*** John 1:1-5 the word of God

John 1:1–5 (NRSV)

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 without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being 4 in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

Jesus the Living Word: The First Witness of John the Apostle, 1:1–5

(1:1–5) Introduction: this passage is one of the summits of Scripture. In fact, it probably reaches the highest of human thought. What is the thought that reaches the height of human concepts? It is this: Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is …

• the Word of God

• the Creator of Life

• the Very Being and Essence of Life

These three truths have to be deeply thought about to understand their meaning. A quick reading of this passage leaves a person disinterested, not even close to understanding what is being said. However, the importance of the truths lie at the very foundation of life. They cannot be overstated, for they determine a man’s destiny. If Jesus Christ is the Word of God, then men must hear and understand that Word or else be lost forever in ignorance of God Himself.

1. Christ is eternal (vv.1–2).

2. Christ is the Creator (v.3).

3. Christ is life (vv.4–5).

DEEPER STUDY # 1

(1:1–5) The Word—Jesus Christ, Son of God: the Word (logos) is Jesus Christ. John faced a serious problem in writing to the Gentiles, that is, the non-Jewish world. Most Gentiles had never heard of the Messiah or Savior who was expected by the Jews. The idea was foreign to them. However, the Messiah was the very center of Christianity. How was John going to present Christ so that a Gentile could understand?

The answer lay in the idea of the Word, for the Word was understood by both Gentile and Jew.

1. The Jews saw a word as something more than a mere sound. A word was something active and existing. It was power—it possessed the power to express something, to do something. This is seen in the many Old Testament references where The Word of God was seen as the creative power of God, the power that made the world and gave light and life to every man (Ge. 1:3, 6, 11; Ps. 33:6; 107:20; 147:15; Is. 55:11).

2. The Gentiles or Greeks saw the Word more philosophically.

a. When they looked at the world of nature, they saw that things were not chaotic, but orderly. Everything had its place and moved or grew in an orderly fashion, including the stars above and the vegetation below. Therefore, the Greeks said that behind the world was a mind, a reason, a power that made and kept things in their proper place. This creative and sustaining mind, this supreme reason, this unlimited power was said to be the Word.

b. The Word was also seen as the power that enabled men to think and reason. It was the power that brought light and understanding to man’s mind, enabling him to express his confused thoughts in an orderly fashion.

c. More importantly, the Word was the power by which men came into contact with God and expressed their feelings to God.

3. John utilized this common idea of the Jews and Gentiles to proclaim that Jesus Christ was the Word. John saw that a word is the expression of an idea, a thought, an image in the mind of a person. He saw that a word describes what is in the mind of a person. Thus, he proclaimed that in the life of Jesus Christ, God was speaking to the world, speaking and demonstrating just what He wanted to say to man. John said three things.

a. God has given us much more than mere words in the Holy Scriptures. God has given us Jesus Christ, The Word. As The Word, Jesus Christ was the picture, the expression, the pattern, the very image of what God wished to say to man. The very image within God’s mind of the Ideal Man was demonstrated in the life of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ was the perfect expression of all that God wishes man to be. Jesus Christ was God’s utterance, God’s speech, God’s Word to man. Jesus Christ was the Word of God who came down to earth in human flesh to bring man into a face-to-face relationship with God (see vv.1–2). Jesus was the Word of God who came to earth to live out the written Word of God.

b. Jesus Christ is the Mind, the Reason, the Power that both made and keeps things in their proper order. He is the creative and sustaining Mind, the Supreme Reason, the unlimited Power (see v.3).

c. Jesus Christ is the Light, the Illumination, the Power that penetrates the darkness of the world. He, the Life and Light of the world, is what makes sense of the world and enables men to understand the world (see vv.4–5).

1 (1:1–2) Jesus Christ, Son of God—Eternal—Preexistent—Revelation: Christ is eternal. Note three profound statements made about Christ, the Word.

a. Christ was preexistent. This means He was there before creation. He has always existed.

1) “In the beginning [en archei]” does not mean from the beginning. Jesus Christ was already there. He did not become; He was not created; He never had a beginning. He “was in the beginning with God” (see Jn. 17:5; 8:58).

2) The word was (en) is the Greek imperfect tense of eimi which is the word so often used for deity. It means to be or I am. To be means continuous existence, without beginning or origin. (See DEEPER STUDY # 1—Jn. 6:20.)

“Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God” (Ps. 90:2).

“I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was” (Pr. 8:23).

The testimony of John was that Jesus Christ was the Word, the One who has always existed. He is the Son of the living God. (See outline and notes—Ph. 2:5–8.)

b. Christ was coexistent. He was and is face-to-face with God forever. The word “with” (pros) has the idea of both being with and acting toward. Jesus Christ (the Word) was both with God and acting with God. He was “with God”: by God’s side, acting, living, and moving in the closest of relationships. Christ had the ideal and perfect relationship with God the Father. Their life together—their relationship, communion, fellowship, and connection—was a perfect eternal bond. This is exactly what is said: “The same was in the beginning with God” (v.2).

“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (for the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us)” (1 Jn. 1:1–2).

The testimony of John was that Jesus Christ was the Word, the One who has always coexisted with God. Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God.

c. John did not say that “the Word” was the God (ho Theos). He says “the Word” was God (Theos). He omits the definite article. John was saying that “the Word,” Jesus Christ …

• is of the very nature and character of God the Father, but He is not the identical person of God the Father

• is a distinct person from God the Father, but He is of the very being and essence (perfection) of God the Father

When a man sees Christ, he sees a distinct person, but he sees a person who is of the very substance and character of God in all of His perfect being.

“Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high” (He. 1:3)

The testimony of John was that Jesus Christ was the Word, self-existent and eternal, the Supreme Majesty of the universe who owes His existence to no one. Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God.

Thought 1. Jesus Christ is eternal. This says several critical things about Christ.

(1) Christ reveals the most important Person in all the universe: God. He reveals all that God is and wants to say to man. Therefore, Christ must be diligently studied, and all that He is and says must be heeded to the utmost (see Jn. 5:24).

(2) Christ reveals God perfectly. He is just like God, identical to God; therefore, when a person looks at Christ he sees God (see DEEPER STUDY # 1, 2, 3—Jn. 14:6. See Jn. 14:9.)

(3) Christ reveals that God is the most wonderful Person who ever lived. God is far, far beyond anyone we could have ever dreamed. He is loving and caring, full of goodness and truth; and He will not tolerate injustices: murder and stealing, lying and cheating of husband, wife, child, neighbor, brother, sister or stranger. God loves and is working and moving toward a perfect universe that will be filled with people who choose to love and worship and live and work for Him (see Jn. 5:24–29).

Thought 2. The very nature of Christ is …

• to exist eternally

• to exist in a perfect state of being, knowing nothing but eternal perfection

• to exist in perfect communion and fellowship eternally (see 1 Jn. 1:3)

Note: it is the very nature of Christ that shall be imparted to believers; therefore, all three things will become our experience.

“At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you” (Jn. 14:20).

2 (1:3) Jesus Christ, Creator: Christ is the Creator. Note several things.

a. All things (panta) mean every detail of creation—not creation as a whole, but every single detail. Each element and thing, each being and person—whether material or spiritual, angelic or human—has come into being by Christ.

“For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him” (Col. 1:16).

b. The words were made (egeneto) mean came into being or became. Note what this is saying. Nothing was existing—no substance, no matter whatsoever. Matter is not eternal. God did not take something outside of Himself, something less than perfect (evil) and create the world. Christ, the Word, took nothing but His will and power; and He spoke the Word and created every single thing out of nothing (ex nihilo).

c. Christ was the One who created all things—one by one. Among the Godhead, He was the active Agent, the Person who made all things. Creation was His function and work (see Col. 1:16 above).

“But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him” (1 Co. 8:6).

“[God] hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds” (He. 1:2).

d. Note that two statements of fact are made.

⇒ The positive statement of fact: “All things were made by Him.”

⇒ The absolute statement of fact: “Without Him was not anything made that was made.”

1) Christ was actively involved in the creation of every single thing: “Without Him was not anything made.”

2) The words “not anything” (oude hen) mean not even one thing, not a single thing, not even a detail was made apart from Him.

Thought 1. Note a critical point for man. The world is God’s; He made it, every element of it, one by one. This means several things.

(1) God is not off in some distant place far removed from the world, unconcerned and disinterested in what happens to the world. God cares about the world. He cares deeply, even about the most minute detail and smallest person. He cares about everything and every person in the world.

(2) The problems of the world are not due to God and His attitude. The problems of the world are due to sin, to the attitude and evil of man’s heart.

(3) The answer to the world’s problems is not men and their technical skills. The answer is Christ: for men to turn to Christ, surrendering and giving their lives to know Christ in the most personal and intimate way possible. Then, and only then, can men set their lives and world in order as God intends.

3 (1:4–5) Jesus Christ, Life—Light: Christ is life (see DEEPER STUDY # 2—Jn. 1:4).

a. Christ is the source of light. Note the statement: “The life [Christ] was the light of men.” From the very beginning man was to know that life, to know God personally and intimately. The knowledge of the life of Christ was to be the light of men, the beam that was to …

• give real life to man, both abundant and eternal life

• infuse energy and motivation into man so that he might walk and live as he should

There is another way to say this. From the very beginning, the life (Christ) was to be the light of man’s …

• quality of being

• essence of being

• power of being

• force of being

• energy of being

• principle of being

The life (Christ) was to be the light of man’s purpose, meaning and significance upon earth.

“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (Jn. 10:10).

“Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live” (Jn. 11:25).

b. Christ is the answer to darkness.

1) Christ’s life did shine in the darkness (see DEEPER STUDY # 2, Darkness—Jn. 8:12). Very simply, since man had brought darkness into the world (by sin), the life of Christ was the light of man, the beam that showed man the way, the truth and the life (see DEEPER STUDY # 3, 4—Jn. 1:5; DEEPER STUDY # 2—8:12; DEEPER STUDY # 1, 2, 3—14:6).

⇒ Christ showed man the way God intended him to live.

⇒ Christ showed man the truth of life, that is, the truth about God and man and the truth about the world of man.

⇒ Christ showed man the life, that is, how to save his life and avoid the things that can cause him to stumble and lose his life.

“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (Jn. 8:12).

DEEPER STUDY # 2

(1:4) Life—Jesus Christ, Life: the simple statement “in Christ was life” means at least three things.

1. Life is the quality and essence, the energy and power, the force and principle of being. Christ is life; He is …

• the very quality of life

• the very essence of life

• the very energy of life

• the very power of life

• the very force of life

• the very principle of life

Without Christ, there would be no life whatsoever. Life is in Him, within His very being. All things exist and have their being (life) in Him.

2. Life is purpose, meaning, and significance of being. Christ is life; He is …

• the very purpose of life

• the very meaning of life

• the very significance of life

3. Life is perfection. Life is all that a man must be and possess in order to live perfectly. This is what is meant by life. Life is completeness of being, absolute satisfaction, the fullness of all good, and the possession of all good things. Life is perfect love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and self-control (see Ga. 5:22–23).

Whatever life is and all that life is, it is all in Jesus Christ. Even the legitimate cravings of man that are sometimes entangled with evil—such as power, fame and wealth—are all included in the life given by Jesus Christ. Those who partake of His life shall reign forever as kings and priests (see note, Rewards—Lu. 16:10–12). This is the very thing that is distinctive about life—it is eternal. It lasts forever and it is rewarding. It will eventually exalt the believer to the highest life and place and position. (see Re. 21:1f.)

Jesus Christ is the source of life: He is the way to life, and He is the truth of life. He is the very substance of life, its very being and energy (Jn. 5:26; 1 Jn. 1:2). (See DEEPER STUDY # 1—Jn. 10:10; DEEPER STUDY # 1—17:2–3.)

2) Christ’s life (the Light) cannot be overcome (see DEEPER STUDY # 3—Jn. 1:5).

DEEPER STUDY # 3

(1:5) Light: light reveals, strips away (Jn. 3:19–20), routs the chaos (see Ge. 1:2–3), and guides (Jn. 12:36, 46). It shows the way, the truth, and the life (Jn. 14:6).

DEEPER STUDY # 4

(1:5) Darkness: darkness does not understand the light, does not overcome the light, does not extinguish the light (see note—Jn. 8:12).