January 31, 2013
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John 1 and HaTorah
שמע ישראל ה 'הוא האלוהים שלנו הוא אחד Shema Y'israel Adonai Elohaynu Adonai Echad
"Hear Israel, Adonai is our God, Adonai is One"
John 1 and HaTorah
By John of AllFaith © 01.31.13
The first few verses of the Book of John are often cited in defence of the Nicene dogma that HaShem has taken human birth as "Jesus." This understanding is false. John 1 supports the teachings of HaTorah in every way. Let's take a look at these verses.
John 1:1 In the beginning [arche: general commencement or first rank] was the Word [logos: book, something said or revealed: i.e. not the author of the book or said word: i.e. Torah (the Five Books five Moses)], and the Word [logos] was with [en pros:in agreement with/charged/inspired of and attached to] God [theos], and the Word [logos] was [en: in agreement, charged/inspired of] God [theos].
1:2 The same [i.e. the Word, haTorah] was in the beginning with [en pros:in agreement with/charged/inspired of and attached to] God.
1:3 All things were made by him [autos: a very general word that comes from au and refers to a wind: correctly translated as him, her or it and used in the singular or third person depending on context]; and without him [autos: i.e. in this case contextually haTorah] was not any thing made that was made.
1:4 In him [in context haTorah] was life; and the life was the light of men [which Scripture and Jewish tradition frequently asserts, most Christians also agree that the Bible is vital as it is the sure revelation of God's truth. This verse affirms that].
1:5 And the light [phos] shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not [self explanatory: the world rejects the light of Torah].
1:6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John [i.e. the Essene, not the author of this book: Y'shua is not the topic yet. First Torah, later John and after him he will introduce Y'shua. Remember this was written ton introduce people to Y'shua who did not yet know about him].
1:7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light [phos: in context the light of Torah], that all men through him [again autos: it: through Torah (the Word)] might believe.
1:8 He [ekeinos: 'that gender neutral thing': i.e. Torah] was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. [This use of ekeinos here affirms my point. The referenced autos above are to this ekeinos or gender neutral "thing", i.e. the logos or Word: haTorah.]
1:9 That was [en: that ekeinos or haTorah] the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
1:10 He was [en: that ekeinos or haTorah] in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not [this agrees with Genesis 1:3, 6 etc; with Proverbs 8:22 etc where HaShem created the world through His Wisdom, through His Word: God said... and so on].
1:11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not [i.e. by rejecting the messiah Israel temporarily rejected the Wisdom and Word of God: HaTorah].
Then at verse 14 John introduces Rebbe Y'shua and says this wisdom, this logos, was revealed to us through one who was completely Torah observant, Rebbe Y'shua.
1:14 And the Word [logos] was made flesh [sarx: meaning to strip something down to its bare flesh: Rebbe Y'shua's reforms bypassed the then developing Oral Traditions of the Talmud and sought to restore the "bare flesh" of pre-Babylonian captivity Torah observance: he taught us how anyone can be Torah observant], and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory [doxa: not the glory that is God; this word means something that is made apparent so as to be seen by anyone who looks], the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, [a direct statement that Y'shua is not God. He made apparent the Will of our Father [i.e. how to serve the Father through proper Torah observance]) full of grace [charis: through humble submission to God's influence] and truth [aletheia: in context this can only mean the truth of Torah which his life showed us how to observance as our example].
To reject the centrality of Torah as the Christian religion has done and then seek to deify this humble Torah observant rabbi [Matthew 5:18] in direct opposition to Torah [Deuteronomy 6:4] is a most grievance offense (Revelation 2:9, 3:9) both to Rebbe Y'shua and to HaShem. We know of one being who sought to make himself equal with HaShem and it did not go well for him (Isaiah 14:13)!
Fortunately for us all the One True God is merciful. I do not judge others for their beliefs, but as for me and my household, we will serve HaShem (Joshua 24:15), the ONE Eternal revealed from Genesis to the Revelation and beyond.
Shalom,
- ~ John of AllFaith (Yochanan)
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