Archive for May, 2010

Published by admin on 26 May 2010

Scripture Interpreting Scripture - John 1:1

LUKE

In Luke’s gospel account, he writes in the very first verses of those who were eyewitnesses and servants of the word from the beginning, and how he (Luke) investigated everything from the beginning. The text continues on, intertwining the births and ministries of John the Baptist and Jesus.

  • Luke 1:1-3
    1 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us,
    2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word,
    3 it seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus;
    (Continues on, intertwining the births and ministries of John the Baptist and Jesus.)

MARK

Mark also starts right off speaking of the beginning, the beginning of the gospel. He quotes the word of God and includes the story of John the Baptist.

  • Mark 1:1-4
    1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
    2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: “BEHOLD, I SEND MY MESSENGER AHEAD OF YOU, WHO WILL PREPARE YOUR WAY;
    3 THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, ‘MAKE READY THE WAY OF THE LORD, MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT.’”
    4 John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

ACTS

In the first chapter of Acts, again the beginning of the gospel of Christ is discussed:

  • Acts 1:21-22
    21 “Therefore it is necessary that of the men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us–
    22 beginning with the baptism of John until the day that He was taken up from us–one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.”

In Peter’s preaching to Cornelius, he spoke of the beginning of the word, how it went out from Galilee after John the Baptist’s ministry:

  • Acts 10:36-38
    36 “The word which He sent to the sons of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ (He is Lord of all)–
    37 you yourselves know the thing which took place throughout all Judea, starting (i.e., beginning) from Galilee, after the baptism which John proclaimed.
    38 “You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.

1 JOHN

The epistle of 1 John also starts right off discussing the beginning. He writes about what they have “heard,” “seen,” and “touched” from this beginning. This can only be, then, in the context of Jesus’ ministry.

  • 1 John 1:1
    1 What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life–

The clear pattern—in two of the Gospels, the book of Acts, and an epistle of John—is that the “beginning” is the start of Jesus’ ministry, heralded by John the Baptist.

So then, with this foundation, how is it possible to look at the opening verses of John and think that the “beginning” refers to the beginning of Creation? John even follows the same pattern of speaking of the beginning and going right into the story of John the Baptist in John 1:6.

JOHN

  • John 1:1-2,6
    1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
    2 He was in the beginning with God.
    6 There came a man sent from God, whose name was John.

The many Scriptures which speak of the same thing, in the same pattern, using the same words, should assist in interpreting John’s gospel. John’s way of expression is different; a bit more spiritual perhaps. But that doesn’t mean he was writing about something different than or unique from what the others have written.

Jesus Christ, Trinity

Published by admin on 25 May 2010

Simplicity Itself

Believe in God and believe in His Son, Jesus Christ. “Believe in God, believe also in me” (John 14:1).

To believe in “the name” of Jesus Christ (1 John 3:23, 1 John 5:13) is, I believe, to recognize Christ as Lord in your heart and of your life (1 Peter 3:15, 2 Corinthians 4:5), believing that God raised him from the dead (Romans 10:9).

The commandment of God is to believe in His Son, and the commandment of the Son is to love one another. It’s as simple as that.

  • 1 John 3:21-23 NASB
    (21) Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God;
    (22) and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.
    (23) This is His (God’s) commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He (Jesus) commanded us.

Simplicity and Purity of Devotion to Christ

  • 2 Corinthians 11:3-4 NASB
    (3) But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.
    (4) For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you bear this beautifully.

Did you ever consider that all the different doctrines that are out there, and the emphasis on what one must believe in order to be “right,” that very mess of confusion itself is a deception leading us away from the simplicity of Christ?

The commandment of God is to believe in His Son, and the commandment of the Son is to love one another. It’s as simple as that.

Denominations, Doctrine, Eternal Life, Jesus Christ, Love, Salvation

Published by admin on 03 May 2010

Similarities Between John 9 and Acts 9

In Sunday school this past Sunday we read and discussed Acts chapter 9. As it happens, I’m reading the Gospel of John at home and on Monday morning I read chapter 9. Some interesting similarities between the story of Jesus giving sight to the man born blind and Paul’s encounter with Jesus on the Damascus road jumped out at me.

1. “While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.” (John 9:5 NASB) As he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; (Acts 9:3 NASB)
2. He answered, “The man who is called Jesus made clay, and anointed my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash‘; so I went away and washed, and I received sight.” (John 9:11 NASB) And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he regained his sight, and he got up and was baptized; (Acts 9:18 NASB)
3. and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went away and washed, and came back seeing. (John 9:7 NASB) So Ananias departed and entered the house, and after laying his hands on him said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 9:17 NASB)
4. Therefore the neighbors, and those who previously saw him as a beggar, were saying, “Is not this the one who used to sit and beg?” (John 9:8 NASB) and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” All those hearing him continued to be amazed, and were saying, “Is this not he who in Jerusalem destroyed those who called on this name, and who had come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?” (Acts 9:20-21 NASB)
5. So they said to the blind man again, “What do you say about Him, since He opened your eyes?” And he said, “He is a prophet.” … “Ask him; he is of age, he will speak for himself.” His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone confessed Him to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue. (John 9:17, 21b-22 NASB) and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” … But Saul kept increasing in strength and confounding the Jews who lived at Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the Christ. (Acts 9:20, 22 NASB)

Commentary:

1. Jesus is associated with light in both texts.

2. Jesus put clay (or mud) on the blind man’s eyes; scales fell from Paul’s blind eyes.  The word translated “scales” means also “flakes.” Dried mud may also resemble flakes. The sequence is different in the two verses. In Acts, the scales fell from Paul’s eyes, then he was washed (baptized). In John, the washing removed the clay from the blind man’s eyes.

3. The man born blind was sent to the pool of Siloam, which itself means “sent,” by Jesus, where he would regain his sight. Ananias was sent to Paul by Jesus so that Paul would regain his sight.

4. People who knew them both were astonished that such a change had occurred in them. The man born blind was no longer blind and Paul no longer persecuted Christians, but rather became one.

5. The man born blind, after receiving his sight, proclaimed Jesus to the Jews.  Paul, after regaining his sight, preached Jesus to the Jews in Damascus.

Bible Tidbits