Being – Part 5

In the last posting I stated that the first three creation narratives are entirely for the people of Israel. It was their definition, or response, to the question, “Who am I and who is our G-d”as they saw themselves in a time of deep distress during the the years of captivity in Babylon. When the Church elected to adopt the Hebrew scripture into their writings, people began to believe how the stories described in the Genesis accounts no longer were exclusively Israel’s but were inclusive of the entire human race.

However, if you’ll recall, I claimed that the bible has four creation narrative. The three in Genesis are exclusively for Israel, but if you’re looking for an inclusively good story, the fourth narrative is where you need to be looking. Unlike the prior three which are conveniently sequenced together, the fourth one is dispersed about the New Testament. The opening line for this narrative will be found in the fourth gospel (fitting isn’t it?) which declares:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1)

Let’s consider for a moment how this text is describing something, which like the first narrative, is in a land which has a unique manner in defining their cosmology. The English translation appears to us as “Word,” which has a completely different set of pictorials attached to it in our culture today than from what it meant in the Greek culture of its origin where it reads as “logos.” In the Greek mindset, “logos” was first and foremost a divine organizing power responsible for every creative action which dominates the universe. The simplicity of a “word” castrates the fullness of its intention. As an example of this claim consider this part from the narrative:

All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing that exists came into being. (John 1:3)

This entire writing has been leading up to this moment: What is being? Nothing exists without Him, the “logos.” But what type of being is it, human or spiritual? We need to read on further, since this part of the narrative which goes from verse 1 to verse 14 is a start, it is not the entire narrative. What it does provide us with though is a clue on what to look for. Since the opening, “In the beginning…” is similar to the first narrative, we simply need to find anything that references that period or anything which relates to the thought of “through Him” from the verse above. Colossians 1:16-17 is a good starting place:

For in him were all things created, in the heavens and upon the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him, and unto him; and he is before all things, and in him all things consist. (Col 1:16-17)

From this we begin to see that there are structures which we can’t readily see which also have their being in the “logos.” Ephesians 1:3-4 and 2 Timothy 1:9 provides us with the next vital elements to our story.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies in Christ; according as he has chosen us in him before the world’s foundation, that we should be holy and blameless before him in love; (Eph 1:3-4)

Who saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before times eternal, (2Ti 1:9)

“Before the world’s foundation… before times eternal…” Each phrase speaks of a moment outside of time and matter. Notice there is a divine purpose at work in this space. We – all created things which have being through the logos – are loved and blameless before him. Who is “we” if time hasn’t been created? Are we spirit or matter? Also, notice when grace appears. The concept of time hasn’t been created, but grace is present. Doesn’t this kinda mess up what you have thought grace was really for? You thought it was something you received because of some nefarious act you did in time; grace is something that would save your backside from experiencing the heat of hell. What do you think of your stop-gap measure now?

I hope you can see that the fourth narrative is much more broad in scope and its impact on the entire planet versus those found in the Hebrew scripture. Don’t get me wrong here thinking I’m saying there is a superiority in the New Testament writings over the Hebrew writings. That is not the case at all. Matter of fact, there is this passage found in Jeremiah which is right in line with what being is all about.

Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee, and before thou came forth out of the womb I sanctified thee; I have appointed thee a prophet unto the nations. (Jer 1:5)

Ponder this for a moment and you’ll see that it goes right back to the question I asked earlier, who is “we” if time hasn’t been created? God knew me before I was formed? In Hebrew the word we recognize as “knew” has the meaning of sharing a deep, intense romantic relationship. God “knew” you, me, we before we were formed. We (whatever that means) had our “being” in this deep, intense romantic relationship before time, before creation, before…