The St. John's Bible- JOHN

The Word Made Flesh and John Incipit, 2002

John 1:1-30

 Donald Jackson

Scribe: Donald Jackson

Vellum, with ink, paint and gold

"Stepping out of darkness which alludes

 to the chaos and nothingness in the Creation story, 

the golden figure of Christ, 

described as the "Living Word", 

brings light and order. 

Words in golden scripts, 

from Colossians (1:15-20), 

link the figure of Christ with the words 

"And lived among us"

at the upper right.

He is the image of the invisible God, 

the firstborn of all creation: 

for in him all things

 in heaven and on earth were created, 

things visible and invisible, 

whether thrones or dominions

 or rulers or powers-

all things have been created

 through him and for him. 

He himself is before all things, 

and in him all things hold together.

A keyhole jutting into the left margin

 recalls the tradition of locked

 and hinged manuscripts in securing, protecting, 

and holding the "key" to the Word of God."

I love the idea that God's Word

 is so special that it is protected and secured.

Might help me to treat this book with

awe and a better understanding of 

the GIFT of HIS WORD.