Gospel (Jn 1:1-18)
1 In the beginning was the Word,
the Word was with God
and the Word was God
2 He was in the beginning with God
3 all things were made through him,
and without him nothing was made of all that exists.
4 In him was life
and the life was the light of men
5 the light shineth in darkness;
but the darkness did not comprehend it.
6 was a man sent from God
and his name was John.
7 He came for testimony
to testify to the light,
that all might believe through him.
8 He was not the light,
but came to bear witness to the light.
9 was coming into the world
the true light
that enlightens every man.
10 He was in the world,
and the world was made through him,
the world did not recognize him.
11 He came to his people,
but his own did not receive.
12 But to all who received him,
gave power to become children of God
who believed in his name,
13 which no blood,
nor of the will of the flesh,
nor of the will of man,
but of God were generated.
14 And the Word became flesh
and dwelt among us;
and we beheld his glory,
glory as of the only begotten of the Father,
full of grace and truth.
15 John testified
and shouts: "This was he of whom I said
He who comes after me
me ranks ahead
because he was before me. "
16 From his fullness
we all received
, grace upon grace.
17 For the law was given through Moses,
grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
18 God no one has ever seen
only Son,
that is in the bosom of the Father,
has revealed him.
All authors with particular care commitment to the first page of their books because the paper is the presentation of the whole work. Must be not only pleasant and attractive, but it is good that even hints at the essential issues to be discussed later. It is a way to whet your interest and curiosity of the reader.
To introduce his Gospel, John composed a song so sublime, so high as to deserve it, rightly, the title of "Eagle" among the evangelists. In this prologue, as in the 'overture "of a symphony, it is possible to understand the reasons that will be taken up and developed in subsequent chapters: the Father sent Jesus, the source of life, light of the world, full of grace and truth, which turns out to be begotten of the Father's glory.
In the first stanza (vv. 1-5) John seems to fly by an image dear to the wise and rabbinic literature as "the Wisdom of God" depicted as a charming and delightful woman. Here's how the "Wisdom" presents himself in the book of Proverbs: "The Lord created me at the beginning of its activity, first of all his work. When there were no depths I was brought forth, before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth. When he fixed the heavens, I was there, when he assigned the sea its limits, when the foundations of the earth, I was with him "(Prov 8.22 to 29).
is a personification echoed in the book of Sirach, which says that Wisdom was as embodied in the Torah, the Law, and set up his tent in Israel (Sir 24,3-8.22).
John knows these texts, and - perhaps with a little polemic against Judaism - takes them and applies them to Jesus
is he - he says - the Wisdom of God failed to put his tent in the middle to us, is he, not the Mosaic law, which reveals to men the face of God and his will. He is the Word The last and final Word of God, is the same Word by which God in principle, has created the world.
not alone. A difference of Wisdom personified (Sir 24.9), the Word of God - that Jesus was made flesh - was not created, but "it was" with God, God existed from eternity and was
For Israel Wisdom is a "tree of life to those who adheres to it" (Proverbs 3:18). John explains: the Wisdom of God manifested itself fully in the historical person of Jesus he is no longer the law, the source of life.
The coming of the Word the world divides history into two parts: before and after Christ, without him darkness, light where there is him. Word that, like a sword, it penetrates deep within every man and he separates what is "son of light" on what is "son of darkness." The darkness will try to overcome this light, but it succeeds. The negative response of man can not suppress it, and eventually the light will prevail in the heart of everyone.
The second stanza (vv. 6-8) is a first intermission narrative that introduces the figure of John the Baptist. For he says that "was with God." John is a simple man raised by God for a mission. It must have been witness to the light. His role is so important that is underlined three times.
He was not the light, but was able to recognize the true light and show to everyone.
The third stanza (vv. 9-13) develops the theme of Christ the light and the response of men before his appearance in the world.
The hymn begins with a cry of joy: "Word was the true light." Jesus is the true light, as opposed to illusory glitter, the wisps, the mirage, the deceptive glare thrown up by the wisdom of men.
At this cry is enthusiastic contrasts, however, suffered a lament: "The world knew him not." It is the rejection, opposition, closing the light. Men prefer the darkness because loyal to their evil deeds (Jn 3:19).
Even the Israelites - "his people" - the welcome. Yet they should recognize Jesus as the ultimate manifestation, the embodiment of "Wisdom of God," that wisdom that "among all nations had sought a resting place in which to establish" just and in Israel had found his home. The Creator of the universe had given this order: "Make your dwelling in Jacob and make Israel your inheritance "(Sir 24.7 to 8).
surprising rejection of light and life by men, even the most prepared and well arranged. Even Jesus was surprised one day unbelief of his own countrymen (Mark 6.6). This means that the light that is not imposed from above, no violence, are released, but are faced with a decision inescapable: we must choose between "blessing and curse" (Deut. 11:27), between "life and death "(Deuteronomy 30:15).
The verse ends with the joyful vision of those who believed in the light. Believing does not mean giving intellectual assent to a package of truth, but accept a person, the Wisdom of God who identifies with Jesus
To those who trust him is granted "a right" unheard of: to become children of God and the rebirth of which Jesus speaks from Nicodemus (John 3:3), rebirth that has nothing to do with natural birth which is linked to sexuality, to the will of man. Being born of God is of another order, is the work of the Spirit.
The fourth stanza (v. 14): "And the Word became flesh and moved his tent among us." It is the culmination of all the prologue and the words of the Gospel now listen to its knees. I am still full of admiration and joyful surprise of the first communities of Christians before the mystery of God who love undressing of his glory, destroying himself and his dwelling under our tent.
"Meat" in biblical language indicates the man in the appearance of being weak, fragile, perishable. One senses here the dramatic contrast between "flesh" and "Word of God so effectively expressed in the famous passage from Isaiah:" All flesh is grass and all its glory is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower, but the word of our God stands forever " (Is 40.6 to 8).
When John says that the "Word" became flesh, does not say simply that he took a mortal body, which is overlaid with muscles, but that became one of us, who became very similar to us (including feelings, passions, emotions, cultural conditioning, fatigue, exhaustion, ignorance - yes, even the ignorance - and then the temptations, the inner conflicts ...). Exactly like us except sin.
"And we beheld his glory." The biblical man was conscious that the human eye is unable to see a God he can only contemplate the "glory" that is, the signs of his presence, his works, his acts of power in favor of his people: "prove my glory upon Pharaoh and all his army, his chariots and his horsemen" (Exodus 14:17).
are heard echoing in this sentence of the prologue expressions full of intense emotion of the first letter of John: "That which was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have covered and what our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life (because life was made manifest, we have seen and testify and proclaim to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was made manifest to us), what we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you. We are writing this that our joy may be complete "(1 Jn 1:1-4).
John speaks in the plural because it intends to report the experience of Christians of his community, with the eyes of faith, have failed to grasp, beyond the veil of the "flesh" of Jesus crucified and humiliated, the face of God
The Lord has often expressed his glory with signs and wonders, but never revealed himself so clear and evident as in his "only begotten, full of grace and truth." "Grace and Truth" is an expression biblical meaning "faithful love." We find in the Old Testament when the Lord appears to Moses as "the merciful and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness" (Exodus 34:6). In this Jesus is the fullness of God's faithful He is irrefutable proof that nothing can ever overcome the benevolence of God
The fifth verse (v. 15) is the second intermission. Baptist reappears and this time he speaks to this: "testifies" in favor of Jesus "Shout" to men of all times that he is unique.
The sixth stanza (vv. 16-18) is a song of joy which overflows from the community's gratitude to God for the gift received. Incomparable gift. The law of Moses was a gift from God, but was not definitive. The external arrangements that it contained were not able to communicate "the grace and truth", that is, the force that enables man to match the faithful love of God 'grace and truth "were donated by Jesus appears here for the first time his name.
God no one has ever seen . It is a statement that John often calls (5.37, 6.46, 1 Jn 4,12.20). It is found already in the Old Testament: "Thou canst not see my face - said God to Moses - because no man can see me and live" (Exodus 33.20).
manifestations, apparitions, visions of God in the Old Testament were not told of the materialist view, was a humane way to describe the revelation of the thoughts, the will, the Lord of the projects.
Now you can really see, actually seeing Jesus to know God the Father should not be made or lost in philosophical arguments subtle disquisitions. Just contemplate Christ, look at what he does, what it says, what he teaches, how it behaves, as he likes, if you prefer, those attending, who went to dinner, who chooses, who complains, who defends. Enough, in particular, contemplate the highest moment of his glory, when it is raised on the cross. In the event that the sum of love the Father has said everything.
Fernando Armellini (biblical scholar)
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