“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that hath been made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the Light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness apprehended it not. There came a man, sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for 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. There was the true Light, even the Light which lighteth every man, coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and they that were his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he the right to become children of God, even to them that believe on his name, which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth. John beareth witness of him, and crieth, saying, This was he of whom I said, He that cometh after me is become before me; for he was before me. For of his fulness we all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses; grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. No man hath seen God at any time; the only-begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.” John 1:1–18, R. V.
What was in the beginning?
Where was the Word?
What was the Word?
When was the Word with God?
How were all things made?
What was in him? What was it to men? Is it light to you?
Where does the light shine? With what result?
What man was sent from God? For what purpose?
What was the object of his witness-bearing?
Was he that Light? What was his work?
What does the true Light do?
Where was he? What was his relation to the world? Did the world recognize him?
To what did he come? Was he received?
What did he do for those who received him?
How were they born?
What change was experienced by the Word? Where did he dwell?
With what was he filled?
What was thus made visible?
What testimony did John bear concerning him?
What have we thus received?
What did Moses give? What came by Jesus Christ?
Has God himself been seen?
How has he been revealed?
NOTES.
1. THE object of writing the Gospel is twofold: to furnish ground for confidence that there was the incarnation of the divine nature in the person of Christ (that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, chapter 20:31), and that this incarnation has for its object to give eternal life to mankind (that believing we might have life through his name, Ib.). Life in Christ only, and life through Christ only, are leading thoughts in this Gospel, and they are suggested in this introduction (of verses 4 and 12).
2. VERSES 9–11.—The true Light has an influence upon all men. “Whenever they make an effort to reform, from a sincere desire to do right, it is the power of Christ that is drawing them. . . . The sinner may resist his love, may refuse to be drawn to Christ; but if he does not resist, he will be drawn to Jesus.” Verse 11 is also, and properly, rendered, “Unto his own possessions he came, and his own people did not receive him home.”—Rotherham. They who “receive him” are they “that believe on his name.” To receive him is to believe on his name. It is ours to receive him (Col. 2:6), and he is to bestow the “power” (“right or privilege,” margin). Christ took our nature by birth (Gal. 4:4), that we might take his nature (2 Peter 1:4) by birth (1 Peter 1:23).
3. VERSE 14.—“He clothed his divinity with humanity, that he might touch humanity; that his presence might be among us; that we might know that he is acquainted with all our trials and sympathizes with our griefs; that every son and daughter of Adam might understand that Jesus is the friend of sinners. He set up his tabernacle (see Revised Version, margin of verse 14) in the midst of our human encampment; he pitched his tent by the side of the tents of men, that he might dwell among us, and make us familiar with his divine character and life.” Thus was he true to his name, Immanuel. Matt. 1:23.
4. VERSE 14.—“Divinity needed humanity; for it required both the divine and the human to bring salvation to the world. Divinity needed humanity, that humanity might afford a channel of communication between God and man. So with the servants and messengers of Christ. Man needs a power outside of and beyond himself, to restore him to the likeness of God; but this does not make the human agency unessential. Humanity lays hold upon the divine power; Christ dwells in the heart by faith; and through co-operation with the divine, the power of man becomes efficient for good.”
5. VERSE 14.—Christ was a visible manifestation to the world of the glory of the Invisible One (Col. 1:15), and this thought runs through this Gospel (chapters 2:11; 7:18; 11:40; 17:22). The fifteenth verse may be regarded as a parenthesis, and the last clause may be rendered, “He who after me was coming, before me has advanced; because he was my Chief.”—Rotherham.
6. VERSE 14.—Grace appropriated becomes “a foundation for the bestowment of more grace;” or grace received becomes “a title and claim to new grace.” The law, which is the form of truth (Rom. 2:20), was given by Moses, but the truth itself (that is, the “reality” of the law in life) was in Christ (John 14:6). Christ reveals God (Matt. 11:27), not simply by words, but also by his life. Thus “he declares the invisible God, acts as his interpreter, gives expression to him, renders him cognizable to human faculties.” Thus is he the Word. He is able to reveal God fully, for “in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
