In The Beginning

One cannot read the opening verses of the Gospel of John without seeing the parallel to the opening of the Book of Genesis.

Moses opens Genesis with “In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth...”

John opens his Gospel, “In the Beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God...”

The logical point to start any story is at the beginning.

Moses did it in Genesis, John does the same with his Gospel.

“In the Beginning...”

However, although Moses had as intimate a relationship with God, the Creator of all things, and the rescuer and God of the ancient Israelite Nation, as any man of the Old Testament…

John had a personal relationship with “The Word”, “Logos” The man Jesus Christ- The Messiah, not of just a nation, but Saviour of all mankind.

John is re-establishing and validating Moses’ “In the Beginning...” but John adds the fact that The Word (Jesus, God the Son) was with God and was, in fact equal part of the Triune Godhead. The Holy Spirit being the third part of the trinity.

Moses details how God brought Light and Life out of nothing, Establishing the boundries of Time and Space, and introduces Gods greatest creation- Mankind- into a place of eternal life, peace and hope and possibilities.

John details how Jesus, the Messiah brings a regenerating Light and Life to that same Creation that had fallen into extreme darkness where hope and peace no longer existed.

Jesus had the qualifications to do this, because “…All things were made through Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made.”

The modern world tends not ask important questions in regards to Ancient texts, so we will begin with one of the two most important questions to ask of any literature.

1- Who was it ORIGINALLY written for?

2- Where do you start, when studying the Book?

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1-The Gospel of John was written to a group of Jesus Followers, sometime towards the end of the 1st century AD.

To a people group of a very different worldview from any modern reader,

a different language, and, most certainly a very different outlook on life compared to any modern view.

Their social structure, culture and level of technical understanding leave us with very little in common.

These differences should not lead to a separation from the text, but rather, the text is the common bound between the 1st Century Christian believer and the 21st Century Christian, that should draw us closer and not farther apart.

The original text was written in 1st Century Hellenistic Greek, or Koine Greek, “The Common Language” of the time

Although different in many ways from the other three Gospel accounts of the Life of Christ, these differences should not be seen as a barrier, but rather a unique bridge across the three “Synoptic Gospels” of Matthew, Mark and Luke.

It is often said, that to do true justice to Johns Gospel, is to “Let John be John”

So that’s a bit of history of the Gospel of John, it is unique among the Gospels that relate the story of the Life of Jesus, to the believers of the 1st Century and to believers in the 21st Century. The story told in John is unique, but it is not different from the other three Gospels. It is important to remember that.

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2- So where to begin? It is easiest to begin…

At the beginning,

Just as Moses started with the beginning narrative, so we must start at the beginning.

John 1:1–5 “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.”

The parallels John uses with the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, “The Septuagint” cannot be ignored.

Gen 1.1 “In the Beginning…” John 1.1 “In the Beginning...”

The Gospel of John stands apart from Matthew, Mark and Luke in that they tell a story of the events of a lifetime. A Divine Life, but a life story nonetheless.

1- Divinity and Humanity co-existing in One.

2- PreExisting and yet Born incarnate

3- Divine Revelation revealed, The Ultimate Sacrifice made.

John tells of a relationship with the Giver of Life Himself.

Set so poetically that it is believed that the first three verses were once set to music as a hymn, sung by the First Century Church.

John leaves no doubt of the Eternal Existence of The Word.

There was never a moment that The Word did not exist.

As John clearly states, “In the beginning was the Word,

the Word was with God, the Word was God.

HE was with God in the beginning”

And not the phrasing, In the Beginning was the Word…Not just, “From the beginning...” but IN the beginning.

It may seem to belabor the point, but it is key to our Faith to grasp the fact that God already existed before the Beginning, and God the Son, Jesus Christ, was there as well.

The attempts by some to lessen the impact of this truth fail miserably.

“The Word was A God...” No ancient text makes this distinction.

Jesus, Himself, in the Gospels, refers to Himself, using the OT “I Am” Which sent the religious leaders of His day into a frenzy.

When the crowds leave over Jesus’ hard teachings, Peter responds to his Messiah, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have to words of eternal life”

Even Thomas, acknowledges Jesus as “my Lord and my God”

Everything beyond that John expresses is based on these opening verses.

Because the Word was God in the beginning He was not a created being that went on to create other beings.

Everything highlighted in these opening verses set one standard that governs everything else.

Everything Jesus did was Divine actions, Whether He heals or Speaks, in V-4 When He gives eternal life...

It is God at work, Just as God laid the very foundations of Creation.

With the Incarnate appearance of As the Son of God and Son of Man, we see clearly the line first drawn in the Garden of Eden.

The Split between Good and Evil.

Because the world was in darkness, the Word became Light.

But just as today, the darkness only perceived the Light as a threat.

John’s word choice in the original Greek, gives us two views of the same thing.

The Darkness could not UNDERSTAND or COMPREHEND the Light, but it also could not OVERCOME the Light.

Opposition to Jesus from the Jewish leaders of the day was highly critical and ultimately severe.

They should have welcomed Him as their promised Messiah, Saviour and Redeemer…instead they responded with jealousy, hatred and finally murderous intent.

We have the advantage of looking back to the Cross of Calvary and are able to embrace the Victory won with Christs willing sacrifice.

The war has been won, However, as the defeated enemy that he is, Satan continues the battle.

We must not lose sight of the fact that our Lord and Saviour HAS overcome the world. We must stay engaged in the battle.

Applied Today?

Our Christian Faith hinges on the Deity of Christ. That has never changed and remains the only source of conviction to our Faith.

The same surety and conviction that John wrote with can be the inspiration for anyone that life is not wasted living the Christian path

Does it challenge one to rethink their perspective?

If there is any doubt, an honest examination of John and his opening statement, should cause us to give pause to our doubts and at least consider the possibility of the Truth of the Gospels.

If so…So what? What do we do next?

What anyone does next depends on the responses to the previous questions.

I believe, with strong conviction, that if you were to give an honest and open-minded consideration of the Gospel of Christ, it would change your life forever.

This isn’t like a test drive or a 30 day free trial, if it’s not working for you, then just return it for a full refund…The Christian faith is not like that.

Being totally open and honest with God, surrender your wants and desires for His plan for your life, will be the best decision you will ever make.