He Is Here

I was reading today in John 1 about John’s witness to the Light. This passage unfolds beautifully about the Light that shines on all of humanity, but it is interrupted by a heartbreaking sentence, “He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, but the world did not know him”. What was true then is sadly still true today. Jesus IS in the world, and it IS made through Him, and yet the world STILL does not know Him.

To me this is a challenge not to leave John’s task unfinished. He came to bear witness to the Light, that people would be saved through that Light. Our task remains the same. What is so wonderful about the Gospel’s message in this first chapter is how positively Jesus is portrayed. There is no fear factor involved. No mention of the judgment that lurks just beyond death. The promise is simply that for those who receive the Light, they will be given the right to be children of God. While it is true that judgment does await those who refuse the Light, the greater truth is that adoption awaits those who receive the Light. We have a wonderful message to proclaim. We have a wonderful Light to bear witness to. We have a father who is willing to adopt anyone who comes to him. We have a savior who is here! He is here! Jesus is in the world, so we must be there too bearing witness to his great love.

First Century Manuscript

P52. Dates from early 2nd century, not the Markan fragment

I am probably late to notice this news, although it was announced just about 30 miles from where I live. Dr. Dan Wallace of DTS has announced the finding of a Markan fragment likely dated from the first century. This of course would make it the  only NT manuscript we have found from the first century. Unfortunately as of yet few detail have been released and the work will not be published until next year. Check out the news.

Christian Post

WND

Not One Thing!

I have never been good at reading through the Bible. I have done it and plan to continue this discipline, but it usually ends up as a legalistic task for me to accomplish. I often arrive at the end not even knowing what I’ve just read. So I decided to do something that for me has previously been primarily academic. I have decided to translate the GNT with purely devotional motives. This is an intimidating task for me to take on, because my translating skills are painfully SLOW! To ease anxiety I decided to start with John.

The beginning of John often receives attention for its great statement of Jesus’ divinity, but there is so much more. There is the great proclamation often translated “All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made”. When you really ponder on this verse you realize what a profound statement it is. Absolutely everything was made through Jesus our Messiah! When I read the Greek it came across even stronger than the English translations I have read. It quite literally reads “All things were made through him, and apart from him NOT ONE THING was made that was made.” I was excited to see the NET Bible translated in this way.

What an amazing truth! That is how primary our Messiah is. Not one, single thing was made apart from Him. Without Him there is nothing, but through Him is everything! There were no secret truths hidden in the Greek, which were previously unseen in English, but taking the time to examine each word, clause, and sentence really allows the full power of God’s word to reach into my soul. Take some time and look up to the sky and all around, and know that it is all through Him! What a privilege to study God’s word in this way.