Keeping the End in Sight

The past two weeks have seen a rare occasion, two sons graduating from two institutions on two different weekends. With our first college and final high school graduations under our belts we stop and pause to reflect. Is graduation the end or is it actually a commencement and a new beginning? Something has been achieved and yet there is so much more to achieve. For those familiar with this blogger, such paradoxical thoughts are frequent.

But now to the larger point. On May 30, I will be presenting a biblical moment of praise and worship in support of my pastor's vacation. The passage of choice is Philippians 2. 1-11. My approach is to start with the end and to work backwards. It is extremely easy in biblical study to start at the beginning and read to the end, having forgotten what the beginning actually was about! By forgetting the goal, the actions become de-contextualized and take on divergent possible meanings.

The final phrase of 2.11 is "eis doxan theou patros", to the glory of God the Father. Everything presented in the Kenosis Hymn of 2.6-11 is for this single purpose. Everything Paul asks of the church at Philippi in 2.1-5 is for this single purpose.

If God is eternal with no beginning and no end, then this purpose never ceases to direct the thoughts and actions of the Godhead or the church. When that purpose is out of focus then those proclaiming to be "of the Father" aren't.

Random Theological Thought Patterns

During my recent mental excursions I was pondering Genesis 2:15-3:22, specifically the first and last verses, and how to relate this theological account to a contemporary (careful not to confuse that adjective with the less specific 'modern') audience. My circuitous route took me from Genesis to the Gospel of John and its strongly characterized relationship in chapter 1 with Genesis 1. The punishment for Adam and Eve's failure to adhere to the gardener's instruction was to be removed from the presence of a single tree.

The tree under consideration is called the "tree of life" whereby the fruit when consumed gives life. It then became clear to me that Jesus, as presented in the Gospel of John, provides life, appearing a mere 36 times in 32 different verses. Of greater consideration is that it appears 32 times in the first 12 chapters.

The result of Genesis 2 is denial of access to the tree of life, the result of Jesus' coming is access to life, not in the form of a tree, but in the form of Jesus. The reason for the removal of Adam and Eve from the garden was to prevent them from "eating" the fruit that gives life and living forever, the invitation of John 6:41 is to eat and live forever.

I find it irrational that a contemporary reader of John's Gospel can seek to find meaning, true meaning, fulfilling meaning, in the Gospel without also becoming aware of the Old Testament messages. The two walk hand in hand.