I love this book of the Bible. How can one not cherish the Gospel written by the disciple "whom Jesus loved?" It's funny to see that reference, but this book so gets to the core of Who Jesus said He was and is and will continue to be. This is the book where some great quotes are found, like that one in chapter one that asks, "Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked this, which clues us in on what people thought of that region. It sounds like what an Auburn fan might say of the town where the University of Alabama is. Or the same might be questioned about College Station, Texas. "Can anything good come from there? That's where the Aggies are!"
It's interesting how the first 10 verses in the book declare Who Jesus is. It also brings up the identity of John the Baptist, who prepared His way. This Gospel, more than the others, repeatedly declares that Jesus is God. It starts out that way:
"In the beginning was the Word, and Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made; without Him nothings was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of men...to those who believed in His Name, He gave the right to become children of God -- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God."
In later chapters, like chapters 8, 9, and 10, we see Jesus have discourse with prominent Jewish leaders and the context of those conversations make it very clear that Jesus made Himself out to be God. So much so that these leaders sought to kill Him for "blasphemy," making Himself out to be God. This is why I can't buy the Davinci Code or other conspiracy theories that state that Jesus was simply a misunderstood prophet. This also implies, of course, that He misunderstood Himself. But that is another debate altogether. Jesus is God. That's what the Scriptures declare, and I willfully and intellectually choose to believe that.
Posted by Doug Van Pelt at November 1, 2005 09:34 AMYour grandad always used to say "Jesus Christ is REAL" He was right on and he would be well pleased with his grandson.
Posted by: solomon at November 2, 2005 08:18 AM