The Gospels – The Gospel According to John
In the beginning was the Word
John 1:1-5 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
This is self-explanatory. The Word of God is a part of His Essence. When Jesus brought His Teaching down to us, He brought down the Word of God. He brought down an Essence of the Creator and also the Power of God. God brought Himself to us. We, however, through the influence of the darkness failed to yield to the Word of God. We blindly reviled It and rejected It. The Light of God in His Word shined when Jesus descended to this earth but the majority of mankind failed to understand Him. Did not want to understand Him because His Teaching was inconvenient to the happy placid spiritual indolence that had come to characterize mankind.
Jesus demanded work and activity. That was too much for a mankind that had become used to expect to be served. Suddenly we were meant to serve and this unfamiliar position made us resentful. Why should we who were so great serve our neighbours? Why should we love our neighbours? What do we gain from following a teaching that demanded that we give up our exalted positions? These were the questions asked by the intellects of men and they just could not put up with a teaching as apparently as rigorous as this.
In our uncomprehending way, we preferred earthly bliss which lasts for only a very short period to spiritual bliss which lasts for ever. We tried to make a bargain with the Love of God. What is in it for me we ask? All the darkness had to do was induce us to overdevelop our intellects and no more. Lucifer could then leave mankind on its own certain that it would always follow its dictates. And why not? The distortion in the human brain guarantees this. He had choked off the spirit. He did not have to especially exert himself very much. He could be certain that his will would always be carried out by those who had become his slaves: the majority of mankind.