John 1:1-18
When the Word Became Flesh
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
15 (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”) 16 Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.
Mark 14:53-65
Jesus Tells the Jewish Officials that He is the Son of the Blessed One
53 They took Jesus to the high priest, and all the chief priests, the elders and the teachers of the law came together. 54 Peter followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. There he sat with the guards and warmed himself at the fire.
55 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death, but they did not find any. 56 Many testified falsely against him, but their statements did not agree.
57 Then some stood up and gave this false testimony against him: 58 “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with human hands and in three days will build another, not made with hands.’” 59 Yet even then their testimony did not agree.
60 Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” 61 But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer.
Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?”
62 “I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
63 The high priest tore his clothes. “Why do we need any more witnesses?” he asked. 64 “You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?”
They all condemned him as worthy of death. 65 Then some began to spit at him; they blindfolded him, struck him with their fists, and said, “Prophesy!” And the guards took him and beat him.
Imagine being with God from the very beginning...What a fantastic thing...One would different, I would think, if you have always been with God...To see God and be with God would have to be the greatest of things...St. John writes that no one has ever seen God, but the One and Only Son, who is Himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made Him known...And I think that close relationship with God would be a very good and joyous and comforting thing...
Being close to God is a good thing...Being Perfectly close to God, one would think is a very good and special thing...But maybe being so close to God makes One different...And different in the sense that we as men do not understand why and how a Man could or can be so close to God...And no man was ever as close to God than Jesus...But an interesting thing about man is that the closer One is to God, the more that some men look to that Person as threatening...Jesus made those who knew more about God and Scripture very uncomfortable...Jesus made some people mad because of His Special Relationship to His Father...No one was as close to God as Jesus, yet the Pharisees and the Leading Religious Officials, including the Sanhedrin and High Priest would not believe that He came from above...Jesus was now in our world, and though the world was made through Him, the world and the Religious Leaders did not recognize Him...And in the end, His closeness to God and these leaders inability to believe in Him caused His death...Completely following God’s will did not save Jesus’ life on earth...And the high priest, and all the chief priests, the elders and the teachers of the law condemned Him as worthy of death...No, His Special Relationship and closeness to God, put Him on the cross...