The follower of Jesus, who came to be known as the, Apostle John, wrote five books that are in the Bible. His writing of the gospel and two of his letters, epistles, speak clearly and explicitly to refute and expose gnosticism. Gnostic thought, in a nutshell was; the material world was not created by God and is evil, the spiritual world is of God. Therefore, Jesus did not come as a physical person, only as a spiritual emanation that was allowed to be seen. They believed that all physical activity of Jesus, as recorded in the gospel accounts, was incorrectly witnessed, or was just the imagery of physical activity. In other words, they did not really see what they really saw.
John goes to great detail in his inclusion of the physical Jesus displaying flesh and blood action, and inter-action, in the society that surrounded him. But, prior to an overview of such detail, we should look at John's description of Jesus himself.
His gospel account and first letter begin by his confession that, the Logos of God, the Word, took on human form. The second person in the Trinity experienced incarnation, became flesh. John tells us that he, among many, saw, listened to, and touched Jesus. And, in turn, witnessed Jesus touch countless people.
John is the most intimate word illustrator of the life of Jesus. His account of Jesus' feet being washed and anointed combines beauty and truth. The act in itself was one of humility and beauty. The truth displayed was profound in that, you can not wash and anoint a spiritual emanation, only real feet attached to a very real Jesus.
A survey of his gospel will show the many instances of his use of physical touch. The miracles John records as well as other activities, point to a very real man and very real God. His eyewitness account of the crucifixion is the only one that details the piercing of the side of Jesus, shortly after his death. The Roman soldiers intended to break his legs, to quicken death, yet found him already dead. To insure that he was dead, a lance was thrust into his side, piercing the pericardium. Blood and water flowed from the wound, giving evidence that Jesus was indeed dead.
John's first letter begins as his gospel account, giving eyewitness testimony to the physical life of Jesus Christ. He tells his readers that he, looked at, listened to, and touched, Jesus Christ, the Anointed Christ, Second Person of the Trinity, Creator of heaven and earth.
Some thoughts will follow concerning John and his account of Jesus after the resurrection.
You don't believe that John wrote Revelations?
ReplyDelete