God: unity in community
Commentary
The doctrine of the Trinity declares the mystery of God as much as it represents the revelation of God. How God may be defined as threefold and yet one remains hidden from full rational comprehension, even as it seems necessary in honoring various biblical references.
Such references are particularly abundant in Johanine writings. John's gospel opens with the assertion, "The Word was with God and the Word was God." How can the preposition of accompaniment (with) govern the same relationship as the verb of identity (was)? The mystery is immediately evident. The description becomes more explicit in 1:14: "And the Word became flesh and lived among us...." Now it is clear, the Word refers to Jesus.
In John 5:19-23, Jesus explains how he depends on the Father and copies his deeds. In turn, "the Father loves the Son," and delegates responsibility to him. The emphasis falls on the relationship with each other. Then in 10:30, Jesus asserts identity: "I and the Father are one."
In Jesus' farewell discourse and prayer, chapters 14-17, the relationship of Father and Son is a prominent theme and the Spirit is included. In some passages the Father sends the Spirit (14:16, 26). In another, it is Jesus (16:7). In yet another, both of them are involved. Although there is no attempt to elaborate upon the unity with the Spirit to the extent that has been done for Father and Son, a significant relationship is clear (16:14-15).
In 17:20-23 Jesus is concerned not only for the apostles, but also "those who will believe through their word," that is, the members of the church. He has already taught that the Spirit will be "in" or "among" them. Now he prapys that they may be in "us" or "I in them and you (Father) in me." The fellowship between the church and the various manifestations of God is phrased very like the relationship between the Father and the Son.
What is more, the unity of the church is likened to the unity of Father and Son -- "that they may be one as we are one." Since the church is one community with many members, is it possible to consider God as one community of love with three persons or manifestations? This seems consistent with the Johanine writings.
We dare not conclude that we have fathomed all the mystery of God, however. Whenever we become too complete and exact in the description of God, we verge upon idolatry (Isaiah 40:12, 26).
OUTLINE I
Love of God that shows
Deuteronomy 6:4-9
A. v. 4. Austere in its uncluttered single-mindedness, the passage excluded the gods of ancient Israel's neighbors. The Canaanites had a god for each desire, an attraction to Israelites as to others. We don't dignify such desires by assigning them a diety, but our commitment to satisfying them may well compete with living according to the true faith.
B. vv. 5-6. Although this is a command, like the first commandment of the decalogue (Exodus 20:2-3; Deuteronomy 5:6-7), the emphasis on love suggests a response different than rigid legal obedience. In contrast to Hebrew chesed which covers loyalty in covenant keeping, the verb used here, ahab, carries the thought of affection. In the New Testament reference to the great commandment, the Greek is agapao (Matthew 22:37-38). This love involves the whole being in utter devotion. This is a response to another's affection, in this case, God's.
C. vv. 7-9. Love for God is a matter of daily life. Since recent statistics show that faith is a rare topic in most homes, we must ask what is wrong? Are we too individualistic about religion? Have we become too formal, too shallow, too timid about sharing love for God?
In some acts of worship, Jewish men bind phylacteries containing Scriptures on their left arm and forehead. As always, the liturgy is not an end in itself, but a reminder that the love of God needs to direct every action and every thought, in fact, all of living in and out of our homes.
OUTLINE II
How to relate to God
Romans 8:12-17
A. vv. 12-13. According to Paul our natural existence does not help us to relate to God. It is mortgaged to inordinate desires and rivalries (Paul's actual word is flesh.) that dominate our lives, separate us from God and bring spiritual death. The Spirit of God can free us from this mortgage.
B. v. 15a. It is possible to misinterpret Christian teaching and end up dominated by fear. Fear of not measuring up to a legalistic standard as the essence of religion makes a person afraid of a God perceived as a harsh disciplinarian and judge. This is akin to slavery rather than service by a free agent. We do not need to sell ourselves into such slavery in order to pay the mortgage for sinful inclinations.
C. vv. 14-17. By God's own act we are adopted out of slavery to be full members of the family. The Spirit of God has given us a new spirit, a new power for living as children of God. Instead of mortgages or slaves without property, we have an inheritance. We are even "joint heirswith Christ" and may cry to God as our loving Parent. We need that because we shall share in suffering with Christ as surely as we shall share his glory.
Spirit, Father, Christ -- these were the ways that Paul knew God, all working to relate to him for life in a new family.
OUTLINE III
God's threefold action
John 3:1-17
Introduction: vv. 1-2, 9-10, Nicodemus was an honorable person. He made a personal inquiry of Jesus, protected his legal rights when he was accused (7:50-51) and joined in assuring him a decent burial (19:39). Important as decency is, more is possible in human life.
A. vv. 3-8. People do not attain their greatest fulfillment by their own efforts (vv. 4 and 6). It takes God's Spirit to open the way to God's rule over life. This comes by a heavenly birth in baptism with water, but requiring particularly the action of the Spirit.
Nicodemus thought he already had a way in God's law, a way he could understand and control. Jesus asserted that humans do not understand and control everything. His illustration may remind us that even with modern meteorology, the winds and storm still surprise us. So does God's action in the Spirit.
B. vv. 11-15. Though we meet God through the work of the Spirit, another action of God prepared the waya. Nicodemus would have known the hope that the Son of Man would descend from heaven to establish the kingdom. Jesus asserted it was happening already, but not in the way expected. With an illustration from the Old Testament, he showed that the Son of May must be lifted up on a cross.
C. vv. 16-17. God's desire for the salvation of all people was antecedent to the crucufixion. The Son of Man was the Son of God. God's love is revealed in the gift of the Son.
With Jesus, the grace of God for a different life, an eternal life, is specific and available by the Spirit.
Such references are particularly abundant in Johanine writings. John's gospel opens with the assertion, "The Word was with God and the Word was God." How can the preposition of accompaniment (with) govern the same relationship as the verb of identity (was)? The mystery is immediately evident. The description becomes more explicit in 1:14: "And the Word became flesh and lived among us...." Now it is clear, the Word refers to Jesus.
In John 5:19-23, Jesus explains how he depends on the Father and copies his deeds. In turn, "the Father loves the Son," and delegates responsibility to him. The emphasis falls on the relationship with each other. Then in 10:30, Jesus asserts identity: "I and the Father are one."
In Jesus' farewell discourse and prayer, chapters 14-17, the relationship of Father and Son is a prominent theme and the Spirit is included. In some passages the Father sends the Spirit (14:16, 26). In another, it is Jesus (16:7). In yet another, both of them are involved. Although there is no attempt to elaborate upon the unity with the Spirit to the extent that has been done for Father and Son, a significant relationship is clear (16:14-15).
In 17:20-23 Jesus is concerned not only for the apostles, but also "those who will believe through their word," that is, the members of the church. He has already taught that the Spirit will be "in" or "among" them. Now he prapys that they may be in "us" or "I in them and you (Father) in me." The fellowship between the church and the various manifestations of God is phrased very like the relationship between the Father and the Son.
What is more, the unity of the church is likened to the unity of Father and Son -- "that they may be one as we are one." Since the church is one community with many members, is it possible to consider God as one community of love with three persons or manifestations? This seems consistent with the Johanine writings.
We dare not conclude that we have fathomed all the mystery of God, however. Whenever we become too complete and exact in the description of God, we verge upon idolatry (Isaiah 40:12, 26).
OUTLINE I
Love of God that shows
Deuteronomy 6:4-9
A. v. 4. Austere in its uncluttered single-mindedness, the passage excluded the gods of ancient Israel's neighbors. The Canaanites had a god for each desire, an attraction to Israelites as to others. We don't dignify such desires by assigning them a diety, but our commitment to satisfying them may well compete with living according to the true faith.
B. vv. 5-6. Although this is a command, like the first commandment of the decalogue (Exodus 20:2-3; Deuteronomy 5:6-7), the emphasis on love suggests a response different than rigid legal obedience. In contrast to Hebrew chesed which covers loyalty in covenant keeping, the verb used here, ahab, carries the thought of affection. In the New Testament reference to the great commandment, the Greek is agapao (Matthew 22:37-38). This love involves the whole being in utter devotion. This is a response to another's affection, in this case, God's.
C. vv. 7-9. Love for God is a matter of daily life. Since recent statistics show that faith is a rare topic in most homes, we must ask what is wrong? Are we too individualistic about religion? Have we become too formal, too shallow, too timid about sharing love for God?
In some acts of worship, Jewish men bind phylacteries containing Scriptures on their left arm and forehead. As always, the liturgy is not an end in itself, but a reminder that the love of God needs to direct every action and every thought, in fact, all of living in and out of our homes.
OUTLINE II
How to relate to God
Romans 8:12-17
A. vv. 12-13. According to Paul our natural existence does not help us to relate to God. It is mortgaged to inordinate desires and rivalries (Paul's actual word is flesh.) that dominate our lives, separate us from God and bring spiritual death. The Spirit of God can free us from this mortgage.
B. v. 15a. It is possible to misinterpret Christian teaching and end up dominated by fear. Fear of not measuring up to a legalistic standard as the essence of religion makes a person afraid of a God perceived as a harsh disciplinarian and judge. This is akin to slavery rather than service by a free agent. We do not need to sell ourselves into such slavery in order to pay the mortgage for sinful inclinations.
C. vv. 14-17. By God's own act we are adopted out of slavery to be full members of the family. The Spirit of God has given us a new spirit, a new power for living as children of God. Instead of mortgages or slaves without property, we have an inheritance. We are even "joint heirswith Christ" and may cry to God as our loving Parent. We need that because we shall share in suffering with Christ as surely as we shall share his glory.
Spirit, Father, Christ -- these were the ways that Paul knew God, all working to relate to him for life in a new family.
OUTLINE III
God's threefold action
John 3:1-17
Introduction: vv. 1-2, 9-10, Nicodemus was an honorable person. He made a personal inquiry of Jesus, protected his legal rights when he was accused (7:50-51) and joined in assuring him a decent burial (19:39). Important as decency is, more is possible in human life.
A. vv. 3-8. People do not attain their greatest fulfillment by their own efforts (vv. 4 and 6). It takes God's Spirit to open the way to God's rule over life. This comes by a heavenly birth in baptism with water, but requiring particularly the action of the Spirit.
Nicodemus thought he already had a way in God's law, a way he could understand and control. Jesus asserted that humans do not understand and control everything. His illustration may remind us that even with modern meteorology, the winds and storm still surprise us. So does God's action in the Spirit.
B. vv. 11-15. Though we meet God through the work of the Spirit, another action of God prepared the waya. Nicodemus would have known the hope that the Son of Man would descend from heaven to establish the kingdom. Jesus asserted it was happening already, but not in the way expected. With an illustration from the Old Testament, he showed that the Son of May must be lifted up on a cross.
C. vv. 16-17. God's desire for the salvation of all people was antecedent to the crucufixion. The Son of Man was the Son of God. God's love is revealed in the gift of the Son.
With Jesus, the grace of God for a different life, an eternal life, is specific and available by the Spirit.
