{"id":11799,"date":"2025-12-30T08:18:04","date_gmt":"2025-12-30T12:18:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/socialjesus\/?p=11799"},"modified":"2025-12-31T11:04:30","modified_gmt":"2025-12-31T15:04:30","slug":"new-beginnings-word-becoming-flesh","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/socialjesus\/2025\/12\/new-beginnings-word-becoming-flesh\/","title":{"rendered":"New Beginnings and the Word Becoming Flesh"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\"New
Photo by Ian Schneider on Unsplash<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Our reading this first weekend of the new year is from the gospel of John.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.<\/p>\n

Welcome Readers! <\/i><\/b>Please subscribe to Social Jesus Here<\/i><\/b><\/a>.<\/i><\/b><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

This is Part 1 of the series <\/b>New Beginnings and Our Justice Work Today<\/b><\/em><\/p>\n

And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father\u2019s only son, full of grace and truth. (John testified to him and cried out, \u201cThis was he of whom I said, \u2018He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.\u2019\u201d) From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father\u2019s heart, who has made him known.\u201d\u00a0 <\/span>(John 1:10-18)<\/p>\n

Our series this week is titled New Beginnings and Our Justice Work Today. <\/em>But before we rush to our topic, it\u2019s important to consider some preliminary thoughts about the Gospel of John itself, since it is our foundation for this week\u2019s contemplations.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s healthy to remember that John\u2019s gospel stands apart from the synoptic gospels. It\u2019s the latest gospel written (by quite a length of time) in our sacred canon and it is quite different from the others in both style and theology. Regarding style, rather than short parables and healing stories, John\u2019s version of the Jesus story is comprised of extended dialogues by Jesus, John\u2019s famous \u201csigns,\u201d and high Christology based reflections. John centers Jesus\u2019 identity more than the chronology of his ministry. Events appear in a different order, and Jesus speaks in long, reflective discourses. Theologically, the gospel of John presents a high Christology, portraying Jesus not merely as God\u2019s agent but as fully divine. From its opening lines\u2014\u201cIn the beginning was the Word\u201d\u2014John identifies Jesus with the ideas of the eternal Logos in the ancient world who was with God and was God. Jesus exists before creation, participates in creation, and ultimatly in the gospel of John, reveals God\u2019s very nature. John emphasizes a union between the Father and Son, and presents Jesus as the definitive revelation of God\u2019s glory, life, and presence in the world.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The gospel of John has also long raised concerns about antisemitism because it repeatedly, negatively refers to \u201cthe Jews\u201d as opponents of Jesus. Christians have historically misused these passages to justify hostility toward Jewish people. However, some scholars stress that John reflects an intense intra<\/i>-Jewish conflict of the late 1st Century, not condemnation of Judaism as a whole. Jesus, his followers, and the author(s) of John were themselves Jewish. The polemical language likely mirrors painful community divisions after the synagogue\u2013Johannine community split. Responsible interpretation requires historical context and rejection of antisemitic interpretations. This week\u2019s reading contains language such as \u201chis own people did not accept him\u201d and contrasts Moses and Jesus. We\u2019ll unpack this a bit more later.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Lastly, from the early church fathers all the way down to more recent scholars, readers have associated John with something that deserves our attention, today. We\u2019ll pick up here in Part 2<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Begin each day being inspired toward love, compassion, justice and action. Free.<\/p>\n

Sign up at HERE<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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