The Word, The One, The Light of Lights: Classical Philosophy in the Gospel of John

 

Within the Gospel of John, not only did I find an interesting sense of mysticism (especially within the prologue), but I also experienced a taste of Platonism and Neo-Platonism.  So I began comparing John with Platonism, coupled with Plotinus’ later Neo-Platonic renditions.  Yet even though a true parallel would include the alike as well as the contrary, I was particularly fascinated with the alike—so much so, I would like to focus this post strictly therein, and save the antitheses for another time.
 
After reading Bart D. Ehrman’s argument in his book, The New Testament: A Historical Introduction to the Early Christian Writers (177), which bolsters the idea that the prologue in John is probably a hymn that was added much later than some of the original material, I was very interested in reading the prologue again, for it specifically articulates Christ as being divine.  As I read the prologue again and by trying to see the rest of the text within a similar socio-historic lens, I was amazed to find some similar elements within the Gospel of John that imbued certain parallels to Platonism and Neo-Platonism.  John writes,

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things come into being through Him, and without Him not one thing came into being.  What has come into being in Him was life, and the life was the light of all people.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it (John 1:1-5).”

 

Through a purely Christian lens, I see that the Word, or Christ, is divine and created all other things.  Moreover, through Christ all humanity may be saved.  But as we see in the other synoptic gospels, Christ maintains a lower Christology.  Ehrman argues that the evolution from a lower Christology into a higher Christology within the Gospel of John is a reaction to the exclusion of the Johannine community from the synagogues, as well as this particular concept's value as a missionary tool.  Yet Platonism was very influential around this time, especially in the Greek and intellectual communities—so could this type of philosophy instill divine undertones within either the prologue or the Gospel of John itself?

 

In particular, the idea of Emanation philosophy engenders the idea that the Cause (or the “One” for Plotinus--father of Neo-Platonics) emanates an overflowing of nous (intellect or even soul) continuously in a chain of creation.  When the first link overflows with the Source’s intelligence, another link is created, and so on thereby continuing creation in a sense of emanation.  Plotinus explains, “Seeking nothing, possessing nothing, lacking nothing, the One is perfect and, in our metaphor, has overflowed, and its exuberance has produced the new: this product has turned again to its begetter and been filled and has become its contemplator and so an Intellectual-Principle (5^th Ennead, 2^nd Tractate).”

 

For me the connection between the mystical undertones of John and Emanation philosophy is founded intrinsically on the philosophic concept of monism or the one essential, governing element, substance, purpose, or even being that all reality is grounded or based.  John writes, “What has come into being in Him was life, and the life was the light of all people.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it (John 1:3-5).”  Here in verse five I don’t consider light and darkness as a dualist term, like unto two divinities that are of good and evil, but still within monism, darkness is only the absence of light (or a veiling of truth, or even a forgotten purpose).  Thus if the Word created all things, and His life is the light of all people—or the reality that links all people to Him—the purpose of all things must, in a sense, be to see the light—or recognize His life—and reflect it.  Or in other words, the realities of the Word and the purpose of creation are united.  Creation is, therefore, designed to recognize and reflect the light of His Word. John articulates this point a number of times within the gospel:

 
“Indeed, God did not send the Son (who are one-the Word was God) into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him (3:17).”
 

“...I am the light of the world.  Whosoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life (8:12).”

 

“…I am the way, and the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me (14:6).”

 

This idea of creation being linked to the Source or the One, originally within Platonism, is reflected universally.  However from the death of Plato in the mid-fourth century BCE to the Neo-Platonism of Plotinus who died in the late-third century CE, the connection between the particular forms of mankind and his individual purpose linked to the One was already apparent.  Perhaps this link was solidified by early Christian thinkers or even within the community of John (also could resonate for the Stoic idea of idios poion or individualizing determination).  From solidifying the particulars, the individual creation gained an individual purpose in which I have previously described.  Thus the purpose of creation or mankind in particular, is to turn towards God.  Upon turning towards God, one realizes that all other directions one can turn are just inferior (Brian Hines, Return to the One, Bloomington: Unlimited, 2004, 270). Thus it is within our essence to recognize our Source, turn towards him, and reflect his countenance (intellect-soul).  Moreover, within this transcendent path, we are happy.  John writes, “…I am the bread of life.  Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty (John 6:35).

 
Thus both the Gospel of John and Neo-Platonism, perhaps, speak of first an emanated creation from the Divine Source, as well as a return.  For Christians, Christ initiated this return by becoming the flesh.  As flesh, Christ designated a direction and solidified a path that devised whether a man moved closer to God, or further away.  When one first faces God and then approaches, truth is unveiled and darkness is made light.  Plotinus writes, “But we exist more when we turn to him and our well-being is there, but being far from him is nothing else but existing less (6^th Ennead, 9^th Tractate).”
 

For me these concepts are illustrated perfectly in a paradigm of light.  I imagine the sun’s bright light shining overhead.  As I hold a mirror, if I place the reflective surface facing the ground there is a lack of light, and the mirror only reflects darkness.  But if I face my mirror towards the sun, I begin to reflect light.  When I position my mirror perfectly in line with the sun, the mirror reflects light to its full capacity.  In my opinion there are some valid parallels between the Gospel of John and concepts of Platonism and Neo-Platonism, which confirm a contemporary outpouring of classical philosophy into early Christianity.