Jesus of the κοσμος: Helpful, Scintillating Notes on the Λογος (Logos) of John 1:1

[Scholarly Tarot]

Jesus of the κοσμος: Helpful, Scintillating Notes on the Λογος (Logos) of John 1:1

The Gospel of John is not much like the other three Gospels in the New Testament (the Synoptics - as they pretty much look alike and are similar), and my surmise is due to the underlying thinking of John from theological if not philosophical thought with the λογος (Logos) as the background to everything about John’s view of Jesus, which gives us the difference in tone, chronology, theology, etc. in the Gospel of John. It is truly in a class of its own.[1]

One of the truly great English scholars of the scriptures, C. H. Dodd, in his discussion worked mainly within the range of the Stoics two aspects of λογος, namely the λογος ένδιαθετος and λογος προφορικος - which is the λογος in the mind and that of the actual uttered λογος - i.e., “thought” and “word.”[2]

Many scholars through the last few centuries, since the rise of critical exegesis of the Bible from the Renaissance era have looked to the Stoics, as well as the Old Testament itself, Plato, Heraclitus, Philo, and other areas and people’s use of this word with its myriads of meanings, the full range of which perhaps has not been measured yet to our day.

“In Gnosticism the logos is a mythological intermediary being between God and man. He is not the creator of the world, but above all revealer, and as revealer also redeemer.”[3] This emphasis is different from the Stoic which leads us to “that which is rationally ordered, such as proposition in mathematics or what we call ‘law’ in nature.”[4] Philo says the logos can be considered, actually called “God” since that is the form the logos, that God chose to reveal himself.[5] Interestingly, Max Pulver in his analysis of the Round Dance of Jesus in the Acts of St. John shows how this “gnostic” work separated the logos from Jesus so they could not be the same thing or person. Yet St. John says in this “Acts” work that “according to the essence and the selfhood, speaking to us, it is the delimitation of all things. And the vast elevation of the stable from the unstable, and the harmony of wisdom - of the wisdom that is in harmony.”[6]

Dodd contends “the divine λογος is not simply the uttered words. It is άληθεια [eternal truth]. That is to say, it is a rational content of thought corresponding to the ultimate reality of the universe… hence, while the λογος of God is rational content of thought, it is always in some sense uttered, and because it is uttered becomes a life-giving power for men.”[7] The divine δυνάμεις [power, being able, capability][8] Philo calls λογος. Yet, the German scholar of the Bible, the well known in his day, Dr. Augustus Tholuck, (ca. 1850’s) also noted how Philo “denominates this λογος as ό πρεσβυτατος υίός του Θεου (the eldest son of God) ό προτογονος (the first born) and even ό δευτερος Θεός (the second God)... he sometimes uses σοφία (sophia) too, in the same sense as λογος.”[9]

The dogma contained in the doctrine of the Logos by the end of the 17th century was as Tholuck presented a litany of scholars advocating the λογος to be “but a personification of the divine reason… God as object of himself is the Word, for in the Word (that is, regarded as an internal thing) the spirit becomes objective to itself. The Word is consequently the principle through which God is revealed to himself… as he now contemplates himself in the Word, he beholds the fullness of his own essence, and in this the archetypes of the world, for the works of God, which, according to Romans 1:20, mirror ‘the eternal power of the Godhead’ of God, must have been the thoughts of God.”[10]

John, according to the classical scholar David Fideler, “...describes the nature of the ‘Word’ as a cosmic forming principle.” He continues, “Logos designates the power of ‘reason’ the pattern or order of things, the principle of relationships, and an articulated organized of something… it has the same meaning as both the Latin words ratio and oratio… as in continued geometrical proportion… the natural order of things, the principle of reason, relation and harmony, which exists both within the natural fabric of the universe, and within the human mind. It is the faculty whereby one thing is related to another through analogy, or the power of ‘proportional insight.’ The heart of the cosmic pattern and the source of existence, its emblem is the sun, the source of life and light.”[11] It is this sense then, that perhaps Philo meant that the λογος and the powers give us the summation of God’s emanations. “The λογος, the sum of all the powers.”[12]

Dodd explains “Its order and meaning express the mind of a transcendent creator… his thought which is the principle of reality in the universe. His thought however is not merely a meaning or plan visible in the universe; it is also the creative power by which the universe came into being and is sustained.”[13] The λογος did not merely descend upon Jesus, enter into Him, or abide in Him. The λογος became the σαρξ[14] or human nature which he bore.”[15]

“He is the Reason and Mind of the cosmos… there was an analogy between the Logos of God, which had become incarnate in Jesus, and the logos of humanity, which was incarnate in each person and perceptible to each person from within… this name [Logos] was given to him because he exists in all things that are...thus the cosmos was reliably knowable and at the same time it remained mysterious, both of these because the Logos was the Mind and Reason of God. Because the Logos incarnate in Jesus was the Reason of God, it was also possible to see the Logos as the very structure of the universe… that harmony, binding together the atom and the galaxy, was expressed in cosmic systema, all of it brought about by the magnificence of the Creator-Logos...the identification of the Creator-Logos in Jesus as the foundation for the very structure of the universe and the belief that the Logos of God is in the whole universe...the Logos, as the Savior of the cosmos, became incarnate in Jesus Christ...by becoming incarnate in Jesus, the Logos had enabled human beings to transcend themselves and, in a pregnant phrase of the New Testament, ‘to become partakers in the divine nature.’ (2 Peter 1:4).”[16]


Endnotes
1. John Shelby Spong, “Born of a Woman: A Bishop Rethinks the Birth of Jesus,” HarperSanFrancisco, 1992: 167. “More than any other biblical writer, the author of the fourth Gospel seems to warn against, inveigh against, and show the absurdity of that all-too-human tendency to seek to capture divine mystery in literalized propositional statements.”
2. C. H. Dodd, “The Interpretation of the Fourth Gospel,” Cambridge University Press, 13th reprint, 1988: 263. Hereafter cited as “Interpretation.”
3. Oscar Cullman, “Die Christologie des Neuen Testaments,” Translated as “The Christology of the New Testament,” by Shirley C. Guthrie and Charles A. M. Hall, The Westminister Press, Revised, 1963: 252.
4. Dodd, “Interpretation,” p. 263.
5. Alan F. Segal, “Two Powers in Heaven,” Brill, 2002: 163.
6. Max Pulver, “Jesus’ Round Dance and Crucifixion According to the Acts of St. John,” in “The Mysteries, edited by Joseph Campbell, Bollingen Series, Princeton University Press, 1955: 181. Cf. Elaine Pagels, “The Gnostic Gospels,” Vintage Books, 1981: 88-89; Also Cf. Frederick H. Borsch, “The Christian and Gnostic Son of Man,” Studies in Biblical Theology, Second Series, SCM Press, 1970: 82, where the Son of Man theme and Jesus is “conceived of as a cosmic figure who has been endowed with God’s own creative power (we may think of John 1:1ff).” The logos and Son of Man related to Jesus is snug.
7. Dodd, “Interpretation,” p. 267.
8. Spiros Zodhiates, “The Complete Wordstudy Dictionary New Testament,” World Bible Publishers, 1992: 485-486. Cf. “Greek-English Lexicon,” Liddell & Scott, New edition Supplement, 1968, Oxford at the Clarendon Press, Reprint, 1983: 452, indicating force, influence, authority, sometimes of bodily physical strength also, depending on the context.
9. Dr, Augustus Tholuck, “Commentary on the Gospel of John,” translated from the German by Charles P. Krauth, T & T Clark, 1859: 62-63. I got this very fine, erudite and scholarly tome in a used book store for $7.58! For whatever reason, I knew the name and reputation, how or when I learned of Tholuck, I have no idea, so when I saw it, I immediately grabbed it and purchased it. I was also fortunate enough to nab his gigantic commentary on the Psalms also.
10. Tholuck, “Commentary,” p. 67, 69.
11. David Fideler, “Jesus Christ, Sun of God: Ancient Cosmology and Early Christian Symbolism,” Quest Books, 1993: 37-39.
12. Alan F. Segal, “The Two Powers,” p. 177.
13. Dodd, “Interpretation,” p. 277.
14. “Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words,” Royal Publishers, 1952: 437 - “Sarx the holy humanity of the Lord Jesus, in the totality of all that is essential to manhood, i.e., spirit, soul, and body.”
15. Dodd, “Interpretation,” p. 284.
16. Jaroslav Pelikan, “Jesus Through the Centuries,” Yale University, 1985: 63-68.

Very nice piece.
Very deep and stirring.

‘to become partakers in the divine nature.’

<<<<<<<The mind and reason of God>>>>>>>
......>>>>The mind and reason of man<<<<......
Yeshua the intermediary or intercessor, the circumciser of the heart of Man (redeemer).
That can separate(Hebrews 4:12 below) man from his sinful flesh and transcend man to
become partakers in the Divine Nature.

Hebrews 4:12

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

[Scholarly Tarot]

Originally Posted by ImthatIm

Very nice piece.
Very deep and stirring.


<<<<<<<The mind and reason of God>>>>>>>
......>>>>The mind and reason of man<<<<......
Yeshua the intermediary or intercessor, the circumciser of the heart of Man (redeemer).
That can separate(Hebrews 4:12 below) man from his sinful flesh and transcend man to
become partakers in the Divine Nature.

Hebrews 4:12

Thank you. I was beginning to wonder if anyone was reading any of my presentations. I like to think they can possibly help someone somewhere see something in a new light and improve their lives, loves, and attitudes in positive ways. Lots more to come forth! I love to think through things just a little bit and make people think through things just a little bit more than they are used to. We have become a far too impatient people, and it's time to take just a little more time and learn a bit more by concentrating just a wee bit longer than it takes to make a 5 line tweet.

Slowing down and digesting a 3-5 page paper is one of the smartest things I have ever done. It was all about slowing down to think one or two ideas through for an extra 5 minutes, which, ironically improves one's life, doesn't waste time as so many of us assume. So I try to emulate that and write 3-5 page papers every now and again on what I hope are really good and worthwhile topics.

[GlitterRose]

I find it difficult to put into words, but you do it very well.

[BigJohn]

Originally Posted by Scholarly Tarot

Thank you. I was beginning to wonder if anyone was reading any of my presentations. I like to think they can possibly help someone somewhere see something in a new light and improve their lives, loves, and attitudes in positive ways. Lots more to come forth! I love to think through things just a little bit and make people think through things just a little bit more than they are used to. We have become a far too impatient people, and it's time to take just a little more time and learn a bit more by concentrating just a wee bit longer than it takes to make a 5 line tweet.

Slowing down and digesting a 3-5 page paper is one of the smartest things I have ever done. It was all about slowing down to think one or two ideas through for an extra 5 minutes, which, ironically improves one's life, doesn't waste time as so many of us assume. So I try to emulate that and write 3-5 page papers every now and again on what I hope are really good and worthwhile topics.

John 1:1 is one of the 'deepest' scriptures found in the Bible while at the same time, has fueled many controversies.

THANKS FOR SHARING!

[Amilius777]

Everything you've said resonates with what I've experienced.

Anytime I think of Jesus or even think about what he represented, I see the numbers 33 all the time.

I just summarize the Logos/Word as the Christ Consciousness. The Christ Consciousness is the "cosmic SUN of God" which all sentient beings are a part of contributing to the Book of Life (The record of every soul and what they've learned or didn't learn).

The difference between Jesus who was an ascended master and all other ascended masters is just a matter of how the Christ Consciousness came through him.

Jesus was born as the human Son of God. The Christ Consciousness became every cell and part of himself including his human body. His was a virgin conception. I don't think anyone can describe how this happened. Jesus Christ's birth as a man, as the human historical Son of God is analogous with the manifestation of the Logos in the Universe which is the cosmic Sun of God. (born of the Virgin Mary/begotten through the Holy Spirit-Cosmic Mother)

Jesus was infused with Christ consciousness from birth. He and that consciousness were one and the same from birth to death. Such a thing is only possible by the hand of God. Even Buddha had an awakening to receiving and becoming embodied with the Christ Consciousness. And others before Jesus had the same experience. But Jesus' was different in that his purpose was to be God's Son to humanity in a personal physical experience.

So yes, even Jesus' very cells and blood, DNA were fused to the Christ Consciousness.

This is why some saints have had mystical experiences with Jesus in the form of the Eucharist or the Mass, actual wine being turned to his Blood, stigmata experienced in the some Mystics, etc. Other Christ manifestations like this are very much found in Christian paths. Jesus being the God-boy that he was, a direct-offspring of our Source- Father woulda been equipped with such powers as we saw in the Bible even after death in the lives of his devotees.

But all that Jesus was on Earth and embodied is what we ALL had in the eternity as Pure Souls when all souls were projected from the One and became the Many. We needed a focal point in history to see what that was which we have forgotten and separated from.

[Zeke55]

It is in you as a person that the nature of God is revealed, for a scriptural episode is not a record of an historical event, but a parabolic revelation of truth. To see Jesus or David as an historical character is to see truth tempered to the weakness of your soul. You must see what the characters represent, rather than the characters themselves. This is true for every story in scripture, for every episode will unfold within you.

The title of the 54th Psalm is translated as “David is hiding with us” in the King James Version, and “David is in hiding among us” in the Revised Standard Version; but the title should read: “David is in hiding within us,” for that is where he is, as well as every character in scripture. When I say, with Blake: “All that you behold, though it appears without it is within, in your Imagination of which this world of mortality is but a shadow,” I mean that literally, for the drama of life unfolds from within. Neville Goddard.

[Zeke55]

Paul was trained to believe in an external, historical past of Israel. To him David was the king of kings. But when God revealed his son in him, Paul claimed he did not see anyone as flesh and blood. What man, believing in the historicity of scripture, could understand what Paul was talking about, when he was the one who formerly tormented anyone who would not accept the historicity of the Old Testament! But, when discussing the Messiah, Paul confessed that he could no longer believe in any historical character of the Old Testament. (The New, of course had not been written yet). Through revelation Paul knew who the Messiah was and who the Lord was. Seeing himself as the Lord, the one the world believes to be Jesus, Paul knew that what the world believed to be a mighty king was his only begotten son who was never flesh and blood. He knew the entire episode took place in the spirit, and said: “When it pleased God to reveal his son in me, I discussed it not with flesh and blood.”

[Scholarly Tarot]

Zeke55 I do think you have hit on something significant here. I am beginning to grasp something like it concerning why the fantastic Jewish esoteric work of the Zohar. Their entire approach, it seems to me, is similar to this, in that rather than reading the Torah as a historical record of what once occurred to those people, they and their experiences ae more in the idea of metaphors for us and our experiences. They also included sacred geometry which gives us truths visually, as they elaborate the stories connecting them with the art, the visual depictions of the sacred symbols, such as the Tree of Life, a not at all arbitrary geometric figure, full of spiritual significance. Thanks for sharing these ideas here.

[Zeke55]

Originally Posted by Scholarly Tarot

Zeke55 I do think you have hit on something significant here. I am beginning to grasp something like it concerning why the fantastic Jewish esoteric work of the Zohar. Their entire approach, it seems to me, is similar to this, in that rather than reading the Torah as a historical record of what once occurred to those people, they and their experiences ae more in the idea of metaphors for us and our experiences. They also included sacred geometry which gives us truths visually, as they elaborate the stories connecting them with the art, the visual depictions of the sacred symbols, such as the Tree of Life, a not at all arbitrary geometric figure, full of spiritual significance. Thanks for sharing these ideas here.

It does seem were waking, the need to judge is in sleep type belief, not judging anyone Shure feels good.