The Beginning
Notes
Transcript
As we start a new year, I thought, “What better thing to do on Wednesday nights in House of Prayer, than to go through verse-by-verse through a book of the Bible?”. This year, we’re going to walk through and study the Gospel of John. I’m looking forward to this journey together. We’re going to unpack each verse and we’re going to use John’s gospel as a guide for prayer.
Authorship:
Nowhere in the Gospel does the author identify himself by name. So, why do we attribute the authorship to John?
He claims to be an “eyewitness.”
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.
He who saw it has borne witness—his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth—that you also may believe.
This is the disciple who is bearing witness about these things, and who has written these things, and we know that his testimony is true.
Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.
2. He does claim to be “the disciple whom Jesus loved” (signifying a close confidant of Jesus) and he repeatedly appears, throughout the Gospel, in close association with Peter.
One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at table at Jesus’ side, so Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking.
That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea.
Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who also had leaned back against him during the supper and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” So the saying spread abroad among the brothers that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?”
This is the disciple who is bearing witness about these things, and who has written these things, and we know that his testimony is true.
3. Authorship attributed to John by Irenaeus
Who was Irenaeus? He was a very influential 2nd century Church Father/theologian. But, here’s what makes him even more important when it comes to the authorship of John—Irenaeus was a “disciple” or a “student” of a man named Polycarp. And, Polycarp had, in turn, been a disciple of the Apostle John, himself. So…this link is important—John discipled Polycarp who discipled Irenaeus.
And, here’s what Irenaeus wrote in his work “Against Heresies”:
“John, himself, the disciple of the Lord, who also had leaned back on Jesus’ chest—he, too, published the Gospel while he was staying at Ephesus in Asia.”
“John, himself, the disciple of the Lord, who also had leaned back on Jesus’ chest—he, too, published the Gospel while he was staying at Ephesus in Asia.”
“I can remember the events of that time … so that I am able to describe the very place where the beloved Polycarp sat … and the accounts he gave of his conversation with John and with others who had seen the Lord.”
“I can remember the events of that time … so that I am able to describe the very place where the beloved Polycarp sat … and the accounts he gave of his conversation with John and with others who had seen the Lord.”
Date: Most likely between AD 70—100.
Purpose:
The purpose of John’s Gospel is to call the reader to faith in Jesus—the Messiah—the God-Man.
The purpose of John’s Gospel is to call the reader to faith in Jesus—the Messiah—the God-Man.
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 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.
So…let’s dive into John’s Gospel…
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 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. 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.
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. (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.’ ”) For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.
You could teach a whole seminary course on just these 18 verses…you could teach a whole course, really, on just verse 1. John begins his Gospel with one of the most theologically rich statements in the entire Bible. It should also be a very familiar introduction, as well as a very unique introduction of Jesus.
“In the beginning…” — I know you’ve heard these words before. This is how the whole story of the Bible begins in Genesis. “In the beginning, God…”
John is bringing us back to the beginning and peeling back the curtain, so-to-speak. He goes all the way back to the beginning when only God existed. And, he’s saying that the “Word,” who he tells us is the Son of God, was in the beginning. His existence has no beginning. He was in the beginning and before the beginning. He was there, in the beginning with God and He was God—equal to the Father but distinct from the Father in his personhood.
John not only begins his Gospel with a throwback to Genesis 1:1…he brings in some themes that anyone who has read the Pentateuch will be familiar with…and he’s going to incorporate these themes throughout his Gospel.
Light
Dark
Life
Family
The rejection of the son by the family
law/grace
He is the AGENT of REVELATION.
He is the AGENT of REVELATION.
“the Word”—a unique “name” or “title” for him. In fact, it’s unique from the rest of the Gospels. Matthew begins his Gospel—“The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ.” Mark—“The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ…” Luke—begins with the birth narrative of Jesus.
In the Greek, the word, “WORD,” is λόγος. It’s a word that means more than just “communication.” It conveys the idea of gathering one’s thoughts and expressing them…in other words, speaking what is in the mind.
Only I can speak what is in my mind. Only I can express myself/my thoughts.
So, John is writing to call us to faith in this ONE who is more than a prophet or a good teacher or a religious leader. He is the divine God-man…the full expression of who God is.
This is why John says…
No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.
He is the AGENT of CREATION.
He is the AGENT of CREATION.
The Old Testament establishes that God accomplishes his purposes through speech—Genesis 1 demonstrates this principle—and later identifies God’s word as his wisdom and the craftsman at his side, described as eternal and re-creative. Greek intellectual circles used logos to denote the controlling reason of the universe, the all-pervasive mind which ruled and gave meaning to all things. John’s opening would have immediately engaged both Jewish and Greek readers with this majestic concept.
“The Lord possessed me at the beginning of his work,
the first of his acts of old.”
…and the one who CREATED is the one who will RECREATE.
He is the AGENT of REDEMPTION.
He is the AGENT of REDEMPTION.
He gives the right to become children of God to those who receive him by faith.
He causes new birth
He bestows grace from his own fullness
ADORATION
Praise Jesus as eternal God“Lord Jesus, we worship You as the eternal Word—without beginning, without end—fully God and forever worthy of our trust.”
Acknowledge Christ’s supremacy over all creation“All things were made through You. We confess that nothing in our lives exists apart from Your will or authority.”
Confess our dependence on Christ for true life“Apart from You there is no life. Forgive us for seeking vitality, meaning, or satisfaction anywhere else.”
Worship Christ for the incarnation“The Word became flesh. You drew near. You entered our broken world without ceasing to be God. We stand in awe.”
Thank God for His nearness“You did not shout salvation from heaven—you came and dwelt among us. Help us live daily in the awareness of Your presence.”
CONFESSION
Confess the tragedy of rejection. “Jesus, You came into the world You made, yet You were not received. Guard our hearts from familiarity that breeds unbelief.”
ASSURANCE OF PARDON
Thank God for overflowing grace“From Your fullness we have received grace upon grace—more mercy than our sin, more patience than our failures.”
Rejoice in the superiority of Christ. “The law showed us our need, but Jesus gave us grace and truth. We rest not in our performance, but in His provision.”
Ask for deeper knowledge of God through Christ“Draw us closer. Shape our theology, worship, and obedience by a clearer vision of who You are.”
Commit the year to knowing Christ more fully. “As we walk through this Gospel together, make our greatest pursuit not information, but transformation—to know Christ and make Him known.”
