John 1:1-13
1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John’s Gospel opens magnificently. It begins by portraying the life of Christ in , before the world was.
In the beginning (archç) — when the heavens and the earth were created (Genesis 1:1) — the Word (Christ) existed.
Was the Word (was -çn imperfect tense – action in the past) the Word (ho logos) existed continually in the past, without ).
And the Word was with God – the Word was (çnwas, imperfect tense, continually in the past, preposition pros/ God.
And the Word was God, or more literally in the Greek, and was the Word (kai theos çn ho logos).
1:2 He was in the beginning with God. The fact John repeats that Christ was “with God,” seems to be intended as a repudiation of the early heresy that Christ was only an “ in the mind of God from eternity” made manifest in time.
The Greek clearly says that the Word was pros ton theon – “with God” not God.
1:3 All things came into being by Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. All things, one by one, came into being through the Word (Jesus Christ). Psalm 33:6; Proverbs 8:27–30
The two facts stressed in this text are:
1. That the Christ Himself was created; he was eternal, conveyed through the use of the imperfect tense four times in verses 1 and 2; and
2. That all things (viewed one by one without any exception) were created by him (past tense/the of all things).
1:4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. Not “through” but “ ” Him was life, that is, from all eternity life resided “in” the Word.
In Him (the eternal Word) was (eternal life).
1:5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. Note the change from the imperfect to the present tense: not only the light shining throughout the old dispensation; it shining still, for it is the very characteristic of light to shine.
Men loving darkness rather than light are unable by nature to comprehend or understand the .
1:6-8 There came a man, sent from God, whose name was John He came for a witness, that he might bear witness of the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came that he might bear witness of the light.
1. John (in time), Jesus (the Word) eternally .
2. John was a mere sent from God, Jesus was Himself.
3. John came to bear of the light, Jesus Himself the light.
4. John is the through whose testimony men come to trust in the real light, even Christ, Jesus is Himself the very of trust.
1:9 There was the true light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. Christ is the true light, (as opposed to false lights) enlightening (photizô – to ) to every man a true representation of who is and what He expects from his creatures.
Jesus Christ (the Word) is the answer to the question “ is God?” John 1:18; 14:9; Hebrews 1:3; 2 Corinthians 4:4,6
1:10-11 He was in the world, and the world came into being through Him, but the world did not acknowledge Him. He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. The word world (kosmos) indicates the realm of which, though created by the Word, became alienated from the life of God because of .
The clause and the world came into being through Him is added to show that the world should have Christ, their creator.
1:12-13 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born not of physical birth, nor of human decision, nor of the will of man, but of God. Salvation comes to the sinner through “receiving Christ” (as God’s to us for our acceptance), and by “believing in His name,” (believing in His and ).
As many as did receive Him, as many as embrace Him by a living faith in His name, to them He gave as a gift the right, the , to become children of God.
No one can nor will receive Christ or believe in His name who is not first spiritually of God. John 6:63; 1 John 5:1; Acts 16:14
The new birth is a work. It is accomplished by the Holy Spirit applying the in living power to the heart.
