Quote:
Originally Posted by Boxjobox
Here is my dilemma, and where I would differ from your thinking that John is telling us Jesus is God, and is consistent through his writings. John writes also 17.3 and 20.17, which would no lead me to believe he is bringing us to see Jesus as God at all. If we read 2 John 3, it doesn’t follow, or Rev 1. 1,2 and 6, it doesn’t follow what I would consider a consistency, unless, as many seem to do, we are supposed to find secret, hidden meanings and read behind and underneath what is written.
I would say that logos should be understood as the thought, the idea, which was with God, and was God. We seem to have no clue as to why John put in “was God” for a description of logos- who was John writing to, what was there philosophy/theology, what would have been their need to hear such a thing?
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John was a simple man who spoke with plain words. The opening to his gospel was well constructed with much deliberation.
Yes, the Logos is the thought, the idea, the message, the story, the narrative of God. Paul, however, called Him the image of the invisible God. These in no way conflict, rather provide complementary descriptions.
While John's message is simple, yours requires endless wordsmithing to explain away his message. Where is your foundational basis of scripture that declares Jesus is
not God? There is none. There is only your understanding that the Son of God
cannot also be God. This is exactly why John wrote what he did, nearly 70 years after Jesus died and resurrected. John clarified some false and prevailing errors that had developed over time.
Thus John made it so clear that Jesus, the Son, was God eternal. The Word, in the eternal beginning, was with God and was God. This Word created all things. And this Word became flesh and tabernacled among us. In his gospel, John repeatedly brought this truth up:
- He is in the bosom of the Father (1.18)
- The Jews killed Jesus because He made Himself equal with God (5.18; 10.33; 19.7)
- He and the Father are one (10.30)
- Thomas worshiped Him as God (20.28)