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The
Gospel Of John 1:1-15
(The
Deity of Jesus Christ)
(The
Witness of John the Baptist)
(The
Word Made Flesh)
(From the Orthodox Study Bible):
1 In the beginning was the
Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God(1).
2 He was in the beginning with
God.
3 All things were made through
Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made(2).
4 In Him was life, and the life
was the light of men(3).
5 And the light shines in the
darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it(4).
6 There was a man sent from
God, whose name was John(5).
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(6).
12 But as many as received Him,
to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in
His name(7):
13 who were born, not of blood,
nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God(8).
14 And the Word became flesh and
dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of
the Father, full of grace and truth(9).
15 John bore witness of Him and
cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred
before me, for He was before me.’ “.
***Verse-By-Verse Study Notes Provided in This
Bible***
(1) Verse
1: In the beginning recalls the creation story of Genesis, but speaks
more clearly of the Creator Himself. Furthermore, while Genesis spoke of the
first creation, this “Prologue” of John reveals the new creation in Christ.
Was
the Word
(Greek: “Logos”): The Word is the eternal Son of God. Was
indicates existence without reference to a starting point and emphasizes the
Word’s eternal existence without beginning. “Logos” can mean “wisdom”,
“reason”, and “action” as well as “word,” all of which are attributes of
the Son of God.
The
Word was with God: “With”
shows that the Word—the Son of God—is a distinct Person from the Father and
that He is in eternal communion with the Father.
The
Word was God: The
Word—the Son of God—is co-equal and co-eternal with the Father; He Himself is God
with the same divinity as the Father. Some twist and mistranslate the phrase
“the Word was a god” in order to propagate their heresy that the Son of God is
a created being, a creature not fully divine. Such a translation is
unsupportable, false, dishonest, and deceptive.
(2) Verse
3: The Word is the co-Creator with the Father and the Holy Spirit
(Genesis 1, Psalms 32:6, Hebrews 1:2) and not merely an instrument or servant
used by the Father. Will, operation, and power are one in the Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit. Thus, the heavens and the earth are the works of the One who made them,
while the Son was not made but is eternally begotten of the Father.
(3) Verse 4: In Him was life:
Only God has life in Himself. Thus, the Word, being God, is the source of
life, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit.
The
life was the light of men: John
now introduces mankind as receiver of the divine light. By participating in the
life of the Son, believers themselves become children of the light (John 12:36,
Ephesians 5:8, 1 Thessalonians 5:5). Moses saw the divine light in the burning
bush (Exodus 3:2); the whole nation saw it at the Red Sea (Exodus 13:21);
Isaiah saw it in his heavenly vision (Isaiah 6:1-5); and three apostles saw it
at the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-5).
(4) Verse
5: Darkness indicates both spiritual ignorance and satanic
opposition to the light. Those who hate truth prefer ignorance for themselves
and strive to keep others ignorant as well.
The
word translated comprehend means both “understand” and “overcome.” Thus,
darkness can never overpower the light of Christ, nor can it understand the way
of love.
(5) Verse
6: This John is John the Baptist, not the author of this gospel.
(6) Verses
9-11: Christ offers light to every person, but the world and
even many of His own refuse to receive Him; thus, they can
neither know nor recognize Him. Those who accept Him have His light. In
a hymn sung at the end of Liturgy, after hearing the Gospel and receiving
communion, we sing, “We have seen the true light, we have received the heavenly
Spirit.”
(7) Verse
12: Right also means “authority” and indicates a gift from God, not an
inalienable right. Those who receive Christ become children of God by
adoption (Galatians 4:4-7) and by grace inherit everything Christ is by nature
(see the article “Deification” at 2 Peter. To believe in His name means
to believe and trust in Him who in His humanity took the name Jesus as Word,
Son, Messiah, and Savior.
(8) Verse
13: Adoption as a child of God is not a matter of ethnic descent (of
blood) as it was in the Old Testament; nor are we children of God simply by
natural birth (the will of the flesh), nor by man’s own decision (the
will of man). Becoming a child of God is a spiritual birth by grace, through
faith, and in the Holy Spirit. This is accomplished and manifested in the
sacrament of Holy Baptism (see John 3:5-8, Titus 3:4-7).
(9) Verse
14: The Word became flesh clarifies the manner in which the Son and
Word of God came to His people, pointing specifically to His incarnation. The
Word became fully human without ceasing to be fully God. He assumed complete human
nature: body, soul, will, emotion, and even mortality—everything that pertains
to humanity except sin. As God and Man in one person, Christ pours divinity
into all of human nature, for anything not assumed by Christ would not have
been healed.
Dwelt
among us: In
the Old Testament, God’s presence dwelt (“tabernacled”) in the ark of the
covenant and later in the temple. Here, the eternal Word comes to dwell in and
among humanity itself. His glory refers both to His divine power shown
by His signs and wonders (John 2:11; John 11:4, 40), and to His humble service
to mankind, shown most perfectly on the Cross (John 12:23-32; 13:31). In both
ways, Christ reveals that He is the One sent from the Father.
Only
begotten of the Father: The
Son has no beginning, but has the Father as His source from eternity. He is
called only begotten because there is no other born from the Father.
(The Holy Spirit exists eternally from the Father through another mystery called
“procession”; see John 15:26.)
Full
of grace and truth: This
phrase qualifies both the Word and His glory. Grace is Christ’s
uncreated energy given to us through His love and mercy. Truth includes
His faithfulness to His promises and covenants and to the reality of His words
and gifts.
(From the King James Analytical Study Bible):
1 In the beginning was the Word(1),
and the Word was with God(2), and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning
with God.
3 All things were made by him;
and without him was not anything made that was made.
4 In him was life; and the
light was the light of men.
5 And the light shineth in
darkness; and the darkness comprehended(3) [apprehended] it not.
6 There was a man sent from
God, whose name was John(4).
7 The same came for a witness,
to bear witness of the Light, that all men 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 lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
10 He was in the world, and the
world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
11 He came unto his own [own
things], and his own [they that were his own] received him not.
12 But as many as received him,
to them gave he power [the right] to become the sons of God, even to them that
believe on his name:
13 Which were born, not of
blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word was made flesh,
and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten
of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
15 John(4) bare
witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh
after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.
***Brother Glenn’s Footnotes***
(1) In this sentence, the term “Word” comes from the
original ancient Greek word “logos” (Strong’s G3056). It’s
original ancient script, spelling, pronunciation, and definitions include: λόγος lógos, log'-os;
from G3004; something said (including the thought); by
implication, a topic (subject of discourse), also reasoning (the mental
faculty) or motive; by extension, a computation; specially, (with the article in John) the Divine
Expression (i.e. Christ):—account, cause, communication, × concerning, doctrine, fame, × have to do, intent, matter, mouth, preaching, question,
reason, + reckon, remove, say(-ing), shew, × speaker, speech, talk, thing, + none of these things move me, tidings, treatise,
utterance, word, work.
(2) In this sentence, the
term “God” comes from the original ancient Greek word “theos”
(Strong’s G2316). Its original ancient script, spelling,
pronunciation, and definitions include: θεός theós, theh'-os; of uncertain affinity; a deity, especially (with G3588) the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism,
very:—X exceeding, God, god(-ly, -ward).
(3) In the sentence, the term “comprehended” comes
from the original ancient Greek word “katalambano” (Strong’s
G2638). Its original ancient script, spelling, pronunciation, and definitions
include: καταλαμβάνω katalambánō, kat-al-am-ban'-o; from G2596 and G2983; to take eagerly, i.e. seize, possess, etc. (literally or figuratively):—apprehend, attain, come
upon, comprehend, find, obtain, perceive, (over-)take.
(From the Amplified Holy Bible):
1 IN THE beginning [before all
time] was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God(1), and the
Word was God Himself(1).
2 He was [continually existing]
in the beginning [co-eternally] with God.
3 All things were made and came
into existence through Him; and without Him not even one thing was made that
has come into being.
4 In Him was life [and the
power to bestow life], and the life was the Light of men.
5 The Light shines on in the
darkness, and the darkness did not understand it or overpower it or appropriate
it or absorb it [and is unreceptive to it].(2)
6 There came a man commissioned
and sent from God, whose name was John(3).
7 This man came as a witness,
to testify about the Light, so that all might believe [in Christ, the Light]
through him.
8 John(1) was not
the Light, but came to testify about the Light.
9 There it was – the true Light
[the genuine, perfect, steadfast Light] which, coming into the world,
enlightens everyone.
10 He (Christ) was in the world,
and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him.
11 He came to that which was His
own [that which belonged to Him – His world, His creation, His possession], and
those who were His own [people – the Jewish nation] did not receive and welcome
Him.
12 But to as many as did receive
and welcome Him, He gave the right [the authority, the privilege] to become
children of God, that is, to those who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and
rely on) His name –
13 who were born, not of blood
[natural conception], nor of the will of the flesh [physical impulse], nor of
the will of man [that of a natural father], but of God [that is, a divine and
supernatural birth – they are born of God – spiritually transformed, renewed,
sanctified].
14 And the Word (Christ) became
flesh, and lived among us; and we [actually] saw His glory, glory as belongs to
the [One and] only begotten Son of the Father, [the Son who is truly unique,
the only One of His kind, who is] full of grace and truth (absolutely free of
deception).
15 John testified [repeatedly]
about Him and has cried out [testifying officially for the record, with
validity and relevance], “This was He of whom I said ‘He who comes after me has
a higher rank than I and has priority over me, for He existed before me.’ “(4)
***Verse-by Verse Study Notes Provided in This
Bible***
(1) Verse 1: (In John the Apostle’s vision
(Revelation 19), he sees Christ returning as Warrior-Messiah-King, and “…His
name is called The Word of God…and LORD OF LORDS. (Revelation 19:13,16).
In this phrase, “God” appears first in the Greek word
order, emphasizing the fact that “the Word” (Christ) was God—so “God Himself.”
(2) Verse 5: for example, the world immersed
in sin: all that stands in opposition to God and biblical truth.
(3) Verse 6: The births of both John the
Baptist and Jesus were foretold by the angel, Gabriel (Luke 1:5-80). This
passage is about John the Baptist, the son of Zacharias the priest and his wife
Elizabeth. Elizabeth was related to Mary the mother of Jesus (Luke 1:36). John
the Baptist is considered to be the last of the Old Testament prophets, and is
not to be confused with John the Apostle who wrote this Gospel, and three brief
letters (1 John, 2 John, 3 John) and Revelation.
(4) Verse 15: (Here John the writer uses the
Greek perfect tense (“has cried out”), emphasizing the truth and continuing
importance of John the Baptist’s testimony.
Literally has come before (in front of) me,
because He was first of me. The Greek is difficult because John the Baptist
was making a word-play on the adverbs/adjective “after” (or “behind”), “before”
and “first.” The playful wording assumes the form of a riddle which, like some
of Jesus’ parables, conceals the speaker’s meaning from those who are hostile toward
him and have neither the patience nor the spiritual inclination to learn from
him.
(From the Complete Jewish Study Bible):
1 In the beginning was the
Word, and the Word was with God,
2 and the Word was God. He was
with God in the beginning.(1)
3 All things came to be through
him, and without him nothing made had being.
4 In him was life, and the life
was the light of mankind.
5 The light shines in the
darkness, and the darkness has not suppressed it.
6 There was a man sent from God
whose name was Yochanan(5).
7 He came to be a testimony, to
bear witness concerning the light; so that through him, everyone might put his
trust in God and be faithful to him.
8 He himself was not that
light; no, he came to bear witness concerning the light.
9 This was the true light,
which gives light to everyone entering the world.
10 He was in the world – the
world came to be through him – yet the world did not know him.
11 He came to his own homeland(2),
yet his own people did not receive him.
12 But to as many as did receive
him, to those who put their trust in his person and power, he gave the right to
become children of God(3),
13 not because of bloodline,
physical impulse or human intention, but because of God.
14 The Word became a human being(4)
and lived with us, and we saw his Sh’khinah(6), the Sh’khinah(6)
of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth.
15 Yochanan(5)
witnessed concerning him when he cried out, “This is the man I was talking
about when I said ‘The one coming after me has come to rank ahead of me,
because he existed before me.’ “
***Verse-by
Verse Study Notes Provided in This Bible***
(1) Verses 1-2: In the beginning was the Word:
This echoes the first sentence in Genesis: “In the beginning God created the
heavens and the earth.” The Word is not named as such in Genesis but is
immediately seen in action: “And God said, ‘Let there be light’ “(Genesis 1:3).
God expresses himself as commanding, calling, and creating. This expressing,
this speaking, this “Word” is God. A God who does not speak, a wordless God, is
no God at all. Word, from the Greek logos, corresponds to the
Aramaic memra, a technical, theological term used by rabbis in the
centuries before and after Yeshua (Jesus) when speaking of God’s
expression of himself. Thus the Messiah existed before all creation.
And the Word was with God, and the Word was
God:
Some qualities of Yochanan (John) that have been considered non-Jewish or of
Hellenistic origin in the past are better understood in a Jewish context. One
example is its famous use of the Greek term logos: “In the beginning was
the Word [logos], and the Word was with God, and the Word was with God.”
F.F. Bruce notes, “the term logos was familiar in some Greek
philosophical schools,” and “constituted a bridge-word by which people brought
up in Greek philosophy…found their way into Johannine Christianity.” At the
same time, “The true background to John’s thought and language is found not in
Greek philosophy but in Hebrew revelation.” (Bruce, The Gospel of John 29).
John’s use of logos is rooted in the creation account of Genesis and
parallel Jewish discussions of personified wisdom (Proverbs 8:22) and of the
Aramaic term memra or word. Another example is John’s frequent use of
stark contrast, as between light and darkness (1:5ff; John 3:19-21; John
12:35-36) or above and below (John 8:23). As with logos, this usage has
been explained in terms of Greek philosophy, which was dualistic, but it
actually reflects streams of Second Temple Jewish thought, in particular, the
Dead Sea Scrolls.
(2) Verse 11: His own homeland…his own people:
“His own homeland” and “people” could be either the world and humanity or the
land of Isra’el and the Jewish people; the latter seems more relevant since he
spent his entire life in or near Eretz-Isra’el [The Land of Isra’el].
Yet Yeshua, the Living Word (verse 10), created the entire world, so the entire
world could well be in view here.
(3) Verse 12: The right to become children of
God: Here being a “child of God” means having an intimate personal
relationship with him, as did Avraham (Abraham), Yitz’chak (Isaac), Ya’akov
(Jacob), Moshe (Moses), and David.
(4) Verse 14: The Word became a human being:
Literally, “The Word became flesh.” Yeshua, who grew up in Nazareth, did not
decide he would be God, but rather the logos who “was with God” and “was
God,” gave up the glory [he] had with [the Father] before the world existed”
(John 17:5) and “emptied himself, and took on the form of a slave by becoming
like human beings are.” In the incarnation, Yeshua as both ADONAI [LORD
or GOD] and the Word came to earth as a man. The Tanakh (Old Testament)
reports many instances of God’s appearance as a man—to Avraham (Abraham) in
Genesis 18, Ya’akov (Jacob) in Genesis 32:25-33, Moshe (Moses) in Exodus 3, the
people of Isra’el in Judges 2:1-5, and others.
***Brother
Glenn’s Footnotes***
(5) “Yochanan” was the Jewish name for “John.” In
this case, it is referring to John the Baptist, and not to the
John who wrote this Gospel.
(6) In the Jewish language, the
term Sh’khinah” refers to “the Divine Presence”, or “the manifest glory
of God present with people.”
(From the New American Standard Version Bible):
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 came into being
through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into
being.
4 In Him was life, and the life
was the Light of men.
5 The Light shines in the
darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend(1) it.
6 There came(2) a
man sent from God, whose name was John(5).
7 He came as a witness, to
testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him.
8 He was not the Light, but he
came to testify about the Light.
9 There was the true Light
which, coming into the world, enlightens every man(3).
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(4),
and those who were His own did not receive Him.
12 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.
13 Who were born, not of blood
nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word became flesh,
and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from
the Father, full of grace and truth.
15 John(5) testified
about Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes
after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’ “
***Footnotes
Provided in This Bible***
(1) Or overpower
(2) Or came into being
(3) Or which enlightens
every person coming into the world
(4) Or own things,
possessions, domain
(5) In this case, the name
“John” was referring to “John the Baptist”, and not to the John
who wrote this Gospel.
(From the Knox Bible – The Latin Vulgate
1 At the beginning of time the
Word already was; and God had the Word abiding with him, and the Word was God.
2 He abode, at the beginning of
time, with God.
3 It was through him that all
things came into being, and without him came nothing that has come to be(1).
4 In him there was life, and
that life was the light of men(1).
5 And the light shines in
darkness, a darkness which was not able to master it(2).
6 A man appeared, sent from
God, whose name was John.
7 He came for a witness, to
bear witness of the light, so that through him all men might learn to believe.
8 He was not the Light; he was
sent to bear witness to the light.
9 There is one who enlightens every
soul born into the world; he was the true Light.
10 He, through whom the world
was made, was in the world, and the world treated him as a stranger.
11 He came to what was his own,
and they who were his own gave him no welcome.
12 But all those who did welcome
him, he empowered to become the children of God, all those who believe in his
name;
13 their birth came, not from
human stock, not from nature’s will or man’s, but from God(3).
14 And the Word was made flesh,
and came to dwell among us; and we had sight of his glory, glory such as
belongs to the Father’s only-begotten Son, full of grace and truth.
15 We have John’s witness to
him; I told you, cried John, there was one coming after me who takes rank
before me; he was when I was not.
***Study
Notes Provided in This Bible***
(1) Verses 3 and 4: Some divide these two
sentences differently, and interpret thus: ‘It was through him that all things
came into being, and without him came nothing. What was in him was life, and
that life was the light of men.’
(2) ‘Master it’ may be taken in the sense of overcoming it,
or of understanding it.
(3) ‘Their birth came’; several of the early Church Fathers
seem to have used a text which read ‘His birth came’.