[B-Greek] Jn 1:1 - Alternate Reading?

mike.murphy at pb.com mike.murphy at pb.com
Thu Oct 5 10:11:52 EDT 2006


> But each of  the  pre-Nikaian  local  statements  of  Christian
belief  included an expression of being baptized EIS TO ONOMA TOU
PATROS KAI TOU hUIOU KAI TOU hAGIOU PNEUMATOS -- a reflection not
only  of  the  Gospel  but  also  of  the  most  ancient rites of
Christian baptism, preserved to this day.

The New Testament itself makes clear that this baptismal  formula
was  never recited at the time of baptism. Acts 2:38-41, 8:12-16,
10:47-48.  Instead  converts  were  baptized  into  name  'Iesous
Khristos.

Nobody can deny that God the Father, his Son  Jesus  Christ,  and
the  Holy  Spirit  are  essential  components  of  the  Christian
religion. I am alluding to ONLY  a  possibility,  that  in  Jesus
Christ dwells all of God, while they are two in person, Jesus was
the pre-existant Son prior to leaving heaven, the Word, the Light
created first in Genesis 1 and described in Revelation 3:14.

Since he is the image of God and now is his  right  hand,  (Psalm
110:1  the  most  quoted prophecy concerning him), all people who
violate the Law (even in spirit) must confess their sins to  him,
repent, and be baptized in water and Spirit.

In short, Jesus isn't God, but he God's image or idol  --  not  a
dumb idol which can't see or hear or taste, but a living man, the
second Adam, raised from the dead into God's presence.

Therefore, since the Son is charge of creation now 1 Co 15:27, it
is  right  to  worship  him  (Jn 9:37-39, Hb 1:6, Lk 24:51-53, Mk
5:5-7, Mt 15:22-28, 20:19-21, 28:8-10,16-18) and even to pray  to
him (Jn 14:12-14, 1 Jn 5:13-15, Ac 7:59).

In other words, the Son isn't WHO God is, it  is  WHERE  God  is.
Christ  means anointed and implies Spirit in a Body. That body is
permanent and exalted.

That doesn't mean John thought of Jesus as being God, he was  the
figure  who was WITH God in the beginning (Jn 17:3) and came into
the world to save it. Therefore the reading of Jn 1:1 "..and  the
Word  was  godly,  the same was in the beginning was with God" is
not heretical but possibly orthodox.

The good news is that it is still correct to worship and pray  to
the Son in any case.




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