John 1:2 - Not the Father

John 1:2
He was in the beginning with God.

Message: Not the Father

Time: While John does not admit to have written this gospel, there is ample evidence from others that he did. It was most likely written in Ephesus around 85-95 AD and is the fourth gospel. John provides a Jesus more clearly as the Son of God. John cites Jesus' seven "I Am" statements, mentions many miracles of Jesus, signifying Him as God's Son. He is the Son of Man and atoned for our sins and the Son of God with eternal implications in rising from the dead.

What the Lord is Saying:

Tabletalk generally takes a year to do a particular study. In 2014 it was a study of the book of Romans; 2015 was a study of the wisdom literature of Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Lamentations, and 2016 was a study of the Gospel of Mark. Now the focus is on the biblical doctrines emphasized anew or recovered by the Reformers in 2017. The Reformation period or the Protestant Reformation took place in the 16th century (thus about 5 centuries from today), chiefly in the year 1517 was when Luther posted his Ninety-Five Thesis; thus, 500 years ago. Leaders such as Martin Luther and John Calvin, though there were many others, saw a problem with the church of the day which was the Roman Catholic Church. The concern they raised was that the church had become too intertwined with the affairs of the government and political life in Europe. However, the Catholic Church continued to provide a lot of comfort to people, but there had been some things that were of concern. There was concern among many of the imitation of Christ and it not being followed and the doctrines of grace and redemption not being a central focus.

The doctrine of the Trinity continues to be a difficult doctrine for many to wrap their heads around and it seems to remain that way today. Granted, society here in America seems to me to becoming more and more secularized or more focused on appealing to the World and its ways. This doctrine of the Trinity is one that needs to be more clearly understood and taught.

One of the key ideas is there is separation between the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. They are three separate persons of the Godhead. John here in these early passages of John 1 speaks of a distinction between God the Father and God the Son. Both are equally God and yet the Father is not the Son.

To me that one of the struggling things about faith is there remains in it a shroud of mystery. While there are attempts to explain it the explanations don't always look exactly at what it is. We can know about God, but we cannot know everything about Him and I think this is something that people don't like. In my mind, this is why groups such as Jehovah's Witnesses and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints are more popular because there doctrines are tight and have answers to every question that is asked. But in traditional Christianity there is still mystery. We believe God and we are confident in Him but we are still getting to know Him. There is still mystery in Him.

So even as we talk about the person of the Godhead there are difficulties in making this translation because our view of a person is not the same as the persons of God. We are all tangible creatures we can touch and feel, but we have only so far seen Jesus and the rest are Spirits. Jesus was given a human body for earth and this helps us put a face to God, but this idea of a Spirit is harder for us to understand at times. I think sometimes by having Jesus in human form we struggle with understanding all three.

But the key in this passage is to show that three are not the same in form, thus they are hypostasis and yet all three are homoousios or of the same essence. Those are Greek words that the Reformers used to describe the differences. As I studied through the Book of Mark I picked up on this mystery. I was attempting to more clearly define Jesus but as I attempted to do this I was still left with mystery. He isn't completely able to be understood. Yet each seems to have a relation to one another. I saw this in the Gospel as Jesus spoke to the Father and then spoke of the Spirit as well (though Mark doesn't mention the Spirit like John does).

Promise: As we talk about God, at times we reach a point where we can say no more. God transcends the limits of our creaturely minds and we cannot fully comprehend Him.

Prayer: Lord, help me to know that I can be in witness of You but I don't need to answer every question. I can be faithful to speak of you and yet I will never have every answer to every question. Help me to be content in this and to trust You and not me nor the world in which I live. Than you for being distinct and yet the same. You are a whole lot different, but a whole lot the same.

Note: I follow the readings from the Tabletalk Magazine devotional. 2017 is a study of key biblical doctrines with January being about the doctrine of God.