Black Church Tradition Lens Commentary: John 1:1-5

## Black Church Tradition Lens Reading of John 1:1-5

### Tradition-Specific Interpretation

We read John 1:1-5 as a proclamation of the divine Word that has always been on the side of the oppressed. In the beginning was the Word, and this Word has been with us, empowering us through the darkest nights of slavery and segregation. The light that shines in the darkness is the presence of Jesus, who stands with the marginalized and brings liberation. This Word is not abstract; it is incarnate in our struggle for justice and our hope for deliverance. We see Jesus as the ultimate revelation of God's liberating power, a light that no amount of systemic oppression can extinguish.

### Key Language Decisions