I. PROLOGUE—THE WORD AMONG MEN (1:1–18)

The prologue is an integral part of the Gospel. While some view it as an originally separate hymn that has merely been adapted to the Gospel, it seems obviously to have been a part of it as John wrote it. The vocabulary and style do not indicate otherwise. Furthermore, the prologue does not appear to have been intended to stand alone. Its cryptic statements are intelligible only in light of the complete account which follows in the main body of the Gospel. Its purpose is to introduce and anticipate that account. It sets forth the theme of the Gospel: that the glory of God is perfectly and uniquely revealed in Jesus Christ.

A. His Essential Nature (1:1–5)

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

The Gospel begins with the opening words of the Book of Genesis: “In the beginning.” John wishes to relate Christ to the timeless eternity which God alone inhabited before there was anything but Himself. Even in that primeval era, Christ already “was.” The tense of this verb (Greek imperfect) indicates that Christ was even then what He has uninterruptedly continued to be. There is an absolute continuity in His existence from eternity past to eternity future (cf. Heb. 13:8; Rev. 1:8; Jn. 8:58).

John refers to Jesus as “the Word” (Greek logos). To a Hebrew this term would refer to the spoken word, that by which thought is communicated. Jesus, therefore, is that by which God reveals His thought to man, the revelation of all that God inherently is. Another aspect of the Hebrew understanding of this term is that of creative power and action. It was by His word that God created the heavens and earth. The designation of Jesus as “the Word” associates Him with the act of creation. To a Greek, on the other hand, the term would refer to the principle of order and reason which governs the universe. Jesus is the ultimate expression of this principle. John draws primarily upon the Hebrew concept, but he probably also intends the Greek concept to be attributed to Christ by a sort of ad hoc logic. Certainly the old idea that John uses the term in some Gnostic sense may be safely rejected.

While the first clause emphasizes Christ’s eternity, the second emphasizes His equality and intimate association with, yet distinction from, the Father. He was (has always been) with the Father. “With” (Greek pros) means, literally, “face to face with.” To be “face to face with” implies equal standing yet clearly necessitates distinction. One cannot be face to face with himself.

The final clause emphasizes Christ’s essential deity. Much has been made of the fact that the word “God” (Greek theos) lacks the article. This has been thought by some to indicate that John is saying that Christ is a god. (See, e.g., the New World Translation published by the Jehovah’s Witnesses.) Jesus would be god only in some generic sense and not fully equal with the Father. There are two basic objections to this view. (1) It does not fit the context. John has been ascribing to Christ attributes appropriate to God only—eternality and equality with the Father. It is illogical that the climax toward which he is headed should be simply that Jesus is divine in some generic sense only, yet quite distinct from and inferior to God the Father. (2) It misconstrues the significance of the absence of the article, which simply indicates that God is the predicate nominative rather than the subject of the clause. This distinction is necessary because John, for the sake of emphasis, has placed God first. The order of the words is, “And God was the word.” John places God first because he wants to emphasize that “God” was what the Word actually was. This is the natural climax of his three-fold statement.

It should also be noted that the significance of the absence of the article would not be that the Word was a god even if it were not necessary as an indication that “God” is a predicate nominative. The absence of the article in Greek grammar does not indicate any lack of definitude, rather it indicates a stress upon the qualitative aspect of the noun in contrast to its mere identity (see Dana and Mantey, A Manual Grammar of the Greek New Testament, 149). The same word is used without the article again in v. 18, where it clearly refers to the God of Heaven.

The last of the three clauses is actually a climax. Not only is it true that Christ was eternal and equal with the Father, but He was also qualitatively, in His own essential being, God.

2 The same was in the beginning with God.

While this verse is often thought to be but emphatic repetition, it does seem to add something new. It synthesizes the assertions of v. 1 into a summary statement and then personalizes that statement. “The same” (Greek houtos) may be better understood as “this one.” It is a person about whom John speaks. This person, Jesus, was actually with (see comments on “with,” v. 1) the Father, sharing His existence from the very beginning (see Jn. 8:58; 17:5).

3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

As the subject changes from Christ to the creation, the verb changes from a form of “to be” (Greek eimi) to a form of “to become” (Greek ginomai). A basic distinction is thus established between the creation which “came to be” or “became” and Christ who simply “was.” One is reminded of God’s designation of Himself to Moses as “I am” (Ex. 3:14). There is also a change from the Greek imperfect to the aorist tense. The “became” (aorist) indicates that, in contrast to “the Word” which from all eternity has constantly been all that He presently is, there was a specific point in time at which the creation came into existence and from which it has continued into the present. It should be noted that the tense of the last verb, “was made” (Greek perfect gegonen), indicates an emphasis upon the existing result of the creative act.

“All things” refers to each of the created things severally. Every single thing was made by Him. “By Him” (Greek dia) has the sense of “through Him,” indicating agency. While the Father was the ultimate cause of creation, Christ was the proximate cause or mediate agent most immediately involved in its actual execution (see 1 Cor. 8:6; Col. 1:16b; Heb. 1:2). Nothing was made “without” Greek choris) Him or apart from His involvement. There is not one single thing that presently exists which He did not personally bring to be as it is.

4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

Some scholars, on the basis of the textual evidence, place the division between vv. 3 and 4 before “that was made” (Greek ho gegonen; see Westcott I:59–63). This would make v. 4 read, “That which had come to be in Him was life …” (Brown I:3). All in all, it is best to reject this division and retain the one in the text, which seems to make more sense (see Barrett). John is saying that life itself inheres in Jesus, not that that which He has made is alive. The focus continues to be on Christ. It does not shift to the creation.

Not only is Christ the source of the universe but also of that animating force which energizes it—life. In Christ is embodied the absolute and self-existent life of the Creator as opposed to the contingent and derivative life of the creature. Inherent in the possession of such life is the power to impart it to others (Gen. 2:7). Life, then, is “in” Christ in the sense that through Him it is available to men (5:26; 11:25; 14:6). There are at least three senses in which “life” inheres in Christ: (1) physical life, (2) abundant life (10:10), and (3) eternal life (11:25).

In the second part of the verse “the life” should be understood as a personification of Christ. Thus Christ, who essentially is life, is also the light of men. Light is used symbolically of truth and knowledge as opposed to the darkness of error and ignorance. Through “the Word” God reveals Himself, and “the Word” communicates the truth to men. Christ is the light, the truth for mankind (8:12; 9:5; 12:46; 14:6).

Notice that “the Word” is the light “of men.” To one special category of creation Jesus is most truly “the light,” that category being human beings. Human beings are clearly differentiated from the rest of creation. Jesus comes to men and becomes part of their race. Among them He will dwell. They will behold His glory (1:14). However, there is an obvious lack of any further differentiation. All within the category of mankind are included. He comes to be the light of them all, both Jew and Gentile (Isa. 9:2; 42:6).

5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

There is a clear parallel between this verse and Gen. 1:2, 3. As God commanded the light to shine forth into the primordial darkness, so “the light of men,” “the Word,” shines forth in the darkness of error and ignorance.

The second part of the verse presents a small problem. The KJV translates the Greek verb (katalambano) “comprehend.” While it is clear that the word can have this meaning, there is another meaning which seems to fit the context better. That meaning is “overcome.” This meaning is the one John uses for this verb in 12:35. Thus, the second clause would read, “and the darkness did not overcome it.” This fits the parallel with Genesis 1 better. Just as the darkness could not overwhelm the physical light which God commanded to shine, so the spiritual darkness of this world cannot extinguish the light of God’s truth that shines through Jesus Christ.

The present tense of the verb “shineth” (Greek phainei) indicates continuous, ongoing action while the past tense of the verb “overcame” (Greek aorist katelaben) indicates an action at a certain point in time. The significance seems to be that the light is still shining, Satan’s one great attempt to extinguish it at Calvary having failed.

Summary

(1:1–5)

John uses “the Word” to describe the essential nature of Jesus Christ as the communication to man of all that God is. Christ is shown to be eternal, equal with the Father, and, in the fullest sense, divine. He is spoken of as having shared the Father’s mode of existence with Him from all eternity. He is personally responsible for bringing into existence everything that now is. He embodies in His own person the creative impulse of life and the unchanging beacon of truth. As He shines forth into the darkness around Him, His light cannot be resisted. The darkness must give way before Him.

Application: Teaching and Preaching the Passage

Particular note should be taken of the third clause in v. 1. The Jehovah’s Witnesses and others use the misleading translation, “the Word was a god.” They attempt to cash in on the English idiom to demonstrate that Christ was not truly God in the fullest sense. The Greek idiom, however, does not in any way substantiate their contention. Quite the opposite.

One might approach this section using the question, “Who is Jesus?” He is first of all the eternal God (vv. 1, 2). Second, He is the Creator of all that is (v. 3). One could truthfully modify the familiar hymn to sing, “This is my Savior’s world.” Every single flower came to be as it is by Christ’s design. Third, He is the Giver of life, the one from whom the very quality and power of life emanate (v. 4a). Fourth, He is the Light of the world (vv. 4b, 5) from whom the darkness of this evil world must flee away (c.f. Rev. 1:16b).

The full implication of “the Word,” in both its Hebrew and Greek contexts, can be very profitably explored. Christ is the communication of all that God is, that which reveals God to men. Christ is the focal point, the dynamic expression of God’s creative power. Christ is the ordering principle, the eminent manifestation and personal agent of God’s providential control of the universe. It is literally true that “He rules the world with truth and grace.”

I. PROLOGUE—THE WORD AMONG MEN (1:1–18)

The prologue is an integral part of the Gospel. While some view it as an originally separate hymn that has merely been adapted to the Gospel, it seems obviously to have been a part of it as John wrote it. The vocabulary and style do not indicate otherwise. Furthermore, the prologue does not appear to have been intended to stand alone. Its cryptic statements are intelligible only in light of the complete account which follows in the main body of the Gospel. Its purpose is to introduce and anticipate that account. It sets forth the theme of the Gospel: that the glory of God is perfectly and uniquely revealed in Jesus Christ.

A. His Essential Nature (1:1–5)

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

The Gospel begins with the opening words of the Book of Genesis: “In the beginning.” John wishes to relate Christ to the timeless eternity which God alone inhabited before there was anything but Himself. Even in that primeval era, Christ already “was.” The tense of this verb (Greek imperfect) indicates that Christ was even then what He has uninterruptedly continued to be. There is an absolute continuity in His existence from eternity past to eternity future (cf. Heb. 13:8; Rev. 1:8; Jn. 8:58).

John refers to Jesus as “the Word” (Greek logos). To a Hebrew this term would refer to the spoken word, that by which thought is communicated. Jesus, therefore, is that by which God reveals His thought to man, the revelation of all that God inherently is. Another aspect of the Hebrew understanding of this term is that of creative power and action. It was by His word that God created the heavens and earth. The designation of Jesus as “the Word” associates Him with the act of creation. To a Greek, on the other hand, the term would refer to the principle of order and reason which governs the universe. Jesus is the ultimate expression of this principle. John draws primarily upon the Hebrew concept, but he probably also intends the Greek concept to be attributed to Christ by a sort of ad hoc logic. Certainly the old idea that John uses the term in some Gnostic sense may be safely rejected.

While the first clause emphasizes Christ’s eternity, the second emphasizes His equality and intimate association with, yet distinction from, the Father. He was (has always been) with the Father. “With” (Greek pros) means, literally, “face to face with.” To be “face to face with” implies equal standing yet clearly necessitates distinction. One cannot be face to face with himself.

The final clause emphasizes Christ’s essential deity. Much has been made of the fact that the word “God” (Greek theos) lacks the article. This has been thought by some to indicate that John is saying that Christ is a god. (See, e.g., the New World Translation published by the Jehovah’s Witnesses.) Jesus would be god only in some generic sense and not fully equal with the Father. There are two basic objections to this view. (1) It does not fit the context. John has been ascribing to Christ attributes appropriate to God only—eternality and equality with the Father. It is illogical that the climax toward which he is headed should be simply that Jesus is divine in some generic sense only, yet quite distinct from and inferior to God the Father. (2) It misconstrues the significance of the absence of the article, which simply indicates that God is the predicate nominative rather than the subject of the clause. This distinction is necessary because John, for the sake of emphasis, has placed God first. The order of the words is, “And God was the word.” John places God first because he wants to emphasize that “God” was what the Word actually was. This is the natural climax of his three-fold statement.

It should also be noted that the significance of the absence of the article would not be that the Word was a god even if it were not necessary as an indication that “God” is a predicate nominative. The absence of the article in Greek grammar does not indicate any lack of definitude, rather it indicates a stress upon the qualitative aspect of the noun in contrast to its mere identity (see Dana and Mantey, A Manual Grammar of the Greek New Testament, 149). The same word is used without the article again in v. 18, where it clearly refers to the God of Heaven.

The last of the three clauses is actually a climax. Not only is it true that Christ was eternal and equal with the Father, but He was also qualitatively, in His own essential being, God.

2 The same was in the beginning with God.

While this verse is often thought to be but emphatic repetition, it does seem to add something new. It synthesizes the assertions of v. 1 into a summary statement and then personalizes that statement. “The same” (Greek houtos) may be better understood as “this one.” It is a person about whom John speaks. This person, Jesus, was actually with (see comments on “with,” v. 1) the Father, sharing His existence from the very beginning (see Jn. 8:58; 17:5).

3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

As the subject changes from Christ to the creation, the verb changes from a form of “to be” (Greek eimi) to a form of “to become” (Greek ginomai). A basic distinction is thus established between the creation which “came to be” or “became” and Christ who simply “was.” One is reminded of God’s designation of Himself to Moses as “I am” (Ex. 3:14). There is also a change from the Greek imperfect to the aorist tense. The “became” (aorist) indicates that, in contrast to “the Word” which from all eternity has constantly been all that He presently is, there was a specific point in time at which the creation came into existence and from which it has continued into the present. It should be noted that the tense of the last verb, “was made” (Greek perfect gegonen), indicates an emphasis upon the existing result of the creative act.

“All things” refers to each of the created things severally. Every single thing was made by Him. “By Him” (Greek dia) has the sense of “through Him,” indicating agency. While the Father was the ultimate cause of creation, Christ was the proximate cause or mediate agent most immediately involved in its actual execution (see 1 Cor. 8:6; Col. 1:16b; Heb. 1:2). Nothing was made “without” Greek choris) Him or apart from His involvement. There is not one single thing that presently exists which He did not personally bring to be as it is.

4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

Some scholars, on the basis of the textual evidence, place the division between vv. 3 and 4 before “that was made” (Greek ho gegonen; see Westcott I:59–63). This would make v. 4 read, “That which had come to be in Him was life …” (Brown I:3). All in all, it is best to reject this division and retain the one in the text, which seems to make more sense (see Barrett). John is saying that life itself inheres in Jesus, not that that which He has made is alive. The focus continues to be on Christ. It does not shift to the creation.

Not only is Christ the source of the universe but also of that animating force which energizes it—life. In Christ is embodied the absolute and self-existent life of the Creator as opposed to the contingent and derivative life of the creature. Inherent in the possession of such life is the power to impart it to others (Gen. 2:7). Life, then, is “in” Christ in the sense that through Him it is available to men (5:26; 11:25; 14:6). There are at least three senses in which “life” inheres in Christ: (1) physical life, (2) abundant life (10:10), and (3) eternal life (11:25).

In the second part of the verse “the life” should be understood as a personification of Christ. Thus Christ, who essentially is life, is also the light of men. Light is used symbolically of truth and knowledge as opposed to the darkness of error and ignorance. Through “the Word” God reveals Himself, and “the Word” communicates the truth to men. Christ is the light, the truth for mankind (8:12; 9:5; 12:46; 14:6).

Notice that “the Word” is the light “of men.” To one special category of creation Jesus is most truly “the light,” that category being human beings. Human beings are clearly differentiated from the rest of creation. Jesus comes to men and becomes part of their race. Among them He will dwell. They will behold His glory (1:14). However, there is an obvious lack of any further differentiation. All within the category of mankind are included. He comes to be the light of them all, both Jew and Gentile (Isa. 9:2; 42:6).

5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

There is a clear parallel between this verse and Gen. 1:2, 3. As God commanded the light to shine forth into the primordial darkness, so “the light of men,” “the Word,” shines forth in the darkness of error and ignorance.

The second part of the verse presents a small problem. The KJV translates the Greek verb (katalambano) “comprehend.” While it is clear that the word can have this meaning, there is another meaning which seems to fit the context better. That meaning is “overcome.” This meaning is the one John uses for this verb in 12:35. Thus, the second clause would read, “and the darkness did not overcome it.” This fits the parallel with Genesis 1 better. Just as the darkness could not overwhelm the physical light which God commanded to shine, so the spiritual darkness of this world cannot extinguish the light of God’s truth that shines through Jesus Christ.

The present tense of the verb “shineth” (Greek phainei) indicates continuous, ongoing action while the past tense of the verb “overcame” (Greek aorist katelaben) indicates an action at a certain point in time. The significance seems to be that the light is still shining, Satan’s one great attempt to extinguish it at Calvary having failed.

Summary

(1:1–5)

John uses “the Word” to describe the essential nature of Jesus Christ as the communication to man of all that God is. Christ is shown to be eternal, equal with the Father, and, in the fullest sense, divine. He is spoken of as having shared the Father’s mode of existence with Him from all eternity. He is personally responsible for bringing into existence everything that now is. He embodies in His own person the creative impulse of life and the unchanging beacon of truth. As He shines forth into the darkness around Him, His light cannot be resisted. The darkness must give way before Him.

Application: Teaching and Preaching the Passage

Particular note should be taken of the third clause in v. 1. The Jehovah’s Witnesses and others use the misleading translation, “the Word was a god.” They attempt to cash in on the English idiom to demonstrate that Christ was not truly God in the fullest sense. The Greek idiom, however, does not in any way substantiate their contention. Quite the opposite.

One might approach this section using the question, “Who is Jesus?” He is first of all the eternal God (vv. 1, 2). Second, He is the Creator of all that is (v. 3). One could truthfully modify the familiar hymn to sing, “This is my Savior’s world.” Every single flower came to be as it is by Christ’s design. Third, He is the Giver of life, the one from whom the very quality and power of life emanate (v. 4a). Fourth, He is the Light of the world (vv. 4b, 5) from whom the darkness of this evil world must flee away (c.f. Rev. 1:16b).

The full implication of “the Word,” in both its Hebrew and Greek contexts, can be very profitably explored. Christ is the communication of all that God is, that which reveals God to men. Christ is the focal point, the dynamic expression of God’s creative power. Christ is the ordering principle, the eminent manifestation and personal agent of God’s providential control of the universe. It is literally true that “He rules the world with truth and grace.”