The Prologue John 1:1-19

God on Earth!

John 1:1–19 (ESV)

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 was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. 9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 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 have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’ ”) 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known. 19 And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”

Context

Keep in mind John’s purpose for writing his gospel:

John 20:31 (ESV)

but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Key Themes of John are:

1. Explaining who Jesus is.

2. Appealing to you to respond to Him.

3. Helping you understand why it is good to belong to Him (benefits).

The prologue of John (John 1:1-19) introduces you the the keys themes and major ideas of his gospel. There is a structure

to the prologue:

Structure of the Prologue

I. The Nature of the Word (John 1:1-4)

II. The Work of the Father (John 1:5-13)

a. Revelation (John 1:5-11)

b. Regeneration (John 1:11-13)

III. God made known: What the Word achieves (John 1:14-18)

Old Testament Background

I. The Word

a. God Creates and Rules by His Word (Gen 1)

b. God Reveals Himself By his Word (Deut 5:24)

c. God Rescues and Delivers by His Word (Ps 107:20)

II. Life

Since the fall death rules our existence.

God promises to destroy death once and for all.

Isaiah 25:6–11 (ESV)

On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined. And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken. It will be said on that day, “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.” For the hand of the Lord will rest on this mountain, and Moab shall be trampled down in his place, as straw is trampled down in a dunghill. And he will spread out his hands in the midst of it as a swimmer spreads his hands out to swim, but the Lord will lay low his pompous pride together with the skill of his hands.

III. Dwelling

The literal translation of the word “dwelling” is “tabernacled” or pitched his tent.

Prior to the building of the temple. God dwelt among His people in the tabernacle in the wilderness.

Exodus 29:45–46 (ESV)

45 I will dwell among the people of Israel and will be their God. 46 And they shall know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them out of the land of Egypt that I might dwell among them. I am the Lord their God.

God promised Abraham that he would dwell with his people (Genesis 17). The tabernacle was a forerunner to the Temple in Jerusalem. God dwelt with his people as their ruler and rescuer. Israel, however, broke covenant with God and the Lord left the temple and sent his people into exile. Now John says, God once again dwells with his people when the Word became flesh.

IV. Glory

Moses asked to see God’s glory in Exodus 33:18. God allowed Moses to see His glory from the backside, and when God passed before Him He announced,

Exodus 34:6–7 (ESV)

6 The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, 7 keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.”

John says that he was seen that glory face to face in Jesus, a glory full of grace and truth. John has also seen God’s compassion and justice in human flesh (John 1:14-15).

I. The Nature of the Word (John 1:1-4)

John 1:1–4 (ESV)

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 was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

What does verse 1 tell us about the nature of the Word?

The Word is divine.

What does verse 2 tell us about the nature of the Word?

The Word is eternal.

What does verse 3 tell us about the nature of the Word?

The Word is the Creator of all things.

What does verse 4 tell us about the nature of the Word?

The Word is the source of spiritual life.

II. The Work of the Father (John 1:5-11)

John 1:5–11 ESV

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.

Who is the light in verse 5?

The Word.

What did God send John to do? Why?

Bear witness about the light so that all might believe through him.

How strong is the light?

a. Darkness could not overcome it.

b. Able to give light to everyone.

c. The world was made through the light.

How did His people respond to Him?

The did not receive him.

How do you see the Father’s grace in verse 5-9?

The Father’s grace is seen by making the Light known.

How do you see the Father’s grace in verses 12-13?

The Father’s grace is seen by Him bringing people into His family

III. Regeneration (John 1:12-13)

John 1:12–13 ESV

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

Looking at this verse, what do you think the word regeneration means?

To be born again.

What does it mean to be “born of God?”

God is the one who births you so to speak. It is by his power and authority you are made alive. Your spiritual life is dependent upon the power and authority of God.

IV. God is made known by the Word (John 1:14-18).

John 1:14–18 ESV

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’ ”) 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.

In verse 14, the word became flesh, that is God became flesh. He is full of grace and truth and he reveals God’s glory. Jesus makes the Father known v18.

What do we receive from the fullness of the Word?

Grace upon grace.

Who does Grace come through?

It comes through Jesus.

What did we learn about the nature of the Word?

The Word is Jesus. Jesus is both fully God and fully man. As God He is distinguishable as a separate part of the Godhead. He is the One who is eternal, wha made us and now sustains us, and who enables us to see divine reality. As a man, he is fully human. God became flesh.

How has the world responded to Jesus?

The world is the darkness. The world , and his own people, have rejected Jesus. But God’s grace overcomes the darkness and he invites all of his image bearers to come to his family by receiving Jesus. Everyone who receives Jesus by believing Jesus will have the right to be called a child of God.

V. Response

How has the world responded to Jesus?

The world is in darkness. The world , and his own people, have rejected Jesus.

How should you respond to Jesus?

Jesus is God’s testimony (the Word) to the world. Jesus must be listened too!

God’s grace overcomes the darkness and he invites you to come to his family by responding to Jesus, that is receiving Jesus. Everyone who receives Jesus by believing Jesus will have the right to be called a child of God.