John 1 - The Cave and Why Jesus doesn't play frisbee with Zombies

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. (John 1:1-3 ESV)

Where else have you heard the phrase, "in the beginning?"

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. And God said, "Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear." And it was so. And God said, "Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth." And it was so. And God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years, And God said, "Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens." And God said, "Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds—livestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds." And it was so. Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." (Genesis 1:1-3, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24, 26 ESV)

In the beginning, God. . . In the beginning was the word. . .the spirit of God hovered over the deep. . .

From these two passages, we get a picture of the most important thing that John will teach us: the trinity. God the father, God the son, God the Holy Spirit. All three are present before creation, and creation happens through them. All three are God, but they have different jobs and different superpowers. We'll talk a lot more about the trinity as we go through John, but the important phrase for right now is Jesus is with God and Jesus is God

What/who is the word?

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14 ESV)

The word is Jesus.

Why does John call Jesus "the word?"

The Greek word for word is Logos, which can mean word or wisdom or logic or reason. People debate about the exact meaning, but I think John is trying to put a biiiiiig idea in to an itty bitty living space.

I think John is using the idea of Logos in the broadest sense - word is referencing the wisdom of God, the fullness of God, and also the promises of the Messiah in Old Testament scripture that are being fulfilled. The promise of salvation coming true. The lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world is here, as promised by Old Testament scripture.

So you might use one super-long WORD to say what John means by word - wisdomfullnesspromiseofGodforsalvationsetinmotionatthebeginningoftime

It's not just John saying this stuff either. . .Paul says the same thing in Colossians:

He (Jesus) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. (Colossians 1:15-20 ESV)

And whoever wrote Hebrews (some smart Jewish dude) says the same thing: but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, (Hebrews 1:2, 3 ESV)

Onward (or Johnword if you wanted to be cheesy, but I would never make such a horrible pun)

In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:4, 5 ESV)

Jesus is the nightlight of the world! There are some big points in this verse. What does it say about the world? It is dark - evil, bad, corrupt, sinful. And Jesus has come, bringing life and light. The light will have an epic battle with darkness and darkness will get its tail kicked! Sure the darkness will try, it will even appear to win. But Jesus, who created the light, will not be defeated!

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. (John 1:6-8 ESV)

What's up with this? Is John speaking in 3rd person?

Nope, there are two Johns here, John who wrote this book and the other John letters and Revelation in the New Testament. This John is a disciple, the one who saw the transfiguration with Peter and James, and Jesus asked him to take care of his Mom after he was crucified. Writer/disciple John does speak in third person - he refers to himself as the disciple who Jesus loved:

When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son!" Then he said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother!" And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home. (John 19:26, 27 ESV)

Kinda fantastic description huh? Who are you? What authority do you have? Why should I listen to you or trust you? I'm just a guy who Jesus loves. . .there's nothing special about me except that Jesus loves me. . .and he loves you too!

So that is John A

John B is John the Baptist, the guy who eats locusts and wild honey, who baptizes a bunch of people including Jesus, his cousin. John B gets thrown in jail and eventually is beheaded for saying that King Herod was doing wrong by marrying his brother's wife. (Mark 6)

John the Baptist was an awesome dude, with his camel hair suit, but he was not the messiah, he came to prepare the way for the messiah to come.

The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:9-13 ESV)

We have to note that John is not writing in chronological order. He doesn't start out the story with mangers and shepherds, he starts with creation, then jumps to Jesus's death, then to John the Baptist, then back to creation. He's jumping all over the place, but the point is to explain who Jesus is, what he is doing on earth, why he died, and his relationship to us and to the trinity.

What does it mean that the light came into the world, but the world didn't receive him?

Allegory of the Cave by Plato:

[Socrates:] And now, I said, let me show in a figure how far our nature is enlightened or unenlightened: --Behold! human beings living in a underground den, which has a mouth open towards the light and reaching all along the den; here they have been from their childhood, and have their legs and necks chained so that they cannot move, and can only see before them, being prevented by the chains from turning round their heads. Above and behind them a fire is blazing at a distance, and between the fire and the prisoners there is a raised way; and you will see, if you look, a low wall built along the way, like the screen which marionette players have in front of them, over which they show the puppets.

[Glaucon:] I see.

And do you see, I said, men passing along the wall carrying all sorts of vessels, and statues and figures of animals made of wood and stone and various materials, which appear over the wall? Some of them are talking, others silent.

You have shown me a strange image, and they are strange prisoners.

Like ourselves, I replied; and they see only their own shadows, or the shadows of one another, which the fire throws on the opposite wall of the cave?

True, he said; how could they see anything but the shadows if they were never allowed to move their heads?

And of the objects which are being carried in like manner they would only see the shadows?

Yes, he said.

And if they were able to converse with one another, would they not suppose that they were naming what was actually before them?

Very true.

And suppose further that the prison had an echo which came from the other side, would they not be sure to fancy when one of the passers-by spoke that the voice which they heard came from the passing shadow?

No question, he replied.

To them, I said, the truth would be literally nothing but the shadows of the images.

That is certain.

And now look again, and see what will naturally follow if the prisoners are released and disabused of their error. At first, when any of them is liberated and compelled suddenly to stand up and turn his neck round and walk and look towards the light, he will suffer sharp pains; the glare will distress him, and he will be unable to see the realities of which in his former state he had seen the shadows; and then conceive some one saying to him, that what he saw before was an illusion, but that now, when he is approaching nearer to being and his eye is turned towards more real existence, he has a clearer vision, -what will be his reply? And you may further imagine that his instructor is pointing to the objects as they pass and requiring him to name them, -- will he not be perplexed? Will he not fancy that the shadows which he formerly saw are truer than the objects which are now shown to him?

Far truer.

And if he is compelled to look straight at the light, will he not have a pain in his eyes which will make him turn away to take and take in the objects of vision which he can see, and which he will conceive to be in reality clearer than the things which are now being shown to him?

True, he said.

And suppose once more, that he is reluctantly dragged up a steep and rugged ascent, and held fast until he 's forced into the presence of the sun himself, is he not likely to be pained and irritated? When he approaches the light his eyes will be dazzled, and he will not be able to see anything at all of what are now called realities.

Not all in a moment, he said.

He will require to grow accustomed to the sight of the upper world. And first he will see the shadows best, next the reflections of men and other objects in the water, and then the objects themselves; then he will gaze upon the light of the moon and the stars and the spangled heaven; and he will see the sky and the stars by night better than the sun or the light of the sun by day?

Certainly.

Last of he will be able to see the sun, and not mere reflections of him in the water, but he will see him in his own proper place, and not in another; and he will contemplate him as he is.

Certainly.

He will then proceed to argue that this is he who gives the season and the years, and is the guardian of all that is in the visible world, and in a certain way the cause of all things which he and his fellows have been accustomed to behold?

Clearly, he said, he would first see the sun and then reason about him.

And when he remembered his old habitation, and the wisdom of the den and his fellow-prisoners, do you not suppose that he would felicitate himself on the change, and pity them?

Certainly, he would.

And if they were in the habit of conferring honours among themselves on those who were quickest to observe the passing shadows and to remark which of them went before, and which followed after, and which were together; and who were therefore best able to draw conclusions as to the future, do you think that he would care for such honours and glories, or envy the possessors of them? Would he not say with Homer,

Better to be the poor servant of a poor master, and to endure anything, rather than think as they do and live after their manner?

Yes, he said, I think that he would rather suffer anything than entertain these false notions and live in this miserable manner.

Imagine once more, I said, such an one coming suddenly out of the sun to be replaced in his old situation; would he not be certain to have his eyes full of darkness?

To be sure, he said.

And if there were a contest, and he had to compete in measuring the shadows with the prisoners who had never moved out of the den, while his sight was still weak, and before his eyes had become steady (and the time which would be needed to acquire this new habit of sight might be very considerable) would he not be ridiculous? Men would say of him that up he went and down he came without his eyes; and that it was better not even to think of ascending; and if any one tried to loose another and lead him up to the light, let them only catch the offender, and they would put him to death.

No question, he said.

Like the people in Plato's allegory, John is saying that humans are chained in darkness. Darkness is sin, evil, unbelief, etc. and people loved what they knew so much that they rejected the light. The people of world did not recognize the creator of the world when he set foot upon earth. The earth itself recognized - water turned into wine, storms calmed at his voice, water supporting the weight of his body, rocks threatened to cry out, the fig tree withered. Creation recognized the creator, but few men did. Most chose the darkness of the cave rather than the light of the world.

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:12, 13 ESV)

Imagine yourself walking around campus on a college visit. You look up and see a frisbee. It flies through the air right toward you, floating perfectly through the blue sky right toward your head. You realize you have two choices, to catch it or get a black eye when it hits you in the face. So you reach up and catch it. Then up runs the captain of the ultimate frisbee team who says, "sweet catch, would you like to join our team when you arrive at campus this fall?" Sure thing, you answer.

This is pretty much how John is saying faith works. You receive it and believe it. God set it in motion, he did the creating and coming to earth and the dying. He's like the frisbee captain, wandering around campus and tossing frisbees at people's heads to see if they will make the catch and join his team. We don't get the credit, we really don't do much of anything - it's not our intent or idea, all the credit goes to God - it is his idea and doing.

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:1-9 ESV)

I suppose my analogy breaks down here, it might be more accurate to say the ultimate frisbee captain is tossing the frisbee into a cemetery to see if a dead guy will reach up a hand and catch it. The miracle is all of God's doing, because this isn't a zombie who reaches up and makes the catch. It's a dead person not made undead, but a dead person made alive. Try it out this afternoon. Go take a frisbee to a cemetery and give it a toss, see what happens. Only God can play ultimate frisbee with dead men.

"Christ did not come to make bad men good, he came to make dead men live."