Rt. Rev. Dr. Vince McLaughlin
This is the Fourth Sunday in Advent or the Vigil of the Nativity of Our Lord – Christmas Eve.
In the liturgical calendar of the Church for Christmastide, the Gospel Reading is taken from John
1:1-14. It would seem more logical to have the Gospel reading taken from either St. Matthew or
St. Luke highlighting the Nativity narrative. Instead, the Early Church sought to explain the
reason or purpose for The Advent of The Christ (Aramaic – Mashiyach).
It is interesting here in John 1:1-14 that there is no mention of the purpose of The Advent
associated with the forgiveness of sins or saving from eternal damnation. Most Bible scholars
believe that the Gospel of John was the last eyewitness testimony of St. John written before his
death thus was probably the last New Testament Book written completing the New Testament
Canon.
If this is the case, St. John knew that the Nativity scenario had been adequately addressed by St.
Matthew (a fellow disciple of Yeshua) and St. Luke (the scholar physician). St. John’s purpose
was clear in his writing his Gospel. What is the underlying purpose of The Advent? Is it to
provide the means of ‘fire insurance’ or something much more eternally significant?
This morning we want to look at carefully in a scholarly exegetical and expository manner John
1:1-14 because it holds the key to the thoughts of Elohim on the real “Why” of The Advent of
Mashiyach, the Miltah bar Elaha Hai (Messiah, the Word Son of the Living God).
The Early Christian Church (Aramaic or Messianic believers) was more concerned with
understanding the mind of God on the eternal ‘why’ of The Advent because it did not correlate
well with their previous messianic expectations. Judeans and Samaritans were expecting a
political messiah who would end the oppression by the Gentiles (Rome) and not a spiritual
messiah so to speak.
In our passage, we will see the primary purpose of the Advent is about New Birth – His & ours!
Now the passage below is from the Aramaic New Testament and we seek to briefly exegete this
passage and make some expositional and commentary observations prayerfully to enlighten,
illuminate, and bless yer socks off!
1. In the beginning was the Miltha.
2 And that Miltha was with Elohim. And Elohim was that Miltha. 2. This was with Elohim in the beginning.
3. Everything existed through his hands, and without him, not even one thing existed of the things which have existed.
4. In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
5. And that light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overtake it.
6. There was a man who was sent from Elohim whose name was Yochanan.
7. This man came for a witness that he might testify concerning the light that all might believe
through his hand.
8. He was not the light; rather that he might bear witness concerning the light.
9. For the light was of truth, that which shines on all who come into the world.
10. He was in the world, and the world existed by his hand and the world did not know him.
11. He came to his own, and his own did not receive Him.
12. But those who did receive him he gave to them authority that they might be the sons of Elohim, those who have believed in his name.
13.Those who neither by blood nor by the will of the flesh nor by the will of a man, rather were
begotten by Elohim.
14. And the Miltha became flesh and dwelt among us and we saw his glory, the glory as the Only-Begotten who is from the Father who is full of grace and truth.
(Aramaic New Testament – John 1:1-14)
Now in vv1-5, St. Yochanan explains the eternal deity of Y’shua (Jesus) in meticulous detail.
These verses are crucial to understanding the Christological doctrine that will keep us from
heresy and error. We must know with certainty who was sent in The Advent because it is
through HIM that the eternal purposes of God will be revealed and fulfilled.
Please note that fulfilling Messianic prophecy is Mashiyach (ruler of Israel) to have origins of
the ancient past Micah 5:2; Isaiah 48:16. We must bear in mind that Micah is referring to the
spiritual “Israel of Elohim,” those of the Kingdom of Heaven according to the circumcision of
heart.
1. In the beginning was the Miltha (There is no direct English equivalent. It can mean
“Word”, “Manifestation”, “Instance” or “Substance”). In this context, it may best be
left untranslated.
2. And that Miltha was with Elohim. And Elohim was the Miltha. 2. The Miltha was with
Elohim in the beginning.
3. Everything existed through his hands, and without him, not even one thing existed of the
things which have existed. (The literal Aramaic reading is “through His hands” which
clearly indicates that The Miltha as a creative force, like a sculptor working under the
orders of a king.)
While Abba YHWH is in sole command of the creation process, the “His Hands” refers to
the Miltha (Word) from His mouth and that Miltha (Word) will become flesh as His Son.
Since this is a form of Y’shua the “him” is in small letters. The same is done for
Yochanan 1:10-12. Although in another sense it is also accurate to say that Yeshua is
YHWH (Luke 2:11 and 1 Corinthians 12:3).
4. In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
5. And that light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overtake it.
There is an Aramaic wordplay here in this verse. Nohra b’chashokha menhar (light in
the darkness that shines) is a deliberate mirror-reversal of menharnohra (menorah),
which marks the conception of the light of the world at Hanukkah. This puts the birth of
Mashiyach nine months from Hanukkah, during the fall feasts; many point to the first day
of Feast of Tabernacles for the date of Yeshua’s birth according to the Early Aramaic
Christian Church.
In vv6-8, St. John exegetes the eternal purposes and mission (Mal. 3:1, Isa. 40:3, and Mark 1:1-
8) of John the Baptist, the testifier to the Light.
6. There was a man who was sent from Elohim whose name was Yochanan.
7. This man came for a witness that he might testify concerning the light that all might
believe through his hand.
8. He was not the light; rather that he might bear witness concerning the light.
In vv9-14, speaks of The Miltha as the divine light of truth that gives light to everyone. He, The
Miltha, was now coming into the world. The world came into existence by His hand but the
world did not know Him. In fact, He came to His own (Nation of Israel) and they did not receive
Him in belief and trust.
9. For the light was of truth, that which shines on all who come into the world.
10. He was in the world, and the world existed by his hand and the world did not know him.
11. He came to his own, and his own did not receive Him.
This would be the fulfillment of the Messianic prophecy: “his own did not receive him”
Psalm 69:9; Isaiah 53:3; Daniel 9:24-26.
In vv12-14, speaks of the purpose and reason for The Advent. The Advent is a time of ‘firsts.’
It is the first time that God took upon Himself human flesh permanently. In the Old Testament,
we had multiple theophanies but these manifestations were not permanent but temporary. A
theophany is a manifestation of God in the Bible that is tangible to the human senses. In its most
restrictive sense, it is a visible appearance of God in the Old Testament period, often, but not
always, in human form.
At The Advent, God became flesh. The glorified Deity became human (Phil. 2:5-11) and
glorified His humanity upon His resurrection, ascension, and enthronement. The ‘first’ now
becomes a proto-type for a new creation.
Let me make a couple observations about this divine life that becomes a reality within the human
realm at The Advent. Yeshua said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the
Father but through Me (John 14:6).” Yeshua is the Divine Life. This is the eternal reality!
Now, Yeshua says, “I have come that you might have the (Divine) life and have it in abundance
(John 10:10).” Is it not interesting that all of these passages of the divine life in Yeshua are
found in the Gospel of John? Interesting! Okay, one of the purposes of The Advent was to give
us the divine life in Yeshua and have it in abundance.
How do you get life? Through birth?
In vv12-13, Yochanan tells us that to those who receive Yeshua will be the sons of Elohim as a
result of their belief. In John 3:3, and 6-8 it speaks of a reality that we first must be ‘birthed
from above’ because that which is born of the flesh is flesh but that which is born of the Spirit is
spirit.
This ‘birth from above’ is neither by blood nor by the will of the flesh, nor by the will of man but
rather by being ‘birthed from above’ is by Elohim (God). St. Paul says as a result of this new
birth we are a new creation or creatures in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17) and the old has passed away.
To the Eastern mind, The Advent is not so much on what it prevented but more on what it
provided or presented. It is not so much prevention of eternal damnation but more on the means
of providing the divine life of God to His creation. This divine life would allow relational
intimacy that previously had not been known before The Advent. Prior to The Advent, there was
not a human reality of being a ‘partaker of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). Adam and Eve were
created in the image and likeness of God but were not partakers of the divine nature.
The Advent is a ‘first’ for God and provides the template for a ‘first’ for us astweel. In the First
Advent, Yeshua was birthed in human form. Quick note - Yeshua is the only human who ever
chose to be born. The reason He came was that The Advent would provide for us an opportunity
for a ‘first,’ that is, to be birthed from above for us. As a result of The Advent, we can be birthed
by the Spirit – a first. It is a requirement to both enter or see the Kingdom of God!
12. But those who did receive him he gave to them authority that they might be the sons of
Elohim, those who have believed in his name.
13. Those who neither by blood nor by the will of the flesh nor by the will of a man, rather
were begotten by Elohim.
In v14, Yochanan testifies as an eyewitness that The Miltha became flesh (human) and dwelt
within humanity. He was an eyewitness as others of His Glory as the Only-Begotten who is
from Abba Av, who is full of grace and truth.
14. And the Miltha became flesh and dwelt among us and we saw his glory, the glory as the
Only-Begotten who is from the Father who is full of grace and truth.
The Miltha refers to the “Manifestation” of the Ruach haKodesh (The Holy Spirit) within
Mashiyach. The physical body of Mashiyach is not the Word of YHWH, but His words
and actions demonstrate the Will and Word of YHWH.
The term “Only-Begotten” in Aramaic is Ekhadaya. It is a beautiful term used among
Eastern theologians and poets; it literally means “THE ONE”
So what are we to make of this incredible eternal truth and reality about The Advent? C.S.
Lewis noted this about the ‘The Advent.’ Yeshua first must become like us in order that we
might become like Him. That is the purpose of The Advent. God’s eternal purposes have been
to replicate Himself in us via the associated dynamics of The Advent. If it was not for The
Advent, there would not have been the teachings & miracles of Yeshua, the crucifixion &
death/burial of Yeshua, the resurrection & ascension of Yeshua, and the enthronement of Yeshua
& the giving of the Holy Spirit. Without The Advent, we would not have the opportunity to be
“birthed from above” and made partakers of the divine nature.
The Advent is so much more than providing the means of ‘fire insurance’ or saving us from our
sins. It provides the means of becoming like Him through the power of the Holy Spirit (2 Cor.
3:16-18). The Advent is about ‘new birth’ – the birth of God into human form and the birth of us
in order to be transformed into image and likeness of Yeshua.
In conclusion, so why did Yeshua come to earth as God in human form? Was it to give us the
ultimate teachings ever? No. Though they were the greatest teachings ever given, He came here
for more than that. Did Yeshua come to set the perfect example of how a man or woman should
live? He came to do that and much more. Did Yeshua walk this earth merely to do miracles and
heal people? While He always reached out to people in need, that was not His primary purpose.
C. S. Lewis said it well: "The Son of God became a man that men might become sons of God."
God became a man so that you might become God's child. Now that is something worth
celebrating the real purpose for The Advent!