St. John's Gospel (01) - Believe

John 1:1-18 -  In the beginning was the Word . . . . He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. . . And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us . . .

The Gospel of St. John is both simple and profound. No scholarship is needed to receive it’s truth and yet no scholar has seen through it’s profound matrix of depth. With the most basic language (in the original Greek) it conveys the richest portrait of Christ that could be imagined. John presents Jesus in profound glory, such as with the “I AM” statements. He alludes to a rich Days patter (on the Third Day, 2:1). He has a series of profound, “Behold” statements: Behold the Lamb, Behold Your King, Behold the Man, Behold your son. The Gospel is framed with seven + one signs. Each sign manifests more fully The Word made flesh and reveals the new creation in Christ. The new creation sequence (7 + 1) calls to mind the 6 + 1 sequence of the original creation which culminates in the sabbath. The parallels in Genesis are “Forming Days” (1-3) and “Filling Days” (4-6). Days 1 & 4 relate (Light, Light-bearers), Days 2 & 5 relate (Sea/Sea Critters; Sky/Sky Critters) and Days 3 & 6 relate (Land, Land Animals & Man). Then in addition there is the Seventh Day which completes the sequence. In John the “First Day” (or Eighth Day) completes the sequence of new creation.

The Seven + One New Creation (Signs in John)
1. New Creator: Water into wine (2:1-11)
    2. Redeemer/Healer: Prevents death of nobleman’s son (4:46ff)
        3. True Sabbath: The paralyzed man at the pool (5:2-9)
            4. Bread of Life: Multiplication of loaves (6:1-14)
        5. Light of the World: Born blind, healed on Sabbath (9:1-7)
    6. Resurrection & Life: Delays/death then raises Lazarus (11:1-44)
7. Living Water: Water & blood on the cross (19:34-35)
+ 8. (New Creation) New Adam/Gardener: The resurrection (20:1-29) “First Day” (8th Day)

The Six + One Old Creation (Days in Genesis)
1. Day One: Light from Darkness
    2. Day Two: Sea & Sky
        3. Day Three: Land, Plants, Seeds
4. Day Four: Lights - Sun, Moon, Stars
    5. Day Five: Fish (in Sea) & Birds (in Sky)
        6. Day Six: Land Animals & Man
+ 7. God Rested (Completion of Creation)