Reflection on Jesus: A Johannine Perspective

In popular Christianity, and among uninformed believers, Jesus is often reduced to little more than a superior Shaman—a figure expected to resolve any issue through magical power. Many babble empty phrases like "Jesus is everything" or "Jesus is the Way," asserting that there is no other path to salvation. They demand simple belief and worship, but in this context, faith becomes nothing more than a packaged product they purchase and think they possess. Consequently, they weaponize the gospel to invade or intrude upon others.

However, Jesus is not a Shaman of that sort. Declaring that "Jesus is everything" without substantial explanation is hollow. In the Fourth Gospel, Jesus never explicitly states, "I am God." His primary title is "Son of God," the one who does the work of God. It was a misunderstanding by his contemporaries to claim he blasphemed God; his point is always that he does the work of the Father as the one sent by him. He says, "I delivered the word (logos) of God," and explicitly states that the sender is greater than the one sent. Even when he says "the Father and I are one," this signifies not sameness, but a union with God, as he performs God's work.

He is the Son of God, sent to save the world by exemplifying the invisible word of God—truth, life, and light—within it. He was born to testify to the truth of God. The Johannine claim that "the Word became flesh" (John 1:14) does not necessarily suggest that God became Jesus or that Jesus is identical to God in a simplistic sense. Rather, the point is that the logos took the form of human flesh, specifically in the person of Jesus. This distinction suggests that the logos and the human Jesus are not synonymous; rather, the former is embodied by the latter. This is the hallmark of the Fourth Gospel, which was written so that people might believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God.

In John's Gospel, truth is not a possession; it is something experienced or manifested through following Jesus's teaching. His teaching points to the truth of God, insisting that God's word, or logos, must shine in the darkness.

With this Christological understanding, we can reinterpret the Gospel. All of Jesus's actions fulfill a specific mission: to do the work of God, not his own work, and to speak God's logos, not his own. Through this lens, John 14:6 ("I am the way...") can be reinterpreted not as an exclusive statement regarding salvation, but as a critical invitation to engage with Jesus's mission. It is a call to embody the truth, never meant simply to exclude other religions.

*For more of my works regarding John's Gospel:

• Truth, Testimony, and Transformation: A New Reading of the I Am Sayings of Jesus (Cascade, 2014)
• Toward Decentering the New Testament (Cascade, 2018)
• “The Johannine Realism about the Kingdom of God: ‘Born From Above, Born of Water and Spirit’ (John 3:1-21),” Currents in Theology and Mission 48.4 (2021): 22-26.

The Three Dimensions of Life

To live fully is to exist at the intersection of three distinct dimensions: the celestial, the terrestrial, and the communal. When we look up, we find the stars' perspective—that vast, silent "upward" reach that reminds us of our smallness and our capacity for wonder. When we look below, we are grounded by the "downward" pull of the material world—the fruit, the grain, and the rhythmic flow of rivers that sustain our physical forms. Yet, it is the horizontal dimension that defines the quality of our days. While the sky gives us vision and the earth gives us substance, our relationships provide the meaning. We are not solitary pillars standing between heaven and earth; we are part of a vast, interconnected web where our survival and joy depend entirely on the person standing next to us. To be truly "alive" is to balance this vertical orientation with a wide-reaching lateral embrace, acknowledging that while we may dream in the stars and eat from the soil, we navigate the world heart-to-heart.

Moderate Accomplishment

Sometimes, a simple accomplishment upholds ourselves.
#Vuu #PantherPride

Jesus as a subversive storyteller

Jesus wasn't just a teacher of morals, but a subversive storyteller who challenged the status quo. His entire ministry hinged on one central inquiry: "What is the right thing to do?"

Threefold Theology of Paul

Dr. Yung Suk Kim’s "threefold theology" of Paul represents a significant shift from traditional Protestant interpretations. While traditional views often focus on a legal or forensic understanding of salvation, Kim’s approach is participatory and transformative. Refer to his book, A Theological Introduction to Paul's Letters: Exploring a Threefold Theology of Paul.

 
His primary departure lies in how he interprets the "genitives" (the "of" phrases) in Paul’s letters, reading them as subjective (describing the subject's action) rather than objective (describing the object of a person's belief).

 
1. The Righteousness of God (Dikaiosyne tou Theou)
-Traditional Protestant View: Often seen as a forensic status—a legal declaration by God that a sinner is "not guilty" based on faith alone.
-Kim’s Interpretation: He argues for God's participatory righteousness. It is not just a gift given to humans, but God’s own saving activity and justice that believers are invited to participate in.

2. The Faith of Christ (Pistis Christou)

-Traditional Protestant View: Usually translated as "faith in Christ"—the individual's act of believing in Jesus as Savior to receive justification.
-Kim’s Interpretation: He translates this as the "faithfulness of Christ". The focus shifts from the believer's mental assent to Christ’s own faithful obedience to God, which serves as the model and foundation for the believer's life.

3. The Body of Christ (Soma Christou)
-Traditional Protestant View: Typically understood as an organism metaphor emphasizing church unity and harmony among different members.
-Kim’s Interpretation: Kim views it as a political and ethical metaphor. He argues it was a critique of the "body politic" of the Roman Empire and powerful in-groups in Corinth. Instead of a call for uniform unity, he sees it as a mandate for solidarity with the marginalized and a celebration of diversity.

 
For a deeper dive into how he applies these concepts to modern social issues and the "politics of love": "Jesus and Paul within Judaism: The Good News of God."

METANOIA

POEM: Metanoia

https://drkimys.blogspot.com/p/roots-and-starlight-poetry-book.html
#poem #metanoia #yungsukkim #spirituality

Birds are free!

Through my window, I noticed a flock of small birds foraging on the snow-covered, frozen yard and streets. They were busy finding food or perhaps enjoying the cold white snow; I wasn't sure which. I felt a wave of empathy. They came as guests, or a reminder that I shouldn't get stuck in my place. There is freedom out there. It seemed to tell me to go out and enjoy myself. But I couldn't, because it was a frozen world. There wasn't much I could do right now. Still, I would remember the lesson from the birds: that I can find freedom everywhere. Moments later, they all flew away together from me. They soared through the air and the cold wind. They were gone. I hoped they would continue to enjoy their lives. They are free.

Eclectic Wisdom

 

Dao De Jing

In my view, the centerpiece of Dao De Jing is "Knowing oneself is enlightenment; seeing small is enlightenment." (Yung Suk Kim)

Humility

"Knowing not to know is the best. While not knowing, pretending to know is a disease." 

From Dao De Jing. Translated and written by Yung Suk Kim.