Grace and Truth
Sermon
THE GREENING OF THE GOSPEL
SERMONS FOR ADVENT, CHRISTMAS AND EPIPHANY SUNDAYS 1-8 IN ORDINARY TIME)
Since we have already considered the first fOurteen verses of this first chapter of John's Gospel, in a previous discourse, here we will concentrate on verses fifteen through eighteen beginning with the author's testimony concerning John the Baptizer. The wilderness preacher had declared:
Someone is coming after me who is greater by far than I am for he existed long before I did.
(L.B. v. 15)
This description of Jesus as the pre-existent presence is consistent with John's prologue thesis.
The distinctive history of the Jews began with Abram, the son of Terah, who lived centuries before Christ in Ur of the Chaldees. (Genesis 11:31) The word of the Lord gave direct instruction and Abram responded:
Now the Lord said unto Abram,
"Get thee out of thy country,
and from thy kindred,
and from thy father's house,
unto a land that I will show thee.
And I will make of thee
a great nation, and I will bless thee,
and make thy name great;
and thou shalt be a blessing ..."
So Abram departed,
as the Lord had spoken unto him ...
(Genesis 12:1-2, 4a)
In chapter 17 of Genesis a record of God's covenant with Abram is recorded. Here the patriarch's name is changed to Abraham, meaning "father of a great multitude." Because Abraham is considered the first of the "chosen people," his name is venerated.
In the thirteenth century B.C., Moses, a descendant of Abraham, emerges as the great deliverer of the Jews from Egyptian oppression. But it is the association of Moses with the Torah (the law) which provides a unique place for him in the history of the Jews. The word "torah" means "to direct or point the way." The core of the Torah is The Ten Commandments which Moses presented to the Jewish refugees in the wilderness of Sinai. He had received them from the Lord who spoke from Mount Sinai, amidst a mixture of clouds and smoke, lightning and thunder. (Exodus 19:1ff) The twentieth chapter begins with the crisp statement of the ten demands of God:
1. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. *
2. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image or any likeness of anything that is in the heaven above or in the earth beneath.
3. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.
4. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.
5. Honor thy father and thy mother.
6. Thou shalt not kill.
7. Thou shalt not commit adultery.
8. Thou shalt not steal.
9. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
10. Thou shalt not covet. (Exodus 20:1-17)
Right through the twenty-third chapter of Exodus, the divine instruction continues with specific rules governing the conduct of the people in relationship to each other. All this, and more to be added, constituted the Torah, the law, the commandment of God.
*This numbering scheme follows the general Protestant tradition; Lutherans and Roman Catholics count the commandment concerning God's name as number two.
But the application of the law to more and more details of human conduct required additional elaboration. For example, there was the need for adjudication in cases where the evidence, the degree of infraction, or the guilt or innocence was unclear. This led to the development of a learned profession of lay interpreters of the law called the Pharisees. Some scholars believe that the Pharisees probably emerged out of the community of lay scribes. In addition to their devotion to the jot and tittle of the law, the Pharisees were staunch defenders of tradition.
In many respects the teachings of the Pharisees had much in common with the theological views of Jesus. They espoused the sovereignty of God in history. They believed in the resurrection of the dead. Angelology and eschatology were also a part their teaching. They were committed to the whole messianic thesis, the notion that God would ultimately send a deliverer who would fulfill all of the expectations of Israel and usher in a new age of peace and justice.
But Jesus had trouble with the Pharisees. They were constantly critical of the Master's actions, some of which seemed to be an affront to the law and a contradiction of tradition. For example, they abhorred his desecration of the Sabbath. (Matthew 12:lff) In one instance, they challenged Jesus for permitting his disciples to eat bread without first washing their hands. (Matthew 15:1ff) The confrontations with Jesus often took place in the presence of large crowds. In each instance, Jesus had a rebuttal which was frequently embarrassing to the Pharisees. Time after time the murmuring response of the people seemed to support the response of Jesus.
All things considered, however, the Pharisees have to be admired. They were trying to maintain the distinctive ingredients of Judaism, in the face of foreign influences and homespun demogogues. Unfortunately, their loyalty was to the past. This prevented them from accepting the notion that God is continually stepping beyond history, past revelation or tradition. God continues to unfold divine meanings in the present and the future. But perhaps the severest criticism of the Pharisees was their lack of compassion for the common people. They were religious elitists, generally venerated by the Jews. Because of their elevated status, they tended to be pompous and insensitive. The severity of the law was more important to them than the redemptive influence of mercy and forgiveness.
When the Gospel of John was written, the author had before him the record of the life, teaching, death and resurrection of Jesus. So his observations were reflective. He was aware of the
occasions when the comments of Jesus seemed to add a revolutionary new dimension to the interpretation of the law. For example, Jesus said: "... As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:14-15)
On still another occasion, Jesus took direct issue with Mosaic teaching, this time on the subject of divorce. Moses permitted the men to give their wives a "writ of divorcement" and dismiss them. But Jesus said: "Moses did that in recognition of your hard and evil hearts, but it was not what God had originally intended. And I tell you ("say unto you", K.J.V.) that anyone who divorces his wife, except for fornication, and marries another, commits adultery." (L.B. Matthew 19:7-9)
"Jesus said this in defense of the helpless women who were cast into the street by cruel husbands who wished to replace them. They were dismissed; but the children remained the property of the husband. This always had distressing economic and social consequences for women who had faithfully served their husbands for years, but were no longer wanted. It was in protest against the abuse of women that Jesus spoke so forcefully on the subject of divorce.
Once when Jesus was cornered by his critics for healing a man on the Sabbath, he countered with a stinging rebuttal. His critics had used the fourth commandment of Moses to chastise him, but Jesus said:
... I worked on the Sabbath by healing a man. But you work on the Sabbath too, whenever you obey Moses' law of circumcision; for if the correct time for circumcising your children falls on the Sabbath, you go ahead and do it, as you should. So why should I be condemned for making a man completely well on the Sabbath? ...
(John 7:21-23, L.B.)
These illustrative vignettes assist our understanding of the gospel writer's statement: "The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." (1:17) Some scholars warn us not to read the passage as the Master's opposition to the law. On the contrary, it is simply the gospel writer's distinctive way of commending the superior authority of Jesus to his readers. In John's Gospel, the law is a respected God-given legacy; but the incarnate Son of God provides a more complete revelation of the intention of God. John is calling for all to receive the grace and truth vested in Jesus, God's incarnate presence.
Verse eighteen is a capsuled gem of Johannine theological expression:
No one has ever seen God;
the only Son who is in the
bosom of the Father,
He has made Him (God) known.
(John 1:18, RSV)
Sir John Eccles, a Nobel Laureate in medicine and psychology and a pioneer in brain research, had some wise words to say in a recent interview: "Science," he said, "has gone too far in breaking down man's belief in his spiritual greatness ..." He goes on to suggest that we are more than "insignificant animals" who came into being "by chance and necessity" and live out our lives on an "insignificant planet" in the midst of what he calls a "cosmic immensity." Sir John then goes on to raise the pertinent timeless questions: Who am I? Why am I here? Why am I where I am right now? After death, what happens to the being I call myself?
Most scientists would consider any professional response to such questions "out of bounds." Yet these are the contemplative questions that arise in the conscious minds of thoughtful human beings everywhere. In the Hebrew/Christianthesic tradition, Abraham and Moses and the Prophets were human beings who provided profound responses to these penetrating human questions. But John's Gospel is arguing that in Jesus we have a unique opportunity to engage the very substance of God in the person of one who is himself both human and divine. Jesus, John is saying, is the one toward whom we should turn for the eternal answers we are seeking.
This special season of the year invites us to come within listening, looking and touching distance of the One who came to give us answers. He is the one who provides spiritual and moral incentive to all who are ready to believe. The liturgy and language in the service of Holy Communion affords each of us an excellent opportunity to experience again the spiritual mystique in the words and works of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Someone is coming after me who is greater by far than I am for he existed long before I did.
(L.B. v. 15)
This description of Jesus as the pre-existent presence is consistent with John's prologue thesis.
The distinctive history of the Jews began with Abram, the son of Terah, who lived centuries before Christ in Ur of the Chaldees. (Genesis 11:31) The word of the Lord gave direct instruction and Abram responded:
Now the Lord said unto Abram,
"Get thee out of thy country,
and from thy kindred,
and from thy father's house,
unto a land that I will show thee.
And I will make of thee
a great nation, and I will bless thee,
and make thy name great;
and thou shalt be a blessing ..."
So Abram departed,
as the Lord had spoken unto him ...
(Genesis 12:1-2, 4a)
In chapter 17 of Genesis a record of God's covenant with Abram is recorded. Here the patriarch's name is changed to Abraham, meaning "father of a great multitude." Because Abraham is considered the first of the "chosen people," his name is venerated.
In the thirteenth century B.C., Moses, a descendant of Abraham, emerges as the great deliverer of the Jews from Egyptian oppression. But it is the association of Moses with the Torah (the law) which provides a unique place for him in the history of the Jews. The word "torah" means "to direct or point the way." The core of the Torah is The Ten Commandments which Moses presented to the Jewish refugees in the wilderness of Sinai. He had received them from the Lord who spoke from Mount Sinai, amidst a mixture of clouds and smoke, lightning and thunder. (Exodus 19:1ff) The twentieth chapter begins with the crisp statement of the ten demands of God:
1. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. *
2. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image or any likeness of anything that is in the heaven above or in the earth beneath.
3. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.
4. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.
5. Honor thy father and thy mother.
6. Thou shalt not kill.
7. Thou shalt not commit adultery.
8. Thou shalt not steal.
9. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
10. Thou shalt not covet. (Exodus 20:1-17)
Right through the twenty-third chapter of Exodus, the divine instruction continues with specific rules governing the conduct of the people in relationship to each other. All this, and more to be added, constituted the Torah, the law, the commandment of God.
*This numbering scheme follows the general Protestant tradition; Lutherans and Roman Catholics count the commandment concerning God's name as number two.
But the application of the law to more and more details of human conduct required additional elaboration. For example, there was the need for adjudication in cases where the evidence, the degree of infraction, or the guilt or innocence was unclear. This led to the development of a learned profession of lay interpreters of the law called the Pharisees. Some scholars believe that the Pharisees probably emerged out of the community of lay scribes. In addition to their devotion to the jot and tittle of the law, the Pharisees were staunch defenders of tradition.
In many respects the teachings of the Pharisees had much in common with the theological views of Jesus. They espoused the sovereignty of God in history. They believed in the resurrection of the dead. Angelology and eschatology were also a part their teaching. They were committed to the whole messianic thesis, the notion that God would ultimately send a deliverer who would fulfill all of the expectations of Israel and usher in a new age of peace and justice.
But Jesus had trouble with the Pharisees. They were constantly critical of the Master's actions, some of which seemed to be an affront to the law and a contradiction of tradition. For example, they abhorred his desecration of the Sabbath. (Matthew 12:lff) In one instance, they challenged Jesus for permitting his disciples to eat bread without first washing their hands. (Matthew 15:1ff) The confrontations with Jesus often took place in the presence of large crowds. In each instance, Jesus had a rebuttal which was frequently embarrassing to the Pharisees. Time after time the murmuring response of the people seemed to support the response of Jesus.
All things considered, however, the Pharisees have to be admired. They were trying to maintain the distinctive ingredients of Judaism, in the face of foreign influences and homespun demogogues. Unfortunately, their loyalty was to the past. This prevented them from accepting the notion that God is continually stepping beyond history, past revelation or tradition. God continues to unfold divine meanings in the present and the future. But perhaps the severest criticism of the Pharisees was their lack of compassion for the common people. They were religious elitists, generally venerated by the Jews. Because of their elevated status, they tended to be pompous and insensitive. The severity of the law was more important to them than the redemptive influence of mercy and forgiveness.
When the Gospel of John was written, the author had before him the record of the life, teaching, death and resurrection of Jesus. So his observations were reflective. He was aware of the
occasions when the comments of Jesus seemed to add a revolutionary new dimension to the interpretation of the law. For example, Jesus said: "... As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:14-15)
On still another occasion, Jesus took direct issue with Mosaic teaching, this time on the subject of divorce. Moses permitted the men to give their wives a "writ of divorcement" and dismiss them. But Jesus said: "Moses did that in recognition of your hard and evil hearts, but it was not what God had originally intended. And I tell you ("say unto you", K.J.V.) that anyone who divorces his wife, except for fornication, and marries another, commits adultery." (L.B. Matthew 19:7-9)
"Jesus said this in defense of the helpless women who were cast into the street by cruel husbands who wished to replace them. They were dismissed; but the children remained the property of the husband. This always had distressing economic and social consequences for women who had faithfully served their husbands for years, but were no longer wanted. It was in protest against the abuse of women that Jesus spoke so forcefully on the subject of divorce.
Once when Jesus was cornered by his critics for healing a man on the Sabbath, he countered with a stinging rebuttal. His critics had used the fourth commandment of Moses to chastise him, but Jesus said:
... I worked on the Sabbath by healing a man. But you work on the Sabbath too, whenever you obey Moses' law of circumcision; for if the correct time for circumcising your children falls on the Sabbath, you go ahead and do it, as you should. So why should I be condemned for making a man completely well on the Sabbath? ...
(John 7:21-23, L.B.)
These illustrative vignettes assist our understanding of the gospel writer's statement: "The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." (1:17) Some scholars warn us not to read the passage as the Master's opposition to the law. On the contrary, it is simply the gospel writer's distinctive way of commending the superior authority of Jesus to his readers. In John's Gospel, the law is a respected God-given legacy; but the incarnate Son of God provides a more complete revelation of the intention of God. John is calling for all to receive the grace and truth vested in Jesus, God's incarnate presence.
Verse eighteen is a capsuled gem of Johannine theological expression:
No one has ever seen God;
the only Son who is in the
bosom of the Father,
He has made Him (God) known.
(John 1:18, RSV)
Sir John Eccles, a Nobel Laureate in medicine and psychology and a pioneer in brain research, had some wise words to say in a recent interview: "Science," he said, "has gone too far in breaking down man's belief in his spiritual greatness ..." He goes on to suggest that we are more than "insignificant animals" who came into being "by chance and necessity" and live out our lives on an "insignificant planet" in the midst of what he calls a "cosmic immensity." Sir John then goes on to raise the pertinent timeless questions: Who am I? Why am I here? Why am I where I am right now? After death, what happens to the being I call myself?
Most scientists would consider any professional response to such questions "out of bounds." Yet these are the contemplative questions that arise in the conscious minds of thoughtful human beings everywhere. In the Hebrew/Christianthesic tradition, Abraham and Moses and the Prophets were human beings who provided profound responses to these penetrating human questions. But John's Gospel is arguing that in Jesus we have a unique opportunity to engage the very substance of God in the person of one who is himself both human and divine. Jesus, John is saying, is the one toward whom we should turn for the eternal answers we are seeking.
This special season of the year invites us to come within listening, looking and touching distance of the One who came to give us answers. He is the one who provides spiritual and moral incentive to all who are ready to believe. The liturgy and language in the service of Holy Communion affords each of us an excellent opportunity to experience again the spiritual mystique in the words and works of Jesus Christ our Lord.
