Two Worlds, One Solution: Why the Logos became Flesh
John's use of Irony, Double Entendre, Symbol and Allusion are not mere artistic ornamentation. John employees these two-storied literary devices to highlight both the problem of and the answer for the world.
The gospel of John continually talks about two worlds. For instance In John 3:12, Christ distinguishes between "earthly things" and "heavenly things" and in 8:23 He separates Himself from His opponents, stating, "You are from below I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world."
In John the division between these two worlds represent the fundamental problem of man. In John 3:6, Jesus states, "that which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the spirit is spirit." John also tells us that "God is Spirit." and "no one has seen God at any time..." This higher world is beyond the limits of the world of flesh and blood. Flesh cannot see Spirit. Man cannot see God.
The answer to this dilemma is the Word made flesh. God, the very God became man in order that we may interact with God. The two worlds became one in Jesus Christ. This is the miracle of Christmas. The atonement for our sins is not just in Easter (i.e. the crucifixion), it also is in his birth. Christmas reminds us that God bridged the divide between heaven and earth.
The problem of God's intangibility, however, continues to exist even after the incarnation. There are essentially still two ways of seeing Jesus. The Jews of John's gospel look at the outward appearance of Jesus and wrongly saw only a man. However, there are those whom God has granted the gift to see, look at Jesus and see beyond the man to the very image of God. They see the deeper meaning and not simply the surface.
John's use of Irony, Double Entendre, Symbol and Allusion fits like a glove within this two-tiered story. Following the example of the word made flesh, John writes a gospel with surface and subtextual meaning in mind. Jesus himself is the symbol of God the father. He is the tangible representation of the intangible God.
Many will only look at the surface of the Gospel of John and see only matters of historical curiosity. Christians, however, must see in John the meaning behind the physical appearance, they must read between the lines.
I could go on and on about the deeper meaning within John. But in my next post I would like to begin to address how this deeper meaning effects our every day life.
The gospel of John continually talks about two worlds. For instance In John 3:12, Christ distinguishes between "earthly things" and "heavenly things" and in 8:23 He separates Himself from His opponents, stating, "You are from below I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world."
In John the division between these two worlds represent the fundamental problem of man. In John 3:6, Jesus states, "that which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the spirit is spirit." John also tells us that "God is Spirit." and "no one has seen God at any time..." This higher world is beyond the limits of the world of flesh and blood. Flesh cannot see Spirit. Man cannot see God.
The answer to this dilemma is the Word made flesh. God, the very God became man in order that we may interact with God. The two worlds became one in Jesus Christ. This is the miracle of Christmas. The atonement for our sins is not just in Easter (i.e. the crucifixion), it also is in his birth. Christmas reminds us that God bridged the divide between heaven and earth.
The problem of God's intangibility, however, continues to exist even after the incarnation. There are essentially still two ways of seeing Jesus. The Jews of John's gospel look at the outward appearance of Jesus and wrongly saw only a man. However, there are those whom God has granted the gift to see, look at Jesus and see beyond the man to the very image of God. They see the deeper meaning and not simply the surface.
John's use of Irony, Double Entendre, Symbol and Allusion fits like a glove within this two-tiered story. Following the example of the word made flesh, John writes a gospel with surface and subtextual meaning in mind. Jesus himself is the symbol of God the father. He is the tangible representation of the intangible God.
Many will only look at the surface of the Gospel of John and see only matters of historical curiosity. Christians, however, must see in John the meaning behind the physical appearance, they must read between the lines.
I could go on and on about the deeper meaning within John. But in my next post I would like to begin to address how this deeper meaning effects our every day life.
posted by Matthew Miller at 11:17 AM
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