Old Testament: Nehemiah 5 & 6
Poetry: Psalm 21
*New Testament: John 1
Today I want to focus on what is often called the “prologue” or “preamble” of John, or John 1:1-18.
Read any modern translation of this passage, and it will sound like the Word (Logos) is a person. If it is read this way, then it seems to be communicating that this person was with God from the very beginning, and was actually God. This person created everything and was active in the world and with his people. Finally, in verse 14, this person became flesh and was among us as Jesus. It certainly sounds like this passage is saying God became flesh.
If that is the way you understand this passage, you are definitely not alone. Most Christians for a very long time have read it this way, and would probably say that Jesus is as much God as the Father (co-equal) and has always existed with him (co-eternal). The understanding is that they share a divine essence but are distinct persons. If you throw the Holy Spirit into the mix and hash out a few more considerations (possibly over centuries of bloody dispute), you have a Trinity doctrine.
If you’re reading this, then it’s likely you come from a Biblical Unitarian perspective, meaning you believe that God is one person (the Father), not three. But these words exist on the internet, so virtually anyone on earth or in space can read them. There is a chance you have a Trinitarian understanding of God. If that’s you, please know I am not here to criticize your beliefs. The times and places for that are few and seldom fruitful.
Let’s do an interpretation experiment. By making a very small shift in perspective, the passage reads quite differently. What if we thought of the Word not as a person, but as a personification? Or, in this context, a literary device that imbues a non-person with qualities or abilities of a person. You know, like when opportunity knocks, fear grips, or sin crouches.
If we think of the Word as a thing that is being personified, what is the thing? We could spend lifetimes diving into this question, but for the purposes of our experiment, let’s approximate it to the wisdom of God.
Is this too far of a leap? I’ll leave that up to you, but I want to mention that there is scriptural precedent for personifying God’s wisdom. Proverbs is a hotbed for this kind of language (see 1:20-33, 8:22-31, 9:1-6). Also, the adventurous and curious (nerds!) can find many examples of personification of God’s wisdom in the deuterocanonical writing called Wisdom of Solomon. It is likely not in your Bible, but if you have Catholic friends, it might be in theirs.
So, what does the passage look like if, when we encounter “Word” in the text, we think of the wisdom of God? It might be understood something like this:
God’s wisdom was right there with God from the beginning. The wisdom of God is God, since you wouldn’t think of his wisdom as something separate from him, but as a quality or extension of him. God created everything through his wisdom. God’s wisdom is life and light to his people. John the baptizer came to testify to this wisdom and prepare the way for it to come in a new and powerful way. God’s wisdom was in the world, and not everyone recognized or accepted it, yet those who did became children of God. And now God’s wisdom has been “made flesh” in Jesus.
If we look at the passage from this angle, we are less likely to come away with the conclusion that God somehow became human, and more likely see Jesus as the human who uniquely embodies divine wisdom. Jesus is the culmination of the entire Hebrew wisdom tradition, the target of the arrow passing through the Pentateuch, the Prophets and the Writings. He is close to the Father’s heart, making Him (Jesus’ Father and his God) known to us, and representing him more closely than anyone ever could. Some would call this Wisdom Christology.
When I encountered this interpretation, it clicked for me, and I found it helpful for making sense of the passage. I offer it not as the one true interpretation that you should also adopt, but as one of many possible interpretive options. I’m very glad if it is as helpful to you as it was to me, but if not, thanks for considering it.
-Jay Laurent
Reflection Questions:
1. John’s gospel begins very differently than the other gospels. What do you think was John’s motive behind beginning his gospel with the Word?
2. God reveals his wisdom in many ways, but most notably through Jesus. What are some other ways?
3. From later in the chapter in verse 45, what do you think Philip means when he says they’ve found the one Moses and the prophets wrote about?
4. What are some issues/problems created by having a human God?
Seek Grow Love 