“In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God” (John 1:1-2). The use of “Word,” “God,” and “He” indicates unity of being One in Three and Three in One and links the attribute of language that is unique to both the Trinity and mankind. This direct link of man with his Creator is further evidenced by the fact that man was created in His image. In the book of John, the “Word” clearly refers to Jesus Christ as evident in the continuation,
“All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men” (John 1:3-4).
In essence, the “Word” manifested in the language goes much further than just a means for communication. God used it as the means to create the world. For example, “God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light” (Genesis 1:3). At this moment, the physics and reality of light came into existence. Today, we know that light is a form of energy that can behave like a wave as well as particles or photons. We also know that photons respond to gravitational fields, such as the sun, that can alter its path of travel. Because it is particle-like, it has a speed limit, but no other matter known to man can travel faster than light. All of this came into existence from the Word uttering
the words, “Let there be light.”
The message behind the Book is to emphasize the point that in the end we are “godly creatures” for a “godly mission” created in the image of the “One God”. Male and Female He created us. It is not an option, but a must for us to be in the image of God. This is such that we can be capable of managing, sustaining and in essence accountable for everything on the face of this planet (as mentioned right upfront in the opening Chapter of the Bible in Genesis 1: 26-31), AND much more. This is where the Book elaborates further.
Today Good Friday, April 18th 2025, writing this comment, we are living the death of our Lord Jesus Christ on a Cross celebrating His liberation of humanity from its original sin against Him in Paradise. This is a true day of Victory for mankind represented by Christ against the serpent that defeated us in Paradise and where we were ejected, but through His crucifixion we were readmitted into it, that is “Today, moving forward, we can again be with Him in Paradise”. The price for the unlimited sin committed against Him was paid by Him. This good news was first told to the right thief who was crucified with Him, the best news ever told to mankind, for all of us, from that day till this moment in our history.
So, what is special about Jesus?
Referring to Luke 21:37,
On the morning of this same Holy week, the morning of April 15, 2025, the Tuesday of the Holy Week, the Pascha Week, a thought came in my morning prayer, and then thereafter I came across this bible verse in my daily and regular Bible reading in the above verse reading Luke 21,
And in the day time he was teaching in the temple; and at night he went out, and abode in the mount that is called the mount of Olives. And all the people came early in the morning to him in the temple, for to hear him.
The though in my morning prayer that happened to be before I read this verse was:
Christ always wanted to go to a quiet place, typically going to a mount. I was wondering when He goes to the mount (mountain), does He get greeted, glorified and praised by His wild creation, the deer, the lions, the birds, and all others, singing and honoring Him; most likely they do and they are openly praising Him.
Then what happens when He gets off the mountain and heads back to humanity; how was He greeted and glorified? Rather, He would always have been interrogated, questioned and sometimes belittled by humanity of how He is not a law-abiding citizen insisting on breaking the Sabbath by doing work on that day, regardless of His truly heavenly work, of healing and curing our deceases, sickness and burdens.
It is so amazing that The Lord from the moment He came down to us, He was offering His Cheeks all the way to the Cross, not letting us impede His plan of Salvation of us, tolerating us and our sinful nature that never quit minimizing and humiliating Him, the True God who is the Miracle Maker, raising people from the dead, healing the blind, the deaf, the paralytic, and much more; Christ who moves mountains, split the seas, controls the movement of the sun, the weather, and everything else that was created by Him; when it came to dealing with humans the likes of the Pharisees and the Scribes, and even those whom He healed, they ended up telling their occupiers (the Romans) “Crucify Him, Crucify Him”. That was their reward to Him to thank Him for all that he has done for them.
Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God. Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil? Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but I honour my Father, and ye do dishonour me. And I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth. Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death. Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death. Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself? Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God: Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.
So, Jesus Himself answered the above question:
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I AM”
In Christ
Ramiz Gilada
(Today Good Friday, April 18th 2025)