John will not begin his Gospel with a genealogy nor an account of Christ’s birth as was done on other Gospels. Instead he will immediately establish who Jesus is and exactly what His origin is.
Let’s look to the first verses.
JN 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (2) He was with God in the beginning. (NIV)
John refers to Jesus as “the Word” and in the very first couple of verses we get a couple of revelations.
• Jesus, the Son was God.
• He was present with God from the very beginning.
The Amplified Bible says it this way, “In the beginning [before all time] was the Word [Christ], and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself. He was present originally with God.” (AMP)
The New Century Version (NCV) says it this way, “In the beginning there was the Word. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.” (NCV)
Note: The Greek word for word is “Logos”. According to Vines Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words logos means “The expression of thought—not the mere name of an object.” (We can see this for example by the use of the blue oval representing Ford Motor Company---the oval is not Ford Motor Company but is symbolic [a symbol of] Ford Motor Company.) But in reference to Christ Vines says, “The Personal Word, a title of the Son of God.” Interestingly enough they say this identification is substantiated by none other than what John said in John 1:1-18.
So if you have ever wondered where the title of Jesus as the “Word of God” originated now you know that the Apostle John is the originator.
But John is going to do more than just say that Jesus was present with God in the beginning---for some of us he is going to stun our theology!
JN 1:3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. (4) In him was life, and that life was the light of men. (5) The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. (NIV)
John 1:3 (AMP) “All things were made and came into existence through Him; and without Him was not even one thing made that has come into being.”
How about that! We have always thought that God the Father did all the creating that was done back at the beginning of the world, but John sets us straight on that in verse 3 and to emphasize and show absolute clarity about what he is saying he adds, “….without Him nothing was made that has been made.”
This lines up perfectly with what the Apostle Paul teaches in Colossians where he describes Christ’s position. COL 1:15 “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. (16) For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. (17) He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” (NIV)
Those who long to know what God looks like can fulfill that desire by looking at who Jesus is and we can see Him clearly in the Gospels.
It is heart warming to this Bible Student to find this solid agreement between these two Apostles.
We may also note that the writer of the Book of Hebrews had something similar to say in the beginning of his book. Hebrews 1:3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. (4) So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.
So John has initially focused our attention on the fact that Jesus is the Creator, and He was with God from the beginning.
John 1:4&5 (4) In him was life, and that life was the light of men. (5) The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. (NIV)
Life, all life, is literally in Him, and His life was the light of (or for) men. We may read the last part of verse four by saying something like, “He was the Creator of life and He lived a life that communicated light (the knowledge of God) before men.”
Paul said it very well in the scripture we just quoted from him, “….in Him all things hold together.” (Col 1:17)
Truly the light does shine in the darkness. It was present and lived right in front of God’s chosen people (the Jews) but they chose not to recognize it in spite of all the prophesy about Him. They chose to live in darkness. In spite of all the prophecies that spoke of Him they chose darkness---to not believe.
But the light still shines in the darkness. I recall once, quite a few years ago, taking a tour of Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico. It was back in the days when a group of about 15 people would be lead through the caverns by a real live tour guide. We had gone down the winding path into the cavern for about a half an hour, the pathway back then was lit by strings of light bulbs. At one point we were 650 feet below the surface and the guide had us all to sit down along the pathway. He then told us not to get up because he was going to shut off the lights to show us what total darkness meant. As he flipped off the switch darkness surrounded us. He said to hold our hands in front of our face and to try to see them. It was useless the darkness was total and complete, no light from anywhere and so dark that your eyes did not adjust to it. I have never witnesses such total darkness as there in the Cavern. The darkness was simply overwhelming. Then he struck a single match and the amount of light it gave off was amazing. Darkness, even total darkness was no match for even that tiny light. That tiny light did an amazing amount of driving back the total darkness. Today the light (Christ) still shines, in spite of the total depravity and darkness in the world. His light will always shine so that the lost can find their way to Him. But, in spite of that light, many will chose to remain in darkness as many of the Jews did.
JN 1:6-9 There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. (7) He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. (8) He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. (9) The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. (NIV)
It appears as though John is making a change of subject right here, but he is not really through with his current subject as we shall see.
John begins an introduction of John the Baptist in verses 6-9. There are several important things that the Apostle tells us here.
John the Baptist was sent by God---we can prove that from LK 1:11-17 “Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. (12) When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. (13) But the angel said to him: ‘Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. (14) He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, (15) for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. (16) Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. (17) And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous--to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.’" (NIV)
This area can sometimes seem confusing to newer Christians because here we have the Apostle John describing John the Baptist. No, John was not the first Baptist, the title merely means John who baptized.
He came as a witness to the Light so that through Him all men might believe.
He was not the light, his job was only to be a witness to the light, Christ.
He was to prepare mankind for the coming of Christ.
To sum up John the Baptist’s ministry his main mission was to go before Jesus to convince people of their sin. They were then baptized to show they had repented and turned from their sin. This was to be done as a preparation of the coming of Messiah, Whom he would point out to them.
Perhaps the most detailed history of John the Baptists ministry can be found in the Gospel of Luke Chapter 3 with a smaller amount of information being given in the Gospel of Matthew Chapter 3.
After a brief introduction of John the Baptist John seems to drift back into describing just what Jesus mission was again.
JN 1:10 He 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, but his own did not receive him. (12) Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—(13) children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
JN 1:14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (NIV)
From this discourse we get the following information.
• Jesus was in the world.
• Even though He made the world it did not recognize Him.
• He came to his own—the Jews and they did not receive Him.
• Those who did receive Him He gave the right to become the children of God.
• Children who would be born of God not of human kind. (See John 3:3-10)
• He became flesh and blood and lived with us.
• And perhaps the best testimony, that of an eye witness, “We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." (NIV) You see John was there on the mount of transfiguration and he, along with James and Peter witnessed Jesus in His glory. (See Matthew 17:2 and Mark 9:2). John is one of the very few who can actually testify that he has seen Christ in his glory.
John now goes back to his narrative about John the Baptist.
JN 1:15 John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, "This was he of whom I said, `He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ " (16) From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. (17) For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (18) No one has ever seen God, but God the only Son, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known. (NIV)
Here John establishs the grace which God has given us through Jesus the Son. Grace that is poured out to you and to me. Jesus, the Son of God was with God from the beginning and He is still there today standing before God in our behalf. Reach out to Him.
Please continue on studying the Gospel of John and learn more about the love of God toward you.
