Simple Hermeneutics For John's Gospel Chapter One Verse Eighteen
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| God became One of the people (Philippians 2: 6-8). God came into the world as One of the people. |
When exploring historical records of people and events, no other figure besides Yeshua has been more researched.
According to methodology to separate historical facts from legends and fictions, Yeshua existing and being crucified has been confirmed.
His baptism by John is another affirmed historical reality.
Opinions still abound, contentions persist, and denial is ever-present, yet these facts from history remain unchanged.
What is often ignored, and this mostly from weighted bias, is the fact of Yeshua's resurrection from the dead.
The same primary sources speak of baptism, of crucifixion, and also of miraculous healings, and of bringing back the dead to life.
These same sources proclaim a resurrection which impacted the eye-witnesses to also risk their lives, not in a violent manner, but in a manner that would have them relinquish their lives for the sake of the testimony (martyrdom).
This testimony is also mentioned in secular accounts of that era.
The primary sources used to determine Yeshua's existence, baptism, death, words, and actions are the Gospels and letters to the Church.
It is interesting that although these sources clarify that Yeshua rose to life after experiencing death, such a conclusion is categorized as ahistorical due to its breech of human expectation.
Since coming back to life is not a typical human experience and a disruption of the natural order of human understanding, such information boggles the mind and challenges typical expectation.
As the effort continues growing in dissecting the past according to research methods and scholarly opinions, it seems God continues to bring glory to Himself in the Son despite attempts of men to disprove and dispute the facts.
In attempting to disprove and find flaw, more detail and greater affirming evidence is discussed and expanded upon.
With every contentious accusation, clearer answers point to historical evidence and the new reality (love) continues to form out of the old reality (hostility).
Looking simply and briefly at John's testimony (the prophetic disciple, not the baptizing prophet), we can conclude a historical reality affirming Yeshua as being the Lord thy God revealed unto mankind (the definition of Messiah).
No one has ever seen God, but the One and only Son, who is Himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made Him known.
- John 1: 18
Yeshua described God as Spirit (John 4: 24).
Spirit is some 'thing' unseen, immeasurable, invisible, and hidden from man's purview unless it (Spirit) desires to be seen or understood.
Man's inability to physically 'see' God (or Spirit) can be understood as an obvious inability.
However, in that same verse we find that 'seeing' God can be defined in a different manner.
Yeshua made God known... and thus was God 'seen' by men (John 14: 9).
Reading this verse when using the words / sentiments in a simplify way, we can read this:
No one has ever seen God, but the Son has made Him known.
The One and only Son is Himself God, and is in closest relationship with the Father.
The only 'One' who has ever really known God, and thus knows all and everything that God is (to be seen), is the Son (John 14: 6).
By cross reference and a little bit of hermeneutics it is possible to understand how and why only the Son is in closest relationship with the Father... and also why the Son is God Himself.
An intimacy existing in being One - Himself.
Much how only your self (and God) knows your most intimate thoughts, so only God knows His mind.
As you can tell by now, literal and metaphysical understanding is implied (besides other manners of understanding).
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Yeshua:
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; rather, He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!
- Philippians 2: 5-8
Who, then, is 'Himself' referring to in Philippians 2: 5-8 and also in John 1: 18?
The One and only Son.
The Son is God Himself (it says).
Thus God brought about Himself into creation's plane as 'the Son' so men could somehow understand Him.
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