Taken On

In John 1, John the Baptist sees Jesus coming to him, and says this amazing statement, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” I have often read this and the image that came to my mind was something like this…

Besides the tux and gloves, I would say this image pretty much represents the image in my head. Yet, this image could not be further from the truth! This should be clear just from reading the English text. Jesus is referred to as the Lamb of God, that is, the sacrificial Lamb. In the OT a lamb’s presence or finger wave did not absolve the sins of the people. The lamb had to be sacrificed in order to fulfill this function. In the same way, Jesus did not remove the sins of the world by a magic phrase or a command, Jesus was sacrificed. Jesus did not zap away the sins of the world, he physically took them on.

What really made this pop for me was the word translated “take away”, it’s the Greek word αἰρω. BDAG gives a number of options for it, including: take up, pick up (primary), take/carry, take away, remove, etc. This is the same word used when the paralytic is told to pick up his bed and walk.

You will notice that these are all very much physical actions. I realize why translators choose “take away”, but to me it seems to lose some of that sense of physicality that is of utmost importance. Jesus DID take away the sins of the world, but he did it by taking them on. I am sure there are good reasons not to, but I like the translation, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes ON the sin of the world!”

I think a better image for this verse might look something like this…

But we really don’t even need to conjure up an image for this verse, because we already know what this looks like. It looks like God hanging naked, and bloody on cross, with the weight of the world bearing down on him. What a reminder of what he has done for us, let us always give thanks for this Lamb that we have no hope without.

Four Gospels

I saw this humorous comic posted over at nearemmaus today. It’s funny, but I am sure many do indeed see the four gospels as an embarrassment. I couldn’t disagree with that sentiment more!

The common analogy given in my Sunday School settings is that of four witnesses recounting a car crash; each gospel represents a different witness to the crash and thus the details differ. With that kind of explanation I can understand why four gospels would be seen as a flub. Surely the Holy Spirit could have just made one that  didn’t differ from three others!

The better analogy I have heard is that of four witness to a crash, each reporting the crash for different purposes, and to different audiences. The gospels are THEOLOGICAL, that is, they are not purely history of Jesus’ life, they have a purpose. The stories and details do not line up exactly, because each gospel is not merely attempting to regurgitate all that can be recalled of the life of Jesus. I hope to post later with some of Dr. Black’s book Why Four Gospels: The Historical Origins of the Gospels. The overall messages the gospel’s preach are profound, and must not be missed.

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.