Gospel of John: Creation narrative

First story: creation narrative

Text: John 1:19 – 2:12

Structure:

Day 1 – 1:19-28, confession of John

Day 2 – 1:29-34, Firmament – the Lamb of God

Day 3 – 1:35-42, First fruits, first disciples

Day 4 – 1:43-51, Heavenly lights – Philip and Nathaniel

Day 7 – 2:1-11, Sabbath – Wedding at Cana

Conclusion, 2:12, Placement to the Garden – He and the “family” moves to Capernaum.

Comments: The first story picks up on the first story of Genesis – Creation. Usually, commentators separate the testimony of John the Baptizer, selection of the first disciples, and the Wedding at Cana of Galilee. Yet, if we pay attention to John's choice of words, we see creation narrative as a backdrop drapes for the stage.

Day 1 – 1:19-28, confession of John

Day 2 – 1:29-34, Firmament – the Lamb of God

Day 3 – 1:35-42, First fruits, first disciples

Day 4 – 1:43-51, Heavenly lights – Philip and Nathaniel

Day 7 – 2:1-11, Sabbath – Wedding at Cana.

Conclusion, 2:12, Placement to the Garden – He and the “family” moves to Capernaum.

PSALM 87

Psalm 87

There are two main parts:

(a) vv. 1-3 – Zion vs. dwelling places of Jacob

(b) vv. 4-7 – Zion vs. other nations 

A. Zion vs. dwelling places of Jacob

Holy mountain – mountain is a higher ground, remember that the first great judgment was the Flood. After the Flood Noah builds the altar – mini-mountain – lifting up or elevating the place of worship above the ground as a remembrance of the Flood.  

  City founded by the Living one – interesting to notice that the first city was founded by wicked Cain, build on a spilled blood of his brother Abel. It should not be surprising for us – the great technological progress needs a sacrifice. So, should Christians leave cities? No, for our city of found by Jesus, who didn’t sacrifice “a brother” but spilled His own blood for our citizenship.  

    The gates are protected by Himself – if the gates are secure, the city/citizens are safe. He is protecting us by His Word and Sacraments – marking the perimeter of the city.  

      City of God is a place where the glorious things are spoken – it is easy to understand the claims of the pagan deities: many sacrifices, lots of smoke (and mirrors). Yet, Jesus has a different glory – dying for the ungodly, see Romans 5:6-8.    

 

B. Zion vs. other nations

vv. 4: 5 geography pointers

Rahab – Egypt (see Isaiah 30:7) – West

Babylon – East

Philistia and Tyre – seashores

Cush – Ethiopia – deep south

Dr. Martin Luther commented on this: it shall be a city as wide as the earth is, and in it shall be born Ethiopians, Egyptians, Babylonians, Philistines, residents of Tyre, and peoples of other lands and tongues. (RPL, p. 206)

v. 4b-6: Zion IS a birthplace for the God of LIFE is the founder of the city. Two things here: first, Zion is a place where the first commandment can be fulfilled – Genesis 1:28a: be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth. Second, It is paralleled with the idea that other places are places of spiritual death, as a place of absence/rejection of God.  

 

Conclusion:

v. 7: the words of singers and dancers (!).

Two words about dancers – it might look like a discotheque reading. It reality, we have a dance to perform every Sunday (at least), it’s called Divine Service or Liturgy. When a congregation is standing up in a proper time, when it sits down, when clergy, elders, and laity move in the appointed way – it is a liturgical and biblical dance.  

All my springs are in YOU: Springs are the sources of life in the desert climate: no water – no life, very simple.

Jesus identifies Himself with the springs of the living water – John 7:37-39.

He is the founder of the City of God – Revelation 21:10-14.       

 

Prayer: Thanks be to YOU, our heavenly Father, because You have called us into the Church of Your Son, Jesus Christ, and have begotten us again unto a lively hope through the Gospel. Keep us steadfast in the faith, that we may remain living stones in this Your spiritual temple to our last day, and cause us to rejoice over Your salvation. Amen.  

PSALM 117

All nations praise the LORD.

Only two lines – but such a deep meaning. Allow me to walk you through.

v. 1a. Praise the LORD, all nations!

We have a glorious beginning – Hallelujah “Living ONE”! God is not called by His status; He is called by His name. Israel God is called by the name, but He is called by the Gentiles.

In the light of current political events, it is an important reminder that at the end ALL nations will recognize Jesus as Lord of the world. It will be done because the disciples will bring the Good News to all the nations – Matthew 28:18-20. Baptizing people and instructing them in faith. St. Paul uses this verse as a “proof-text” for the mission of Christ – Romans 15:11 (Let’s read!)   

v. 1b, Extol Him, all peoples!

Psalmist “doubles down” – he encourages all the peoples to extol Him. Exclaim with the loud voices, keep triumphant praise.

Together the unity of all nations and all peoples means everyone with distinction and without exception. The Book of Revelation puts it in four categories: nations, tribes, peoples, and languages. Together with believers from Israel they will worship the Lamb Who sits on the Throne (Rev. 7:1-10). 

What a glorious picture!!  

It is a long-awaited fulfilment of the prophecies:

2 Samuel 22:50 – glory to His name among Gentiles (a psalm sang by king David by the end of his life).

Isaiah 11:10 – the root of Jessy will give a hope to Gentiles. 

Isaiah 2:2-4 (note nations and peoples in v. 4) – do you know where the statue dedicated to this verse is located?

Also psalm 72:11,17 has the same ideas – kings of their nations fall before Him and serve Him (compare to Psalm 2:1-12). 

 

v. 2a, For great is His steadfast love toward us,

Great here has two meanings: (1) it is great in fullness (extended to all nations, see above); (2) it is great in intensity (covering all sins and faults), it is true on global and personal level: Romans 5:20-21 and 1 Timothy 1:12-14.

 Steadfast love – a word [hesed] which is very difficult for translation. We’ve talked about it last time (Psalm 118:1,29). It also can include mercy, grace etc. Most importantly, we need to pay attention “steadfast” aspect of “love” – along with other aspects of the meaning it should include “faithfulness.” God is faithful to His promises, covenants, and prophecies. We can rely on the fact of our forgiveness through Jesus, guidance by the Holy Spirit, and promise of heavenly haven prepared for us by the Son of God.  

 

v. 2b, And the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.

Faithfulness is a good translation; we also see it in Lamentations 3:22-23. It is a background for the hymn “great is Thy faithfulness.”

At the same time, we can add something: this word is related to very famous Hebrew word that all of you know – guess which one?

Jesus uses double of the word 25 times in the Gospel of John (for example 3:3; 5:24; 13:20). Using these doubles signifies that the words of Jesus are “really true.”   

Conclusion: Praise the Lord (Alleluia!)

The term denotes being clear (pure) sound and color, therefore “to show off [in a good sense], shine, or boast”

Think of the words of St. Paul in 1 Corinthians 1:30-31 (see the background in Jeremiah 9:23-24).

He is worthy to be praised, to be boasted about! He redeemed us!

Soli Deo Gloria – Glory be to God Alone!

LENT: EXODUS 9

Lenten devotions: Exodus 9 

(please read the chapter before reading this devotion).

From frogs, gnats, and flies we come to livestock, boils, and hail. As you see, the level is rising – to some extent. But there are things that don’t change. Pharaoh fights to the last, then surrenders, then changes his mind. But my point for today is different.

Beginning with the fifth plague the damages don’t impact Israel. Exodus 9:6b says: And all the livestock of the Egyptians died, but not one of the livestock of the people of Israel died. This middle plague constitutes a turning point. The final hit – death of the first-born – will resemble the similar feature, to some extend (I know o repeat myself, I don’t like it either). Later, in chapters 11-12-13 we will read that the houses will be protected by the blood of the lamb. Not by ancestry connection to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Not by claiming the suffering relatives during the Nile boys’ mass-murdering. Not by anything – only by the blood of the lamb. We’ll talk about the symbolism of that rite in a few days, but the point is – from now on there will be a separation between those who trust and, therefore, obey the LORD and those who don’t.     

The time of Lent is the time of trust. Christ calls us to follow the path of trustful obedience. Obedience to the Word, being drawn to the Sacraments. Sometimes it is not easy, more than often it looks difficult. But there is a reason Jesus invites us to pray – lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil [one] (Matthew 6:13). He promises to guide us through the dark tunnel, the wilderness, the twilight… Standing next us, He promised to protect our path to the final destination – heaven, when we will see the Lamb who share His blood for our redemption.