'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. 3 All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be. What came to be 4 through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; 5 the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 6 A man named John was sent from God. 7 He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to testify to the light. 9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world came to be through him, but the world did not know him. 11 He came to what was his own, but his own people did not accept him. 12 But to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to those who believe in his name, 13 who were born not by natural generation nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision but of God. 14 And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth. 15 John testified to him and cried out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’” 16 From his fullness we have all received, grace in place of grace, 17 because while the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. The only Son, God, who is at the Father’s side, has revealed him.”
John recalled the first three words of Genesis, “In the beginning (Gen. 1:1)” meaning a point when nothing existed. The evangelist placed the Word, the Son of God, with God before human time and history. The Word is the divine as God is divine. John then linked the Word to humanity by using the pronouns he and him (vv. 2-4) to make his point that from the beginning the Word existed as God but was also a part of human history. Everything that was created came into existence by the Word and is sustained by the Word. The Word created life in perfect harmony with God and all of creation – the light of the human race. The Word at creation is not Jesus. Jesus was the incarnate Son of God (v. 17) who was fully human and fully divine. The first human disobeyed God and damaged the perfection of creation. God sent His only Son into the world, “So that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life (John 3:16).”
John the Baptist was sent by God as a witness to testify to the preeminence of the true light that was to enter the world. The Light, the Logos, was rejected by the people He created. Those outside of His people who accepted Him were born of water and the Spirit (John 3:5). The Word became flesh through the Incarnation and by his signs and wonders reflected the Glory of God. At the Last Supper Jesus said, “If you know me, then you will also know my Father (John 14:7).” Through the Son who stands at His Father’s side, we receive the fullness of grace; the old grace of the covenant is replaced with the new grace through the revelation of Jesus.
Come Lord Jesus (marana-tha) and guide your faithful servants so that we may be reborn into the light that shines through the darkness. Embrace your faithful and protect us from harm as we struggle against disease and human failings. Fortify us with your grace that we may be strength to those who are weak and beacons to those who struggle in darkness. We ask this through you who with the Father lives and reigns in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen!
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References
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: New Testament Expanded Edition. Expanded Edition, Four Courts / Scepter, 2008.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
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