The Total Failure of Myth

                  THE TOTAL FAILURE OF MYTH: JOHN'S GOSPEL                                                                     Introduction We find comfort in our myths. When I was very young, television broadcast a flood of Westerns.  Wyatt Earp, Gunsmoke.  Wanted: Dead or Alive.  The Rifleman.   Rawhide.  The Deputy.  Bat Masterson.  Bonanza.  Dozens of others that arrived and vanished like mists.  All with the myth of Western heroes who valued the life even of the villains they fought, who shot guns from hands and fought clean fist fights.  I couldn't wait one Christmas morning when I knew I was getting a holster and six gun for a gift.  I was awake before anyone and opened the gift and had the gun belt and holster strapped on and had practiced fast draws for a long time when my parents woke up because of the noise and "suggested" I needed to put the gun away and go back to bed because it was only 4 in the morning.  I knew who the bad guys and

                                                             CHAPTER TWO John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  2 He was in the beginning with God.  3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.  4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.  5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.  6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.  7 This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe.  8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.  9 That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.  10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.  11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.  12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in Hi

                                                             CHAPTER THREE John 1:40 One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.  41 He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which is translated, the Christ).  42 And he brought him to Jesus. Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, "You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas" (which is translated, A Stone).  43 The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, "Follow Me."  44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.  45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote--Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."  46 And Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see."  47 Jesus saw Nathanael comin

                                                            CHAPTER FOUR John 2:1 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.  2 Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding.  3 And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, "They have no wine."  4 Jesus said to her, "Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come."  5 His mother said to the servants, "Whatever He says to you, do it."  6 Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece.  7 Jesus said to them, "Fill the waterpots with water." And they filled them up to the brim.  8 And He said to them, "Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast." And they took it.  9 When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where

                                                         CHAPTER FIVE John 2:12 After this He went down to Capernaum, He, His mother, His brothers, and His disciples; and they did not stay there many days.  13 Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.  14 And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the moneychangers doing business.  15 When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers' money and overturned the tables.  16 And He said to those who sold doves, "Take these things away! Do not make My Father's house a house of merchandise!"  17 Then His disciples remembered that it was written, "Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up."  18 So the Jews answered and said to Him, "What sign do You show to us, since You do these things?"  19 Jesus answered and said to them, "Destroy this temple, and in three d