This Week We Have Examined God's Unfolding Plan Of Salvation

This Weekwe Have Examined Gods Unfolding Plan Of Salvation Through

This week, we have examined God's unfolding plan of salvation through Israel. God made covenants with humans. We see this in the life of Abraham, Moses, David, and the people of Israel. Ultimately, the Old Testament points towards a New Covenant under Christ Jesus. After several thousand years of God's unfolding plan, Jesus breaks onto the scene, declaring that the Kingdom of God had come.

You have read about the start of Jesus' ministry in the Gospel of John 1-3. In words, identify two aspects/identities/roles of Christ in John 1-3 and discuss this role in light of a theme or themes we have learned in Weeks 1-3. For example, you might note in John 1 that Jesus is identified as the "Word" who was present at creation. How does this relate to our study of the creation narrative in Genesis 1? Another example might be to highlight the fact that John the Baptist calls Jesus the "Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" How might that connect to the story of the Passover?

Your initial post is due by Thursday, 11:59 p.m. You are required to respond in words to a minimum of two students by Sunday 11:59 p.m. In your responses, suggest one to two additional ideas, approaches, themes, insights, etc., for your fellow students to think about. The posts should be appropriately formatted, with proper grammar, as well as citation using a (parentheses) at the end of a sentence that draws on class material. REMEMBER, you want to demonstrate that you have read, understood, and can appropriately apply the materials from Weeks 1-3.

Paper For Above instruction

The Gospel of John introduces profound theological themes about the identity and mission of Jesus Christ, positioning Him as integral to God's overarching plan of salvation. Two prominent aspects or roles of Christ in John 1-3 are His identity as the "Word" (Logos) and His role as the "Lamb of God," each resonating with foundational themes in biblical theology.

Firstly, in John 1:1-3, Jesus is described as the "Word" (Logos), which was with God in the beginning and was indeed God. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1). This identification aligns Jesus with the divine power that existed before creation and played a central role in the act of creation itself, as seen in Genesis 1. The phrase "and the Word was with God" indicates a distinct personhood within the Godhead, emphasizing the relational aspect of divine unity. Connecting this to the creation narrative in Genesis 1, the "Word" can be understood as the divine principle through which God brings order and life into existence. The Logos embodies the active divine force that speaks into darkness and chaos, bringing forth light, land, and life, demonstrating that Jesus, as the pre-existent Word, is instrumental in the creative act (John 1:3; Genesis 1:3).

Secondly, the role of Jesus as the "Lamb of God" (John 1:29) signifies His sacrificial mission to take away the sin of the world. John the Baptist’s declaration, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world," echoes the Passover Lamb in Exodus 12, where the blood of the lamb protected Israel from death and signified salvation. This connection underscores Jesus' sacrificial death as the ultimate Passover sacrifice, fulfilling the typology of the lamb that spares God's people from destruction. It emphasizes themes of redemption and salvation—core motifs in God's unfolding plan—where Jesus’ death is the pivotal act rescuing humanity from sin and separation from God (Exodus 12; John 1:29).

Throughout John 1-3, these roles highlight Jesus’ divine nature and His mission to bring salvation through creation and sacrifice. His pre-existence as the Word affirms His divine authority and involvement in the creation narrative, while His identification as the Lamb of God underscores His redemptive purpose. These themes intertwine with the broader biblical narrative of God's covenantal relationship with humanity, starting from creation, through Israel’s history, and culminating in the redemptive work of Christ, which fulfills and extends God's promises (Hebrews 1:1-3; Revelation 13:8).

References

  • Holy Bible, New International Version. (2011). Zondervan.
  • Borg, M. J. (2013). The Heart of Christianity: Rediscovering a Life of Faith. Jossey-Bass.
  • Brown, R. E. (2004). The Gospel according to John (The Anchor Bible Series). Yale University Press.
  • Demarest, B. J. (2001). The Cross and Salvation: The Doctrine of Salvation in the Bible & Christian Theological Tradition (2nd ed.). Crossway.
  • Grenz, S. J., & Van Belle, R. (2010). A Primer on Postmodernism. Eerdmans.
  • McGrath, A. E. (2016). Christian Theology: An Introduction. Wiley-Blackwell.
  • Witherington, B. (2011). The Gospel of John: A Commentary. Westminster John Knox Press.
  • Wright, N. T. (2018). God and the Pandemic: A Christian Reflection. SPCK Publishing.
  • Wright, N. T. (2010). Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church. HarperOne.
  • Yale Divinity School. (2012). The Logos in Ancient Christian Thought. Yale University Press.

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