September 18, 2020

29) No, John 1:3 Does Not Say Jesus Created the Universe

37 minutes

This episode is commentary on the Gospel of John 1:2-3.

Many traditional Christians claim that John 1:3, "all things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be" declares that Jesus created all things in the universe.

We look at key words in the original Greek of this verse and discover that the author of the Gospel of John is not declaring that Jesus created all the material universe. Theologically biased translations have given the wrong understanding of this verse. We suggest a much better way of understanding John 1:3.

John 1:3 is not saying that Jesus was involved in the creation of all the material universe. “All things” never means the entire universe in the Gospel of John. Neither are the words “create” or “make” in this verse or anywhere else in John’s prologue. Rather, John 1:3 is introducing all the things that came about, everything that happened through the life and ministry of Jesus. And the main “everything” is the resurrection life of the Messiah Jesus of Nazareth, and the promise of life in the next age his resurrection holds for all.

We also take a look at John 1:2 and see that already in John 1:2, “This one was in the beginning with God” begins the contrast between Jesus, the Word, and John the Baptist. The author of the Gospel of John early and often contrasts or compares John the Baptizer with Jesus and the titles used for Jesus (Word, light). This is evidence that Baptizer is being contrasted with the human person Jesus, not a pre-incarnate god-figure or abstract Logos. “This one”, Jesus, the Word was the light. But “this one” John the Baptizer was not the light. “This one”, said the Baptizer, “is whom I spoke about. He is greater than I”. “This one baptizes with the holy spirit”. “This one is the Son of God”.

For full written text of this podcast, see here:

https://landandbible.blogspot.com/2020/09/no-john-13-does-not-say-jesus-created.html

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By William Schlegel

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September 18, 2020

29) No, John 1:3 Does Not Say Jesus Created the Universe

37 minutes

This episode is commentary on the Gospel of John 1:2-3.

Many traditional Christians claim that John 1:3, "all things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be" declares that Jesus created all things in the universe.