In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made, without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it… The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Gospel of John 1:1-5, 9-11
The beginning of John’s gospel is so mesmerizing and deep that I can’t seem to get past the first 14 verses. And I have been reading and contemplating them for weeks now.
“The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.”
Andy Stanley does a beautiful job in his Christian series (episode 5) in explaining this and really fleshing it out. He says it’s like an artist who paints a picture. Then steps into that painting, but none of the people in the painting recognize that he is the painter.
Enter JRR Tolkien
But I was thinking, even better, it would be like the writer of a screenplay, or a book that a movie is based on, stepping onto the production set of the movie and no one realizing who he is. Imagine this during the filming of some epic series like the Lord of the Rings: The actors, directors, producers, lighting, sound, visual effects guys, etc. are all sitting around deeply immersed in this story, this fantasy. Really living out the characters, imagining and tweaking the scenery, the sound, the lighting, the dialogue…The backstory and the thought process that informs how the characters react, speak, emote. Their mannerisms, posture, movement, voice. Really, really getting into creating this whole fantasy world.
When who shows up, but JRR Tolkien, the writer of the original books that the movies are based on. I mean, awesome, right? There he is, the creator of this whole shebang. Responsible for all of it, and for everyone’s job, everyone involved, and this whole project even existing…..
And no one recognizes him. Or even believes him. They dismiss him, maybe as one of the executive producers trying to get too involved in the filmmaking process. Or maybe just some random dude with a lot of opinions and suggestions. Viggo Mortensen, one of the stars, has no idea Tolkien is uniquely responsible for writing the words he is saying, and creating the character he is embodying, or the setting, the mood…the entire fantasy he is portraying. When Tolkien tries to explain what his intentions were when he created this fantasy world, almost everyone on set poo-poohs him. They run him off, they scoff. They ridicule and laugh. “What does that old man know?”, they think. We know better, no one needs to tell us how to do this!
Jesus In Genesis?
So it was with Jesus. He was there, in the beginning. At the creation of the world, the universe, the cosmos, and everything in it. It is no coincidence that John starts his Gospel with In the beginning, the same three words that start the book of Genesis, the first book of the Bible.
Through him all things were made. Without him, nothing was made that has been made. Read it again. This is a big statement. And what does “through him all things were made” even mean? I don’t know, like, with his permission or guidance? Or with his direction….Or through his creative efforts or talents…Through his gifting? But would we say that the statue of David or the Sistine Chapel ceiling mural were made through Michelangelo? I think ‘made through’ connotes more than that.
{On further thought, it seems that it may have to do with the power to create something out of nothing. No raw materials to work with}*
Enter Jesus
Anyway, Jesus came, he saw, he taught, he healed, he befriended sinners, he talked about loving God and loving each other, he spoke philosophy, spirituality and Truth. He explained repentance and salvation.
And many hated him for it. They ran him off. Tried to kill him a number of times. Finally succeeded… When the time was right. When the time had come. Don’t be fooled. Judas wasn’t nearly as responsible for the death of Jesus as we like to think. He played a part, sure. But God had a plan all along….In the beginning…
Dear Father in Heaven, thank you for The Word, your Son Jesus. And thank you for The Word, the scriptures you give us that are all about him. So much shrouded in mystery, so much that we cannot comprehend this side of Eternity. But all part of a beautiful mystery to be revealed when we arrive. we love you and trust you, and so we believe, in faith, for the promise of salvation that you had in mind in the beginning.
*On second further thought, after prayer walking through our woods… don’t we say we can do all things through Christ ? That means with his power and his enabling and his inhabiting Presence in our Spirit. And isn’t it based on our trust in him? So maybe this all comes into play when we contemplate ‘through him all things were made’.
Please share your thoughts on this in the comments.