"In the beginning was the word" (Jn 1:1a)

KJohn36574 at aol.com KJohn36574 at aol.com
Wed Feb 23 12:38:04 EST 2000


  I thought I would add something to this discussion which appears to be 
overlooked. We need to look at the entire Prologue text (Jn 1:1-18) simply 
and more closely.    
      Analyzing the Prologue of John as a whole, it can be seen that John is 
looking back historically from the incarnation, focusing upon the anteriority 
to time and the eternal existence of the Logos. He then looks forward to the 
life of Jesus. The absolute "beginning," archee of time is justaposed with 
the "historical" beginning of Christ's ministry, commencing with the 
testimony of John the Baptist (Jn1:19). Oscar Cullman, in reference to the 
'grand idea' of the Prologue, has termed this 'alternating juxtaposition' 
"the main theological point of the prologue."
      Cullman, noting the Hebrew character of John's Prologue, states, "The 
combining of historically unobservable occurrences with historic accounts is, 
of course, characteristic of the presentation of divine events in the OT: the 
God who reveals himself in the story of the people of Israel is the same as 
the one who created heaven and earth. In both cases his action derives from 
the self-communication to the world grounded in his being-it derives from the 
Logos. This revelation reaches its decisive high-point in the Christ event of 
the Incarnation, which is ushered in by the testimony of John the Baptist."
      Likewise, the original beginning of created things is juxtaposed with 
the second when the Word became flesh. "The absolute beginning of the 
creation and the absolute beginning of the incarnation stand in contrast to 
the always wasness of the Logos."

Oscar Cullman, "The Theological Context of the Prologue of John in the 
Present Form," THE CONVERSATION CONTINUES: STUDIES IN PAUL & JOHN), p. 296

Now this is not just a theological statement or one of interpretation. It 
appears to be the very "structure" of the Prologue. We need to not isolate 
words like "Logos" when discussing vocabulary. We need to look at words in 
their overall context. Grammar studies in vocabulary alone appear to often be 
very misleading when defining or reinventing a word like an English 
translation of Logos.

      I personally like, "the full account of God expressed" but this is 
hardly a translation. I look at the Koine as so often used in the market 
place, and the gospels for common readers that it is hard for me to not think 
an "accounting" or business term might be associated here (the full account 
of) or "the Accounting". It is hard for me to make John such an intellectual. 
If anything we need to simplify our approach to John's Gospel, not further 
complicate it.

      John was first of all writing from his personal experiences with the 
"incarnated Logos", which is what Jesus of Bethlehem was, now, and will be 
when he returns (Revelation 19:13). Let's start with this, please.

Ken Johnson
Elk Grove, CA
KJohn36574 at aol.com



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