Exodus 22; John 1
Daily Catechism
QUESTION 46: WHAT DID GOD AT FIRST REVEAL TO MAN FOR THE RULE
OF HIS OBEDIENCE?
Answer: The rule which God at first revealed to man for his obedi- ence was the moral law.
Scripture: Rom. 2:14; 15; 5:13, 14.
Exodus 22
Ready:In the previous chapter Moses received statutes regarding social issues of respecting slaves and not harming one another and not stealing from one another and other social regulations including restitution for injuries caused by animals. The repeating pattern of the chapter was “when a man…” or “Whoever…”.
Seeing what’s there:
This entire chapter is a listing of regulations about restitution and social justice. The repeating pattern of this chapter is “If a man…” that changes to “you shall…” about midway through.
Key Verses:
Exodus 22:20, 21-22, 25
Theme:
The main idea seems to be that one person shall not cause harm to another without making restitution and none are to be abused or mistreated and some crimes are punishable by death.
Thinking about the message:
There is a protection for all but especially for the helpless as seen in the regulations about widows and orphans and the poor. In the middle of the chapter the series of laws seems to change a bit when it switches to the “you shall…” format. It immediately goes into four capital crimes (punishable by death). Sorcery, beastiality, sacrifice to another god, and mistreating of widows or the fatherless. The chapter ends with a regulation about maintaining cleanness as a people set apart for the Lord.
Meaning, Implications, and Significance
Though we know that we are sojourners here in the world and our home is in the New Jerusalem, it seems clear that God is concerned with how we relate to one another. There is a strong message of caring for others and for not abusing anyone or taking advantage of them. There is a sense of justice to be observed and this teaches us about the character of God. The Lord expects the strong to not harm the weak, but to care for them.
Valuing the message:
I value this message because it is a revelation about God and about his view of human relationships and justice. The Lord God omnipotent is the holy standard of the universe and he is here revealing his expectations of mankind.
Reflecting on the message:
I need to consider how I deal with others and with their property and how I respect authority.
Questions to ask:
- Do I ever take advantage of anyone that I have some sort of power over?
- Do I take care to treat everyone with dignity and respect and do I look out for the belongings of others?
- Do I respect the authorities over me and so honor God?
Responding to God & Reacting to His Lesson:
Tell God about your observations and your thoughts and your struggles with the chapter and determine how it will change or impact your thinking and your decisions. Be sure to react in some way to the truth rather than remain silent.
Proclaiming the Truth to Others:
Decide who you can share what you have learned with and ask for God’s help in reaching out to love others.
John 1
Ready:Introduction to John
This, the fourth gospel, was written after the others and possibly in view of the others (the synoptics) by John, the son of Zebedee, an Apostle. Most likely written in Ephasus around AD 75-80. John was a Jewish “convert” to Christianity (phrase is difficult because Christianity is not separate from but is the fulfillment of Judaism) and he wrote evangelistically to convince Jews and Gentiles alike that the Christ, the Messiah, the redeemer of Israel, the incarnate Son of God was Jesus of Nazareth (John 20:30-31). He refers to himself usually as the disciple whom Jesus loved. His purpose was to get people saved by compelling them to believe in the identity and trust in the words and the work of Jesus. John also wrote three epistles (1, 2, and 3 John) and the Revelation. Worth noting is the fact that John had access to most of the NT epistles when he wrote his gospel and this can lend to his more plainly interpretive writing than we see in the synoptics.
What I observe to be quite different about John’s gospel account is that John does far more than give an account of the life of Jesus. John sets out to teach his reader theology. Specifically he sets out with discourse and narration far in excess of the other writers that evidences the idea of an omniscient narrator. John also jumps straight into revelation of the true identity of Jesus rather than following the actual rabbit trail of increasing understanding among the disciples that the synoptics present and he therefore offers the most criticism of the disciples misunderstandings. His perspective is more heavenly and looks to clearly portray the deity of Jesus from the outset. John leaves out much of what the synoptics include, like the narrative parables of Jesus, the transfiguration and the ascension, but he includes others, like the resurrection of Lazarus and the Nicodemus dialogue. John uses techniques like contrasts, corrections of statements for spiritual application, and presentation of triple statements that are distinctive to his writing. In the first part of his book he focuses on seven signs that Jesus performs as evidence of his deity and the second part is focused on the passion or glory of Jesus in his suffering, death, and resurrection.
The following themes are suggested in the ESVSB:
1. Jesus is God.
2. Jesus existed before the creation of the world.
3. Jesus has supernatural knowledge.
4. Jesus is the Messiah and the Son of God.
5. Jesus is the “I am.”
6. Jesus, the sent Son, reflects the sender.
7. Jesus is the fulfillment of Jewish festivals and institutions (including the temple).
8. Jesus is the giver of eternal life.
9. The signs of Jesus show that he is the Messiah (cf. also Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God, above).
10. The witnesses to Jesus testify that he is the Messiah.
11. Father, Son, and Spirit are united in their work of revelation and redemption.
12. Jesus’ death is the basis of salvation.
13. God is sovereign in salvation.
14. Salvation is obtained through believing in Jesus as the Messiah and the Son of God.
15. Believers can experience the benefits of salvation already in the here and now, during this present evil age.
16. Believers are called to continue Jesus’ mission (cf. also Jesus as the sent Son, above).
Sources include the ESVSB and An Introduction to the New Testament by D.A. Carson and Douglas Moo.
Seeing what’s there:
John opens his gospel with a prologue that lays out his message as a revelation from God that he has sent his only Son to enlighten the world and to save those who receive him. He announces a deception in the world that Jesus conquers by grace and he comes contrasted to the law as one full of grace and truth. Jesus is presented as the one who made all things that exist and who existed from all eternity. He describes the spiritual family of God (by spiritual birth) as those with faith in Jesus. This family is contrasted to the chosen people of God (by natural birth) who reject him. Moving past the prologue, he gives testimony from John the Baptist and refers to the baptism of Jesus. He documents the earliest call of the disciples that seems to pre-date the earliest mentioned in Matthew. Confessions of the identity of Jesus seem misplaced and early by comparison with the other gospels but John’s perspective seems to be to point out the truth in the words used despite the misunderstanding of the meaning by the speaker. So I mean that they used words like Messiah but since they did not understand it the way the term should have been used then the other writers did not include such confessions that were not actually saying what we might think. It was not until Caesarea Philippi where Peter confessed Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God where there seems a significant shift in their understanding (Matt 16:15-17). So John likes to use the actual words in a manner of showing that they said the truth without knowing the truth in the same way as say, Caiaphas did (John 11:49-51). So another way of saying it is that the other gospel authors left out these early confessions because they knew that they were not true confessions of his actual identity…yet, but more of a parroting of what John the Baptist was announcing.
Key Verses:
John 1:1-3, 4-5, 12-13, 14, 16-17, 23, 33-34, 36-37, 41-42, 50
Theme:
He who made the world has come into it in order to make those who were not his children by nature to be his children by faith. The final prophet to announce his coming will fade and the magnitude of the God-man being in the world will now begin to be seen.
Thinking about the message:
v1-2. Here John makes clear that God is one, but that there is a critical relational aspect to him that offers a sense of community within the one God. The Word is simultaneously God and yet, is “with” God. And this was the case from the beginning, which there wasn’t a beginning and so this is for our understanding and not for a statement to indicate that there was a time when God was not, nor when the Word was not. Also here is the introduction of the purpose of his gospel, which I agree with D.A. Carson is more to define who the Son of God is than to simply announce that Jesus is the Son of God. So here we meet the Word, but the burning question will become, “who is the Word?”, which is precisely the distinction I just outlined above. John does not use the greek word for “word” here but the greek word is logos and this means essentially revelation or message. Some argue that the Son is the manifestation of God’s view of himself and the message of himself that he enjoys in actual form of a distinct person. God’s revelation of himself was with him from the beginning. The Word is the expression of God’s identity (Col 1:15-16).
v3. The “him” here is the Word and John is ascribing to the Word, the act of creation of all things, though we understand that Jesus obeys the will of the Father and therefore serves this will in the creation of all things. Now the term “Word” is made out to be a person and not merely the expression of God’s identity in an abstract sense. Here in this text you can imagine the conversation referred to in Gen 1:26 where the Father and the Word determine between them that they will take up the creation of man. We read about God speaking things into being and yet here the Word made all things and so there is a connection between the Father speaking and the Word accomplishing. This is a wonderful picture of scripture and of Jesus (Is 55:11) who both go forth and fulfill (or perform) the will of the Father. Jesus does this in person (as the Word) and the Holy Spirit does this in us and through us.
v4-5. All life came from the Word (the expression of God’s identity) but more than that the life of Jesus is the very light of enlightenment for mankind. Looking at the ESV cross-references (John 8:12, 9:5, 12:46) reveal what is meant here by light. This light of enlightenment overcomes the darkness, such as the darkness in my heart and my understanding (Eph 1:17-18; 2 Cor 4:6). So there is a contrast John presents here that I take as setting the Word against falsehood. The lies of the enemy and the plans of the enemy cannot and do not and will not overcome the Word (Col 2:13-15).
v6-8. John the Baptist came that people might believe in the identity and work of Jesus through John (John 1:36-37; Luke 2:76-79). That is to say through the testimony and witness John gave and the preparation in their hearts accomplished through John’s motivating them to examine themselves and their need for such a savior (Matthew 3:2, 11). John pointed out sin and the need for a redeemer to save them from these sins.
v9-13. The way the the true light gives light is not in a universal manner because we see that the world not only did not know him but his own people yet did not receive him, who is the giver of enlightenment. So there is something that hinders the enlightenment alluded to here, but at the same time the darkness does not overcome it. There is a tension here that needs to be resolved. Verses 12-13 introduce something that corrects the darkness that held the world to be without knowledge of the light. There is something there that makes it so that some do receive him. Here is the structure I see: Some receive him and this is special. Receiving him is clarified to mean to believe in his name (his identity etc.). These people (the ones who receive him or believe him) are given the right (like a birth right) to become children of God. But so far there is no answer as to what makes these people different. Why do they believe and others do not? Verse 13 presents the answer. The ones who are born not of the blood or of the will of the flesh (sin nature that we are all born with naturally) nor of the will of man (perhaps a more simple reference to the will to engage in intercourse that results in birth of life), but of God. So the one who is born or God, surely tied to John 3:5 where the new birth is by water and Spirit (of God), is the one who comes to believe. This action of God explains how some persons would see and receive the light while others do not…because it is not about their will, since all have an enslaved will that prefers sins and self over God (Rom 6:6), but it is about the will of God (Rom 9:15-16, 18). This also relates to Phil 2:12-13 and So the unstoppable light that the darkness cannot overcome is naturally resisted by all mankind and it is those whom God grants new birth that come to believe and this is the victory of the light over darkness. I take this to be a statement that new birth precedes faith, although others may disagree that this text necessarily supports that. Certainly the next question is “who is it that God determines to give this new life that they would believe?”…
v14-18. This is the full revelation that the Word, the life, the light the Son of God, is Jesus. John ties the revelation of the Word becoming flesh to John the Baptist’s reference to the person of Jesus and then he himself makes the same tie as he compares the revelation of the law with the revelation of grace and truth in Jesus. So there is no doubt that John espouses Jesus to be the Son of God that is in this prologue referred to as the Word. John tells us the the glory of Jesus is an expression of the glory of the Father and it is full of grace and truth. I take the most glorious aspect of our great God to be his grace (Eph 1:6-10). Grace of course taken here as the favor of God placed upon individuals with zero reference to any merit or demerit in them, which is consistent with the birth not being man’s will, but God’s. In verse 16 John says that we receive grace upon grace from the fullness that is in Christ. I take this to be receiving the grace of God the Father by the grace of Jesus (Rom 5:15), who is the fullness of God in human flesh (Col 1:19). All humans receive the grace of God in measure (Psalm 145:9; Matt 5:45) but the abundance (fullness of grace) is reserved for those who believe upon Jesus (Rom 5:17; 1 Tim 4:10). Verse 17 contrasts Jesus with the law. The law was given with an understanding that he who obeys it will live (Deut 30:16; Rom 10:5) and this sets up an understanding that there is a righteousness that can merit God’s approval. The problem is that we failed at this before the law was ever given and the purpose of the law then was only to point this out and not to make us chase the meriting of God’s favor (Rom 9:31-32). Jesus came to fulfill the law and to bring the grace of God that is his unmerited favor…the very thing the law was to help us know that we needed! The law gave knowledge and truth (Rom 2:20- the awareness of our sin) but Jesus brings grace and truth (the power to be made right with God) add the fulfillment of the law (Rom 10:4).
v19-34. This summary of the ministry and testimony of John the Baptist interestingly leaves out his message “repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand”. The focus is on his opinion of Jesus here and the hand-off of the ministry from the one who baptizes with water as a representation of reality to the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit as the substance of reality. John the Baptist here denies that he is Elijah and so the words Jesus uses in Matt 11:14 are important. Jesus does not say that John is Elijah, but he says “if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah…”. This introduces the interpretation that the Baptist fulfilled some prophecy about Elijah returning by way of doing the ministry of Elijah (Luke 1:17; Matt 17:10-12), but not by being Elijah reincarnate.
v35-42. John skips any mention of Jesus going into the desert and being tempted at the beginning of his ministry perhaps because John is light on the human presentation of Jesus as he is making effort to point out his deity rather than focus on his human nature. Here, where Andrew and another leave the Baptist, is the purpose and culmination of the ministry of John the Baptist…that they would recognize and follow Jesus. John was transitional and he knew it. His message was not about him (John 3:30), unlike Jesus’ message (John 6:35, 7:38, 11:25, 12:46, 14:6). Interestingly here Andrew and Peter become disciples of Jesus very early and yet seem to return to their previous professions later and need to be pulled back in by Jesus as prodigals (Luke 5:1-11). This parallels my life in how I was stuck on career just as these two left Jesus to go back to their "other life". Do we try to follow Jesus while hanging onto our goals and ambitions or are we fully surrendered to whatever purpose he has for us?
v43-51. Here Jesus calls two more disciples and he seems to have a bit of fun with Nathaniel and he is amused by Nathaniel’s amazement over something as trivial as knowing where he was. Jesus is about to blow the lid off of the world and Nathaniel is enamored by a little omniscience. Jesus will reveal much and they are seeing only the beginning. Jesus concludes this dialogue with a reference that sounds like Jacob’s ladder in Genesis 28:12-15. In the Genesis passage the voice of God shows him the revelation of the angels ascending and descending the ladder with the statement “…I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you” and I take this reference Jesus makes to be related. The Son of Man is the one whom will fulfill the promises of God! There is much to be seen…forget about the fig tree already :)
Meaning, Implications, and Significance
I take John’s theologically packed prologue in this chapter to be an announcement to the reader that he intends to demonstrate what the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Christ teaches us about God and salvation. It seems that God has determined to send his Son in order to enlighten men and turn the world upside down by exposing the lies and deceptions that we are living with so that we can have the knowledge of God and receive the fullness of grace in Christ. John will be more than a historian or a narrator but he will be our divinely inspired teacher.
Valuing the message:
I value this general message because there is great joy to be had in theological understanding. The better I understand God the more excited I am about him and his work and his identity. The more I understand about God the more I am able to think less of me and more of him. I value the idea that my understanding must be in accord with the truth if it will be effective at moving me properly to saving faith (Rom 10:1-2).
Reflecting on the message:
I need to take account of my thoughts and reactions to the big ideas presented in John’s first chapter and determine if I will be open to looking hard at the theology that John presents. I need to wrestle with God over my emotional reaction to theological truth and pray that he would open my eyes and grant me zeal and passion according to truth and that I might have greater affections for Jesus as I better understand what he came to accomplish and how.
Questions to ask:
- Do I read the gospels looking for theological understanding or just for practical life application?
- Do I think on what is written in a manner that I try to feel the impact or do I just look for a takeaway?
Responding to God & Reacting to His Lesson:
Tell God about your observations and your thoughts and your struggles with the chapter and determine how it will change or impact your thinking and your decisions. Be sure to react in some way to the truth rather than remain silent.
Proclaiming the Truth to Others:
Decide who you can share what you have learned with and ask for God’s help in reaching out to love others.
Soli Deo Gloria!
