by Geoffrey Schmitt

Created on: November 18, 2009   Last Updated: November 19, 2009

It is interesting to observe that each of the four Gospels open with a different perspective of when the Good News about Jesus began. Matthew begins with a genealogy of Jesus' ancestors from his adoptive father Joseph's family tree. He then tells of Jesus' birth. Luke follows a similar but strikingly different approach. He begins with the birth of John the Baptist and the annunciation to the Virgin Mary that she will give birth to the son of God. He has a genealogy from Mary's side of the family tree. Then comes the most extensive narrative of Jesus birth, the Christmas story of which we are all so familiar. Mark skips all of Jesus early years and begins his Gospel with the ministry of John the Baptist and the baptism of Jesus. However, John's Gospel takes an altogether different approach. He begins at the beginning as if we were back in Genesis chapter one with the creation of the world.

We can understand these differences when we consider each of the Gospels was written with a different audience in mind. Matthew was written first of all for Jewish Christians. Luke was written for Theopholus . The name means beloved of God. Scholars are not sure if this was a person or a way of addressing any reader who loved God and was seeking to know about Jesus. Mark was written primarily for Roman Christians. John was written for a more philosophical Greek audience, especially those familiar with Gnosticism.

The Gnostics believed in the Divine Logos. The word John uses and we translate as The Word. However, their logos was first created and then participated in the rest of creation. John is careful to say The Word, as in the son of God, was always with and part of God. Moreover, nothing that was made, was made, without him.

The Gnostics believed that each of us has a piece of divine spark, of the logos, in us. John is careful to say Jesus is the one true light. He is the one who sparks brighter than all. He is the one who shines in the darkness. His light is more important than any other tiny sparkle.

John concludes this part of his introduction stating that the darkness has not understood the light. You don't know about Jesus. Read on and learn about the true logos, The Word, who is Jesus the Christ.

As you contemplate the beginning of the Gospel of John consider where and how the Gospel of Jesus begins for you.

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