Oakland University 1 John 4 18 Existence of God Love Passage Analysis

User Generated

sybjref811

Writing

Oakland University

Description

The idea is to study a short passage, not to exceed 14 lines or so, but note less than 4, from any of our readings in the New Testament. As you analyze the passage, you will study the text at the level of word and avoid sweeping generalizations that comment on plot, such as a summary. I have been trying to get you in the habit of this on the baords where some folks tend to summarize, rather than look at specific meanings via style, wording, speaker, etc.

Once you have analyzed the passage, you look for how words function in the context, literary devices at work, such as repetition or metaphor, irony, and the like. You will then write a thesis on your perception or interpretation of that passage, and use the essay to explain and defend this thesis.

Unformatted Attachment Preview

John 1:1-5 John immediately locates his Gospel to Genesis in the context of Creation, establishing “the beginning” as a fixed point. He then identifies the Word, with a capital as a proper name which will dominate the rest of the passage as an uninterrupted force that arcs from Genesis 1:3 to the Fourth Gospel. The construction of these lines: “In the Beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God,” John makes them a homogenous (trinitarian) concept with no possibility of separating. Theology notwithstanding, this technique of insinuating a three-part relationship between Word, God, Creation allows John to explain the mysterious creation of “light” as the proof of Jesus’ existence from the beginning of the universe. It seems, therefore, that John means to reveal the presence of Jesus in the form of Light from the beginning, as a confirmation of an eventual incarnate Logos: Jesus, Son of God This would be my opening to a close reading of the above referenced passage. My thesis is at the end of this opening paragraph. (cont) John affirms his fixed point in the next line, “He was in the beginning with God.” As a conclusive statement. John continues to justify this idea in the next line, which maintains that since Jesus was present with God, manifested in the creation of “light” it follows that the rest of Creation—6 days—participated on some level in this “light” (Jesus). John says “came” into being, implying a process, something not instantaneous, but unfolding. In 4 John specifically writes “What has come into being in him, was life…” which now harmonizes the opening proclamation with the same homogenous feature: light is life, and “his” life was “the light of all people.” We notice that John says “of” and not “to;” which suggests that Jesus, as Word, Light, does not stand outside of man, like a beacon to show the way, but rather as the very essence of life in all men, where Jesus’ force is involved in every person “coming into being.” While in human terms “coming into being” means being born, we also know that Jesus will later explain to Nicodemus that one must be “born from above” as well. Thus in these short verses John uses precise language and syntax to construct a syllogism, or logical, deductive display of reason to believe that Jesus is of God, with God, from God. Here I have addressed the next section with attention to the wording. Note that I offer a kind of sub-thesis at the end of this paragraph, to help hold the entire essay together. John concludes this artful passage with “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” (5) With great economy, John uses a present tense “the light shines”, suggesting that this light, from the beginning (of Genesis) is still shining. But then curiously, John adds “and the darkness did not overcome it.” What can we make of this change in verb tense? Perhaps John is revealing that darkness, as Genesis notes, was here first. This, by extension could mean that darkness was not created at all, but simply a steady state until Light is activated through Logos—the Word, the manifestation of God through language. If we expand this, we can say that darkness, as evil or opposition in any form is the default of the universe without God’s manifestation. God communicates His presence, His manifestation, through the concept of language. Light, therefore, is proclaimed as God’s singular, original existence first by speaking it so that Man can here it, and then through His Son, the incarnate Logos, who walks among man by speaking to him. Even though John’s use of past tense when he refers to verses 15, he uses the present tense for “shines” and in so doing, keeps the concept of Jesus as ongoing, and never ending. John uses concise, masterful language and logic to tie the First Word spoken by God, as the indisputable justification of Jesus as that Word, who was with God, and was (always) God. I have summed up my analysis by reiterating in a different way, the thesis I presented in the opening paragraph. Of course, this is not a “polished” essay, but a brief example of how to approach a close reading. I study the passage at the level of word, sentence, explain and expand the role of verb tense and metaphor of Word and Light, and begin and conclude with the same thesis. I hope this is helpful.
Purchase answer to see full attachment
Explanation & Answer:
3 pages
User generated content is uploaded by users for the purposes of learning and should be used following Studypool's honor code & terms of service.

Explanation & Answer

View attached explanation and answer. Let me know if you have any questions.

Surname 1
Name
Instructor
Course
Date
1 John 4:18
"There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with
punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love" is a passage where John uses
chiasmus. Therefore, the second half of the statement is a symbolic reflection of the first.
Concepts are repeated, however, not in specific words; therefore, emphasizing that fear has only
negative impacts. The utilization of chiasmus essentially conveys the content as literary. The
utilization of chiasmus essentially conveys the content as a literary Contrarily. Literary device
writing can be more effective since it is more inclined ...


Anonymous
This is great! Exactly what I wanted.

Studypool
4.7
Trustpilot
4.5
Sitejabber
4.4

Related Tags