Daily Scriptures Reflection for 5/11/13

Scripture: Lectionary 296. May 11. Acts 18:23-28. Psalm 47: 2-3,8-9,10. John 16:23-28:

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Today I was led to think of our passage from the Gospel by returning to the most beautiful prologue of John 1:1-18 that presents us with an overture for the whole Gospel. It is a key toward understanding the veiled sayings of John’s Book of Glory especially for chapters 13-17. The prologue gives us an insight into the portrait of Jesus that the Fourth Evangelist paints with majestic stokes that enter into the realm of the eternal. It gives us the theology of John and clearly depicts the Christology of this contemplative and profound Gospel.

John’s Christology differs from that of the Synoptics which do not touch upon the pre-existence of the Word as the Son of God. In John 1:14 we also have the theological presentation of the Incarnation which is considered the most profound statement in the New Testament about his becoming human flesh and dwelling and remaining among us.

Jesus divinity is clearly stated in the Fourth Gospel through verses 1-4 and confirmed in the statement Thomas makes in his resurrection experience. He exclaims, “My Lord and my God!” The doctrine of the Trinity is founded on the theological and Christological thought of John and Paul. The title Logos in John 1:1 immediately introduces us into the pre-existence of the Word who will become flesh in John 1:14. Without these explicit statements of John, we would have a more difficult task of presenting the divinity of Christ. This again shows us the wisdom of both the earliest theologians and present day exegetes who state the importance of each Gospel. The blending of them as was done by Tatian in his diatesseron (combining all four Gospels to present Jesus) is not the best way to study the Gospels which have distinct and precise theological orientations for their audiences.

This leads me to speak only about the last verse in today’s Gospel which makes sense when one realizes the importance of John’s Prologue. Here is the passage: “…because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God {I indeed come from the Father;} I came into the world. Now I am leaving the world to go to the Father.” Returning to the last verse of the Prologue I was led to see that John explains our last verse in today’s Gospel: “No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, ever at the Father’s side, who has revealed him.” Our joy is complete for “Of his fullness we have all had a share—loving following upon love. (John 1:18; John 1:16). Amen. Alleluia!