The Visionary Contemplative

Somewhere along the way I read that those first eighteen verses of the gospel of John served as an introduction to the whole gospel.  It is certainly a logical point to make as many of the themes and images within that section known as The Prologue are found in the verses and chapters which follow.  But, there is a sense in which something more is happening.  It seems that John has caught a vision, or a larger view of what is before him and out of that contemplative moment writes those things which are stirring in his heart. 

 

Some have even suggested that The Prologue is a gospel unto itself and while such a conclusion is understandable, it still seems a stretch to separate it so completely from the rest of the gospel which follows.  The Prologue and the body of the gospel seem too linked to regard them as separate literary endeavors.  John obviously sees more than just the task of the narrative which is before him.  As a man who is so different than the writers of the other gospels, he was inspired by the Spirit to write in a way that reflects both his heart and his experience with the Risen Lord.

 

It is always true that our encounters with Jesus create different narratives.  Some of us talk about our encounter with Jesus with precise details and some of us find it hard to put into words exactly what transpired in our hearts and so we run for some metaphor or image that speaks more about what is being felt in our hearts than known in our minds.  Neither one sits on a higher plane than the other.  Both speak of how it is that the Christ revealed Himself.  No one should expect it to be any different for someone like John as he wrote his gospel, or anyone of us who speaks of how it is for us to walk with Jesus.