peter and Andrew, and they followed Jesus during his three years of ministry. John's father was Zebedee and his mother Salome, and Jesus called John and his brother James the sons of thunder, which definitely tells us something about them. Although John was a young man in the years that he walked with Jesus, he is writing this gospel in his later years, which leads us into the context.

Speaker 1:

John's writing is dated between 85 and 90 AD. He's writing from the city of Ephesus before his exile to Patmos. Ephesus at that time was a major commercial city, ruled by Rome and located in the area of Asia Minor. It was the hub of worship to the goddess Artemis, and we know from Acts that Paul spent time with John in the church of Ephesus about 30 years before he wrote this gospel Ephesus about 30 years before he wrote this gospel. It might interest you to know that the words of Jesus on the cross telling John to take care of his mother were truly lived out. Mary lived with John in Ephesus. You can find his tomb there today.

Speaker 1:

It is believed that this is the last gospel written and as we go through it, you'll find that it's unique from the others. John, who is writing to all believers, omits much of what the other three gospels share, such as genealogy, the birth of Jesus, the transfiguration, even the last supper, and parables. Yet John does note six miracles that aren't mentioned anywhere else. He seems to assume that his readers already know much of what's been written, so he chooses to focus more on Jerusalem than the other Gospels and he has a zoom lens in on Jesus with his many I Am statements. John's writing complements the other Gospels and also gives a conclusion of sorts. According to Clement of Alexandria, john, perceiving that the external facts had been made plain in the gospel, being urged by his friends and inspired by the Spirit, he composed a spiritual gospel.

Speaker 1:

We have to decide where to begin, and I can just imagine John, pen and parchment ready, scratching his head and wondering where do I start? He isn't writing this as it's happening. He does have the gift of hindsight. He knows the whole of it. So where do you start? Matthew started with genealogy and Luke with the nativity. Mark dove right in with John the Baptist yet another John. And he begins with Jesus' ministry years. So for our disciple John, the one whom Jesus loved, he begins where he will also end. Remember he said these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name. It brings to mind the words of Julie Andrews in the Sound of Music when she says let's start at the very beginning. A very good place to start.

Speaker 1:

Here's verse one. In the beginning, the word already existed, the word was with God and the word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him and nothing was created except through him. The word gave life to everything that was created and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness can never extinguish it. With a nod to Genesis 1-1, we see John begin before the beginning of the world. The creator, god in the beginning, the one who breathes life and will overcome darkness. The fulfillment of the entire Old Testament. Darkness and light, creation and eternity. Testament darkness and light, creation and eternity the full gospel in five verses. But let's look at verse one one more time. In the beginning, the word already existed, the word was with God and the word was God. The word capital W in verse 1, is Logos, which actually means message, as in living, breathing messenger.

Speaker 1:

The use of this term in that day had a meaning for both the Greeks and the Jews, and John is purposefully setting up his readers by using this word. The pagan Greek philosophers spoke of word as a kind of principle, a rationality that was deep within the cosmos and lived within human beings. It was order from chaos. They believed. This is where true meaning for life would be found. And John is saying to them oh, the word isn't a principle, it's a person. For the Jews, the Old Testament was full of the acts of God. By his word, he spoke and creation began. It was something God did. In Psalm 33, 6, we read the Lord merely spoke and the heavens were created. He breathed the word and all the stars were born. Isaiah 40, verse 8, says it this way the grass withers and blasphemous by saying the word was God, and the Greeks would have thought that the word made flesh was impossible. So John's saying the word is a person and I'm going to tell you who he is person. And I'm going to tell you who he is. John, from the very start, is letting us know that Jesus is God and this is the foundation of the rest of the book light, life, grace, truth and the revelation of God in Jesus. Let's continue into verse six. Let's continue into verse 6.

Speaker 1:

God sent a man, john the Baptist, to tell about the light so that everyone might believe. Because of his testimony, john himself was not the light. He was simply a witness to tell about the light, the one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone. Everyone was coming into the world. He came into the very world he created, but the world didn't recognize him. He came to his own people and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.

Speaker 1:

So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness and we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father's one and only Son. John testified about him when he shouted to the crowds. This is the one I was talking about. This is the one I was talking about when I said Someone is coming after me, who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me. From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another, for the law was given through Moses, but God's unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but the unique One who is God Himself himself is near to the Father's heart. He has revealed God to us. We'll spend time with John the Baptist in our next episode, so let's continue looking at the word In these verses we read. So the word became human and made his home among us, full of unfailing love and faithfulness. In other versions of this text it says Jesus dwelt among, or Jesus moved into the neighborhood. The Greek word used here is skenohol, which actually means tabernacle or dwelling place, and I love this image because it's so purposeful.

Speaker 1:

In the Old Testament, the tabernacle was an incredible tent where God's presence lived among his people. Exodus 25 tells us that God told them have the people of Israel, build me a holy sanctuary so I can live among them. Live among them. And in Exodus 40, verses 34 and 35, it tells us that a cloud covered the tabernacle and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Moses could no longer enter the tabernacle because the cloud had settled down over it and the glory of the Lord filled it. Lord filled it. So Jesus, coming to tabernacle, dwell among the glory of the Lord in human form that filled an entire tabernacle, so much that Moses couldn't even go in. All of that glory placed in a human body showing unfailing love and faithfulness as he walked among those he came to save.

Speaker 1:

This is a mystery. We will never wrap our minds around that. The holy sanctuary that he came to live among us, that holy sanctuary, will come to live within us. As we work our way through the gospel, we will see this. John literally touched Jesus. He lived alongside him, he had his feet washed by him and during those three years with Jesus, they were so impactful and so transformational that he was never, ever, ever the same. And this gospel are his insights into those years. In verse 18, john said no one has ever seen God, but the unique one who is God himself is near to the Father's heart. He has revealed God to us. Jesus is the revelation of God to us and with these few verses, john has set the stage for the rest of the story to come.

Speaker 1:

In the Passion Translation, verses 1 through 5 read like this In the beginning, the living expression was already there, and the living expression was with God, yet fully God. They were together face to face in the very beginning, and, through his creative inspiration, this living expression made all things, for nothing has existence apart from him. A fountain of life was in him, for his life is light for all humanity, and this light never fails to shine through darkness. Dear one, as you go into the day ahead, may you know that the living expression, jesus, is with you. He is light and life and shines into our darkness to show us the way through. Jesus became human and moved into our neighborhood, all because he loves us. The fountain of life that created everything, the unique one whose glory fills the tabernacle. He delights and dwells in you. That's pretty amazing, amen.