The below is an excerpt from a recent post on BJ's blog: Blind Man's Fancy. I am going to add his blog to my sidebar and I would encourage you to visit his site and interact with him. He is a pastor who is seeking to "do" church in a way that lines up with scriptural mandates such as a plurality of leadership, church discipline and he seeks to preach in such a way as to exposit scripture. Spend some time looking around and interact where you feel led.
When Jesus announced his finished work in Jn 19.30 I wonder if he was echoing God's creative work. Was he providing the substance/fulfillment of God's sacramental creation? Was Jesus giving us the hermeneutic by which we interpret Genesis 1-2? Was God's goal in creation more than just biology, ecology and sociology? Might it be that the created order in nature foreshadowed his re-created order in Christ? If so, then Genesis 1-2 are not merely about creationism, but re-creationism. And what Genesis 1-2 are to creation, John's Gospel is to re-creation.
Let's note some interesting elements of John's Gospel. John began "in the beginning" where Christ (the Logos) existed as God and through whom God created the world (1.1-3). Where did God begin his creative activity in Genesis 1.3? With light shining in darkness. Where did John go from his beginning? With Light shining in darkness (1.4-5).
You can read more here.Some questions:
-Do you think this parallel is stretching it or does it fit?
-Have you heard this parallel drawn before?
-What are some other ways in which Christ has been made manifest in the Old Testament unbeknownst to the people of the OT?
-Is it to a Christian's detriment not to spend much time in the Old Testament?
-Can you really understand Christ if you don't understand the Old Testament?
1 comment:
this is very interesting...i've never heard this before. but i love john's gospel and especially how he starts it.
as a christian who enjoys reading the OT, i think it's essential and necessary for christians to study the OT. not just read but study. the OT contains so much about jewish law that really explains why Christ did the things He did. one of my favorite OT stories is of Passover and the Passover Lamb. how awesome that Christ is the Passover Lamb for anyone who believes.
another story that i just finished studying with my high school girls at church is the book of ruth. it's a beautiful story of redemption and truly foreshadows the redemption christians have in Christ!
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