This was challenging. I didn’t realize how much I lean on other people’s opinions. Also, sorry for the jumble of notes with not a lot of cohesion. Just wanna get my thoughts out.
1:1 - reference to the trinity? The word, with God, was God?
6-9 remove? Maybe? Still seems important
10 - sad 😞
11 - sadder
12-13 - awe, also, puts me in a posture of lowliness/humility
14 - kind of the thesis, it feels like
15 - remove again?
16 - “we have ALL received”
17 - why
18 - only know God through Christ
Questions:
1. Trinity, creator, life giver, illuminator, Emmanuel, love and tenderness, generous, grace and truth, glory, fullness
2. Vs 10-13 I am both of these at the same time. There are ways that I don’t know Jesus. Maybe I wouldn’t accept him if I lived back then or if he came in my lifetime. The way I live my life today/now proves that even still I don’t always follow him faithfully and fully. I still sin and I still desperately need repentance and forgiveness. It’s only through his grace that I can call myself a daughter of God.
3. v17 points me to Jesus, to seek more of what/who he was and was about so I can live more like him. “We have all received” in v16 tells me that everyone is a child of God (potentially? Theologically I’m not sure where I fall on this and this is a big huge question I wrestle with as a Christian) and that makes them my brother/sister. vs 6-9 tells me how to live, testifying to the light so that all might come to believe.
After sitting with this passage for a little while I can’t stop thinking about v.5 “the light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not overtake it.”
I keep thinking about how we would keep our babies in a pitch black room at night when they were newborns and the smallest bit of light would sneak in through the cracks in the door. Or the little light on the baby monitor would illuminate its entire corner of the nursery.
I love that the imagery of this does not work in reverse... in a room filled with light a single “absence of light” does not fill any space.
It gives us a beautiful display of how God’s character works. And as spiritual beings how we can carry light into the dark places.. even more so when in community with other believers.
To address the first question on what seems removable from the text - the text seems repetitive. My thought is: why is there so many repeated words/concepts? It must have a purpose. I’ve always heard that when you see repeating in scripture it’s a call to pay attention.
What does it tell me about God? To be as concise as I can, it tells me that the God from Genesis 1 is the same as Jesus. There is no difference. No Old Testament God and then a New Testament God. They are the same God.
What does it tell me about myself? I need help to recognize God here with me. I might miss God/Jesus even if I’m looking right at him. I am created and I may not recognize my creator.
What is my responsibility? Like John I can help others know God through Christ.
There’s a lot more to tell about this passage, but this is my nutshell answer. Trying to boil it down to a short answer is an exercise indeed!
As I read this passage several times, I couldn't help the notice these phrases,
"All things were created through him"
"that all might believe "
"Gives light to everyone"
"All who did receive him"
"all received grace upon grace"
These remind me that God loves all of his creation.(No one is excluded.)
I'm brought back to the awareness that I am a creation of His.(Hard to believe knowing all of my mistakes.)
And lastly, that we are all connected to each other and the world around us as we are all a part of God's creation.(We should take care of each other.)
Just want to add that I love reading all of your comments! I am seeing things in scriptures I wouldn't notice on my own. Thank you!
This was challenging. I didn’t realize how much I lean on other people’s opinions. Also, sorry for the jumble of notes with not a lot of cohesion. Just wanna get my thoughts out.
1:1 - reference to the trinity? The word, with God, was God?
6-9 remove? Maybe? Still seems important
10 - sad 😞
11 - sadder
12-13 - awe, also, puts me in a posture of lowliness/humility
14 - kind of the thesis, it feels like
15 - remove again?
16 - “we have ALL received”
17 - why
18 - only know God through Christ
Questions:
1. Trinity, creator, life giver, illuminator, Emmanuel, love and tenderness, generous, grace and truth, glory, fullness
2. Vs 10-13 I am both of these at the same time. There are ways that I don’t know Jesus. Maybe I wouldn’t accept him if I lived back then or if he came in my lifetime. The way I live my life today/now proves that even still I don’t always follow him faithfully and fully. I still sin and I still desperately need repentance and forgiveness. It’s only through his grace that I can call myself a daughter of God.
3. v17 points me to Jesus, to seek more of what/who he was and was about so I can live more like him. “We have all received” in v16 tells me that everyone is a child of God (potentially? Theologically I’m not sure where I fall on this and this is a big huge question I wrestle with as a Christian) and that makes them my brother/sister. vs 6-9 tells me how to live, testifying to the light so that all might come to believe.
After sitting with this passage for a little while I can’t stop thinking about v.5 “the light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not overtake it.”
I keep thinking about how we would keep our babies in a pitch black room at night when they were newborns and the smallest bit of light would sneak in through the cracks in the door. Or the little light on the baby monitor would illuminate its entire corner of the nursery.
I love that the imagery of this does not work in reverse... in a room filled with light a single “absence of light” does not fill any space.
It gives us a beautiful display of how God’s character works. And as spiritual beings how we can carry light into the dark places.. even more so when in community with other believers.
This is beautiful ❤️
To address the first question on what seems removable from the text - the text seems repetitive. My thought is: why is there so many repeated words/concepts? It must have a purpose. I’ve always heard that when you see repeating in scripture it’s a call to pay attention.
What does it tell me about God? To be as concise as I can, it tells me that the God from Genesis 1 is the same as Jesus. There is no difference. No Old Testament God and then a New Testament God. They are the same God.
What does it tell me about myself? I need help to recognize God here with me. I might miss God/Jesus even if I’m looking right at him. I am created and I may not recognize my creator.
What is my responsibility? Like John I can help others know God through Christ.
There’s a lot more to tell about this passage, but this is my nutshell answer. Trying to boil it down to a short answer is an exercise indeed!
As I read this passage several times, I couldn't help the notice these phrases,
"All things were created through him"
"that all might believe "
"Gives light to everyone"
"All who did receive him"
"all received grace upon grace"
These remind me that God loves all of his creation.(No one is excluded.)
I'm brought back to the awareness that I am a creation of His.(Hard to believe knowing all of my mistakes.)
And lastly, that we are all connected to each other and the world around us as we are all a part of God's creation.(We should take care of each other.)
Just want to add that I love reading all of your comments! I am seeing things in scriptures I wouldn't notice on my own. Thank you!