1:51 Indeed and in truth I tell you', he went on to say to him, 'you will all see heaven opened and the angles of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.'
The open heaven is a concept found in Genesis. In Genesis 28 Jacob had a vision of a ladder that came down from heaven and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it and when he awoke he called that place Bethel (the House of God) .
Showing posts with label genesis parallel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label genesis parallel. Show all posts
Monday, February 25, 2008
1:1 a
1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
It is not by accident that the Gospel begins with the same phrase as the book of Genesis. Gen 1:1 introduces the story of the old creation while John introduces the story of the new creation.
According to Bruce the English term Word is an inadequate rendering of the Greek logos, but it would be hard to find anything in English that better represented logos.
Moffat translation says 'The logos existed in the very beginning'.
Phillips renders the clause 'At the beginning God expressed himself' and then follows 'That personal expression, that word, was with God. . .'
Bruce says we can better understand logos by the phrase 'word in action'. The true background of logos comes from the Hebrew revelation of 'the word of God' which in the O.T. denotes God in action especially in creation, revelation and deliverance. Over and over in the creation narrative we read 'God said . . . and it was so'. Ps 33:6 states 'By the word of the Lord the heavens were made'.
The Gospel of John, F.F. Bruce
It is not by accident that the Gospel begins with the same phrase as the book of Genesis. Gen 1:1 introduces the story of the old creation while John introduces the story of the new creation.
According to Bruce the English term Word is an inadequate rendering of the Greek logos, but it would be hard to find anything in English that better represented logos.
Moffat translation says 'The logos existed in the very beginning'.
Phillips renders the clause 'At the beginning God expressed himself' and then follows 'That personal expression, that word, was with God. . .'
Bruce says we can better understand logos by the phrase 'word in action'. The true background of logos comes from the Hebrew revelation of 'the word of God' which in the O.T. denotes God in action especially in creation, revelation and deliverance. Over and over in the creation narrative we read 'God said . . . and it was so'. Ps 33:6 states 'By the word of the Lord the heavens were made'.
The Gospel of John, F.F. Bruce
Sunday, February 24, 2008
1:5
1:5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.
In the first creation, darkness was upon the face of the deep (Gen. 1:2) until God called light into being, so with the new creation there is spiritual darkness on the face of the human heart until the the light of men which is the life in Jesus shines upon it.
Apart from the light in Christ the world is encompassed by darkness. The Greek word katelaben is translated overcome in the RSV. According to Bruce mastered would be another good translation for katelaben. We know that light and darkness are opposites, but they are not opposites of equal power. Light is always stronger than darkness and darkness can not overcome light or master it. One small candle can illuminate a dark room and not be dimmed by the darkness there.
We often here darkness and light taught in an equal type of dualism. The Bible dispels this by showing us that the true light Jesus has come into the world and darkness is being overtaken.
Sources: The Gospel of John, F.F. Bruce
In the first creation, darkness was upon the face of the deep (Gen. 1:2) until God called light into being, so with the new creation there is spiritual darkness on the face of the human heart until the the light of men which is the life in Jesus shines upon it.
Apart from the light in Christ the world is encompassed by darkness. The Greek word katelaben is translated overcome in the RSV. According to Bruce mastered would be another good translation for katelaben. We know that light and darkness are opposites, but they are not opposites of equal power. Light is always stronger than darkness and darkness can not overcome light or master it. One small candle can illuminate a dark room and not be dimmed by the darkness there.
We often here darkness and light taught in an equal type of dualism. The Bible dispels this by showing us that the true light Jesus has come into the world and darkness is being overtaken.
Sources: The Gospel of John, F.F. Bruce
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