John Chapter 1

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He Sent His Word and Healed Them; and Delivered Them From Their Destructions.

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John Chapter 1
John 1 - The Lamb of God
In a Nutshell
John wastes no time in introducing Jesus to his readers as the Word of God, the Son of God, and the Lamb of God. Unlike the writers of the three Synoptic Gospels, John introduces Jesus at the age of thirty and includes no information about his birth.
In the first eighteen verses of his book, John introduces the Lord. He begins by proclaiming that Jesus reveals God the Father and tells us that when he came to earth, God's Son showed the human race what the Father was like—eternal, personal, and the source of all life. The word life appears no fewer than thirty-six times in this Gospel along with several other key words. We could say that life establishes the central theme for the book.
We need only read the first verse of the Bible (Gen. 1:1) to understand the central issue of life, and it centers on the reality of God. If there is a God (and there is), and if that God has spoken in history (and he has), then the most important thing in the world is to find out what he has said.
The Gospel of John is a loved and familiar book, but many who can quote important verses from its pages have a less-than-satisfactory grasp of its important theology. Yet John wasted no time in introducing the key question: "Who is Jesus Christ?"
In his presentation of Jesus as the Son of God, John started out with creation. Everything that was ever made was made through him; and without him, nothing has ever been created. Jesus was the source of power in the original physical creation and in the spiritual creation by which people are brought to new life in Christ.
Do not forget that key word life. John used it frequently in his Gospel, and he also used it thirteen times in his first epistle and seventeen more times in Revelation. Here in this Gospel we have more than twenty-five percent of all New Testament references to life. John wanted to make sure that everyone knew life is possible only through the Son of God.
II. Commentary
The Lamb of God
MAIN IDEA: Jesus Christ is the heart and core of the gospel. Christianity is not a philosophy of life; it centers in a person who is the core of everything Christians believe.
A. Revelation of the Lamb (1:1-5)
SUPPORTING IDEA: Like his heavenly Father, Jesus reveals eternality, personality, deity, creativity, life, and light.
Holman New Testament Commentary - John.
John 1:1 (KJV) 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:1 (MSG) 1 The Word was first, the Word present to God, God present to the Word. The Word was God,
John 1:1 (NLT2) 1 In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:1 (PassionNTPsa) with notes
1 In the very beginning [a] The first eighteen verses of John are considered by most scholars to be the words of an ancient hymn or poem that was cherished by first-century believers in Christ. - the Living Expression [b] The Greek is logos, which has a rich and varied background in both Greek philosophy and Judaism. The Greeks equated logos with the highest principle of cosmic order. God’s logos in the Old Testament is his powerful self-expression in creation, revelation, and redemption. In the New Testament we have this new unique view of God given to us by John, which signifies the presence of God himself in the flesh. Some have translated this rich term as “Word.” It could also be translated “Message” or “Blueprint.” Jesus Christ is the eternal Word, the creative Word, and the Word made visible. He is the divine self-expression of all that God is, contains, and reveals in incarnated flesh. Just as we express ourselves in words, God has perfectly expressed himself in Christ. - was already there. And the Living Expression was with God, yet fully God. [c] The Living Expression (Christ) had full participation in every attribute of deity held by God the Father. The Living Expression existed eternally as a separate individual but essentially the same, as one with the Father.
The moment we pick up John's gospel we are aware that it is different from the others. There is no genealogy, no manger scene, no boyhood, no baptism, no temptation, no mount or transfiguration, no Gethsemane. There are only a few special miracles chosen by John as "signs." We have the famous I AM sayings of Jesus and many discourses found nowhere else. There are no scribes, no lepers, no publicans, and no demoniacs. There are no parables. It would almost seem, as others have pointed out, that John sits with a copy of Luke's gospel open before him, deliberately leaving out things Luke puts in and putting in things Luke leaves out (W. Graham Scroggie, A Guide to the Gospels, London: Pickering and Inglis, 1962). Luke had written to show that Jesus was the Son of man; John is writing to show that Jesus is the Son of God.
John's language is Greek but his thoughts are Hebrew. His language is simple, his vocabulary small. There are about six hundred words in John's vocabulary. It is the vocabulary of a seven-year-old child (a child adds about a hundred words to his or her vocabulary every year). But if John's "coins" are few, their denomination is large; they are golden coins, royal sovereigns, the kind one would find in a rich man's purse. The word John uses most is Father (121 times) with the companion expression my Father (35 times). He is fond of the word believe (99 times). Other common words are world (79 times), Jews (71 times), know (oida 61 times and ginosko 56 times), abide (41 times), life (36 times), light (23 times), love (in its various forms and cognates, 57 times), truth (and its cognates, 66 times).
John's gospel begins with a prologue (John 1:1-18), runs through a threefold view of the Lord Jesus—the signs (John 1:19-12:50), the secrets (John 13:1-17:26), and the sorrows (John 18:1-20:31) of God's Son—and ends with an epilogue (John 21:1-25). The basic structure is simple, but John surprises us. He says the simplest things, uses the simplest words, puts together the simplest phrases and sentences—and at once plunges us into mysterious, mystical, mind-staggering concepts.
The prologue can be divided into three parts, revolving around three of John's favorite words. We have the divine life in essence (John 1:1-5), the divine light in evidence (John 1:6-13), and the divine love in experience (John 1:14-18). We begin with the first of these introductory passages. Immediately John whirls us away into the eternal ages to confront one who was from everlasting to everlasting, eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
John Phillips Commentary Series, The - Exploring the Gospel of John: An Expository Commentary.
1:1 In the beginning. In contrast to 1Jn 1:1 where John used a similar phrase ("from the beginning") to refer to the starting point of Jesus' ministry and gospel preaching, this phrase parallels Ge 1:1 where the same phrase is used. John used the phrase in an absolute sense to refer to the beginning of the time-space-material universe.
was. The verb highlights the eternal pre-existence of the Word, i.e., Jesus Christ. Before the universe began, the Second Person of the Trinity always existed; i.e., He always was.
This word is used in contrast with the verb "came into being" in Jn 1:3 which indicates a beginning in time.
John 1:2 (KJV) 2 The same was in the beginning with God.
John 1:2 (MSG) 2 in readiness for God from day one.
John 1:2 (NLT2) 2 He existed in the beginning with God.
John 1:2 (PassionNTPsa) 2 They were together—face-to-face, in the very beginning.
1:1-2. Some interpreters have translated the opening phrase of this Gospel, "Before there was a beginning, the Word had been." Indeed, the familiar repetition of Genesis 1:1 almost looks as if John wrote a Gospel of two beginnings—a creation account that parallels physical birth and spiritual rebirth. But it is important to notice that we are dealing with two beginnings, not creations. The central focus of this verse is eternality. Like his heavenly Father, Jesus always was and therefore existed at the beginning of time.
It is interesting that John should call Jesus the Word rather than some other name to introduce his book—interesting, but not surprising since the Jews often referred to God in such terminology. The doctrine at stake here is the deity of Christ. Jesus is God, and John wanted to make that point immediately. In fact, this prologue (vv. 1-18) begins and ends with a strong statement of this doctrine.
The term Word (logos) would have been familiar to the Greeks as well. Their understanding centered on ultimate reason or the rationale of the universe rather than the personal God revealed to Abraham and his descendants. John claimed that the God of creation, the ultimate mind of the universe, had taken on human form; he had become incarnate.
The Bible allows no place for atheism and no room for doubt about how God has spoken—through the Word. Before there was a beginning, the Word had been coequal with God throughout all eternity. But what did the apostle mean by with God? The Greek word is pros which literally means "toward," implying a face-to-face relationship. John would have neither atheism nor unitarianism. He told us later in his Gospel that the Godhead consists of a trinity, but here in verse 1 we learn plurality.
So Jesus, the Word, is eternal and personal. Nothing can separate the heavenly Father from his Son. Verse 2 merely emphasizes verse 1. I like the way Gary Vanderet puts it: "John intends that the entire book be read in light of this verse. The deeds and the words of Jesus are the deeds and words of God" (Vanderet, Prelude to Deity).
Holman New Testament Commentary - John.
John 1:3 (NLT2) 3 God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him.
John 1:3 (KJV) 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
John 1:3 (PassionNTPsa) 3 And through his creative inspiration this Living Expression made all things, for nothing has existence apart from him!
John 1:3 (MSG) 3 Everything was created through him; nothing—not one thing!— came into being without him.
1:3. Unlike the Gospel writers before him, John tells us that Jesus participated in creation and again states his case twice for emphasis. Surely this is a deliberate link with Genesis, and it sets the stage for other New Testament Scriptures which show us Jesus' involvement in creation: "For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him" (Col. 1:16). "In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe" (Heb. 1:1-2).
Creation is a foundational doctrine of the Christian faith. Virtually every other aspect of theology rests upon our understanding of God as the origin of all life and of the role Jesus Christ, the Word, in creation. John could hardly say it more clearly: without him nothing was made that has been made— everything from subatomic particles to galaxies. Only God who created all things can redeem them. Creation is the foundation stone of the gospel. Christ could not have been created, for he created all things. There was a "historical Jesus," but this terminology refers only to his thirty-three years on earth. His life had no beginning, and it will have no end.
Holman New Testament Commentary - John.
DEEPER STUDY #1 (1:1-5) The Word— Jesus Christ, Son of God DEEPER STUDY #1 (1:1-5) The Word— Jesus Christ, Son of God: the Word (logos PWS: 4405) 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.
Colossians 1:16 (KJV) 16 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:
Colossians 1:16 (MSG) 16 For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, rank after rank after rank of angels—everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him.
Colossians 1:16 (NLT2) 16 for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him.
Colossians 1:16 (PassionNTPsa) 16 For through the Son everything was created, both in the heavenly realm and on the earth, all that is seen and all that is unseen. Every seat of power, realm of government, principality, and authority—it was all created through him and for his purpose! He existed before anything was made, and now everything finds completion in him.
Psalm 107:20
(KJV) 20 He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.
Psalm 107:20
(NLT2) 20 He sent out his word and healed them, snatching them from the door of death.
Psalm 107:20
(PassionNTPsa) 20 God spoke the words “Be healed,” and we were healed, delivered from death’s door!
Psalm 107:20
(MSG) 20 He spoke the word that healed you, that pulled you back from the brink of death. 107:20-22. God saved the people by sending forth his word. He sent a saving message and healed them. God rescued them from the grave. "Grave" (a derivative of shachah, to fall down in troubles, to sink down in despair, to bow down) means to be plummeted down in trials and pain. Once saved and delivered from their troubles, their hearts should overflow with praise and thanks to God for his wonderful deeds. They should sacrifice thank offerings to God for his works of deliverance, accompanied by songs of joy.
Holman Old Testament Commentary
1:4. Here we find the first appearance of our key word—life.
The revelation of the Lamb was also the revelation of life.
No fewer than thirty-six times in John, we find the word zoe.
Jesus Christ the Creator provides physical life; Jesus Christ the Redeemer provides spiritual life; and Jesus Christ the Savior provides eternal life. In verse 4 John also introduced another key word— light. The life becomes the light of men. Notice these positive terms. What a wonderful contrast to death and darkness.
In the Word, God's person and power were revealed to humanity. Here again we see a reference to creation since, in the Genesis account, light was the first evidence of God's creative work. God is always the source of light and life. Christ the Son, the Creator, provides life and light to humanity. He alone is the life-giver and the light-bearer. John is getting ready to write new lyrics to an old melody, "With you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light" (Ps. 36:9).
Holman New Testament Commentary - John.
John 1:5 (KJV) 5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
John 1:5 (MSG) 5 The Life-Light blazed out of the darkness; the darkness couldn't put it out.
John 1:5 (NLT2) 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.
John 1:5 (PassionNTPsa) 5 And this Living Expression is the Light that bursts through gloom —
the Light that darkness could not diminish!
A. 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 (v.1-2).
2. Christ is the Creator (v.3).
3. Christ is Life (v.4-5).
DEEPER STUDY #1 (1:1-5) The Word— Jesus Christ, Son of God
DEEPER STUDY #1
(1:1-5) The Word— Jesus Christ, Son of God: the Word (logos PWS: 4405) 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.
Genesis 1:3,
Genesis 1:3 (NLT2) 3 Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
Genesis 1:3 (KJV) 3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
Genesis 1:3 (MSG) 3 God spoke: "Light!" And light appeared.
Gen1:6,
Genesis 1:6 (NLT2) 6 Then God said, “Let there be a space between the waters, to separate the waters of the heavens from the waters of the earth.”
Genesis 1:6 (KJV) 6 And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.
Genesis 1:6 (MSG) 6 God spoke: "Sky! In the middle of the waters; separate water from water!"
Gen 1:11;
Genesis 1:11 (NLT2) 11 Then God said, “Let the land sprout with vegetation—every sort of seed-bearing plant, and trees that grow seed-bearing fruit. These seeds will then produce the kinds of plants and trees from which they came.” And that is what happened.
Genesis 1:11 (KJV) 11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.
Genesis 1:11 (MSG) 11 God spoke: "Earth, green up! Grow all varieties of seed-bearing plants, Every sort of fruit-bearing tree." And there it was.
Gen 1:6;
Genesis 1:6 (NLT2) 6 Then God said, “Let there be a space between the waters, to separate the waters of the heavens from the waters of the earth.”
Genesis 1:6 (KJV) 6 And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.
Genesis 1:6 (MSG) 6 God spoke: "Sky! In the middle of the waters; separate water from water!"
Psalm 107:20;
Psalm 107:20 (KJV) 20 He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.
Psalm 107:20 (NLT2) 20 He sent out his word and healed them, snatching them from the door of death.
Psalm 107:20 (PassionNTPsa) 20 God spoke the words “Be healed,” and we were healed,
delivered from death’s door!
Psalm 107:20 (MSG) 20 He spoke the word that healed you, that pulled you back from the brink of death.
107:20-22. God saved the people by sending forth his word. He sent a saving message and healed them. God rescued them from the grave. "Grave" (a derivative of shachah, to fall down in troubles, to sink down in despair, to bow down) means to be plummeted down in trials and pain. Once saved and delivered from their troubles, their hearts should overflow with praise and thanks to God for his wonderful deeds. They should sacrifice thank offerings to God for his works of deliverance, accompanied by songs of joy.
Holman Old Testament Commentary - Psalms 76-150.
C. Israel Was Like a Person Lying On a Deathbed (107:17-22)
Again we have that fourfold analysis: a desperate condition, a dismal confession, a dramatic conclusion, and a determined conviction.
"Fools [the perverse, those who depend on their own wisdom which is foolishness with God] because of their trangression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted. Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat; and they draw near unto the gates of death... Then they cry unto the Lord... He saveth... He sent His Word, and healed them."
Sin had brought the nation to its deathbed. The economic physicians, the political and social and religious physicians, the liberal and conservative and scholastic physicians, all tried their hand at doctoring the patient (just as they are all trying their hand at doctoring the ills of the world today), but the nation's case grew steadily worse. Sin was at the root of the trouble, and none of those doctors could diagnose or prescribe for that.
The nation was brought near to extinction. Indeed, it had already been pronounced dead by the watching world powers. But then God stepped in with new life: "Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare His works with rejoicing." How was it done? He "sent His Word, and healed them." It was brought about by a spiritual awakening—one with messianic implications. Here we have a prophetic anticipation of the Lord Jesus, the living Word of God sent forth to heal human sicknesses and the soul's diseases.
The psalmist has one more illustration for those celebrating the revival of the nation.
John Phillips Commentary Series, The - Exploring Psalms, Volume Two: An Expository Commentary.
Psalm 147:15;
Psalm 147:15 (NLT2) 15 He sends his orders to the world— how swiftly his word flies!
Psalm 147:15 (KJV) 15 He sendeth forth his commandment upon earth: his word runneth very swiftly.
Psalm 147:15 (PassionNTPsa) 15 He sends out his orders throughout the world;
his words run as swift messengers, bringing them to pass.
Psalm 147:15 (MSG) 15 He launches his promises earthward— how swift and sure they come!
Psalm 11
Psalm 11:1-7 (NLT2) 1 I trust in the LORD for protection. So why do you say to me, “Fly like a bird to the mountains for safety! 2 The wicked are stringing their bows and fitting their arrows on the bowstrings. They shoot from the shadows at those whose hearts are right. 3 The foundations of law and order have collapsed. What can the righteous do?” 4 But the LORD is in his holy Temple; the LORD still rules from heaven. He watches everyone closely, examining every person on earth. 5 The LORD examines both the righteous and the wicked. He hates those who love violence. 6 He will rain down blazing coals and burning sulfur on the wicked, punishing them with scorching winds. 7 For the righteous LORD loves justice. The virtuous will see his face.
Psalm 11:1-7 (KJV) 1 In the LORD put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain? 2 For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart. 3 If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? 4 The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD'S throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men. 5 The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth. 6 Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup. 7 For the righteous LORD loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright.
Psalm 11:1-7 (MSG) 1 A David psalm I've already run for dear life straight to the arms of GOD. So why would I run away now when you say, "Run to the mountains; 2 the evil bows are bent, the wicked arrows Aimed to shoot under cover of darkness at every heart open to God. 3 The bottom's dropped out of the country; good people don't have a chance"? 4 But GOD hasn't moved to the mountains; his holy address hasn't changed. He's in charge, as always, his eyes taking everything in, his eyelids Unblinking, examining Adam's unruly brood inside and out, not missing a thing. 5 He tests the good and the bad alike; if anyone cheats, God's outraged. 6 Fail the test and you're out, out in a hail of firestones, Drinking from a canteen filled with hot desert wind. 7 GOD's business is putting things right; he loves getting the lines straight, Setting us straight. Once we're standing tall, we can look him straight in the eye.
Celebrate God’s Greatness
Psalms 111 (PassionNTPsa)
111 Shout hallelujah to Yahweh! May every one of his lovers hear my passionate praise to him, even among the council of the holy ones. 2 For God’s mighty miracles astound me! His wonders are so delightfully mysterious that they leave all who seek them astonished. 3 Everything he does is full of splendor and beauty! Each miracle demonstrates his eternal perfection. 4 His unforgettable works of surpassing wonder reveal his grace and tender mercy. 5 He satisfies all who love and trust him, and he keeps every promise he makes. 6 He reveals mighty power and marvels to his people by handing them nations as a gift. 7 All God accomplishes is flawless, faithful, and fair, and his every word proves trustworthy and true. 8 They are steadfast forever and ever, formed from truth and righteousness. 9 His forever-love paid a full ransom for his people so that now we’re free to come before Jehovah to worship his holy and awesome name! 10 Where can wisdom be found? It is born in the fear of God. Everyone who follows his ways will never lack his living-understanding. And the adoration of God will abide throughout eternity!
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 and enabled him to express his jumbled up 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 grabbed hold of this common idea of the Jews and Gentiles. He proclaimed 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 (cp. John 1:1-2). 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 (cp. John 1:3).
c. Jesus Christ is the Light, the Illumination, the Power that penetrates the darkness of the world. He, theLife and Light of the world, is what makes sense of the world and enables men to understand the world (cp. John 1:4-5).
Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - John.
1. (1:1-2) Jesus Christ, Son of God— Eternal— Preexistent— Revelation: Christ is eternal.
Note three profound statements made about Christ, the Word.
1. Christ was preexistent. This means He was there before creation. He had always existed.
a. "In the beginning [En archē PWS: 2124]" 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" (cp. John 17:5; John 8:58).
John 17:5 (MSG) 5 And now, Father, glorify me with your very own splendor, The very splendor I had in your presence Before there was a world.
John 17:5 (NLT2) 5 Now, Father, bring me into the glory we shared before the world began.
John 17:5 (KJV) 5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
John 17:5 (PassionNTPsa) with note 5 So my Father, restore me back to the glory that we shared together when we were face-to-face
before the universe was created.” [a] The Aramaic is translated “before the light of the universe.”
John 8:58 (MSG) 58 "Believe me," said Jesus, "I am who I am long before Abraham was anything."
John 8:58 (NLT2) 58 Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, before Abraham was even born, I AM!”
John 8:58 (KJV) 58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
John 8:58 (PassionNTPsa) 58 Jesus said to them, “I give you this eternal truth: I have existed long before Abraham was born, for I AM!”
b. The word "was" (ēn PWS: 4258) 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—John 6:20.)
DEEPER STUDY #1
(John 6:20) "It is I" (egō eimi PWS: 2195): this is one word in the Greek, eimi, which is simply "I AM" (John 18:6).
John 18:6 (NLT2) 6 As Jesus said “I AM he,” they all drew back and fell to the ground!
John 18:6 (KJV) 6 As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground.
John 18:6 (PassionNTPsa) with note
6 And the moment Jesus spoke the words, “I am he,” the mob fell backward to the ground! [a] This was a stunning event as the great I Am spoke his name before those who sought to seize him. It is obvious in the text that they did not trip over each other in surprise, for every one of these strong men fell backward to the ground by the power of God. Jesus was in charge that night as the captain of the host of the Lord. They could not seize him unless he permitted them to do so. What a wonderful Savior who willingly submitted to the hands of cruel men to bring us the gift of salvation.
Jesus was saying, "I AM" has come—fear not. He was reminding the disciples who He was, the Son of God Himself. He possessed all power; therefore, there was no need to fear.
This was the same message that God gave to Moses at the burning bush, "I am that I am!" (Exodus 3:13-15,
Exodus 3:13-15 (MSG) 13 Then Moses said to God, "Suppose I go to the People of Israel and I tell them, 'The God of your fathers sent me to you'; and they ask me, 'What is his name?' What do I tell them?" 14 God said to Moses, "I-AM-WHO-I-AM. Tell the People of Israel, 'I-AM sent me to you.' " 15 God continued with Moses: "This is what you're to say to the Israelites: 'GOD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob sent me to you.' This has always been my name, and this is how I always will be known.
Exodus 3:13-15 (NLT2) 13 But Moses protested, “If I go to the people of Israel and tell them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ they will ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what should I tell them?” 14 God replied to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. Say this to the people of Israel: I AM has sent me to you.” 15 God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: Yahweh, the God of your ancestors—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you. This is my eternal name, my name to remember for all generations.
Exodus 3:13-15 (KJV) 13 And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? 14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. 15 And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.
Especially. Exodus 3:14). Above
It was the same message that Jesus used as a defense against the religionists, "Before Abraham was, I am" (John 8:58). Above
It is the same message that Col. 1:15-17 claims for Him.
The Supremacy of Christ
Col 1:15-17 (Passion NTPsa)
15 He is the divine portrait, the true likeness of the invisible God, and the first-born heir of all creation.
16 For through the Son everything was created, both in the heavenly realm and on the earth, all that is seen and all that is unseen. Every seat of power, realm of government, principality, and authority—it was all created through him and for his purpose!
17 He existed before anything was made, and now everything finds completion in him.
and it is the same message that is proclaimed by the book of Revelation, "He that is, and was, and is to come" (Rev. 1:4, 8; Rev. 11:17; Rev. 16:5). (See note—•John 1:1-2.)
There are several "I Am's" claimed by Christ.
⇒ I Am the Messiah (John 4:26).
John 4:26 (PassionNTPsa)
26 Jesus said to her, "You don't have to wait any longer, the Anointed One is here speaking with you--I am the One you're looking for." (a) Or "I am the I AM who speaks to you."
John 4:25-26. So the woman had faith after all; like most Samaritans, she waited the coming of the Messiah who would finally put an end to all bickering and confusion about the spiritual life. And since only the Messiah could straighten out religious confusion, there was no further point in talking about husbands or worship or any such complicated questions. But she was hardly prepared for the next statement—the only occasion of New Testament record other than his trial on which Jesus claimed to be the Christ. The literal translation of the Greek text is, "I am the one speaking to you."
The use of ego eimi (I am) represents an important theological theme in this Gospel. Usually there is a metaphoric connection such as Bread of Life (6:35) or the Good Shepherd (10:14). But here it becomes what Borchert calls "the shocking reality of a confession of the divine-human presence" (Borchert, p. 209). An absolute declaration of deity. "You are waiting for the Messiah? Then you should be interested in this conversation because I have come and am speaking personally to you."
Bible students know how strongly Jesus linked himself with Yahweh of the Old Testament, notably the references in Isaiah 40-55. The announcement of the arrival of a Messiah represents an enormous fulfillment of promise. Jews and Samaritans had waited centuries to hear what this peasant woman heard from the lips of the Son of God. Westcott reminds us how this serves us even in the present hour:
It cannot have been for nothing that God was pleased to disclose His counsels, fragment by fragment through long intervals of silence and disappointment and disaster. In that slow preparation for the perfect revelation of Himself come in which was most inadequately apprehended till it was finally given, we discern the pattern of His ways. As it was in the case of the first Advent, even so now He is guiding the course of the world to the second Advent. We can see enough in the past, to find a vantage ground for faith; and, when the night is deepest and all sight fails, shall we not still endure, like the men of old time, as seeing the invisible? (Westcott, p. 27) Holman New Testament Commentary - John.
⇒ I Am (It is I); be not afraid (John 6:20).
John 6:20 (NLT2) 20 but he called out to them, “Don’t be afraid. I am here!”
John 6:20 (KJV) 20 But he saith unto them, It is I; be not afraid.
John 6:20 (MSG) 20 but he reassured them, "It's me. It's all right. Don't be afraid."
3. (6:20-21) Fear— Receiving Jesus: the answer to fear is Jesus Himself. Note three points.
1. The Word of Christ delivers from fear. He proclaimed, "It is I; be not afraid" (see Deeper Study #1, "It is I"—John 6:20).
"And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth" (Matthew 28:18).
"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).
"Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not" (Jeremiah 33:3).
2. Receiving the presence of Christ delivers from fear. This is critical to note, for having Christ present and hearing His Word to "fear not" are not enough. A person must "willingly receive" Christ into his life. Deliverance came to the disciples only after they had received Jesus into the ship.
"Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me" (Rev. 3:20).
"But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name" (John 1:12).
"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (John 14:27).
"Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22).
"Fear thou not; For I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness" (Isaiah 41:10).
"And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you" (Isaiah 46:4).
3. The results of receiving Christ were twofold: deliverance from fear and the calming of the storm. Jesus Christ gives the strength to row through all the storms of life. He has the power to erase fear and calm any storm.
"For which cause [the glory of God] we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day be day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal" (2 Cor. 4:16-18).
"And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage" (Hebrews 2:15).
"So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me" (Hebrews 13:6).
"The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished" (2 Peter 2:9).
"Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence" (Psalm 91:3).
"For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling" (Psalm 116:8).
"And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him" (Isaiah 59:16; cp. Isaiah 63:5).
DEEPER STUDY #1 (6:20) "It is I"
DEEPER STUDY #1
(6:20) "It is I" (egō eimi PWS: 2195): this is one word in the Greek, eimi, which is simply "I AM" (John 18:6). Jesus was saying, "I AM" has come—fear not. He was reminding the disciples who He was, the Son of God Himself. He possessed all power; therefore, there was no need to fear. This was the same message that God gave to Moses at the burning bush, "I am that I am" (Exodus 3:13-15, esp. Exodus 3:14). It was the same message that Jesus used as a defense against the religionists, "Before Abraham was, I am" (John 8:58). It is the same message that Col. 1:15-17 claims for Him; and it is the same message that is proclaimed by the book of Revelation, "He that is, and was, and is to come" (Rev. 1:4, 8; Rev. 11:17; Rev. 16:5). (See note—•John 1:1-2.)
There are several "I Am's" claimed by Christ.
⇒ I Am the Messiah (John 4:26).
⇒ I Am (It is I); be not afraid (John 6:20).
⇒ I Am the Bread of Life (John 6:35).
⇒ I Am from Above (8).
⇒ I Am the Light of the World (John 8:12; John 9:5; John 12:46).
⇒ I Am before Abraham was, I am (eternal) (John 8:58).
⇒ I Am the Door (John 10:7).
⇒ I Am the Good Shepherd (John 10:14).
⇒ I Am the Son of God (John 10:36).
⇒ I Am the Resurrection and Life (John 11:25).
⇒ I Am the Lord and Master (John 13:13).
⇒ I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6).
⇒ I Am the True Vine (John 15:1).
⇒ I Am Alpha and Omega (Rev. 1:8).
⇒ I Am the First and the Last (Rev. 1:17).
Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - John.
"Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God" (Psalm 90:2).
"I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was" (Proverbs 8:23).
"And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was" (John 17:5).
"[Christ Jesus] who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross"
Phil. 2:6-8
Philippians 2:6-8 (NLT2) 6 Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. 7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, 8 he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.
Philippians 2:6-8 (KJV) 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
The Example of Jesus Christ
Phil 2:6-8 (PassionNTPsa) with notes
6 He existed in the form of God, yet he gave no thought ot seizing equality with God as his supreme prize. (a) Or "as something to be exploited."
7 Instead he emptied himself of his outward glory by reducing himself to the form of a lowly servant. He becme human!
8 He humbled himself and became vulnerable, choosing to be revealed as a man and was obedient. (b) See also John 5:19. He was a perfect example, even in his death--a criminal's death by crucifixion! (c) Notice the seven steps Christ took from the throne to the cross in verses vv. 7-8: (1) He emptied himself. (2) He became a servant. (3) He became human. (4) He humbled himself. (5) He became vulnerable and revealed as a Man. (6) He was obedient until his death. (7) He died a criminal's death on the cross.
Philippians 2:6-8 (MSG) 6 He had equal status with God but didn't think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. 7 Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! 8 Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn't claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that: a crucifixion.
Compare
2 Cor. 8:9
2 Cor. 8:9 (PassionNTPsa)
9 For you have experienced the extravagant grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that although he was infinitely rich, he impoverished himself for our sake, so that by his poverty, we could become rich beyond measure.
8:9 though He was rich. A reference to the eternality and pre-existence of Christ. As the second person of the Trinity, Christ is as rich as God is rich. He owns everything, and possesses all power, authority, sovereignty, glory, honor, and majesty.
(Compare)
Isa 9:6;
Isaiah 9:6 (NLT2) 6 For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting
Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6 (KJV) 6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6 (MSG) 6 For a child has been born—for us! the gift of a son—for us! He'll take over the running of the world. His names will be: Amazing Counselor, Strong God, Eternal Father, Prince of Wholeness.
Mic 5:2;
Micah 5:2 (NLT2) 2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel will come from you, one whose origins are from the distant past.
Micah 5:2 (KJV) 2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
Micah 5:2 (MSG) 2 But you, Bethlehem, David's country, the runt of the litter— From you will come the leader who will shepherd-rule Israel. He'll be no upstart, no pretender. His family tree is ancient and distinguished.
Jn 1:1;
John 1:1 (NLT2) 1 In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:1 (KJV) 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:1 (MSG) 1 The Word was first, the Word present to God, God present to the Word. The Word was God,
The Living Expression
John 1:1 (PassionNTPsa with notes)
1 In the very beginning [a] The first eighteen verses of John are considered by most scholars to be the words of an ancient hymn or poem that was cherished by first-century believers in Christ. -the Living Expression [b] The Greek is logos, which has a rich and varied background in both Greek philosophy and Judaism. The Greeks equated logos with the highest principle of cosmic order. God’s logos in the Old Testament is his powerful self-expression in creation, revelation, and redemption. In the New Testament we have this new unique view of God given to us by John, which signifies the presence of God himself in the flesh. Some have translated this rich term as “Word.” It could also be translated “Message” or “Blueprint.” Jesus Christ is the eternal Word, the creative Word, and the Word made visible. He is the divine self-expression of all that God is, contains, and reveals in incarnated flesh. Just as we express ourselves in words, God has perfectly expressed himself in Christ. - was already there.
John 8:58;
John 8:58 (PassionNTPsa) 58 Jesus said to them, "I give you this eternal truth: I have existed long before Abraham was born, for I AM!" (a) Proper English grammar would be "Before Abraham was born, I Was." However, Jesus identifies himself with the "I AM that I AM" of Ex. 3:14, when Yahweh appeared to Moses in the flames of the sacred shrub.
John 10:30
John 10:30 (KJV) 30 I and my Father are one.
John 10:30 (MSG) 30 I and the Father are one heart and mind."
Now Jesus points them to the witness of his words (John 10:30). "I and my Father are one," he said. They are one in mind, thought, heart, will, purpose, and action. True, but it goes beyond that. In the Greek the word one is neuter—"I and the Father are one"—not in person, but in essence. The statement springs directly from the claim, just made by Jesus, to equality of power with the Father ("my hand, my Father's hand"). Infinite power, thus claimed by Jesus, is an attribute of God.
This is the climax of the Lord's claim to oneness with the Father (John 10:18, John 10:25,John 10:28, John 10:29). His answer was more than they bargained for. He was not just the Christ of messianic expectation; he claimed identity of substance with God. That was his answer to their question.
Jesus' outright claim to be of the same essence as God provoked from the Jews their response to his challenge (10:31-42). We note their determination (10:31-39) to get rid of him. They made two moves against him. The first move (10:31-38) is in two parts. Note what they attempted (10:31-33). "Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him" (10:31). They had done this once before when he had announced himself as the I AM (8:58-59). The word translated "took up" here describes something borne as a heavy weight rather than something seized. Evidently they hauled their ammunition from the work site of the temple. This time they intended to make an end of him. They understood his unequivocal claims to be God, the most blatant blasphemy to their minds. But they did not hurl those stones. His time was not yet come, nor must he die in that way. A restraining hand held them back. Perhaps, too, the Lord's soft answer gave them pause, and the stones were dropped.
"Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?" Do you stone me because I gave sight to a man born blind? Do you stone me because I healed a man at the pool of Bethesda who had been ill for thirty-eight years? Do you stone me because I have cleansed lepers and raised the dead and cast out evil spirits and made the dumb speak and the deaf hear and the lame walk? Do you stone me because I fed your hungry multitudes? He pointed to his good works, works of almighty power, as the credentials to back his claim. He was fully accredited.
They were not the least bit interested in proof of his power. Back they came with their angry accusation. "The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God" (10:33). It was not simple blasphemy, they said, a man making derogatory statements about God. He had gone far beyond that. He, a man, had assumed prerogatives belonging to God alone. And so he had. But he was not just a man. He was God manifest in flesh.
John Phillips Commentary Series, The - Exploring the Gospel of John: An Expository Commentary.
He became poor. A reference to Christ's incarnation (cf. Jn 1:14; Ro 1:3; 8:3; Gal 4:4; Col 1:20; 1Ti 3:16; Heb 2:7). He laid aside the independent exercise of all His divine prerogatives, left His place with God, took on human form, and died on a cross like a common criminal (Php 2:5-8).
that you... might become rich. Believers become spiritually rich through the sacrifice and impoverishment of Christ (Php 2:5-8). They become rich in salvation, forgiveness, joy, peace, glory, honor, and majesty (cf. 1Co 1:4, 5; 3:22; Eph 1:3; 1Pe 1:3, 4). They become joint heirs with Christ (Ro 8:17). The MacArthur Study Bible.
The testimony of John is that Jesus Christ was the Word, the One who had always existed. He was the Son of the living God.
See outline—• Phil. 2:5-8
See notes—• Phil. 2:5-8.)
2. Christ was coexistent. He was and is face to face with God forever. The word "with" (pros PWS: 4367) 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" (John 1:2).
"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)" (1:1-2).
The testimony of John was that Jesus Christ was the Word, the One who had always co-existed with God. Jesus Christ was the Son of the living God.
3. John did not say that "the Word" was the God (ho theos). He says "the Word" was God (Theos PWS: 1711). 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" (Hebrews 1:3).
"Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father?" (John 14:9).
"Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever" (Romans 9:5).
"Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature" (Col. 1:15).
"For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily" (Col. 2:9)."And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory" (1 Tim. 3:16).
"Which in his [Jesus Christ] times he shall show, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting" (1 Tim. 6:15-16).
"And he [Jesus Christ] hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS" (Rev. 19:16).
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 was 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 (cp. John 5:24).
2) Christ reveals God perfectly. He is just like God, identical to God; therefore, when we look at Christ we see God (see Deeper Study #1—John 14:6, Deeper Study #2—John 14:6, Deeper Study #3—John 14:6. Cp. John 14:9.)
3) Christ reveals that God is the most wonderful Person. 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 (cp. John 5:24).
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 (cp. John 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" (John 14:20).
"For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren" (Romans 8:29).
"But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord" (2 Cor. 3:18).
"Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself" (Phil. 3:21).
"Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust" (2 Peter 1:4).
"Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is" (1 John 3:2).
Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - John.
John 1:2 (NLT2) 2 He existed in the beginning with God.
John 1:2 (KJV) 2 The same was in the beginning with God.
John 1:2 (PassionNTPsa) 2 They were together—face-to-face, in the very beginning.
John 1:2 (MSG) 2 in readiness for God from day one.
John 1:3 (NLT2) 3 God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him.
John 1:3 (KJV) 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
John 1:3 (PassionNTPsa) 3 And through his creative inspiration
this Living Expression made all things,
for nothing has existence apart from him!
John 1:3 (MSG) 3 Everything was created through him; nothing—not one thing!— came into being without him.
Jesus is unique in:
1. His Power of Creation (1:3)
"All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made." All things. The Greek word panta refers to all things individually, all things separately. It is a reference to the infinite detail of creation. The scientist takes his or her telescope and focuses it on the reaches of space. Out there are distances so vast that a special unit of measure is needed with which to express those concepts. The astronomer's yardstick is a light year: the distance light travels in one year (at 186,273 miles per second—the equivalent of encircling the earth at the equator seven and a half times). In round numbers, that is about six trillion miles. Our sun, by that yardstick, is eight light minutes away. But out there in space are suns and stars believed to be billions of light years away. Nor can we count the stars or guess how many billions there are.
Some stars are large beyond all thought. The star Antares, for instance, could hold sixty-four million suns the size of ours. In the constellation Hercules is a star that could contain one hundred million stars the size of Antares. Our galaxy, the Milky Way, is 100,000 light years in diameter. It is revolving at a speed of two hundred miles an hour. It takes two million years to complete one revolution on its axis.
Not only are we awed by the size of space and the prodigality with which the creator has strewn it with stars, but we are overwhelmed by the precision with which all these vast orbs pursue their appointed paths. Our planet, for instance, does not travel in a true circle. It travels in three directions at the same time. It revolves on its axis, it travels around the sun, and its path is deflected by other planets. Yet it does not lose more than one one-hundredth of a second every one hundred years.
Let us turn from the world of the infinitely large to the world of the infinitely small. The building block of the universe is the atom, an entity so small that each one is less than one hundred fifty millionth of an inch in diameter. If the molecules of a single drop of water could be converted into grains of sand, there would be enough sand to build a concrete highway half a mile wide and one foot thick all the way from New York to San Francisco.
That is the world of inanimate things. When we turn to living things the complexities that confront us on every hand are incredible. Each cell in a living creature contains two hundred billion molecules of atoms. The nucleus of a cell (a complex life factory) is less than four ten-thousandths of an inch in diameter. The membrane that encloses the cell's component parts is only one half of that, or one-millionth of an inch thick.
Jesus made it all. "Without him," says the Holy Spirit through the inspired apostle, "was not anything made that was made." The form of the text in Greek is even more emphatic: "not even one thing."
John Phillips Commentary Series, The - Exploring the Gospel of John: An Expository Commentary.
1:3. Unlike the Gospel writers before him, John tells us that Jesus participated in creation and again states his case twice for emphasis. Surely this is a deliberate link with Genesis, and it sets the stage for other New Testament Scriptures which show us Jesus' involvement in creation: "For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him" (Col. 1:16). "In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe" (Heb. 1:1-2).
Creation is a foundational doctrine of the Christian faith. Virtually every other aspect of theology rests upon our understanding of God as the origin of all life and of the role Jesus Christ, the Word, in creation. John could hardly say it more clearly: without him nothing was made that has been made— everything from subatomic particles to galaxies. Only God who created all things can redeem them. Creation is the foundation stone of the gospel. Christ could not have been created, for he created all things. There was a "historical Jesus," but this terminology refers only to his thirty-three years on earth. His life had no beginning, and it will have no end.
Holman New Testament Commentary - John.
2. (1:3) Jesus Christ, Creator: Christ is the Creator. Note several things.
1. "All things" (panta PWS: 113) 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).
2. The words "were made" (egeneto PWS: 4318) 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).
3. 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 (cp. 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 Cor. 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" (Hebrews 1:2).
4. 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."
a. Christ was actively involved in the creation of every single thing: "Without Him was not anything made."
b. The words "not anything" (oude hen PWS: 2681) 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 man and his technical skill. 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, LifeLight: Christ is life (see Deeper Study #2—John 1:4).
1. 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 men so that he might walk and live as they 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" (John 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" (John 11:25).
2. Christ is the answer to darkness.
a. Christ's life did shine in the darkness (see Deeper Study #2, Darkness—John 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—John 1:5, Deeper Study #4—John 1:5; Deeper Study #2—John 8:12; Deeper Study #1—John 14:6, Deeper Study #2—John 14:6, Deeper Study #3—John 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" (8:12).
"Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth" (John 12:35).
"I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness" (John 12:46).
"For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (2 Cor. 4:6).
"The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power" (Ephes. 1:18-19; cp. Ephes. 5:14).
"But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy" (1 Peter 2:9-10).
"Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth" (1 John 2:8).
"And when they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons" (Acts 20:18).
b. Christ's life (the Light) cannot be overcome (see Deeper Study #3—John 1:5).
DEEPER STUDY #2 (1:4) Life— Jesus Christ, Life
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 fulness 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 (cp. Galatians 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—• Luke 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. (Cp. Rev. 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 (John 5:26; 1 John 1:2). (See Deeper Study #1—John 10:10; Deeper Study #1—John 17:2-3).
Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - John.
DEEPER STUDY #3 (1:5) Light
DEEPER STUDY #3
(1:5) Light: light reveals, strips away (John 3:19-20), routs the chaos (cp. Genesis 1:2-3), and guides (John 12:36, 46). It shows the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6).
Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - John.
DEEPER STUDY #4 (1:5) Darkness
DEEPER STUDY #4
( 1:5) Darkness: darkness does not understand the light, does not overcome the light, does not extinguish the light (see Deeper Study—John 8:12).
Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - John.
John 1:4-5 (NLT2) 4 The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.
John 1:4-5 (KJV) 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
John 1:4-5 Passion NTPsa
4 Life came into being [a] The Aramaic reads “In him were lives” (plural)—not only multiple human lives, but also spiritual life, eternal life, and life in every form. - because of him, for his life is light for all humanity. [b] As translated from the Aramaic, which can also be translated “the spark of human life.” Jesus Christ brings the light of eternal life and the full revelation of God. The Gospel of John is easily divided into three sections: life (chs. 1–7), light (chs. 8–12), and love (chs. 13–21).
5 And this Living Expression is the Light that bursts through gloom [c]— Or “keeps on shining through.” - the Light that darkness could not diminish! [d] The Greek has a double meaning here. Darkness could not diminish this Light, nor could it comprehend it. The darkness can also be a metaphor for the sons of darkness.
John 1:4-5 (MSG) 4 What came into existence was Life, and the Life was Light to live by. 5 The Life-Light blazed out of the darkness; the darkness couldn't put it out.
1:4. Here we find the first appearance of our key word—life. The revelation of the Lamb was also the revelation of life. No fewer than thirty-six times in John, we find the word zoe. Jesus Christ the Creator provides physical life; Jesus Christ the Redeemer provides spiritual life; and Jesus Christ the Savior provides eternal life. In verse 4 John also introduced another key word— light. The life becomes the light of men. Notice these positive terms. What a wonderful contrast to death and darkness.
In the Word, God's person and power were revealed to humanity. Here again we see a reference to creation since, in the Genesis account, light was the first evidence of God's creative work. God is always the source of light and life. Christ the Son, the Creator, provides life and light to humanity. He alone is the life-giver and the light-bearer. John is getting ready to write new lyrics to an old melody, "With you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light" (Ps. 36:9).
1:5. In this verse John picked up a common first-century theme, the symbols of light and darkness representing good and evil. The word understood might be rendered "overcome." All the forces of Satan tried to prevent life and extinguish the light—but they could not.
These five verses tell us that Jesus came to the world with a message of hope, and he came from heaven where he had lived eternally with the Father.
Often I find myself humming the theme of the television miniseries Winds of War which aired in the mid 1980s. Based on the Herman Wouk book, the series ran for a total of eighteen hours. This theme played over and over again—in the key of D minor. John's key words are like that, especially "life" and "light." The word rendered "understood" in the NIV is translated "seizes" in Mark 9:18 and "overtakes" in John 12:35. God sent his light into the world, but mankind did not understand it, could not grasp it. But the world will never be able to defeat it.
Holman New Testament Commentary - John.
3. (1:4-5) Jesus Christ, LifeLight: Christ is life (see Deeper Study #2—John 1:4).
1. 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 men so that he might walk and live as they 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" (John 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" (John 11:25).
2. Christ is the answer to darkness.
a. Christ's life did shine in the darkness (see Deeper Study #2, Darkness—John 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—John 1:5, Deeper Study #4—John 1:5; Deeper Study #2—John 8:12; Deeper Study #1—John 14:6, Deeper Study #2—John 14:6, Deeper Study #3—John 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" (8:12).
"Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth" (John 12:35).
"I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness" (John 12:46).
"For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (2 Cor. 4:6).
"The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power" (Ephes. 1:18-19; cp. Ephes. 5:14).
"But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy" (1 Peter 2:9-10).
"Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth" (1 John 2:8).
"And when they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons" (Acts 20:18).
b. Christ's life (the Light) cannot be overcome (see Deeper Study #3—John 1:5).
Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - John.
2. His Power of Communication (1:4-5)
The Lord is said by John to have power in communicating life (1:4) and in communicating light (1:5). "In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not."
Even before he came into the world in the incarnation, to be the light of the world (8:12; 9:5), he made God known through creation, of which life itself is the most marvelous mystery and the loudest voice. The more we know about life, the more complex and elusive it proves to be. Life, rising from the dust in myriad forms, beckons to us and says, "This is the finger of God" (compare Exodus 8:19). Every cell, every membrane, every complex molecule, every strand of DNA, picks up the chorus: "The hand that made us is divine."
But darkness now enfolds the children of fallen Adam's race. There is the darkness of the religious mind, which leads otherwise intelligent people to harbor superstition or embrace all kinds of high-sounding nonsense. There is the darkness of the philosophical mind, which speculates vainly about the ultimate nature of things. There is the darkness of the carnal mind, which is entrenched in enmity against God and is quite prepared to entertain a thousand hurtful and destructive lusts. There is the darkness of the scientific mind, which says in one breath that life is bewildering in its complexity and in the next breath declares that "life is only chemistry" and that therefore there is no reason to believe in God.
The existence of darkness is evident. Its goal is to envelop the earth completely and prevent the light from penetrating into human souls. That, however, is beyond the power of darkness. "The darkness overpowers it not." A small candle can dispel darkness. When the light shines in all its strength, darkness flees. In the heart of every person is the recognition of God and of right and wrong. That light has never been extinguished. Nor can the most virile propagation of atheism and humanism blot it out. At Calvary the power of darkness had its moment of precarious victory when the light went out. But on the resurrection morning it blazed forth again, triumphant forever. Soon will dawn "the perfect day" (Proverbs 4:18).
John Phillips Commentary Series, The - Exploring the Gospel of John: An Expository Commentary.
1:4, 5 life... Light... darkness. John introduces the reader to contrastive themes that occur throughout the gospel. "Life" and "light" are qualities of the Word that are shared not only among the Godhead (5:26) but also by those who respond to the gospel message regarding Jesus Christ (8:12; 9:5; 10:28; 11:25; 14:6). John uses the word "life" about 36 times in his gospel, far more than any other NT book. It refers not only in a broad sense to physical and temporal life that the Son imparted to the created world through His involvement as the agent of creation (v. 3), but especially to spiritual and eternal life imparted as a gift through belief in Him (3:15; 17:3; Eph 2:5). In Scripture "light" and "darkness" are very familiar symbols. Intellectually, "light" refers to biblical truth while "darkness" refers to error or falsehood (cf. Ps 119:105; Pr 6:23). Morally, "light" refers to holiness or purity (1Jn 1:5) while "darkness" refers to sin or wrongdoing (3:19; 12:35, 46; Ro 13:11-14; 1Th 5:4-7; 1Jn 1:6; 2:8-11). "Darkness" has special significance in relationship to Satan (and his demonic cohorts) who rules the present spiritually dark world (1Jn 5:19) as the "prince of the power of the air" promoting spiritual darkness and rebellion against God (Eph 2:2). John uses the term "darkness" 14 times (8 in the gospel and 6 in 1 John) out of its 17 occurrences in the NT, making it almost an exclusive Johannine word. In John, "light" and "life" have their special significance in relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Word (v. 9; 9:5; 1Jn 1:5-7; 5:12, 20).
1:5 comprehend. The better meaning of this term in context is "overcome." Darkness is not able to overcome or conquer the light. Just as a single candle can overcome a room filled with darkness, so also the powers of darkness are overcome by the person and work of the Son through His death on the cross (cf. 19:11a).
The MacArthur Study Bible.
John 1:6-7 (NLT2) 6 God sent a man, John the Baptist, 7 to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony.
John 1:6-7 (KJV) 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
John 1:6-7 (PassionNTPsa) 6 Then suddenly a man appeared who was sent from God,
a messenger named John. . [a] This is John, the Baptizer. 7 For he came to be a witness, to point the way to the Light of Life,
and to help everyone believe.
John 1:6-7 (MSG) 6 There once was a man, his name John, sent by God 7 to point out the way to the Life-Light. He came to show everyone where to look, who to believe in.
1:6 sent from God. As forerunner to Jesus, John was to bear witness to Him as the Messiah and Son of God. With John's ministry, the "400 silent years" between the end of the OT and the beginning of the NT period, during which God had given no revelation, ended.
John. The name "John" always refers to John the Baptist in this gospel, never to the Apostle John. The writer of this gospel calls him merely "John" without using the phrase "the Baptist," unlike the other gospels which use the additional description to identify him (Mt 3:1; Mk 6:14; Lk 7:20). Moreover, John the apostle (or, son of Zebedee) never identified himself directly by name in the gospel even though he was one of the 3 most intimate associates of Jesus (Mt 17:1). Such silence argues strongly that John the apostle authored the gospel and that his readers knew full well that he composed the gospel that bears his name. For more on John the Baptist, cf. Mt 3:1-6; Mk 1:2-6; Lk 1:5-25, 57-80.
1:7 witness, to testify. The terms "witness" or "to testify" receive special attention in this gospel, reflecting the courtroom language of the OT where the truth of a matter was to be established on the basis of multiple witnesses (8:17, 18; cf. Dt 17:6; 19:15). Not only did John the Baptist witness regarding Jesus as Messiah and Son of God (vv. 19-34; 3:27-30; 5:35), but there were other witnesses: 1) the Samaritan woman (4:29); 2) the works of Jesus (10:25); 3) the Father (5:32-37); 4) the OT (5:39, 40); 5) the crowd (12:17); and 6) the Holy Spirit (15:26, 27).
that all might believe through Him. "Him" refers not to Christ but to John as the agent who witnessed to Christ. The purpose of his testimony was to produce faith in Jesus Christ as the Savior of the world.
The MacArthur Study Bible.
1:6-7. We've already noted the recurring themes of life and light; here is another—witness. In order for John the apostle to introduce the Son of God historically, he had to first introduce John the Baptist. We should notice, however, that John emphasized the function of the Baptist, not his identity. Luke tells us much more about John the Baptist's birth and life; John focuses on why he came and who sent him.
A good witness does not attract attention to himself but to the person or facts which he represents. The Greek word for "witness" by John in this Gospel appears only three times in Mark and only once in Luke. The verb (usually rendered "testify") shows up thirty-three times in John and only once each in Matthew and Luke. All this points up the uniqueness of each account and particularly the intensity with which John will seek to fulfill his purpose. As Tenney puts it, "Although vv. 6-8 seem alien to the general content of the text, they are not irrelevant. As the Word came to bring the heavenly light to humanity, so John came to speak from a human level and to awaken people to their need of God's revelation" (Tenney, EBC, p. 31).
How interesting that John the apostle should write about John the Baptist and tell us he was sent. He used a verb form upon which the word apostle is built. Actually, both men were apostles in the functional sense because they were sent from God with a message to people who needed to hear it.
As implied above, the words witness and testify are essentially the same word from which we get our English word martyr. John used it often, accounting for forty-seven out of seventy-six times the word appears in the New Testament.
Holman New Testament Commentary - John.
A. The Witness and the Light (1:6-8)
1. The Messenger (1:6)
The witness in verse 7, of course, is John the baptist, the messenger, the "man sent from God" (1:6). John the baptist was both a priest and a Nazarite. There are only three lifelong Nazarites mentioned in the Bible: Samuel, Samson, and John the baptist. A Nazarite had to keep from touching a dead body and from any contact with the fruit of the vine. He also had to let his hair grow long. Forbidden to touch the dead body of even his nearest and dearest relative, he proclaimed to the world that his affections were on the altar. His love for God eclipsed all lesser loves. Abstaining from wine, he proclaimed to the world that his appetites were on the altar. He kept his body in subjection. Allowing his hair to grow long, he proclaimed to the world that even in his appearance, all was on the alter.
This was a high standard of consecration, much more demanding than normal devotion to the things of God. It is no wonder that in fifteen hundred years of continuous Hebrew history we read only of three who were thus set apart for God. One of them, Samson, failed dismally. The other two, Samuel and John the baptist, were Hebrew prophets—Samuel was the first of them and John the last.
John was a prophet "and more than a prophet" (Luke 7:26). He was also a priest. A prophet represents God to man; a priest represents man to God. John was a priest and more than a priest—he was a Nazarite priest. A priest suggests professional consecration; a Nazarite suggests personal consecration.
John the baptist is injected suddenly into the gospel narrative. John the apostle had been speaking of "life" and "light," two common denominators of a person's belief and behavior. ("Light" has to do with knowing; "life" has to do with showing.) There flashed into the apostle's mind a vision of "a man sent from God," one who on the human level epitomized both light and life. John the baptist lived a life so wholly true to his calling and conviction that he earned the Lord's commendation: "Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist." He was sent from God to bring to the nation of Israel fresh light on the coming of Christ after the darkness of some four hundred silent years. He cast a floodlight of truth and expectation on the times, backed by the authority of a life beyond reproach.
He was "sent from God." No one can be sent from God who has not first been with God. John the baptist, muses John the apostle, came straight from the presence of God. That was what gave him his authority and power.
2. The Motive (1:7)
John had a motive, a reason for his actions. He "came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe" (1:7). A witness is not the same as an attorney. A lawyer argues his or her case, tries to prove a point, tries to influence people to make the desired decision. A witness is called solely to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Witnesses are called to testify to what they know. John the baptist knew that Jesus was the light and he testified to that fact.
John Phillips Commentary Series, The - Exploring the Gospel of John: An Expository Commentary.
B. Jesus the Light of the World: The Special Witness of John the Baptist, 1:6-8
(1:6-8) Introduction: there was one person who was a very special witness to Christ, John the Baptist. John's sole purpose on earth was to witness and to bear testimony to the Light of the world. His purpose stands as a dynamic example for every believer. The purpose of the believer is to bear the same witness as John: Jesus Christ is the Light of the world.
1. A man sent from God (v.6)
2. A man with a mission (v.7)
3. A man who was great, but was not the Light (v.8)
1. (1:6) John the Baptist— Commission: a man sent from God. Note three points.
1. The man "was a man" and only a man. A strong contrast is being made between what had been said about Christ and what is now being said about John.
⇒ Christ "was in the beginning"; He was "with God" and He "was God" (John 1:1-2).
⇒ John "was a man" who had come into existence at birth, just as all men have the beginning of their existence at birth. John was the son of a man, whereas Jesus Christ was the only begotten Son of God (John 3:16). John was not a divine being, not even an angel. He was a mere man.
"What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him?" (Job 7:17).
"What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?" (Psalm 8:4).
"Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth? It is he [God] that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in" (Isaiah 40:21-22).
"John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven" (John 3:27).
2. The man, however, was "sent from God"; and he was sent on a very special mission. Two facts show this.
a. The word "sent" (see Deeper Study #1, Sent—John 1:6 for discussion).
b. The phrase "from God" (para theou PWS: 1611) means from beside God. John was not only sent by God, He was sent from the very side and heart of God. He was only a man, but a man of high calling and mission, of enormous responsibility and accountability. He was a man sent by God, not by man.
Thought 1. Note three significant points. The servant and messenger of God...
• is not sent forth by men, but by God. He is sent forth as the ambassador of God.
• is sent forth from God, from the very side and heart of God.
• is a man of high calling and mission, of enormous responsibility and accountability.
"Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you" (John 15:16).
"And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God" (2 Cor. 5:18-20).
"Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life" (2 Cor. 3:5-6).
"Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; but have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God" (2 Cor. 4:1-2).
"Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power" (Ephes. 3:7).
"And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry" (1 Tim. 1:12).
"[The gospel] whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles" (2 Tim. 1:11).
"But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: that no flesh should glory in his presence" (1 Cor. 1:27-29).
3. The man was named John. His name means gracious. He was a man sent forth with a name to match his message: God's grace is now to enter upon the scene of world history. Prepare ye the way of the Lord, the embodiment of God's glorious grace.
DEEPER STUDY #1 (1:6) Sent— Apostle— Commission
DEEPER STUDY #1
(1:6) Sent— Apostle— Commission: the word "sent" (apestalmenos PWS: 3447) means to send out; to commission as a representative, an ambassador, an envoy. Three things are true of the person sent from God.
1. He belongs to God, who has sent him out.
2. He is commissioned to be sent out.
3. He possesses all the authority and power of God, who has sent him out.
Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - John.
2. (1:7) Mission— Witnessing: a man with a mission. Note two points.
1. The man came to bear witness of the Light. He was sent with a very specific message, and that message was to proclaim the Light, Christ Himself. (See note, pt.2—•John 1:4-5. Also see Deeper Study #3—John 1:5, Deeper Study #4—John 1:5; Deeper Study #1—John 8:12; Deeper Study #5—John 12:35-36. All these are important notes for this point.)
Thought 1. The message is a given message. The servant of God is not left on his own to think up a message; he is not dependent upon his own reason, thoughts, and ideas. His message is Christ, the Light of the world.
"For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ" (2 Cor. 2:17).
"Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; but have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God" (2 Cor. 4:1-2).
"For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believeth" (1 Thes. 2:13).
"Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish aught from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you" (Deut. 4:2).
"What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it" (Deut. 12:32).
"Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar" (Proverbs 30:6).
"And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book" (Rev. 22:19).
2. The purpose of the man's witness is clearly stated: that all men, through Christ, might believe. His purpose was not...
• to start a movement for God.
• to organize and administer.
• to minister (note that John never healed or performed a miracle nor built a program around the synagogue or temple, John 10:41).
His purpose was not even to preach. His purpose was to lead men to believe in the Light. He witnessed and proclaimed the Light so that all men might believe. The man was sent to focus on people and to lead them to believe in Christ Jesus. (See Deeper Study #2, Believe—John 2:24 for discussion of this point.)
Thought 1. The servant of God has one primary purpose: to lead men to believe in Christ Jesus, the Light of the world. The servant's purpose is not to organize, to administer, to oversee, to manage, to teach, or to preach. His purpose is as stated: to lead men to believe in Christ Jesus. Everything else is method, not purpose. Men have too often confused methods with purpose. The result has been that teeming millions are still unreached and teeming thousands are being deceived by confusing the methods of religion with the purpose of God: the salvation of men through belief in His Son.
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life" (John 5:24).
Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - John.
John 1:8-9 (NLT2) 8 John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light. 9 The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.
John 1:8-9 (KJV) 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
John 1:8-9 (PassionNTPsa) 8 John was not that Light but he came to show who is.
For he was merely a messenger to speak the truth about the Light. 9 For the Light of Truth was about to come into the world
and shine upon everyone.
John 1:8-9 (MSG) 8 John was not himself the Light; he was there to show the way to the Light. 9 The Life-Light was the real thing: Every person entering Life he brings into Light.
John 1:8-9 PassionNTPsa
8 John was not that Light but he came to show who is. For he was merely a messenger to speak the truth about the Light. 9 For the Light of Truth [a] As translated from the Aramaic. The Greek is, “the True Light.” - was about to come into the world and shine upon everyone. [b] Or “to enlighten everyone.”
1:8 He was not the Light. While John the Baptist was the agent of belief, Jesus Christ is the object of belief. Although John's person and ministry were vitally important (Mt 11:11), he was merely the forerunner who announced the coming of the Messiah. Many years after John's ministry and death, some still failed to understand John's subordinate role to Jesus (Ac 19:1-3).
1:8-9. John had no problem using repetition to make a point. Though John the Baptist's message was enlightening, he was not the true light. We have created virtually every kind of artificial light possible for special effects on television and films. But nothing can compare with watching God's sunrise or sunset, or perhaps staring from the blackness of an Arizona desert into the night sky at stars and planets God has made. Jesus is the true light, not some imitation.
But what does it mean to say that Jesus gives light to every man . . . coming into the world? The intended contrast between the Master and the messenger strikes us dramatically: John was a man, Jesus is God; John was a witness, Jesus is the Word; John was a servant, Jesus is the Son. The last phrase of verse 9 surely refers to the incarnation of Jesus, though some have interpreted it to mean the conscience God provides every human being, or even the natural revelation everyone can see. The structure of the verse, however, favors a reference to Christ's birth even though the past tense seems awkward in this context. A major theme of this section is regeneration, and these first four verses provide its announcement.
Holman New Testament Commentary - John.
1:9 the true Light... coming into the world. This phrase highlights the incarnation of Jesus Christ (v. 14; 3:16).
enlightens every man. Through God's sovereign power, every man has enough light to be responsible. God has planted His knowledge in man through general revelation in creation and conscience. The result of general revelation, however, does not produce salvation but either leads to the complete light of Jesus Christ or produces condemnation in those who reject such "light" (see Ro 1:19 [note], 20 [note]; 2:12-16 [notes]). The coming of Jesus Christ was the fulfillment and embodiment of the light that God had placed inside the heart of man.
the world. The basic sense of this Gr. word meaning "an ornament" is illustrated by the word "adornment" (1Pe 3:3). While the NT uses it a total of 185 times, John had a particular fondness for this term, using it 78 times in his gospel, 24 times in 1-3 John and 3 times in Revelation. John gives it several shades of meaning: 1) the physical created universe (v. 9; cf. v. 3; 21:24, 25); 2) humanity in general (3:16; 6:33, 51; 12:19); and 3) the invisible spiritual system of evil dominated by Satan and all that it offers in opposition to God, His Word, and His people (3:19; 4:42; 7:7; 14:17, 22, 27, 30; 15:18, 19; 16:8, 20, 33; 17:6, 9, 14; cf. 1Co 1:21; 2Pe 1:4; 9). The latter concept is the significant new use that the term acquires in the NT and that predominates in John. Thus, in the majority of times that John uses the word, it has decidedly negative overtones. The MacArthur Study Bible.
3. The Method (1:8)
"He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light" (1:8). A good illustration in nature is in the relation of the moon to the sun, in the light each sheds on the earth. The moon is a dead world in space, a massive chunk of lifeless rock. It has not a spark of fire, not a glimmer of light of its own. The work of the moon is to be a giant reflector in the sky, to pick up the light of the sun and relay that light to the earth. The moon is not the light. It is poised in space to bear witness to the light. Out there beyond the darkness of the world and of the night is the sun. The sun is a vast orb of burning gas, a kind of nuclear furnace, blazing away, pouring out a continual stream of light. The moon's function is only temporary, for the day is coming. The sun sheds its light directly on the earth, dispelling its darkness in a way the moon could not do.
Such was John the baptist. He was not that light, but was sent to bear witness of that light.
B. The World and the Light (1:9-13)
1. The Light Revealed (1:9)
The apostle John's thoughts go back to Jesus. "That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world." Every man. Every person. All without distinction. All have some light. Those who have received no written revelation have the light of creation and conscience. God gave the Jews the added light of covenant and commandment. Now God has given the world the light of Christ. No one escapes one or another of the sources of light God has made available. The Holy Spirit sees to that. God holds people responsible for the light they have. In lands that have known the full blaze of the light of Christ, people are without excuse. John Phillips Commentary Series, The - Exploring the Gospel of John: An Expository Commentary.
THE WITNESSES TO THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST, 1:1-51
C. Jesus the Light of Men: The Second Witness of John the Apostle, 1:9-13
(1:9-13) Introduction: the world is in desperate straits. It is full of darkness—the darkness of sin and despair, of sickness and death, of corruption and hell. The darkness looms over the whole world. This is the problem dealt with in the present passage. There is hope in Jesus Christ, for Christ is the true Light, and Light dispels darkness.
1. Christ was the Light (v.9).
2. Christ was tragically rejected (v.10-11).
3. Christ was wonderfully received by some (v.12-13).
1. (1:9) Jesus Christ, Light; Mission: Christ was "the true Light." Other men may claim to be lights; they may claim that they can lead men to the truth. Some may claim they can...
• reveal God to men.
• show the nature, meaning, and destiny of the future and other things.
• guide a man out of the darkness of sin, shame, doubt, despair, and the fear of death and hell.
• do away with and eliminate the darkness entirely.
However, such men are false lights. Their claims are only ideas in their minds, ficticious ideas, and counterfeit claims. Their thoughts and positions are defective, frail, and uncertain—just as imperfect as any other man-made position dealing with the truth. Note two glorious truths.
1. The true Light was Jesus Christ (see Deeper Study #1, Truth—John 1:9). What does this mean? It means that Jesus Christ was what other men are not. Other men may claim to be the light of men, but their thoughts are only false imaginations. Christ alone was the true Light. Christ is to man what light is to man, and Christ did for man what light does for man.
⇒ Light is clear and pure: it is clean and good. So was Christ (Ephes. 5:8).
⇒ Light penetrates: it cuts through and eliminates darkness. So did Christ.
⇒ Light enlightens: it enlarges one's vision and knowledge. So did Christ.
⇒ Light reveals: it opens up the truth of an area, a whole new world and life. It clears up the way to the truth and life. So did Christ (John 14:6).
⇒ Light guides: it keeps one from groping and grasping about in the dark trying to find one's way. It directs the way to go, leads along the right path. So did Christ (John 12:36, 46).
⇒ Light exposes and strips away darkness. So did Christ (John 3:19-20).
⇒ Light routs the chaos. So did Christ (cp. Genesis 1:2-3).
⇒ Light discriminates between the right way and the wrong way. So did Christ (see note—• Ephes. 5:10. Cp. Ephes. 5:8.)
⇒ Light warns: it warns of dangers that lie ahead in one's path. So did Christ.
⇒ Light protects: it keeps one from tripping, stumbling, falling, and injuring oneself and losing one's life. So did Christ.
2. The mission of Christ was to give light to men. Note that He gives light to every man. How?
⇒ Christ gives light to men through natural revelation, the creation and order of the universe.
"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handywork" (Psalm 19:1).
"The heavens declare his righteousness, and all the people see his glory" (Psalm 97:6).
"For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse" (Romans 1:20).
"For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another" (Romans 2:14-15).
"Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness" (Acts 14:17).
⇒ Christ gives light to men by giving good gifts to men. Every "good and perfect gift" which man receives is said to come from the Father of lights.
"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning" (James 1:17).
But there is much more light given to men since Christ has "come into the world."
a. There is the light of Christ Himself: He is the Savior who now stands before the world as "the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world" (John 11:27). Every man can now see the truth. They may reject it, but they can see it.
"I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him" (Deut. 18:18).
"I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him" (John 8:26).
"For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak" (John 12:49).
"Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works" (John 14:9-10).
"For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me" (John 17:8).
b. There is the light of the gospel: Christ has now "come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me [Christ] should not abide in darkness" (46). The truth is that every man can now be delivered from the darkness of sin, despair, death, and hell.
"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" (John 8:12).
"Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light" (Ephes. 5:14).
c. There is the light of the Spirit: both the guiding and the convicting power of the Spirit.
"Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come" (John 16:13).
"And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they believe not on me; of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged" (John 16:8-11).
"And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil" (John 3:19).
Note that all the light existing in the world is due to Christ, both the light from nature and from heaven, from the physical world and from the spiritual world. Christ is "the true Light [the Life], which lighteth every man that cometh into the world" (John 1:9).
DEEPER STUDY #1 (1:9) Truth
DEEPER STUDY #1
(1:9) Truth: the words true, truth, and real are taken from two Greek words very much alike. But each has a different shade of meaning. (See Deeper Study #1—John 8:32; Deeper Study #2—John 14:6.)
1. "Alethes" means true, the opposite of false.
2. "alēthinos" means the true, the genuine, the real. It is the opposite of the unreal, the ficticious, the counterfeit, the imaginary. It is also the opposite of the imperfect, defective, frail, uncertain.
Jesus Christ is seen as the true, the real, the genuine life which has come to give light to every man (see Deeper Study #1—John 8:12).
Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - John.
John 1:10-11 (NLT2) 10 He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. 11 He came to his own people, and even they rejected him.
John 1:10-11 (PassionNTPsa) 10 He entered into the very world he created, yet the world was unaware. [a] Or "the world (of humanity) didn't perceive it." 11 He came to the very people he created [b] Or "to his own" (things or people). — to those who should have recognized him, but they did not receive him.
1:10-11. Immediately after describing the announcement, John tells us about apathy toward the message of regeneration. The world (kosmos) is another of John's theme words; he used it seventy-seven times. With the device of repetition, John taught incarnation, creation, and rejection all in one verse (v. 10). Depravity and blindness thwarted God's efforts to reach out to his own creation—and still do. As Marcus Dods declared,
There He was, the Creator Himself, that mysterious Being who had hitherto kept Himself so hidden and remote while yet so influential and supreme; the wonderful and unsearchable Source and Fountain out of which had proceeded all that men saw, themselves included— there at last He was 'in the world' He Himself had made, apparent to the eyes of men, and intelligible through their understanding; a real person whom they could know as an individual, whom they could love, who could receive and return their expressions of affection and trust. He was in the world, and the world knew Him not (Dods, p. 25).
In verse 11, the first appearance of the word own appears in the neuter gender and the second is masculine. What significance could such a distinction have for interpretation? One possibility is that Jesus came to earth, the place he had created, and the second tells us that the people who lived there turned him away. He was not welcomed or accepted.
Holman New Testament Commentary - John.
2. The Light Resisted (1:10-11)
Nothing seemed to astonish John more than the resistance to Jesus. Looking back to the beginning of things, John was still amazed at how quickly and how completely people, both Jews and gentiles, turned away from the light.
The Lord saw the light resisted by his own creatures (1:10). "He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not." He walked a hedgerow and plucked a blade of grass. He had created it; he knew about its structure, about photosynthesis, about the mystery of a plant's pollination and germination, and all its complex chemistry. He walked beside the sea of Galilee; he knew the topography of that lake, every deep and shallow place, every pebble on the bottom, each and every fish darting through its waves. The world was made by him; he knew all about astronomy and chemistry, physics and biology, mathematics and medicine. He knew every law now known to science and every law not known to science, not because he had studied them but because he was the author of them all. He looked at the world through the eyes of a man but somehow, in the mystery of his being, he had infinite understanding of all things.
The creator trod those Galilean fields and walked Jerusalem's streets. Wisdom, love, and power looked out of his eyes, and were felt in the touch of his hands. He was in the world, the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. To John, that was a supreme tragedy and irony. People rubbed shoulders with God, yet were too blind to see.
The Lord was resisted not only by his creatures; worse still, he was resisted by his own countrymen (1:11). "He came unto his own, and his own received him not." That is, he came to the Jewish people, and they had no use for him. He had been preparing them for that coming for centuries. The prophets had foretold it. Their regathering to the promised land from the Babylonian exile had heralded it. The cold, deadness, and formality of their religion echoed the need for one who could breathe life into dead bones. John the baptist had arisen to announce the imminence of his coming. But Jesus was not the kind of messiah they wanted.
The classic biblical illustration is that of Joseph, the father's well-beloved son, the "firstborn" of old Jacob's heart. Joseph was set apart from his kinsmen, the children of Israel, by the unique position afforded him in the family, as was evident from his coat of many colors. He was set in deliberate contrast to his kinsmen, his goodness and obedience standing in stark relief to the evil and wickedness of the others. As a result he was hated, the more so because of his dreams, which spoke so clearly of his pre-eminence and coming exaltation. The Old Testament historian tells that they envied him and could not speak peaceably to him. At last they conspired against him, sold him for the price of a slave, and delivered him into the hands of the gentiles—and that, after he had come to them from the immediate presence of the father.
Thus, too, the Lord Jesus came unto his own, and his own received him not.
John Phillips Commentary Series, The - Exploring the Gospel of John: An Expository Commentary.
2. (1:10-11) Jesus Christ— Rejection: Christ was tragically rejected by the world.
1. Christ (the Word and the Light) was in the world. He had made the world, and He loved and cared deeply for the world; therefore, He was actively working to help the world and its people from the very beginning of creation.
a. Christ gave the light of order and purpose and beauty to the universe as a whole. The universe is lovingly supplied to take care of man's needs, and the world shows the glorious power and deity of God (Romans 1:19-20)
b. Christ gave the glorious light [privilege] of living in such a beautiful world to man. He gave man a soul, the very light of life by which he could learn and reason, love and care, work and serve—all for the purpose of building a better world, both for God and for himself.
c. Christ gave a spirit to man, the light of knowing and worshipping God and living forever in the life of God.
d. Christ gave messengers to men, prophetic lights to proclaim the truth and to encourage men to follow God and to be diligent in their work and service to the world.
But note what happened and still happens. "The world knew Him not" (auton ouk egno). Men rejected Christ; they closed their eyes, and failed to see Him. (Cp. Romans 1:19-32 for the tragic indictment against man's rejection of God's activity in the world.)
2. Christ (the Word and the Light) came to His own people, but they too rejected Him. The words "unto His own" (eis ta idia PWS: 1958) mean literally to His own home, to His own people. There are two meanings here.
a. The world is His home, and all the people are His by creation. He came to all the people of the world, but they did not receive Him. They rejected Him.
b. The nation of Israel was His peculiar home, the people whom He had chosen to be the messengers of God to the world. They, of all people, should have known better because of the special privileges, but they too rejected Him. (See Deeper Study #1—John 4:22.)
"And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts" (Matthew 8:34).
"Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? and they were offended at him" (Mark 6:3).
"And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath" (Luke 4:28).
"And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong" (Luke 4:29).
"And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas" (Luke 23:18).
"I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive" (John 5:43).
"He came unto his own, and his own received him not" (John 1:11).
"He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day" (John 12:48).
DEEPER STUDY #2 (1:10) Revelation
DEEPER STUDY #2
(1:10) Revelation: this verse gives the raw outline and supreme tragedy of revelation. (1) The supreme fact of history: "He was in the world." (2) The supreme truth about the world: "The world was made by Him." (3) The supreme tragedy of humanity: "The world knew Him not."
Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - John.
1:11 His own... His own. The first usage of "His own" most likely refers to the world of mankind in general, while the second refers to the Jewish nation. As Creator, the world belongs to the Word as His property but the world did not even recognize Him due to spiritual blindness (cf. also v. 10). John used the second occurrence of "His own" in a narrower sense to refer to Jesus' own physical lineage, the Jews. Although they possessed the Scriptures that testified of His person and coming, they still did not accept Him (Isa 65:2, 3; Jer 7:25). This theme of Jewish rejection of their promised Messiah receives special attention in John's gospel (12:37-41). The MacArthur Study Bible.
John 1:12 (NLT2) 12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. 13 They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.
John 1:12-13 (KJV) 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
John 1:12-13 (MSG) 12 But whoever did want him, who believed he was who he claimed and would do what he said, He made to be their true selves, their child-of-God selves. 13 These are the God-begotten, not blood-begotten, not flesh-begotten, not sex-begotten.
John 1:12-13 (PassionNTPsa) 12 But those who embraced him and took hold of his name [a] Or "those who are putting faith into his name." To "lay hold of his name" means to believe all that he represents and put into practice what he taught in the power of his name. - were given authority to become the children of God! 13 He was not born by the joining of human parents [b] Or "not form streams of blood" (i.e., the blood of a father and mother). - or from natural means, [c] - Or "from the natural realm." - or by a man’s desire, but he was born of God. [d] Or "born out from God." This verse could be considered John's version of the virgin birth of Christ. The Word (message is now "humanized" (and become the messenger.) However, the vast majority of translations and expositors see here not Christ's virgin birth, but the new birth of those who became "children of God" in verse 12. Both are clearly presented in the Scriptures.
1:12, 13 These verses stand in contrast to vv. 10, 11. John softens the sweeping rejection of Messiah by stressing a believing remnant. This previews the book since the first 12 chapters stress the rejection of Christ, while chaps. 13-21 focus on the believing remnant who received Him.
1:12 as many as received Him... to those who believe in His name. The second phrase describes the first. To receive Him who is the Word of God means to acknowledge His claims, place one's faith in Him, and thereby yield allegiance to Him.
gave. The term emphasizes the grace of God involved in the gift of salvation (cf. Eph 2:8-10).
the right. Those who receive Jesus, the Word, receive full authority to claim the exalted title of "children of God."
His name. Denotes the character of the person himself. See 14:13, 14 [note].
1:13 of God. The divine side of salvation: ultimately it is not a man's will that produces salvation but God's will (cf. 3:6-8; Tit 3:5; 1Jn 2:29). The MacArthur Study Bible.
1:12-13. Early in his book, John established the heart of the gospel, still two chapters away from the famous John 3:16. From the announcement of regeneration followed by apathy the apostle introduces the acceptance of regeneration.
Like most things in life, there is a right way and a wrong way to respond to God. The right way (and the only meaningful way) is to believe the gospel, receive the Savior and accept new birth as a result. The wrong way somehow links a relationship to God with human qualities such as physical birth, self-determination, or the choice of another person. In John's theological vocabulary, believed and received are synonymous when it comes to the gospel. Patrick Henry once said, "The most cherished possession I wish I could leave you is my faith in Jesus Christ, for with Him and nothing else you can be happy, but without Him and with all else, you'll never be happy" (cited in Detzler, p. 39). Holman New Testament Commentary - John.
3. The Light Received (1:12-13)
The light, however, was not only revealed and resisted. It was received. John then gives one of those marvelous gospel texts that are such a marked feature of his writing, texts that distill into pure concentrate the essence of God's plan of salvation for humankind. They are natural stopping places in the onward march of redemption as recorded by John.
"But..." On, those revealing buts of the Bible. They are small hinges on which great truths and destinies swing. "He came unto his own, and his own received Him not. But..." Thank God, that was not all the story. By John's old age the ranks of the redeemed were already reaching around the world. Millions had been born again. Here John gives us what we can call the formula for the new birth. He describes the spiritual birth of the child of God (1:12).
"But as many as received him, to them gave he the power [the right, the authority] to become the sons [children] of God, even to them that believe on his name." We must note the three verbs: believe, receive, become—putting them in their chronological order. In the case of a human birth, two factors interact in the equation of life: the human and the divine. Human beings do their part, and then God performs a miracle and life is created in the womb. A child is born. As it is with a natural birth, so it is with the new birth. We do our part, God performs the miracle, and life begins—spiritual life, divine life, eternal life. A new child is born into the family of God. The process revolves around those three verbs.
First we must believe, believe on his name. The name is not mentioned here but there is no doubt as to what that name is: Jesus, the name John more than anyone else uses. Matthew uses that name 151 times, Mark 13 times, Luke 88 times, but John, no less than 247 times. John, more than the other evangelists, confronts us with the Lord's deity, yet keeps his humanity before us from beginning to end. But, while reminding us over and over again of Jesus humanity, John never lets us forget that he was more than human.
So, we are to "believe on his name." Why his name? Well, his name is the key to our salvation. When he was about to be born, the Lord sent a messenger to Joseph with the command, "Thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21). To believe on his name is to believe in what his name signifies; it is to believe that Jesus can save me from my sins. And that presupposes that I know myself as a sinner in need of a Savior.
It is a great step to arrive at the point where I believe in his name. But that in itself does not put me in the family of God. The second part of the equation (stated first because of its primary importance) is to "receive him." It is to "as many as received him" that he imparts new life. It is not enough to believe that Jesus is a Savior, not enough to believe that he is the Savior. He must become my Savior. The only way that can happen is for me to receive him. That step simply involves inviting Jesus, the one who saves people from their sins, to come into my heart and life as Savior and Lord, to live and to reign in my innermost being.
How does believing and receiving make one a child of God? Well, that is our part. When we do our part, God performs the miracle. He says, "Become!" And we become a child of God. He imparts new life. The Holy Spirit comes in and indwells the human spirit, bringing with him the life of God. The lifegiving power of God flows in and regenerates our human spirits. We have life from above. We share the divine nature. We become children of God.
By way of comparison and contrast, John next describes the supernatural birth of the Christ of God. The Authorized Version reads: "Which [who] were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." If that reading is correct, the verse amplifies the statement of the previous verse. It shows that a person's new birth is not of human descent (1:13a). It is "not of blood." Just because my parents are God's children does not make me one of God's children.
It is not of human desire (1:13b). It is not "of the will of the flesh." No amount of wishful thinking makes me a child of God. I might wish I were the child of a millionaire but that does not make me one. I may even live in a fantasy world where I convince myself that I am the son of a millionaire, but to do so is folly.
It is not of human design (1:13c). It is not "of the will of man." No amount of parental or personal resolve can make me a child of God. My parents may have me baptized as a baby, but that does not make me a child of God; that is only "the will of man." I may use all my strength of character to live a good life, perform religious duties, achieve spiritual goals, but those things will not impart new life. It is a birth. We are "born of God," according to the three spiritual laws given in verse 12.
But there is another view of this verse. There are those who argue that the phrase "who were born" should read "who was born" which changes the sense entirely. In this case it refers to the Lord Jesus, the one in whose saving name we are to believe, the one who himself was born "not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." If so, this is John's definition of the virgin birth of Christ and it prepares us for the statement in the next verse. John Phillips Commentary Series, The - Exploring the Gospel of John: An Expository Commentary.
3. (1:12-13) Jesus Christ, Accepted— Salvation: Christ was wonderfully received by some persons. Not everyone rejected Christ—most did, but a few received Him. Note three points.
1. How men receive Christ. They "believe on His name." (See Deeper Study #2, Believe—John 2:24.)
2. The results of receiving Christ. A person is given the power to become a son of God.
⇒ The word "power" (exousian) means both power and right or authority.
⇒ The word "sons" (tekna theou PWS: 3652) means children of God.
⇒ The words "to become" (genesthai) mean to become something a person is not.
When a person receives Christ into his life (as Lord), Christ gives that person the power and right to become something he is not—a child of God.
"Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty" (2 Cor. 6:17-18).
"For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God" (Romans 8:15-16).
"But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father" (Galatians 4:4-6).
3. The source of sonship is a new birth.
a. The new birth is not of man.
⇒ It is not by blood. The idea is that heritage—being born of a particular family, race, nation or people—is of no value in becoming a child of God. Blood is not what causes the new birth.
⇒ It is not by the will of the flesh (ek thelēmatos sarkos PWS: 4352): sexual desire.
The idea is that a person is not spiritually born again by wanting and willing to become a child of God just like a person wills to have an earthly child.
⇒ It is not by the will of man (ek thelēmatos andros PWS: 4351, husband). The idea is that even man (the husband, the stronger member, the one who is usually the leader) cannot bring about the spiritual birth of others. No man, no matter who he is—husband or world leader—can cause or make a person a child of God.
b. The new birth is of God (see Deeper Study #1, New Birth—John 3:1-15 for discussion).
Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - John.
John 1:14 (NLT2) 14 So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.
John 1:14 (MSG) 14 The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, Generous inside and out, true from start to finish.
John 1:14 (KJV) 14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
John 1:14 (PassionNTPsa) 14 And so the Living Expression became a man [a] Or "became visable." - and lived among us! [b] - Or "This is the fulfillment of Isa. 7:14. The "God with us" is Jesus Christ our Immanuel. He is among us in that he is in human form, a man for all eternity. The Greek and the Aramaic reads, "he pitched his tent among us." This takes us back to the book of Exodus where God came down and lived in the tent (tabernacle) in the wilderness. See Ex. 25:8 - And we gazed upon the splendor of his glory, [c] The Aramaic is, "We gazed upon his preciousness." - the glory of the One and Only [d] The Aramaic is, "Unique and Beloved Son." The Greek word, monogenes, means "of a single (mono) kind (genes)." This word is also used for Isaac in Heb. 11:17 as Abraham's uniquely precious son, but not his only one. - who came from the Father overflowing with tender mercy [e] The Aramaic word, taybootha, means "loving kindness or goodness," The Greek word is charis, which can also be translated, "grace, favor, sweetness, plearuse or delight." The translator has combined all those concepts in the words tender mercy. Truly, Jesus Christ is full of everthing that our hearts crave. - and truth!
1:14. This may be the most important verse in the Bible on the doctrine of the incarnation. John went back to verse 1 to pick up one of his favorite themes, the Word. God became human; God showed us his glory; God offered us grace and truth; God literally "tabernacled" among us. Remember the tabernacle in the center of the camp? It represented the place of the law, the abode of God, the source of revelation, the site of sacrifice, and the focus of worship. Now in the new covenant, Jesus provides all these.
And not only was Jesus here, but he demonstrated the glory of the One and Only. Other prophets, including John the Baptist, were sent from God, but the Word came directly from the Father's presence. Borchert reminds us of some important implications: "This text makes it absolutely clear that the mission of the Logos was unique in the history of the world. This uniqueness of the Son makes it impossible for Christianity to be a syncretistic religion. In our mission to the world we cannot say 'Jesus and Caesar' or 'Jesus and Buddha,' and so forth. Our confession is Jesus, the one and only! The early Christians suffered and died because they refused to recognize any other pattern than that which was revealed in Jesus Christ" (Borchert, p. 121).
Finally, we cannot pass lightly over the wonderful phrase, full of grace and truth. John used the word grace again in verses 16 and 17, then never mentioned it for the rest of his Gospel! He used truth many times, but here the combination grabs us. Jesus perfectly blended two of the most important qualities of the divine nature and displayed them in human personality.
Holman New Testament Commentary - John.
III. The Divine Love in Experience (1:14-18)
"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth" (1:14).
There are three turning points in John's prologue, which, in fact, is really a summary of his gospel. The first key statement is found in verse 1, where John categorically states the eternal and essential deity of Christ. The second key statement is this one here, in verse 14, where John emphasizes the mystery of the incarnation—the fact that the word now assumed a new form of existence. There was a unity of the Lord's person before and after the incarnation. He did not cease to be God, the second person of the godhead at his incarnation, God the Son; but at the same time his humanity was both real and complete. He remained the same person as before, but "he became flesh." The humanity of the Lord Jesus was not something to be temporarily assumed and then later discarded. It expressed a new form of existence, not a new existence. The third key statement in this summary is found in verse 18, which closes the prologue.
A. Incarnation (1:14)
John ignores all the wonderful stories of the Lord's birth recounted by Matthew and Luke. He tells us, instead, of the mysterious significance of Christ's birth. He says, "The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us."
The birth of the Lord Jesus was unique. When any other child is born into this world, it is the creation of a new personality. A new life is created, one that never existed before. But when Jesus was born, it was not the creation of a new personality at all. It was the coming into this world of a person who had existed from all eternity. This was something new in the history of the universe. No wonder the angels awoke the slumbering echoes of the Judean hills that night with their anthems of praise.
"The Word," John says, "was made flesh." Thus he describes the incarnation, using four words in contrast with the 2,500 words used by Luke. He "dwelt among us," John says. The word is eskenosen, which carries the idea of pitching a tent. "He tabernacled among us" is another way to put it. Some have attached great significance to John's use of this word to describe the incarnation. They have seen it as a date mark. The thought has been expressed that the Lord Jesus was actually born on the first day of that joyous annual Jewish feast of tabernacles (15th of Tisri; that is, September 29 in the year 4 b.c. by modern reckoning). If that was the case, then his circumcision, which took place on the eighth day, would have fallen on "the great day of the feast" mentioned later by John (7:37). It is an attractive idea.
But John's use of the word tabernacled gives rise to many other thoughts related to the rich typology of the Old Testament tabernacle.
That tabernacle was "all glorious within," but its glory was a hidden glory. There was no great beauty about the tabernacle's outward appearance. All the furniture of the outer court was made of ordinary brass (copper). The curtains of the outer court were of unadorned linen bleached white by the sun. The only flash of color was at the gate, which gave access to the brazen altar and hinted at the hidden beauties within. From without, there was nothing particularly glorious about the tabernacle. To the eye of the casual beholder it was just another tent, spaced off from the tents of the common people and more imposing in its dimensions, but just a tent. Even when the tabernacle was moved from place to place, every piece of golden furniture used within the tabernacle itself was carefully covered from the eyes of the curious.
Thus, too, the glory of the Lord Jesus was a hidden glory. When he came to "pitch his tent" among us he did not lay aside his deity, but he veiled his glory.
The inside of the tabernacle, seen only by the priests, was glorious. The inner hangings were of blue, purple, and scarlet, and were fine linen. All the inner furniture was of gold or overlaid with gold. That mysterious shekinah cloud, which overshadowed the camp of Israel, came to rest on the mercy seat in the holy of holies where it bathed all with the light and glory of another world.
"We beheld his glory," says John, "the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." Our thoughts go instinctively to the shekinah glory that filled the tabernacle.
The reigning monarch of Great Britain has a number of homes: Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, Sandringham, Bal-moral Castle. The one in which the monarch is currently residing is always indicated by the raising to the flag pole of the royal standard. Just so the shekinah glory which filled the holy of holies indicated that God was in residence. The Lord Jesus had this inner glory. God was permanently in residence, so to speak, in him. It was this inner glory that John, who knew him so intimately, saw in the Lord Jesus Christ. He saw God in Christ, "the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth."
Scholars draw attention to the omission of the definite article in the original and to the fact that the absence is significant—intended to emphasize what is specified in the nouns. John was looking back to those days he had spent in the company of this glorious person. "We beheld his glory," he says. The word is etheasametha, which carries with it the idea of being a spectator but with emphasis on the beholder; the word is used of gazing with a purpose, of regarding with admiration. "We beheld his gory," the kind of glory an only begotten Son receives from a Father. John adds that, gazing on the incarnate Son of God, they saw one "full of grace and truth"—a Hebraism for the sum total of divine revelation. Grace corresponds with the revelation of God as love; truth corresponds with the revelation of God as light.
John Phillips Commentary Series, The - Exploring the Gospel of John: An Expository Commentary.
THE WITNESSES TO THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST, 1:1-51
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D. Jesus the Word Made Flesh: The Third Witness of John the Apostle, 1:14-18
(1:14-18) Introduction: "The Word was made flesh"—God's Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, was made flesh and blood; He became a man. No greater message could ever be proclaimed to man.
1. Christ became flesh (v.14).
2. Proof 1: Christ dwelt visibly among us (v.14).
3. Proof 2: John the Baptist bore witness of the superiority of Christ (v.15).
4. Proof 3: Men have received the fulness and grace of Christ (v.16-17).
5. Proof 4: God's Son alone has seen God (v.18).
1. (1:14) Jesus Christ, Incarnation: Christ became flesh. The Incarnation did take place. The Son of God was actually made flesh. He came to earth in the person of Jesus Christ. There is no doubt about John's meaning here.
The word "flesh" (sarx PWS: 1530) is the same word that Paul used to describe man's nature with all of its weakness and tendency to sin. This is a staggering thought. Jesus Christ is God—fully God, yet Jesus Christ is man—fully man. (Cp. 1 John 4:2-3.) The word "beheld" (etheasametha PWS: 328) means actually seeing with the human eye. It is used about twenty times in the New Testament. There is no room whatever for saying that God becoming a man was merely a vision of some man's mind or imagination. John was saying that he and others actually saw the Word made flesh. Jesus Christ was beyond question God Himself who became man, who partook of the very same flesh as all other men. (Cp. 1 John 1:1-4.) (See Deeper Study #1, Flesh—John 1:14 for the meaning of "flesh" and why Jesus Christ had to become flesh. Also see Deeper Study #1, Flesh—1 Cor. 3:1-4 for more discussion.)
DEEPER STUDY #1 (1:14) Flesh
2. (1:14) Jesus Christ, Incarnation: the first proof of the Incarnation is that Jesus Christ dwelt visibly among us.
1. God's glory was seen (see previous note, Incarnation—•John 1:14 for meaning of word "beheld"). Two things are meant by the word "glory."
a. Christ was the Shekinah glory (doxan PWS: 1704) of God. The word Shekinah means that which dwells or dwelling. It refers to the bright cloud that God used to guide Israel out of Egypt and that rested upon the tabernacle and above the mercy seat in the Most Holy Place (Exodus 40:34-38). The cloud symbolized God's presence, and that is just what John was saying. "We beheld," actually saw the Shekinah glory, God's very presence "dwelling among us."
b. Christ was the very embodiment of God, all that God is and does. John said "we beheld," looked at Him, and could tell He was God. All that Jesus was in His person and being, character and behavior, was so enormously different. In person and behavior, work and ministry He was...
• the very embodiment of "grace and truth."
• the perfect embodiment of love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and self-control.
• the absolute embodiment of all that God could be.
The glory of all that God was stood right before them, right in their very presence. They beheld Him with their very own eyes. Jesus Christ, the Man who dwelt among them, could be no other than the glory of God among men. It was clearly seen that "in Him dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead bodily" (Col. 2:9). The glory of His being...
• was the very glory God Himself would possess.
• was the very glory God would give to His only begotten Son (just as any father would give the best of his glory and all he is to a son).
A striking fact is that James, who was the Lord's brother, even called Jesus "the Lord of glory." Just think: James was reared with Jesus beginning from the earliest years of childhood stretching right on through the years of adulthood. If anyone ever had an opportunity to see and observe Jesus, it was James. He had every chance to see some act of disobedience, some sin, something contrary to the nature of God. However, James' testimony is: "Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of Glory," the One in whom the very presence of God dwelt among us (James 2:1).
The references in John dealing with glory are as follows: John 2:11; John 5:41; John 7:18; John 8:50, 54; John 11:4; John 12:41; John 17:5, 22, 24.
2. Jesus Christ was full of grace and truth.
a. He was the very embodiment of grace (see Deeper Study #2, Grace—John 1:14).
b. He was the very embodiment of truth (see Deeper Study #2, Truth—John 14:6; Deeper Study #1—John 8:32).
"Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel" (Isaiah 7:14).
"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6).
"And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS....Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God" (Luke 1:31, 34-35).
"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth" (1:14).
"Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh" (Romans 1:3).
"For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh" (Romans 8:3).
"But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men" (Phil. 2:7).
"And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory" (1 Tim. 3:16).
"Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil" (Hebrews 2:14).
"Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God" (1 John 4:2).
"For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist" (2 John 7).
DEEPER STUDY #2 (1:14) Grace
DEEPER STUDY #2
(1:14) Grace: grace is probably the most meaningful word in the language of men. In the Bible the word grace means far more than it does when men use it. To men the word grace means three things.
1. Grace is that quality within a thing that is beautiful or joyful. It may be the fragrance of a flower, the rich green of the grass, the beauty of a lovely person.
2. Grace is anything that has loveliness. It may be a thought, an act, a word, a person.
3. Grace is a gift, a favor that someone might extend to a friend. The favor is always freely done, expecting nothing in return. The favor is always done for a friend.
However, when the early Christians looked at what God had done for men, they had to add a deeper, much richer meaning to the word grace. God had saved sinners, those who had acted against Him. Therefore, grace became the favor of God showered upon men—men who did not deserve His favor. Grace became the kindness and love that dwells within the very nature of God, the kindness and love that God freely gives to His enemies.
No other word so expresses the depth and richness of the heart and mind of God. This is the distinctive difference between God's grace and man's grace. Whereas man sometimes does favors for his friends and thereby can be said to be gracious, God has done a thing unheard of among men: He has given His very own Son to die for His enemies (Romans 5:8-10). In this act He has done something that shows He is the perfect embodiment of grace, full...
• of beauty and joy.
• of loveliness and goodness.
• of favors freely given.
• of kindness and love freely demonstrated.
Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - John.
1:14 the Word became flesh. While Christ as God was uncreated and eternal (see v. 1 [notes]), the word "became" emphasizes Christ's taking on humanity (cf. Heb 1:1-3; 2:14-18). This reality is surely the most profound ever because it indicates that the Infinite became finite; the Eternal was conformed to time; the Invisible became visible; the supernatural One reduced Himself to the natural. In the incarnation, however, the Word did not cease to be God but became God in human flesh, i.e., undiminished deity in human form as a man (1Ti 3:16).
dwelt. Meaning "to pitch a tabernacle," or "live in a tent." The term recalls to mind the OT tabernacle where God met with Israel before the temple was constructed (Ex 25:8). It was called the "tent of meeting" (Ex 33:7; "tabernacle of witness"—LXX) where "the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend" (Ex 33:11). In the NT, God chose to dwell among His people in a far more personal way through becoming a man. In the OT, when the tabernacle was completed, God's Shekinah presence filled the entire structure (Ex 40:34; cf. 1Ki 8:10). When the Word became flesh, the glorious presence of deity was embodied in Him (cf. Col 2:9).
we saw His glory. Although His deity may have been veiled in human flesh, glimpses exist in the gospels of His divine majesty. The disciples saw glimpses of His glory on the Mount of Transfiguration (Mt 17:1-8). The reference to Christ's glory, however, was not only visible but also spiritual. They saw Him display the attributes or characteristics of God (grace, goodness, mercy, wisdom, truth, etc.; cf. Ex 33:18-23).
glory as of... the Father. Jesus as God displayed the same essential glory as the Father. They are one in essential nature (cf. 5:17-30; 8:19; 10:30).
only begotten. The term "only begotten" is a mistranslation of the Gr. word. The word does not come from the term meaning "beget" but instead has the idea of "the only beloved one." It, therefore, has the idea of singular uniqueness, of being beloved like no other. By this word, John emphasized the exclusive character of the relationship between the Father and the Son in the Godhead (cf. 3:16, 18; 1Jn 4:9). It does not connote origin but rather unique prominence; e.g., it was used of Isaac (Heb 11:17) who was Abraham's second son (Ishmael being the first; cf. Ge 16:15 with Ge 21:2, 3).
full of grace and truth. John probably had Ex 33, 34 in mind. On that occasion, Moses requested that God display His glory to him. The Lord replied to Moses that He would make all His "goodness" pass before him, and then as He passed by God declared "The Lord... compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth" (18; 34). These attributes of God's glory emphasize the goodness of God's character, especially in relationship to salvation. Jesus as Yahweh of the OT (8:58; "I am") displayed the same divine attributes when He tabernacled among men in the NT era (Col 2:9).
The MacArthur Study Bible.
John 1:15-16 (NLT2) 15 John testified about him when he shouted to the crowds, “This is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘Someone is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.’” 16 From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another.
John 1:15-16 (KJV) 15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. 16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
John 1:15-16 (MSG) 15 John pointed him out and called, "This is the One! The One I told you was coming after me but in fact was ahead of me. He has always been ahead of me, has always had the first word." 16 We all live off his generous bounty, gift after gift after gift.
John 1:15-16 (PassionNTPsa) 15 John taught the truth about him when he announced to the people, “He’s the One! Set your hearts on him! I told you he would come after me, even though he ranks far above me, for he existed before I was even born.” [a] This reveals the eternal nature of Jesus Christ, for John was older than Jesus. The Aramaic can be translated, “He is preferred before me, for he has priority over me.” 16And now out of his fullness we are fulfilled! And from him we receive grace heaped upon more grace! [b] As translated from the Aramaic. - And from him we receive grace heaped upon more grace! [c] Or “one gift after another.”
1:15-16. The full expression of John the Baptist's comparison between himself and his Lord does not appear until chapter 3, but the phraseology of verse 15 answers the question, "When did the incarnation occur?" Historically, many conservative Bible scholars place the date at 4 B.C., but that is hardly the point of this passage. The incarnation occurred at a specific point in God's plan for the world. Paul spelled it out clearly in his letter to the churches of Galatia: "But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons" (Gal. 4:4-5). In time Jesus followed John the Baptist, but in importance he holds the preeminence.
At this point in his narrative theology, John the apostle could not hold back a testimony to God's grace: We have all received one blessing after another. Various Bible translations and paraphrases render this phrase differently:
NIV: "one blessing after another" KJV: "grace for grace" LB: "blessing upon blessing heaped upon us" NLT: "one gracious blessing after another" Holman New Testament Commentary - John.
B. Identification (1:15)
John comes back now to John the baptist as the one who first identified the Lord Jesus for who he was.
1. His Person (1:15a)
John the baptist bore witness to the Lord's person: "John bare witness of him, and cried [cried aloud], saying, This was he of whom I spake."
2. His Pre-Eminence (1:15b)
John bore witness to the Lord's pre-eminence: "He that cometh after me is preferred before me."
3. His Pre-Existence (1:15c)
John bore witness to the Lord's pre-existence: "for he was before me."
John the baptist spoke as the last prophet of the old order. He knew two things about the coming Christ. First, the Lord had absolute priority in dignity and pre-eminence. As John put it himself, he was not worthy to untie his shoe. Second, the Lord had absolute priority because of his eternal pre-existence. The significance of that second "before" (protos) has been pointed out. It has reference to time—not just to priority of birth, but rather to uniqueness in the matter of time. The Lord Jesus related himself in time in quite a different way from any other human being. He was related to time as one coming out of eternity. As to his mother, he was born as a baby in Bethlehem; as to his Father, he was "the ancient of days."
C. Imputation (1:16)
John the apostle now adds his own comment, rounding off the prologue. Thus John the baptist speaks (1:15), the herald, the last messenger of the Hebrew line, and John the apostle speaks (1:16-18), the last of the apostles, the messenger of the new line.
"And of his fullness (pleroma) have all we received, and grace for grace." That word pleromatos was a favorite of agnostics, but one that had been wrested from them by the apostle Paul and endowed with new and higher meaning (Colossians 1:19; 2:9; Ephesians 1:23; 3:19; 4:13). The word as used in the New Testament speaks of the sum total of the attributes and powers of God. Out of that inexhaustible supply every believer is given all he or she needs. "And grace for grace," John adds: new grace, continuous grace, uninterrupted grace. All the exceeding riches described by Paul in his Ephesian epistle, all are ours in Christ. Each spiritual blessing we appropriate becomes the foundation of greater blessing. God's grace is like a mighty Niagara, thundering unendingly out of eternity into our hearts. That is something no Old Testament prophet ever imagined.
John Phillips Commentary Series, The - Exploring the Gospel of John: An Expository Commentary.
3. (1:15) Jesus Christ, Incarnation: the second proof of the Incarnation is John the Baptist. He, too, bore witness of the Incarnation. John said very simply...
• Jesus was born "after me" (6 months after).
• But He is "preferred before me" (mightier; more important in being, rank, and dignity).
• Why? Because "He was before me."
The words "for He was before me" (hoti prōtos mou PWS: 4261) literally mean first to me or first of me. It refers both to time and importance. Jesus Christ was first in time, existing before John. He existed "in the beginning"—throughout all eternity. John proclaimed, "He was before me": He always existed; He was the First; He was the very cause for John's existence. John also declared that Jesus was first in importance. He was first in superiority, Being, Person. His very name is the First and the Last, the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.
"Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and His Redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God" (Isaiah 44:6).
"I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last" (Rev. 22:13; cp. Rev. 1:8; Rev. 21:6; Isaiah 44:6).
4. (1:16-17) Jesus Christ, Incarnation— Jesus Christ, Deity: the third proof of the Incarnation is the fulness and grace of Christ which was given to us. Genuine believers can testify to this.
The word "fulness" (plērōma PWS: 1621) means that which fills, the sum total, the totality. It is the sum total of all that is in God (Col. 1:19). In Jesus dwelt all the wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption—all the abundance of God (1 Cor. 1:30). All that Christ is, the very fulness of His being, is given to us who believe—all His "love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance" (Galatians 5:22-23). We are complete in Him.
"For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power" (Col. 2:9-10).
The term "grace for grace" means that He gives grace upon grace, grace enough to meet all our needs, no matter the circumstances. It is one blessing leading to another blessing; new wonders dawning upon one's consciousness every day; fresh experiences constantly springing into one's life.
Note that the fulness of God, His grace and truth, does not come by the law, but by Jesus Christ. It does not come...
• by being as good as we can.
• by working to please God as much as we can.
• by keeping the rules and commandments of the law.
It does not come by law, for no man can keep the law to any degree of perfection. The law only points out a man's failure and condemns him for breaking the law. If a man is to be acceptable to God, it is because he comes and keeps on coming to God, begging God to forgive him; and because God loves him so much that he forgives the man.
Such is the grace, the undeserved favor of God. God's grace comes by Jesus Christ, and we would not know the grace of God unless Jesus Christ had come to reveal it to us. The glorious fact that we do experience the fulness of God and His grace is proof of the Incarnation (that God did become flesh in the person of Jesus Christ).
"For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men" (Titus 2:11).
"But after the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life" (Titus 3:4-7).
"But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they" (Acts 15:11).
"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Romans 3:23-24).
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast" (Ephes. 2:8-9).
Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - John.
1:15 John the Baptist's testimony corroborates John the apostle's statement regarding the eternality of the Incarnate Word (cf. v. 14).
1:16 grace upon grace. This phrase emphasizes the superabundance of grace that has been displayed by God toward mankind, especially believers (Eph 1:5-8; 2:7).
The MacArthur Study Bible.
John 1:17 (NLT2) 17 For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ.
John 1:17 (KJV) 17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
John 1:17 (MSG) 17 We got the basics from Moses, and then this exuberant giving and receiving, This endless knowing and understanding— all this came through Jesus, the Messiah.
John 1:17 (PassionNTPsa) 17 Moses gave us the Law, but Jesus, the Anointed One, unveils truth wrapped in tender mercy.
1:17. The contrast between law and grace forms a major portion of Pauline theology, but we get a thumbnail sketch here from John. Moses provided a standard of righteousness—that no one could meet. Then the Prophet whom Moses promised (1:25) came, and he brought a standard of righteousness centered in grace and truth. Like John the Baptist and John the apostle, Moses was a servant. But Jesus is the Son. This verse drives the dividing spike between the old and new covenants, introducing a new way of God's dealing with humankind. Holman New Testament Commentary - John.
D. Implementation (1:17)
"For the law was given by Moses," says John, "but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." The law was given; grace and truth came. The law was impersonal, pealed out from Mount Sinai amid scenes of terrifying grandeur, engraved on cold tablets of stone, mediated by angels, given to Moses. Grace and truth were wrapped up in warm, vibrant human flesh and brought into this world by Jesus (the man) Christ (the messiah). "He went about doing good" was Peter's summary—as grand a statement as any to emphasize our Lord's grace. "Never man spake like this man" said those sent once to arrest him—as great a statement as any to emphasize our Lord's truth. Not grace at the expense of truth, not truth at the expense of grace, but grace and truth in perfect proportion—demonstrated in the character, conduct, and conversation of the most balanced person who ever lived on earth. Out of hundreds of possible illustrations John selects a few and weaves his gospel around them: the night with Nicodemus, for example; the conversation with the woman at the well; his dealings with the woman taken in adultery and with her accusers. Thus, the law of Moses contained truth—sharp, demanding, penetrating—embodied in the Decalogue, expanded into some 613 edicts of the law. The law of Moses embodied grace. Human failure to keep the moral law necessitated the giving of the ceremonial law so that guilt could be covered until it could be cancelled at Calvary. But it was not until Jesus came that the truth and grace inherent in the law could be fully implemented in a peerless human life and thus be translated into a language all can understand.
John Phillips Commentary Series, The - Exploring the Gospel of John: An Expository Commentary.
1:17, 18 Corroborating the truth of v. 14, these verses draw a closing contrast to the prologue. The law, given by Moses, was not a display of God's grace but God's demand for holiness. God designed the law as a means to demonstrate the unrighteousness of man in order to show the need for a Savior, Jesus Christ (Ro 3:19, 20; Gal 3:10-14, 21-26). Furthermore, the law revealed only a part of truth and was preparatory in nature. The reality or full truth toward which the law pointed came through the person of Jesus Christ.
The MacArthur Study Bible.
John 1:18 (NLT2) 18 No one has ever seen God. But the one and only Son is himself God and is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us.
John 1:18 (KJV) 18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
John 1:18 (PassionNTPsa) 18 No one has ever gazed upon the fullness of God’s splendor except the uniquely beloved Son,
who is cherished by the Father [a] Or “from the lap of the Father.” This is an idiom for the place of closest intimacy. - and held close to his heart. Now he has unfolded to us [b] - Or “He has led the way into the knowledge of God.” The Greek word, hexegeomai, can mean either “to lead the way” or “to explain.”- the full explanation of who God truly is!
John 1:18 (MSG) 18 No one has ever seen God, not so much as a glimpse. This one-of-a-kind God-Expression, who exists at the very heart of the Father, has made him plain as day.
1:18 who is in the bosom of the Father. This term denotes the mutual intimacy, love and knowledge existing in the Godhead (see 13:23; Lk 16:22, 23).
explained. Theologians derived the term "exegesis" or "to interpret" from this word. John meant that all that Jesus is and does interprets and explains who God is and what He does (14:8-10).
The MacArthur Study Bible.
1:18. This verse takes its place beside verse 14 as key passages on the incarnation, telling us that Jesus is the exclusive explanation of the Father. But did not Moses see God (see Exod. 33)? Not in this sense. Moses saw what theologians call a "theophany"—God's appearance in some temporary form. Now, John tells us, he has taken on human flesh and will live among people on earth. Some New Testament experts have translated the phrase, "God only begotten." John left no stone unturned, no argument unclarified. Jesus is the very essence of God and, according to this verse, his purpose in coming to earth was to exegete, to interpret, to explain the heavenly Father.
Numerous Bible passages remind us that Jesus came to feel what we feel, to show us what God is like, to prioritize human life—and all of that is true. But ultimately he came to die. And as John's Gospel will show, the incarnation became the gateway to the cross.
Holman New Testament Commentary - John.
E. Illumination (1:18)
In Old Testament times God granted people visions, theophanies, angelic visits. But all fell short of a direct view of God as God. Men like Abraham and Jacob, Moses and Manoah, David and Daniel, Isaiah and Ezekiel, had manifestations of God given to them. The "glory of the Lord," the "angel of the Lord," "the Word of the Lord" came to patriarchs and prophets of old, but none of them saw God as God.
John repeatedly emphasizes the fact of the deity of Christ, the fact that Jesus was God. Yet here he says equally emphatically that "no man hath seen God at any time." We believe in the unquestionable equality of Jesus with the Father in the godhead. We believe that Jesus was God. How then could John say here that "no man hath seen God at any time" (or, more literally, "no one hath yet seen God")? The fact is that John recognized that although Jesus was God, when he came to earth, he deliberately laid aside, not his deity, but those attributes of deity which would be incongruous with true humanity. For instance, God dwells in light unapproachable (1 Timothy 6:16). If Jesus had come into the world not only to be God but also to behave as God, nobody would have been able to approach him. The fact is that although he never ceased to be God he walked this earth as though he were not more than human, a fact that explains many of John's later statements about the Lord Jesus Christ. He was seen as a man even though he was God.
In a message given at a Moody Bible Institute Keswick Conference some years ago, Major Ian Thomas put it like this: "He had to come as he came in order to be what he was; he had to be what he was in order to do what he did. He had to do what he did so that we might have what he has; we have to have what he has in order to be what he was." Major Ian Thomas is very good at this clever kind of definition. This one he expanded. "He had to come as he came (born of a virgin) in order to be what he was (a perfect man inhabited by God). He had to be what he was in order to do what he did (die to redeem us). He had to do what he did so that we might have what he has (his life, all that we lost in Adam). We have to have what he has in order to be what he was (perfect: man inhabited by God)." That is what the gospel of John is all about.
So the Lord Jesus was seen as a man even though he was God. However, "The only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him." It has often been pointed out that the word declared (exegeomai) is the one from which we get our English word exegesis. It means "to make known by expounding." The person who expounds or exegetes the Scriptures brings out things that were there all the time for people to see, but things that had been overlooked until they were thus brought forth. Jesus is the incarnate exegesis of God. He has brought God forth, set him before us, fully, accurately. He has authoritatively "expounded" him in what he is, in what he has said, in what he has done. For although Jesus was man, in every sense of the word, he was also God in all the dimensions of deity.
The one who thus exegetes God is the one, John says, who "is in the bosom of the Father." That phrase suggests "has his being in." It describes a timeless state, an eternal condition. It refers to a condition of fullest intimacy, of boundless love, of fathomless affection. It describes the mutual love of Father and Son in the eternal godhead, and it affirms that this relationship continued unbroken by the incarnation. It tells us that the revelation of God that Jesus came to exegete was a revelation of the heart of God.
Such is John's introductory statement. If he had written no more, he would have said all we need to know. His prologue thus puts to rest all those philosophical speculations and heresies that, in his day and ours, find expression in attacking the person of Christ with reference either to his deity or humanity.
John Phillips Commentary Series, The - Exploring the Gospel of John: An Expository Commentary.
5. (1:18) Incarnation— Jesus Christ, Deity: the fourth proof of the Incarnation is Christ—God's Son. He alone has seen God. No man has seen God at any time; however, Jesus Christ claimed...
• that He was "the only begotten Son of God" (John 3:16).
• that He had come from the very "bosom of the Father" (from the deepest part, the most intimate place, the most honorable fellowship) (John 1:18).
• that He had come to reveal and to proclaim the Father (see Deeper Study #1—John 14:6, Deeper Study #2—John 14:6, Deeper Study #3—John 14:6; see note, Revelation—•John 14:7).
The fact that Jesus Christ is "the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father" is proof of the Incarnation (that God became flesh). Jesus Christ declared unequivocally that He had come from God. A man either believes or does not believe the grace and truth of God as revealed in Jesus Christ. (See note—•John 3:31 for discussion and verses.)
Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - John.
John 1:19-22 (NLT2) 19 This was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders sent priests and Temple assistants from Jerusalem to ask John, “Who are you?” 20 He came right out and said, “I am not the Messiah.” 21 “Well then, who are you?” they asked. “Are you Elijah?” “No,” he replied. “Are you the Prophet we are expecting?” “No.” 22 “Then who are you? We need an answer for those who sent us. What do you have to say about yourself?”
John 1:19-22 (KJV) 19 And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? 20 And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. 21 And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No. 22 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?
John 1:19-22 (MSG) 19 When Jews from Jerusalem sent a group of priests and officials to ask John who he was, he was completely honest. 20 He didn't evade the question. He told the plain truth: "I am not the Messiah." 21 They pressed him, "Who, then? Elijah?" "I am not." "The Prophet?" "No." 22 Exasperated, they said, "Who, then? We need an answer for those who sent us. Tell us something—anything!—about yourself."
John 1:19-22 (PassionNTPsa) 19 There were some of the Jewish leaders [a] Or simply, “Jews.” This is a metonymy for “Jewish leaders.” Obviously, not all Jews opposed John’s ministry. Some estimate that John and his disciples baptized as many as one million people. It is possible that John was a part of the Essene community of devout Jews. - who sent an entourage of priests and temple servants [b] Or “Levites.” - from Jerusalem to interrogate John. They asked him, “Who are you?” 20 John answered them directly, [c] Or “he did not deny it.” - saying, “I am not the Messiah!” 21 “Then who are you?” they asked. “Are you Elijah?” “No,” John replied. So they pressed him further, “Are you the prophet Moses said was coming, the one we’re expecting?” [d] See Deut. 18:15. Jesus is identified as that “Prophet” in Acts 3:22. - “No,” he replied. 22 “Then who are you?” they demanded. “We need an answer for those who sent us. Tell us something about yourself—anything!”
1:19-37 In these verses, John presented the first of many witnesses to prove that Jesus is the Messiah and Son of God, thus reinforcing his main theme (20:30, 31). The testimony of John the Baptist was given on 3 different days to 3 different groups (cf. vv. 29, 35, 36). Each time, he spoke of Christ in a different way and emphasized distinct aspects regarding Him. The events in these verses took place in a.d. 26/27, just a few months after John's baptism of Jesus (cf. Mt 3:13-17; Lk 3:21, 22).
1:19 John. John, born into a priestly family, belonged to the tribe of Levi (Lk 1:5). He began his ministry in the Jordan Valley when he was approximately 29 or 30 years old and boldly proclaimed the need for spiritual repentance and preparation for the coming of the Messiah. He was the cousin of Jesus Christ and served as His prophetic forerunner (Mt 3:3; Lk 1:5, 36).
the Jews... from Jerusalem. This may refer to the Sanhedrin, the main governing body of the Jewish nation. The Sanhedrin was controlled by the family of the High-Priest, and thus the envoys would naturally be priests and Levites who would be interested in John's ministry, both his message and his baptism.
1:20 I am not the Christ. Some thought that John was the Messiah (Lk 3:15-17).
Christ. The term "Christ" is the Gr. equivalent of the Heb. term for "Messiah."
1:21 Are you Elijah? Malachi 4:5 (see note there) promises that the prophet Elijah will return before Messiah establishes His earthly kingdom. If John was the forerunner of Messiah, was he Elijah, they asked? The angel announcing John's birth said that John would go before Jesus "in the spirit and power of Elijah" (Lk 1:17), thus indicating that someone other than literal Elijah could fulfill the prophecy. God sent John who was like Elijah, i.e., one who had the same type of ministry, the same power and similar personality (2Ki 1:8; cf. Mt 3:4). If they had received Jesus as Messiah, John would have fulfilled that prophecy (see Mt 11:14 [note]; Mk 9:13 [note]; Lk 1:17 [note]; Rev 11:5, 6 [note]).
Are you the Prophet? This is a reference to Dt 18:15-18 which predicted God would raise up a great prophet like Moses who would function as His voice. While some in John's time interpreted this prophecy as referring to another forerunner of Messiah, the NT (Ac 3:22, 23; 7:37) applies the passage to Jesus.
The MacArthur Study Bible.
D. Forerunner of the Lamb (1:19-28)
SUPPORTING IDEA: Believing is seeing, a message which begins with John the Baptist, now introduced as the key witness, the forerunner of the Messiah.
1:19-22. Picture the rugged prophet John the Baptist storming up and down the desert, telling people the Messiah is coming. He wore animal skins and ate locusts and wild honey, hardly a refined rabbi with the proper credentials. So formal religious investigation gets under way. The phrase "the Jews" appears nearly seventy times in this Gospel. Sometimes it is used favorably, but more often it expresses hostility. The priests represented the Sanhedrin and the Levites guarded the correctness of temple worship. All the delegates had a simple question for John the Baptist: "Who are you?" Lest anyone confuse the messenger with the Messiah, John quickly told them, I am not the Christ. "Christ" (christos) is simply the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew Messiah. Both words mean "anointed."
Then they give him two other suggestions to deny, Elijah and the Prophet. No portraits of Elijah hung in first-century museums, but John may have reminded his contemporaries of the verbal descriptions in 1 Kings. More than likely, however, this dialogue referred to Malachi 4:5-6: "See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse."
The Prophet probably referred to Moses' promise in Deuteronomy 18:15: "The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him."
Holman New Testament Commentary - John.
The Signs of the Son of God
John 1:19-10:42
From out of the wilderness had come striding a spiritual giant of a man. His dress, diet, deportment or behavior, manners and demands made his hearers think of Elijah.
1. His voice thundered until the windows of conscience rattled in everyone's soul. His eyes flashed like lightning, seeming to read the secrets of everyone's heart. Multitudes heard about this new prophet and flocked to hear him. The religious establishment investigated him, disliked him, feared him, rejected him, and was denounced by him. Herod on his throne was afraid of him. John the baptist was his name—the son of a priest, married to the daughter of a priest. His birth had been foretold. He had been raised strictly, with a view to his becoming a priest. He had also been raised as a Nazarite, with a view to his becoming a prophet. There already were priests after the order of Aaron—enough and to spare. Few and far between were prophets after the order of Elijah. What Israel needed was not another priest. What Israel needed was a prophet. John, by birth, training, disposition, conviction, and choice was raised up by God to be that prophet, the last of a long, illustrious line.
I. The Testimony of John (1:19-51)
A. The Faithfulness of His Testimony (1:19-34)
It would seem that verse 19 begins after the baptism and subsequent temptation of Jesus. The testimony of John the baptist was a logical place for John the apostle to begin his gospel, since one of his overall objectives was to trace the parallel rise of belief and unbelief among the Jewish people living in Palestine at the time of Christ.
1. Questions Asked (1:19-28)
John begins with questions asked of John by the Jews. There were two main questions. One question asked is about John's identity (1:19-23).
We begin with the delegation (1:19). "The Jews," we read, "sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?' John was writing from the standpoint of the close of the first century. Jewish rejection of Christ had hardened into a settled attitude. Just before the fall of Jerusalem the rabbi Zakkai obtained permission from Vespasian to establish a special academy for Jewish studies in Palestine. The astute rabbi could see the writing on the wall for Jerusalem, the temple, and the homeland. He was concerned that Judaism and the Jewish people might survive the impending destruction and dispersal of the Jews. When Jerusalem fell, with Vespasian's warrant he successfully established his center at Jabnen, just north of Jerusalem. He rejected Jesus as the answer to the Jewish dilemma. He set about making the oral traditions and commentaries (which later became the Talmud) the pattern for Jewish survival in the coming centuries. There would be no more Jewish homeland, no more capital city, no more temple, no more altar, sacrifices or priests. So let the Jews find their home, their fulfillment, their means of national survival in hostile gentile lands, in the accumulated wisdom of their rabbis. So those laws and traditions, a seemingly odd assortment of wisdom and folly, became the focus of Jewish life. (See John Phillips, Exploring the World of the Jew, Chicago: Moody Press, 1981, pp. 65-66.) The Rabbi Zakkai poured the cement of Jewish traditionalism and exclusivism over the wandering Hebrew people, and it hardened into centuries of rejection of Jesus as the messiah and Savior of Israel.
All this was already in process by the time John wrote. So he calls God's ancient people "the Jews." It is his characteristic word for them in this gospel. He uses the expression seventy times. The word emphasizes the Lo-ammi status of the Hebrew people consequent upon their rejection of Christ both in the gospels and in the period covered by the book of Acts (Hosea 1:9; the name Lo-ammi means "not my people"). In this age of grace the Hebrew people are not regarded from the biblical standpoint as "Israel" but as "Jews." John adopts the name given to them by the gentiles.
The Jews, John says, sent a delegation to John the baptist. Later he defines the word Jews as referring particularly to the Pharisees (1:24), who took the lead in the gospels as the enemies of Christ. The delegation was probably dispatched by the Sanhedrin. The "priests" and "Levites" represented, particularly, the ecclesiastical side of things in the nation. In sending this delegation they recognized in John a priest and a Levite as well as a Judean. Later, they saw Jesus as a Galilean and a carpenter.
"Who are you?" That was the burning question. John's preaching had touched a chord. Not even the Sanhedrin could ignore the vibrating strings of renewed messianic expectation that thrilled the nation as a result of John's testimony. "Who are you?" That was what they wanted to know.
John had been ministering for a considerable time. Even Herod had made it his business to have conversations with this dynamic preacher. It would seem that some in the Sanhedrin had been speculating about whether or not John himself was the messiah. (Remember, John the apostle at this time was a disciple of John the baptist.)
Next, we have the denials (1:20-21). "He confessed, and denied not; but confessed." The repetition reflects John's resolution not to accept honors that were not his. The questions were posed by men who knew the Scriptures. His answer was clear: "I am not the Christ." "Then are you Elijah?" They went back to Malachi. The last of the writing prophets of the Old Testament had foretold that, prior to the coming of Christ, Elijah would come. "Are you Elijah?" John's answer was unequivocal. "I am not." The Jewish rejection of Jesus would necessitate a second coming of Christ. Before that coming, Elijah will come (see Revelation 11). The questioners went back even further, back now to Moses (Deuteronomy 18:15). They remembered that Moses had prophesied that one day God would raise up a prophet just like him. "Are you that prophet?" John's answer was a blunt "No." His replies grew shorter with each succeeding guess: "I (the I is emphatic) am not the Christ. I am not. No."
Then came the demand (1:22-23). Their specific question—very well, who are you then? We need to give an answer to those who sent us—was followed by a scriptural quotation. John took them back to Isaiah 40:3. "I am only a voice," he said. "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord." He was the Lord's herald. It is likely (from 1:26) that John knew that Jesus was standing in the throng listening to this exchange—standing there, smiling at his faithful ambassador, nodding his head in approval of his words. No wonder John's answers to these questioners grew briefer and blunter.
John continues with questions about John's ideology (1:24-28). There now followed a brief clash of swords. We note the Pharisees' attack on his baptism (1:24-25). The question about John's ideology was put by his questioners who are now identified. They were the religious party among the Jews particularly concerned with religious rites and ceremonies. "Well," they said, "you are not the messiah, you have no mandate from Malachi or from Moses. On what ground do you take it upon yourself to introduce a new religious rite, baptism, not ordered by the law? (Proselyte baptism might have been practiced by the Jews, though this is not certain. But proselytes baptized themselves and were gentiles seeking admission to Israel. John's baptism was administered by him, to Jews.) The Pharisees strongly objected to John's baptism. If proselyte baptism was practiced at this time then of course they would resent a rite that seemed to treat Jews as if they were aliens. Further, John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. The Pharisees were indignant at any suggestion that they needed repentance and ritual cleansing in the Jordan.
John did not waste much time in answering their questions. He was not accountable to the Pharisees or to the Sanhedrin. He derived his authority from a higher source. So he carried the attack into their territory. We note John's attack on their blindness (1:26). Who gave him his right to baptize? We know the answer. His authority came from one standing in their midst, one whom in their blindness they could not see. The messiah of Israel, the Christ of God, the hope of every faithful Hebrew heart, was right there, and they did not know it.
"I am not worthy to unloose the latchet of his shoe," said John. This menial task was considered by the religious Jewish authorities as being a servile act, fitting only for a slave to perform. Thus John, the greatest of all the prophets, abased himself in the presence of his Lord.
At this point the apostle John adds a footnote out of his personal knowledge of the event. He says that these things took place at "Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing." The name means "house of the ferry." The traditional site is the Jericho ford some miles north of the Dead Sea. Another view is that the place referred to is another fifty miles north of the Jericho ford, a place in the land of Bashan, ten miles south of the sea of Galilee and about twenty-two miles from Cana.
John Phillips Commentary Series, The - Exploring the Gospel of John: An Expository Commentary.
THE WITNESSES TO THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST, 1:1-51
»Front Matter »Book Intro
»Detailed Outline »Index
E. Jesus the Messiah, the Lord: The Second Witness of John the Baptist, 1:19-28
(1:19-28) Introduction: the witness of John the Baptist is a dynamic example for every servant of God.
1. John was questioned by religionists who were suspicious of Him (v.19).
2. He was a man who knew who he was (v.20-22).
3. He was only a voice—only a forerunner for the Lord (v.23)
4. He was a baptizer (v.24-26).
5. He was an unworthy servant (v.27).
6. He was a man who brought honor to a place (v.28).
1. (1:19) John the Baptist: John was questioned by the religionists who were very suspicious of him. These particular religionists were a fact-finding commission sent from Jerusalem, the headquarters of Jewish religion. The questioning of John by the religionists was to be expected, for John's father, Zechariah, was a priest (Luke 1:5); and in the eyes of the authorities all the sons of priests were automatically priests by descent. However, John was not a priest like other priests. He was most unusual, for the way he lived and preached was radically different (cp. Matthew 3:1-12). He was a non-conformist, and the authorities had to find out why.
Thought 1. Too often institutional religion is suspicious and opposed to the unusual.
⇒ If a person is different or does things differently, he is questioned.
⇒ If a person is unusually blessed or if miraculous things are happening in his life and ministry, he is questioned.
DEEPER STUDY #1 (1:19) Levites
2. (1:20-22) Minister— Humility: the messenger was a man who knew who he was. Others had questions about John, but not John. He knew exactly who he was. He knew God personally; therefore, he knew God had sent him into the world for a specific ministry. He was from God, called and commissioned by God; therefore, He knew exactly who he was and what he was doing (see Deeper Study #1—John 1:6. Also see outline—• John 1:6-8 and notes—•John 1:6-8 for more discussion.).
1. John was not the Messiah (see Deeper Study #2, Christ—John 1:20).
2. John was not Elijah. Elijah was expected to return from the dead to proclaim the coming of the Messiah (Malachi 4:5). He was expected to do several significant things: to warn the people, to anoint the Messiah to His kingly office, to raise the dead, and to help select those who were to have a part in the Messiah's kingdom. John denied that he was Elijah in person. It should be noted that Jesus did later identify John with Elijah (Mark 9:11f); however, what Jesus meant was that John was Elijah in spirit, not in person.
3. John was not "that prophet." This prophet was thought to be another forerunner of the Messiah (John 7:40). Some persons thought he would be either Jeremiah or Isaiah. This belief was based on Moses' prediction that there would be a prophet like unto himself (Deut. 18:15). However, today most Christians interpret the prophet predicted by Moses to be Christ Himself (Acts 3:22; Acts 7:37).
Thought 1. The lessons are clear. The servant (minister or layman) of God must not...
• claim to be the Christ nor any other great prophet.
• pretend to be some great man of God.
• seek recognition.
• assume some honor that does not belong to him.
• allow God's power upon his life and ministry to turn his head toward pride, thinking more highly of himself than he should.
"And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the LORD , which am but dust and ashes" (Genesis 18:27).
"I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast showed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands" (Genesis 32:10).
"And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?" (Exodus 3:11).
"And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue" (Exodus 4:10).
"Then went king David in, and sat before the Lord, and he said, Who am I, O Lord God? and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?" (2 Samuel 7:18).
"And now, O Lord my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in" (1 Kings 3:7).
"The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed" (Matthew 8:8).
"For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God" (1 Cor. 15:9).
"This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief" (1 Tim. 1:15).
DEEPER STUDY #2 (1:20) Christ— Messiah
DEEPER STUDY #2
(1:20) Christ— Messiah: the words "Christ" (Christos) and "Messiah" are the same word. Messiah is the Hebrew word and Christ is the Greek word. Both words refer to the same person and mean the same thing: the anointed one. The Messiah is the anointed one of God. Matthew said Jesus "is called Christ" (Matthew 1:16); that is, He is recognized as the anointed one of God, the Messiah Himself.
In the day of Jesus Christ people feverishly panted for the coming of the long promised Messiah. The weight of life was harsh, hard, and impoverished. Under the Romans people felt that God could not wait much longer to fulfill His promise. Such longings for deliverance left the people gullible. Many arose who claimed to be the Messiah and led the gullible followers into rebellion against the Roman state. The insurrectionist Barabbas, who was set free in the place of Jesus at Jesus' trial, is an example (Mark 15:6f). (See note—• Matthew 1:1; Deeper Study #2—Matthew 3:11; note—• Matthew 11:1-6; note—• Matthew 11:2-3; Deeper Study #1—Matthew 11:5; Deeper Study #2—Matthew 11:6; Deeper Study #1—Matthew 12:16; note—• Matthew 22:42; note—• Luke 7:21-23.)
The Messiah was thought to be several things.
1. Nationally, He was to be the leader from David's line who would free the Jewish state and establish it as an independent nation, leading it to be the greatest nation the world had ever known.
2. Militarily, He was to be a great military leader who would lead Jewish armies victoriously over all the world.
3. Religiously, He was to be a supernatural figure straight from God who would bring righteousness over all the earth.
4. Personally, He was to be the One who would bring peace to the whole world.
Jesus Christ accepted the title of Messiah on three different occasions (Matthew 16:17; Mark 14:61; John 4:26). The name Jesus shows Him to be man. The name Christ shows Him to be God's anointed, God's very own Son. Christ is Jesus' official title. It identifies Him officially as Prophet (Deut. 18:15-19), Priest (Psalm 110:4), and King (2 Samuel 7:12-13). These officials were always anointed with oil, a symbol of the Holy Spirit who was to perfectly anoint the Christ, the Messiah (Matthew 3:16; Mark 1:10-11; Luke 3:21-22; John 1:32-33).
"He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ" (John 1:41).
"Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph" (John 1:45).
"Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel" (John 1:49).
"The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he" (John 4:25-26).
"And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God" (John 6:69).
"Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world" (John 11:25-27).
"And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God" (Acts 8:36-37).
Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - John.
John 1:23 (KJV) 23 He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.
John 1:23 (NLT2) 23 John replied in the words of the prophet Isaiah: “I am a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Clear the way for the LORD’s coming!’”
John 1:23 (MSG) 23 "I'm thunder in the desert: 'Make the road straight for God!' I'm doing what the prophet Isaiah preached."
John 1:23 (PassionNTPsa) 23 So, John answered them, “I am fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy: ‘I am an urgent, thundering voice shouting in the desert—clear the way and prepare your hearts for the coming of the Lord Yahweh!’”
1:23 John quoted and applied Isa 40:3 to himself (cf. Mt 3:3; Mk 1:3; Lk 3:4). In the original context of Isa 40:3, the prophet heard a voice calling for the leveling of a path. This call was a prophetic picture that foreshadowed the final and greatest return of Israel to their God from spiritual darkness and alienation through the spiritual redemption accomplished by the Messiah (cf. Ro 11:25-27). In humility, John compared himself to a voice rather than a person, thus focusing the attention exclusively upon Christ (cf. Lk 17:10).
John 1:23 (KJV) 23 He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.
John 1:23 (NLT2) 23 John replied in the words of the prophet Isaiah: “I am a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Clear the way for the LORD’s coming!’”
John 1:23 (MSG) 23 "I'm thunder in the desert: 'Make the road straight for God!' I'm doing what the prophet Isaiah preached."
1:23 John quoted and applied Isa 40:3 to himself (cf. Mt 3:3; Mk 1:3; Lk 3:4).
Matthew 3:3 (KJV) 3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
Matthew 3:3 (MSG) 3 John and his message were authorized by Isaiah's prophecy: Thunder in the desert! Prepare for God's arrival! Make the road smooth and straight!
Matthew 3:3 (PassionNTPsa) 3 Isaiah was referring to John when he prophesied:
A thunderous voice! One will be crying out in the wilderness,
“Prepare yourself for the Lord’s coming
and level a straight path inside your hearts for him.”
In the original context of Isa 40:3, the prophet heard a voice calling for the leveling of a path. This call was a prophetic picture that foreshadowed the final and greatest return of Israel to their God from spiritual darkness and alienation through the spiritual redemption accomplished by the Messiah (cf. Ro 11:25-27).
The Mystery of Israel’s Restoration
25 My beloved brothers, I want to share with you (a) The Greek text containes a litotes, a double negative: "I don't want you to know." - a mystery (b) - The Greek word for mystery, mysterion, is found twenty-eight tiems in the New Testament. It means a sacred secret, something that God has hidden from ancient tiems and that can only be revealed by God, Jesus teaches us that these mysteries are meant for us to perceive as part of our kingdom birthright. See Matt. 13:11. The mystery Paul unfolds for us here is the partial insensitivity of Israel, as well as her future salvation as part of God's eternal plan for the nations. - concerning Israel's future. For understanding this mystery will keep you form thinking you already know everything. A partial and temporary hardening [c] The Greek word for hardening, porosis, can also mean stubbornness, an unwillingness to learn something new. - to the gospel has come over Israel, which will last until the full number of non-Jews has come into God’s family.
26 And then God will birng all of Israel to salvation! The prophecy will be fulfilled that says: “Coming from Zion will be the Savior, and he will turn Jacob away from evil.[d] The Aramaic can also mean “the evil one.” See Isa. 59:20-21. 27 For this is my covenant promise with them when I forgive their sins.” [e] See Isa. 27:9.
Isaiah 59:20-21 (KJV) 20 And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD. 21 As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever.
Isaiah 59:20-21 (MSG) 20 "I'll arrive in Zion as Redeemer, to those in Jacob who leave their sins." GOD's Decree. 21 "As for me," GOD says, "this is my covenant with them: My Spirit that I've placed upon you and the words that I've given you to speak, they're not going to leave your mouths nor the mouths of your children nor the mouths of your grandchildren. You will keep repeating these words and won't ever stop." GOD's orders.
Isaiah 59:20-21 (NLT2) 20 “The Redeemer will come to Jerusalem to buy back those in Israel who have turned from their sins,” says the LORD. 21 “And this is my covenant with them,” says the LORD. “My Spirit will not leave them, and neither will these words I have given you. They will be on your lips and on the lips of your children and your children’s children forever. I, the LORD, have spoken!
Isaiah 27:9 (KJV) 9 By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged; and this is all the fruit to take away his sin; when he maketh all the stones of the altar as chalkstones that are beaten in sunder, the groves and images shall not stand up.
Isaiah 27:9 (MSG) 9 But the good news is that through this experience Jacob's guilt was taken away. The evidence that his sin is removed will be this: He will tear down the alien altars, take them apart stone by stone, And then crush the stones into gravel and clean out all the sex-and-religion shrines.
Isaiah 27:9 (NLT2) 9 The LORD did this to purge Israel’s wickedness, to take away all her sin. As a result, all the pagan altars will be crushed to dust. No Asherah pole or pagan shrine will be left standing.
In humility, John compared himself to a voice rather than a person, thus focusing the attention exclusively upon Christ (cf. Lk 17:10).
1:23 (PassionNTPsa) 23 So, John answered them, “I am fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy: ‘I am an urgent, thundering voice shouting in the desert—clear the way and prepare your hearts for the coming of the Lord Yahweh!’”
The MacArthur Study Bible.
1:23. We can hardly imagine the shock the Jerusalem delegation must have felt upon hearing this rugged mountain man quote Isaiah 40:3 to describe himself. Think back to Isaiah's warnings about the future rise of Babylon with the sharp break in the narrative which begins at chapter 40 to describe the future restoration of Israel. Here is the context for John's answer:
Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins. A voice of one calling: "In the desert prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken (Isa. 40:1-5).
So John was Elijah after all (Matt. 11:14; 17:10-13). He fulfilled the prophecy of Malachi as the forerunner who would proclaim the coming of the king.
Holman New Testament Commentary - John.
THE WITNESSES TO THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST, 1:1-51
»Front Matter »Book Intro
»Detailed Outline »Index
E. Jesus the Messiah, the Lord: The Second Witness of John the Baptist, 1:19-28
(1:19-28) Introduction: the witness of John the Baptist is a dynamic example for every servant of God.
1. John was questioned by religionists who were suspicious of Him (v.19).
2. He was a man who knew who he was (v.20-22).
3. He was only a voice—only a forerunner for the Lord (v.23)
4. He was a baptizer (v.24-26).
5. He was an unworthy servant (v.27).
6. He was a man who brought honor to a place (v.28).
1. (1:19) John the Baptist: John was questioned by the religionists who were very suspicious of him. These particular religionists were a fact-finding commission sent from Jerusalem, the headquarters of Jewish religion. The questioning of John by the religionists was to be expected, for John's father, Zechariah, was a priest (Luke 1:5); and in the eyes of the authorities all the sons of priests were automatically priests by descent. However, John was not a priest like other priests. He was most unusual, for the way he lived and preached was radically different (cp. Matthew 3:1-12). He was a non-conformist, and the authorities had to find out why.
Thought 1. Too often institutional religion is suspicious and opposed to the unusual.
⇒ If a person is different or does things differently, he is questioned.
⇒ If a person is unusually blessed or if miraculous things are happening in his life and ministry, he is questioned.
DEEPER STUDY #1 (1:19) Levites
2. (1:20-22) Minister— Humility: the messenger was a man who knew who he was. Others had questions about John, but not John. He knew exactly who he was. He knew God personally; therefore, he knew God had sent him into the world for a specific ministry. He was from God, called and commissioned by God; therefore, He knew exactly who he was and what he was doing (see Deeper Study #1—John 1:6. Also see outline—• John 1:6-8 and notes—•John 1:6-8 for more discussion.).
1. John was not the Messiah (see Deeper Study #2, Christ—John 1:20).
2. John was not Elijah. Elijah was expected to return from the dead to proclaim the coming of the Messiah (Malachi 4:5). He was expected to do several significant things: to warn the people, to anoint the Messiah to His kingly office, to raise the dead, and to help select those who were to have a part in the Messiah's kingdom. John denied that he was Elijah in person. It should be noted that Jesus did later identify John with Elijah (Mark 9:11f); however, what Jesus meant was that John was Elijah in spirit, not in person.
3. John was not "that prophet." This prophet was thought to be another forerunner of the Messiah (John 7:40). Some persons thought he would be either Jeremiah or Isaiah. This belief was based on Moses' prediction that there would be a prophet like unto himself (Deut. 18:15). However, today most Christians interpret the prophet predicted by Moses to be Christ Himself (Acts 3:22; Acts 7:37).
Thought 1. The lessons are clear. The servant (minister or layman) of God must not...
• claim to be the Christ nor any other great prophet.
• pretend to be some great man of God.
• seek recognition.
• assume some honor that does not belong to him.
• allow God's power upon his life and ministry to turn his head toward pride, thinking more highly of himself than he should.
"And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the LORD , which am but dust and ashes" (Genesis 18:27).
"I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast showed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands" (Genesis 32:10).
"And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?" (Exodus 3:11).
"And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue" (Exodus 4:10).
"Then went king David in, and sat before the Lord, and he said, Who am I, O Lord God? and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?" (2 Samuel 7:18).
"And now, O Lord my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in" (1 Kings 3:7).
"The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed" (Matthew 8:8).
"For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God" (1 Cor. 15:9).
"This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief" (1 Tim. 1:15).
DEEPER STUDY #2 (1:20) Christ— Messiah
3. (1:23) Jesus Christ, Messiah— John the Baptist, Forerunner: the messenger was only a voice, only a forerunner for the Lord. Why was it necessary for the Messiah to have a forerunner? Why did John have to run ahead of Christ crying, "Prepare. Make straight the way of the Lord"? What kind of preparation needed to be done?
1. The people needed their concept of the Messiah straightened out. Their concept had deteriorated through the years.
a. First, few had ever seen "the seed" promised to Adam and Abraham as referring to the Messiah (see Deeper Study #1—Galatians 3:8, 16; Deeper Study #1—Romans 4:1-25). They interpreted "the seed" as the nation Israel, as all circumcised Jews. "We be Abraham's seed" they were later to tell Christ (John 8:33). They saw Christ as being "the seed of Abraham" only in the sense that an ordinary Jew was. He was just an ordinary man born through Abraham's line. Few ever saw the Messiah as "the Seed" in whom all the promises made to Abraham were to be fulfilled.
b. Second, the Jews saw the Messiah primarily as the Son of David. David had liberated and led their nation to its highest peak, so they saw the Messiah as following in David's footsteps. (See note—•John 1:45; note—• Luke 3:24-31; note—• Matthew 1:1; Deeper Study #2—Matthew 1:18; Deeper Study #2—Matthew 3:11; notes—• Matthew 11:1-6; note—• Matthew 11:2-3; Deeper Study #1—Matthew 12:16; notes—• Matthew 22:42; note—• Luke 7:21-23). At first, the Jews saw the Messiah as a liberator, One who was going to deliver them from all their enemies and restore their nation to its greatest glory. (Keep in mind how awful the Jews had been treated and persecuted throughout history.) However, as centuries rolled on and they suffered brutal violence after violence, their concept of the Messiah deteriorated into anger. The Messiah was One who would not only deliver Israel, but One who would exact vengeance on all their enemies.
The Jews saw themselves as the subjects of the Messiah's salvation (deliverance), and saw all other people (Gentiles) as the subjects of the Messiah's judgment. The Jews were the ones acceptable to God; all others were unacceptable. Therefore, the Messiah was to come and free Israel and elevate the nation to rule over all the nations of the earth. This, of course, led to two tragic faults. First, the Jews became blind to their own sinful condition and personal need for salvation. Second, the Jews saw salvation as a matter of national heritage and personal rites (being circumcised) and ritual (religious observances). They believed that they were safe because they had been circumcised and their forefathers were godly people.
The forefunner, John the Baptist, had to begin cracking through the crust of these errors. Salvation was not a national thing, not an institutional thing, not even a religious thing. It was not a matter of heritage and rites. It was a personal matter, a spiritual matter of the heart and life. A man had to personally want forgiveness of sins and then repent and be baptized if he wished to be saved. This was to be the message of the Messiah. Therefore, because of the hardness of the people in understanding the personal need for salvation, God had to send a forerunner to begin breaking through the crust of self-righteousness which had become so cemented in the mind of man. (Just how deeply rooted the false concept of the Messiah was can be seen in the enormous struggle the disciples had with it. See note—• Matthew 18:1-2.)
2. The people needed their religion straightened out. They had allowed their religion to become formal and institutionalized, that is, just a form of godliness which denied the power thereof (2 Tim. 3:5). So many were going through the motions of religion, its services and rites, yet living as they wished. God and personal righteousness were of little concern. The Messiah was to bring a new message, a message of God's love—a love so strong that it would proclaim the truth:
⇒ that man is sinful and perishing (John 3:16).
⇒ that man must repent (Mark 2:17).
⇒ that man must prepare, for the Kingdom of God is at hand (Matthew 4:17).
The message was to be so radical that some preparation of the people was needed before the Messiah appeared on the scene. Therefore, God sent the forerunner, John the Baptist.
3. The world needed to know about the Messiah. As the Son of God, the Messiah would be so different—so pure, so holy, so truthful—that men would not tolerate His presence too long. His proclamation of the truth and salvation would be very, very short. Men would destroy Him. Therefore, men needed to be stirred to a high pitch of excitement when the Messiah arrived. Men needed to be buzzing about with great anticipation and with the glorious news that the Messiah had finally come. People would need to sit up and take notice. They may not respond; they might even react violently, but they needed to be aware of the Messiah's historical coming and claims to be the Son of God. The forerunner was to arouse and stir the people to expect the Messiah immediately.
Thought 1. The same can be said of men today.
1) Many need their concept of the Messiah straightened out.
a) Some have never seen that the promised seed is Christ.
b) Some still think of themselves as being special to God. They are blind to their sin and need for personal salvation.
2) Many need their religion straightened out.
3) Many simply need to hear about the Messiah: they have never heard that He has come.
Thought 2. The messenger of God is only a voice, only a forerunner for the Lord. But he is a voice and a forerunner; therefore, He must speak up for the Lord.
1) He must be a clear voice proclaiming a clear message.
"For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you" (Matthew 10:20).
"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15).
"Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual" (1 Cor. 2:13).
"If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever" (1 Peter 4:11).
2) He must be an earnest voice proclaiming the desperate need to prepare and repent.
"And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matthew 3:2).
"Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord" (Acts 3:19).
Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - John.
John 1:24-28 (NLT2) 24 Then the Pharisees who had been sent 25 asked him, “If you aren’t the Messiah or Elijah or the Prophet, what right do you have to baptize?” 26 John told them, “I baptize with water, but right here in the crowd is someone you do not recognize. 27 Though his ministry follows mine, I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandal.” 28 This encounter took place in Bethany, an area east of the Jordan River, where John was baptizing.
John 1:24-28 (KJV) 24 And they which were sent were of the Pharisees. 25 And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet? 26 John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not; 27 He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose. 28 These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.
John 1:24-28 (MSG) 24 Those sent to question him were from the Pharisee party. 25 Now they had a question of their own: "If you're neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet, why do you baptize?" 26 John answered, "I only baptize using water. A person you don't recognize has taken his stand in your midst. 27 He comes after me, but he is not in second place to me. I'm not even worthy to hold his coat for him." 28 These conversations took place in Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing at the time.
John 1:24-28 (PassionNTPsa) 24 Then some members of the religious sect known as the Pharisees questioned John, “Why do you baptize the people since you admit you’re not the Christ, Elijah, or the Prophet?” 25 Then some members of the religious sect known as the Pharisees questioned John, “Why do you baptize the people since you admit you’re not the Christ, Elijah, or the Prophet?” 26 John answered them, “I baptize in this river, but the One who will take my place is to be more honored than I, but even when he stands among you, you will not recognize or embrace him! I am not worthy enough to stoop down in front of him and untie his sandals!” 27 This all took place at Bethany, where John was baptizing at the place of the crossing of the Jordan River.
1:24-28. Enter the Pharisees, often depicted in the New Testament as the bad guys in the black hats (though there were notable exceptions like Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea). They were not satisfied with John's answers; they wanted a picture I.D.—particularly because John was not just preaching. He was also baptizing people without proper credentials.
John's response rings as one of the great statements of history which our text will amplify in verses 31-34. Water baptism for John's disciples was a ritual act of cleansing demonstrating repentance and anticipation of the Messiah. But already in their very midst he had come. John considered himself unworthy to do the chores of the lowest household slave—loosen Jesus' sandals.
John the Gospel writer was not as concerned with geography as Luke. But he let his readers know where it all began. We should not confuse this Bethany with the hometown of Mary and Martha (11:1) just outside Jerusalem. John designated it as the Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, east of the river.
The answers of John the Baptist offer us three important lessons as Christians: (1) We are not the focus of the witness; (2) we are not the light; and (3) we proclaim belief in Jesus.
Holman New Testament Commentary - John.
1:25 baptizing. Since John had identified himself as a mere voice (v. 23), the question arose as to his authority for baptizing. The OT associated the coming of Messiah with repentance and spiritual cleansing (Eze 36, 37; Zec 13:1). John focused attention on his position as forerunner of Messiah, who used traditional proselyte baptism as a symbol of the need to recognize those Jews who were outside God's saving covenant like Gentiles. They too needed spiritual cleansing and preparation (repentance—Mt 3:11; Mk 1:4; Lk 3:7, 8) for Messiah's advent. See Mt 3:6 [note], 11 [note], 16, 17 [note] for an explanation of the significance of John's baptism.
1:27 John the Baptist's words here continue a theme of the pre-eminence of Messiah in the prologue (vv. 6-8, 15) and demonstrate extraordinary humility. Each time John had opportunity to focus on himself in these encounters, he instead shifted the focus onto Messiah. John went so far as to state that he, unlike a slave that was required to remove his master's shoes, was not even worthy of performing this action in relationship to Messiah.
1:28 Bethany. Some translations render this word as "Bethabara." Some feel that John incorrectly identified Bethany as the place of these events. The solution is that two Bethanys existed, i.e., one near Jerusalem where Mary, Martha, and Lazarus lived (11:1) and one "beyond the Jordan" near the region of Galilee. Since John took great pains to identify the other Bethany's close proximity to Jerusalem, he most likely was referring here to that other town with the same name.
The MacArthur Study Bible.
4. (1:24-26) Baptism— John the Baptist, Baptism of: the messenger was a baptizer. John was asked why he baptized.
1. His baptism shocked the Jewish nation, for Jews were never baptized. Baptism was only for non-Jewish persons who were converts to the Jewish faith. The Jews considered all Gentiles unclean, so they had to be baptized when they became converts (all males were also circumcised). However, Jews were thought to be clean and acceptable to God no matter how they lived. Why? Because Jews were "of the seed of Abraham," of his heritage. They were his seed, the people promised to Abraham.
2. The religionists wanted to know if John was the Christ. They believed that when the Christ came He might institute the practice of baptism.
3. The religionists wanted to know if John was a prophet. In theory a true prophet was said to have the right to institute new practices and to change some laws.
John's baptism was radical, most unusual, a shocking practice. It was a "baptism of repentance for the remission of sins" (Luke 3:3). What does this mean? Simply this: when a person wanted God to forgive his sins, the person made the decision to repent, to turn from his sins, and to change his life. Then he was immediately baptized, thereby proclaiming that he was becoming a follower of the Messiah whom John preached (see note—• Luke 3:3 for detailed discussion).
The Old Testament prophets had cried for Israel to wash themselves and to be cleansed of their filthiness. John used water baptism to show that a man was turning from his sins and turning to God, seeking forgiveness of sins.
"Wash you, make you clean, put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil" (Isaiah 1:16).
"In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness" (Zech. 13:1).
"Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh" (Ezekiel 36:25-26).
Thought 1. Baptism is critical. The believer is to be baptized, but he is to be baptized because he is truly repenting and sincerely turning to God.
Thought 2. The servant of God is to be a baptizer, a man who proclaims and practices the baptism of repentance in its full meaning.
DEEPER STUDY #3 (1:24) Pharisees
5. (1:27) Servant— Humility: the messenger of God was an unworthy servant. Two things demonstrated this.
1. John proclaimed and confessed that Jesus was preferred before him (see note—•John 1:15).
2. John proclaimed that he was not worthy even to unloose the shoe latchet of Jesus' sandals. He confessed the nothingness of self. Slaves were the ones who loosed the sandals of guests and washed their feet. John said that he was less than a slave, unworthy to do even what a slave did.
Thought 1. The same confession of unworthiness must be made by every servant of God.
"But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve" (Luke 22:26).
"For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith" (Romans 12:3).
"Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others" (Phil. 2:3-4).
"He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" (Micah 6:8).
6. (1:28) John the Baptist— Minister: the messenger was a man who brought honor to a place. John was ministering in Bethabara beyond Jordan, which means it was a great distance from Jerusalem. John brought honor to the place. It would not be known apart from John, for nothing else is known about the city.
Thought 1. A servant of God who is faithful in his witness and ministry (like John) will bring honor to a place. In God's eyes a place is honored because believers are there (cp. Genesis 18:16f).
Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - John.
John 1:29 (NLT2) 29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
John 1:29 (KJV) 29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
John 1:29 (MSG) 29 The very next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and yelled out,
E. Appearance of the Lamb (1:29-34)
SUPPORTING IDEA: Having explained his own ministry, John the Baptist affirmed Jesus' ministry.
1:29. What a revelation and proclamation of the gospel! Imagine the scene as Jesus approached the area of Bethany and John spotted him in the distance. We have come to the second day of John's narrative, and we will see yet one to come in this first chapter. The first biblical mention of the Lamb appears in Genesis 22 when Abraham went to the altar to offer his son Isaac. Leviticus 14 talks about lambs as a guilt offering. John came back to it in Revelation as a triumphal title for the conquering Lord. Tenney says, "It combines in one descriptive term the concepts of innocence, voluntary sacrifice, substitutionary atonement, effective obedience, and redemptive power like that of the Passover Lamb (Exod. 12:21-27)" (Tenney, EBC, p. 38).
The full expression Lamb of God is found only here and in John 1:36. But the emphasis on substitutionary atonement and the universal offering of salvation and forgiveness of sin form the heart and core of the gospel. As we think about the theme of substitutionary atonement, our minds again rush back to the prophet Isaiah:
Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed (Isa. 53:1-5).
Holman New Testament Commentary - John.
2. Questions Answered (1:29-34)
About six weeks before, Jesus had been baptized by John in the Jordan. Right afterward, he had gone into the wilderness where his temptations took place. John makes no mention of that. The period of temptation was forty days, a little under six weeks. Having routed the devil and recuperated from his prolonged fast, Jesus now returned to the Jordan. On the day the deputation arrived, John had seen and recognized him in the crowd. It was now the next day, and the arrival of Jesus (1:29a) took place.
John saw Jesus coming toward him. This is the Lord's first appearance in this gospel. He had come to be publicly announced by his herald to the nation. The day before, the delegation from the Sanhedrin had questioned John about whether or not he himself was the messiah. The time had come to remove all doubt. John's repeated denials and refusal to identify himself as any more than a "voice" must have provoked heated discussions both among the authorities and the common people. John the apostle, an eyewitness of these things, no doubt could remember it all as though it were yesterday.
The arrival of Jesus was a moment freighted with possibilities. The Passover feast was approaching, a feast that commemorated the exodus of Israel from Egypt, the birth of the Hebrew nation, and the demonstration of redemption by the blood of the lamb. We can be sure that Jesus chose this moment unerringly for his formal presentation to the nation by his now famous herald. From John's first words we can see that he had the approaching Passover in mind. We have seen the arrival of Jesus and now we hear the announcement of John (1:29b-34).
John the baptist's announcement revolved around a proclamation and a problem. First, we have a proclamation (1:29b-30). "Behold," he cried, "the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me."
John did not introduce Jesus to the nation as the Son of God, nor as the holy one of God, nor as the Christ of God, nor as the word of God. He went right to the heart of Israel's need, of the whole world's need. He proclaimed him to be the lamb of God. Although John's baptism had confronted people with the need for repentance, they needed much more than repentance. They needed redemption. No amount of water could remove the stain of sin; that required blood. And not the blood of bulls and goats, which could never take away sin (Hebrews 10:1-4), not the blood of an ordinary lamb. It called for the shedding of "precious blood," for redemption made possible by the lamb of God.
It is a special title for the Lord. He is called the lamb explicitly only twice in the Old Testament, only twice in the gospels, only once in the book of Acts, and only once in the epistles. He is called the lamb, however, twenty-eight times in the book of Revelation; it is particularly his apocalyptical title.
The great question in the Old Testament was voiced by Isaac on his way to Mount Moriah: "Where is the lamb?" (Genesis 22:7). Abraham's answer was equally great: "God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering." Now that great Old Testament question is matched by an even greater New Testament answer: "Behold the Lamb or God, which taketh away the sin of the world." As John spoke, it is likely that the bleating of sheep could be heard and that people could see flocks being driven toward Jerusalem in preparation for the Passover feast. John drew attention away from them to Jesus, the true Passover lamb whose sacrifice would procure eternal redemption for all humankind and make obsolete the annual Passover of the Jews.
To complete the identification, John added the words: "This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me." John was six months older than Jesus. While still in the womb, John had acknowledged the pre-eminence of the coming Christ (Luke 1:41). Now he acknowledged his pre-existence.
But John had a problem (1:31-34). Even though he had been called to announce the coming messiah to Israel, he did not know who he was. First we see the problem stated (1:31): "I knew him not," he says. The day before, he had said to the delegation from the Sanhedrin and to those standing around that the messiah was right there, in their midst, one "whom ye know not" (1:26). In both cases he used the same root word to describe their ignorance and his. It is the word oida, which means "to know intuitively, without effort." Before he was enlightened he was as much without the knowledge of Christ as they were. He must have known who Jesus was, since Jesus was his cousin (Luke 1:36), or at least a relative. The circumstances surrounding his own birth and that of Jesus must surely have been known to John. The likelihood is, however, that they had never met or that they had not met for many years. John's self-exile to the wilderness to prepare himself for his ministry might account for that. In any case, we have his word for it that he had a problem. He would not recognize the messiah when he saw him. He was going to need special revelation from God to show who it was, who was the true messiah. He had this assurance, however, that "he should be made manifest to Israel" (1:31). On the strength of this assurance he had proceeded with his mission: calling the nation to repentance and baptizing his converts in the Jordan.
We see the problem solved (1:32-34) when the time came. When Jesus showed up to be baptized some six weeks before, God had given John the long-awaited sign (1:32-33). It had been made known to John that he would recognize the messiah by seeing the Holy Spirit descend on him and remain on him. What form the Holy Spirit would take remained to be seen. But as soon as Jesus came up out of the water at his baptism, John's doubts dissolved: "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him" (1:32).
Our thoughts go back to the story of Noah and the flood. The storms had passed, the billows subsided, and the ark rocked on the waters. Noah opened the ark's window and sent out a dove. That dove, like the Spirit of God who on creation's morning had brooded over the face of the deep, found no place where it could alight to rest. At last it returned to the ark.
Since Adam's fall the Spirit of God has moved on the face of the waters, brooding over a ruined race, looking for one on whom he could come to rest. The ages rolled on; kingdoms waxed and waned; generation after generation came and went, and not one child of Adam's kin could the Spirit find to give him rest. Then Jesus came. For thirty years the Holy Spirit was with him. Then, at his baptism, came the Father's benediction: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." With that the holy dove of God came down and abode upon him. At last he had found one on whom he could rest.
The word abode carries with it the idea of "remaining." The Holy Spirit came on individuals in Old Testament times to enlighten or empower. He came and went. His work was intermittent. He came to remain on the Lord Jesus.
At once John the baptist knew beyond all doubt that Jesus of Nazareth was the one whose coming he had been called to announce. "He that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost" (1:34). This linking of the water baptism, administered by John to repentant sinners, to the Spirit baptism, administered by Jesus to regenerated saints, should be noted in preparation for the Lord's impending midnight talk with Nicodemus (1:35).
The baptism of the Spirit is mentioned by all the evangelists. It took place on the day of Pentecost. It is that operation of the Holy Spirit which takes an individual believer in Christ and makes him or her a member of the mystical body of Christ, the church (1 Corinthians 12:13). It should not be confused with some mythical "second work of grace" or with some ecstatic experience that enables people to speak in tongues. People who adopt those views do violence to the text of Scripture; they play havoc with biblical terminology and misinterpret the baptism of the Spirit as defined by the Holy Spirit himself. The only direct doctrinal reference to this baptism is in 1 Corinthians 12:13, where its all-inclusiveness is clearly taught and its sole purpose explained. No mention of "tongues" is in any way found in this Holy Spirit-inspired definition of the baptism. (For further study of this subject and all relevant mentions of the Holy Spirit and "tongues" in Acts, see John Phillips, Exploring Acts, Chicago: Moody Press, 1986.)
Having told people about the sign, John the baptist boldly introduces his listeners to the Son (1:34). "And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God."
The Jews were looking for a messiah, but they thought that a human person might be that messiah. The messiah was, literally, "the anointed one." In the Old Testament, prophets, priests, and kings were anointed with oil. Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit.
The Jews were looking for a messenger, another Moses or Elijah, one who would come in the tradition of David or Daniel, one who would come after these men, the prophet to end all prophets. Jesus was not just one who came after these men; he was before them.
The Jews were looking for a monarch. They wanted a militant leader, one who would break the power of Rome and build an empire ruled from Jerusalem. Jesus was not just a ruler; he was a redeemer. He had come not just to set people free from servitude but from sin.
John proclaimed Jesus as the lamb of God and as the Son of God. He lifted the thoughts of thinking people to much higher ground than they had envisioned. Jesus is the Son of God in an absolute sense that is true of no other human being. His sonship, as set forth particularly in this gospel, is rooted in his eternal sonship. In other words, he whom John the baptist proclaimed to be the Son of God is the one we proclaim to be God, the Son, the second person of the godhead.
John Phillips Commentary Series, The - Exploring the Gospel of John: An Expository Commentary.
THE WITNESSES TO THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST, 1:1-51
»Front Matter »Book Intro
»Detailed Outline »Index
F. Jesus the Lamb of God, the Son of God: The Third Witness of John the Baptist, 1:29-34
(1:29-34) Introduction: John's witness about Jesus Christ is one of the greatest witnesses ever given by man. John was unmistakable in His proclamation of the Lord Jesus Christ (Luke 4:18-19).
1. Christ is the Lamb of God (v.29).
2. Christ is the Preeminent One (v.30-31).
3. Christ is the Messiah, the One upon whom the Spirit of God remained (v.32-33).
4. Christ is the Son of God (v.34).
1. (1:29) Jesus Christ, Lamb of God: Jesus Christ is the "Lamb of God." Down through the centuries "the Lamb of God" has been one of the most cherished symbols of Jesus Christ held by believers. There are four reasons for this.
1. The Lamb is a picture of Christ our Passover who was sacrificed for us.
"For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us" (1 Cor. 5:7).
Historically, the Passover refers back to the time when God delivered Israel from Egyptian bondage (Exodus 11:1f). God had pronounced judgment, the taking of the firstborn, upon the people of Egypt for their injustices. As He prepared to execute the final judgment, the faithful, those who believed God, were instructed to slay a pure lamb and sprinkle its blood over the door posts of their homes. The blood of the innocent lamb would then serve as a sign that the coming judgment had already been carried out. When seeing the blood, God would pass over that house. Those who believed God applied the blood to their homes and were saved, but those who did not believe did not apply the blood to their homes and their firstborn were destroyed.
Symbolically, the Passover pictured the coming of Jesus Christ as the Savior. The lamb without blemish pictured His sinless life (cp. 1:29), and the blood sprinkled on the door posts pictured His blood shed for the believer. It was a sign that the life and blood of the innocent lamb had been substituted for the firstborn. The eating of the lamb pictured the need for spiritual nourishment gained by feeding on Christ, the Bread of Life. The unleavened bread (bread without yeast) pictured the need for putting evil out of one's life and household. (See Deeper Study #1, Feast of Unleavened Bread—Matthew 26:17.)
The major point to note is this: it was the blood of the lamb that saved the people. The lamb was sacrificed; that is, its blood was shed as a substitute for the people. The lamb symbolized Christ our Passover who was sacrificed for us. If we believe and apply His blood to our hearts and homes, He saves us. If we do not believe and do not apply the blood to our hearts and homes, we are destroyed. It is the Lamb of God who was sacrificed for us; it is His blood which saves us.
2. The Lamb is a picture of the precious blood of Christ which redeems us.
"Ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things....but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot" (1 Peter 1:18-19).
Historically, two lambs were sacrificed "day by day continually...the one...in the morning; and the other...at even" (Exodus 29:38-39). The sacrifice of the two lambs, the shedding of their precious blood, became a substitute for the people. The people knew their sins had separated them from God and that their sins had to be removed before they could be reconciled to God. Thus, symbolically, the sins of the people were removed from the people and placed upon the two animals. The animals, without blemish and without spot, had the sins of the people placed upon them; and symbolically, they bore the judgment of sin, which was death. They were sacrificed for sin, and by their death, they symbolically set the people free by redeeming them from their sins. (But note a critical point. It was not the deed that caused God to remove the sins, but the faith of the person in God's Word that He would remove the sins.)
This, of course, is a picture of Christ. (Cp. Isaiah 53:6-7; Jeremiah 11:19; Acts 8:32; 1 Cor. 5:7; Hebrews 9:28; 1 Peter 2:22-24; Rev. 5:6; Rev. 6:1; Rev. 7:9; Rev. 12:11; Rev. 13:8; Rev. 14:1; Rev. 15:3; Rev. 17:14; Rev. 19:9; Rev. 21:22.) Jesus Christ is...
• the perfect Lamb of God, without sin (blemish or spot). (See note—Jesus Christ, Sinless—•John 8:45-47.)
• the One upon whom the sins of the people were placed.
• the One who bore the judgment for sin, which was death.
• the One who was sacrificed for sin.
• the One whose death sets people free by redeeming them.
• the One whose blood is counted precious both by God and believers.
It should be noted that Christ willingly offered Himself as the sacrificial Lamb, as our substitute and sin-bearer; and God willingly accepted the offering and sacrifice of His Son for us (John 10:17-18). God is satisfied with the settlement for sin that Christ made. If any person really believes the blood of Christ to be precious—really believes that the blood of Christ covers his sins—God will take that person's belief and count it as righteousness. That person is counted righteous by God (see Deeper Study #1—Romans 4:22, Deeper Study #2—Romans 4:22; note—• Romans 5:1; note—• 1 John 2:1-2).
3. The "Lamb of God" is not of men, but of God (tou theou PWS: 2742). The idea is that the Lamb belonged to God; that is, God gave, supplied, and provided the Lamb for sacrifice. (Cp. Genesis 22:8 where God provided the lamb for Abraham as a substitute for Isaac.)
This glorious truth speaks volumes on...
• the unbelievable love of God for man (John 3:16; Romans 5:1).
• the great sacrifice and humiliation Christ underwent for man (Phil. 2:6-8; 1 Peter 2:24).
• the forgiveness of sins and salvation which came from God's grace and not from man's resources and works (Ephes. 2:8-9; Titus 2:4-7).
• the deity of Christ, His being of God (see Master Subject Index, Jesus Christ, Deity).
4. The "Lamb of God" takes away the sin of the world.
a. The phrase "takes away" (airōn PWS: 3891) means to lift away, to carry off. It means to bear in behalf of one, as one's substitute. Jesus Christ was the sacrificial Lamb of God who bore our sins. He lifted our sins off of us and bore and carried them away.
"Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed" (1 Peter 2:24).
"So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation" (Hebrews 9:28).
b. The word "sin" (hamartian PWS: 3570) is singular, not plural. All the sins of the world are taken and placed into one package. The whole package of sin—all the sin of every man who has ever lived—was laid upon and borne by Christ.
"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin" (1 John 1:7).
c. The world is looked at as a whole. Christ bore the sins of the whole world, not the sins of just some men. No matter the depth and ugliness of a man's sin, Christ bore the sins of the whole world.
"My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world" (1 John 2:1-2).
Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - John.
John 1:30-31 (NLT2) 30 He is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘A man is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.’ 31 I did not recognize him as the Messiah, but I have been baptizing with water so that he might be revealed to Israel.”
John 1:30-31 (KJV) 30 This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me. 31 And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.
John 1:30-31 (MSG) 30 "Here he is, God's Passover Lamb! He forgives the sins of the world! This is the man I've been talking about, 'the One who comes after me but is really ahead of me.' 31 I knew nothing about who he was—only this: that my task has been to get Israel ready to recognize him as the God-Revealer. That is why I came here baptizing with water, giving you a good bath and scrubbing sins from your life so you can get a fresh start with God."
John 1:30-31 (PassionNTPsa) 30 The very next day John saw Jesus coming to him to be baptized, and John cried out, “Look! There he is—God’s Lamb! He will take away the sins of the world! I told you that a Mighty One would come who is far greater than I am, because he existed long before I was born! My baptism was for the preparation of his appearing to Israel, even though I’ve yet to experience him.” 31 The very next day John saw Jesus coming to him to be baptized, and John cried out, “Look! There he is—God’s Lamb! He will take away the sins of the world! I told you that a Mighty One would come who is far greater than I am, because he existed long before I was born! My baptism was for the preparation of his appearing to Israel, even though I’ve yet to experience him.”
1:30-31. John 1:30 is a restatement of John 1:15, emphasizing again John the Baptist's claim of the priority of Christ. John admitted that he did not know his own cousin was the Messiah until Jesus' baptism in the desert.
Holman New Testament Commentary - John.
2. (1:30-31) Jesus Christ, Preeminent: Jesus Christ is the Preeminent One, the One before all. Note what John said.
1. John said that Christ "was before me"; that is, He existed before me. He was the Preexistent One, the Eternal God (see note—•John 1:15 for discussion).
2. John did not know who the Messiah would be, only that the Messiah was to come. Note that John knew Jesus personally; they were cousins (Luke 1:36). However, John did not know that his cousin, Jesus, was to be the Messiah. Note another fact: how faithful John was! He was a man of strong faith. He had never seen the Messiah, yet he went about his mission of preaching and baptizing. He acted on God's Word and on God's Word alone, believing that the Messiah would come.
Thought 1. Christ is the Preeminent One, the Eternal God. Believers must follow the example of John and...
• declare that Christ is before all.
• believe God's promise: the Messiah has come.
• act, and get about their mission of proclaiming Christ.
Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - John.
John 1:32-34 (NLT2) 32 Then John testified, “I saw the Holy Spirit descending like a dove from heaven and resting upon him. 33 I didn’t know he was the one, but when God sent me to baptize with water, he told me, ‘The one on whom you see the Spirit descend and rest is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I saw this happen to Jesus, so I testify that he is the Chosen One of God.”
John 1:32-34 (KJV) 32 And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. 33 And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. 34 And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.
John 1:32-34 (MSG) 32 John clinched his witness with this: "I watched the Spirit, like a dove flying down out of the sky, making himself at home in him. 33 I repeat, I know nothing about him except this: The One who authorized me to baptize with water told me, 'The One on whom you see the Spirit come down and stay, this One will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' 34 That's exactly what I saw happen, and I'm telling you, there's no question about it: This is the Son of God."
John 1:32-34 (PassionNTPsa) 32 Then, as John baptized Jesus he spoke these words: “I see the Spirit of God appear like a dove descending from the heavenly realm and landing upon him—and it rested upon him from that moment forward! And even though I’ve yet to experience him, when I was commissioned to baptize with water God spoke these words to me, ‘One day you will see the Spirit descend and remain upon a man. He will be the One I have sent to baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ And now I have seen with discernment. I can tell you for sure that this man is the Son of God.” 33 Then, as John baptized Jesus he spoke these words: “I see the Spirit of God appear like a dove descending from the heavenly realm and landing upon him—and it rested upon him from that moment forward! And even though I’ve yet to experience him, when I was commissioned to baptize with water God spoke these words to me, ‘One day you will see the Spirit descend and remain upon a man. He will be the One I have sent to baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ And now I have seen with discernment. I can tell you for sure that this man is the Son of God.” 34 Then, as John baptized Jesus he spoke these words: “I see the Spirit of God appear like a dove descending from the heavenly realm and landing upon him—and it rested upon him from that moment forward! And even though I’ve yet to experience him, when I was commissioned to baptize with water God spoke these words to me, ‘One day you will see the Spirit descend and remain upon a man. He will be the One I have sent to baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ And now I have seen with discernment. I can tell you for sure that this man is the Son of God.”
1:32 the Spirit descending. God had previously communicated to John that this sign was to indicate the promised Messiah (v. 33), so when John witnessed this act, he was able to identify the Messiah as Jesus (cf. Mt 3:16; Mk 1:10; Lk 3:22).
1:34 the Son of God. Although, in a limited sense, believers can be called "sons of God" (e.g., v. 12; Mt 5:9; Ro 8:14), John uses this phrase with the full force as a title that points to the unique oneness and intimacy that Jesus sustains to the Father as "Son." The term carries the idea of the deity of Jesus as Messiah (v. 49; 5:16-30; cf. 2Sa 7:14; Ps 2:7; see Heb 1:1-9 [notes]).
The MacArthur Study Bible.
1:32-34. The baptism of Jesus (see also Matt. 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22) took place before this announcement of John 1. The purpose of his baptism, according to Jesus himself, was to fulfill all righteousness—to demonstrate his consecration to the heavenly Father and approval by him. God had obviously given John a direct revelation, telling him that when he saw the dove come down during the baptism he would know the Son of God. Dods treats the union of the Son and Spirit in the charming language of an earlier day:
Why was the Spirit needed in a personality of which the Word, who had been with God and known God, was the basis? Because the humanity of Christ was a true humanity. Being human, he must be indebted to the Spirit for all impartation to His human nature of what is Divine. The knowledge of God which the Word possesses by experience must be humanly apprehended before it can be communicated to men; and this human apprehension can only be arrived at in the case of Christ by the enlightenment of the Spirit... By the Spirit He was enlightened to speak of things divine; and this Spirit, interposed, as it were, between the Word and the human nature of Jesus, was as little cumbrous in its operation or perceptible in consciousness as our breath interposed between the thinking mind and the words we speak to declare our mind (Dods, I, pp. 49-50).
John the Gospel writer continues chapter 1 in high drama. The first people who saw Jesus as the Messiah observed him not in monarchial splendor, but as a Lamb. John the Baptist tells us this Lamb came to take away the sin of the world, that he first revealed himself to Israel, and that he is the Son of God. How easy it would have been to speak in lofty theological language of Old Testament themes. But John wanted no misunderstanding among his hearers, either disciples or religious leaders, so he affirmed what he knew: I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God.
Holman New Testament Commentary - John.
3. (1:32-33) Holy Spirit: Jesus Christ is the Messiah, the One upon whom the Holy Spirit of God remained. Note several facts.
1. This is the "record," the strong witness of John.
2. The dove was a sacred bird to the Jews. It was a symbol of peace and gentleness, of purity and innocence; but even more significant, the dove was often identified with the Spirit of God. When the dove descended upon Christ, it symbolized the Spirit of God Himself descending upon Christ. The dove identified Jesus as the Messiah and endued Him with the power of God (see outline—• Mark 1:9-10 and notes—• Mark 1:9-10).
1. (1:9) Decision— Sacrifice— Surrender— Jesus Christ— Baptism: Jesus' baptism involved a decision and a s urrender, a momentous decision and a total surrender. Note the words "Jesus came from Nazareth...and was baptized in Jordan." In Nazareth Jesus had all that most people dream about: a happy home, a close-knit family, a profitable occupation (carpenter), friends, and all the fond memories that accumulate through the years of childhood and youth. Yet He left it all; He left Nazareth to be baptized by John in the Jordan. Why? Within Jesus' mind was the call of God to launch the mission to save the world, a mission that demanded the sacrifice of everything:
⇒ the sacrifice of all that He had in Nazareth.
⇒ the sacrifice of a long earthly life. By choosing the mission of God, He was to be killed in only thirty-six months.
⇒ the sacrifice of His Godly righteousness. He was to become the sin-bearer for the world (see note, Justification—• Romans 5:1; note—• 1 Peter 2:21-24).
⇒ the sacrifice of God's presence. In death God was to forsake Him (see note—• Matthew 27:46-49).
It was a momentous decision for Jesus to leave Nazareth and be baptized.
⇒ By being baptized Jesus was leaving Nazareth and surrendering totally to God's will and mission to save the world.
⇒ By being baptized Jesus was showing what is involved in paying the ultimate price: the price of sacrificing oneself totally for the will of God.
⇒ By being baptized Jesus was showing to the world what is involved in making a momentous decision and a total surrender to God.
Thought 1. The decision to follow Jesus is a momentous decision. It involves the total surrender of all we are and have. If we genuinely decide for Jesus, we pay the price of sacrificing self completely. However, we must remember: a decision not to follow Christ will lead to discontent and drifting, a wasted and tragic life.
"And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me" (Luke 9:23).
"So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple" (Luke 14:33).
"For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live" (Romans 8:13).
"And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts" (Galatians 5:24).
"Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ" (Phil. 3:8).
2. (1:9) Jesus Christ— Baptism: Jesus' baptism involved a beginning and an identification. His baptism was a beginning in that it was the beginning of a new life, a new direction in His life. His baptism was launching the mission of God to save the world. It was an identification in that He was identifying with John's ministry. John was proclaiming the coming of the Messiah, the Lamb of God. Through baptism Jesus was identifying Himself as the Messiah, the Lamb of God (see note—• Matthew 3:13; note—• Matthew 3:15).
Thought 1. The decision to follow Jesus involves both baptism and the identifying of ourselves with Jesus the Messiah, the Lamb of God. If Jesus had not been baptized, He would not have identified Himself as the Messiah, nor would He have been known as the Messiah. How much more with us. If we are not baptized, we do not identify ourselves with Jesus, nor are we known to be identified with Jesus.
"He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned" (Mark 16:16).
"Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost" (Acts 2:38).
"And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days" (Acts 10:48).
"And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord" (Acts 22:16).
3. (1:10) Jesus Christ— Baptism: Jesus' baptism involved a commissioning and an empowering. This is seen in the heavens opening and the Spirit descending upon Him.
Jesus' commissioning was a dramatic moment. The word "opened" (schizamenous PWS: 2781) really means rent asunder or torn apart. This could mean two things.
1. It could mean a moment like the rays of sunlight breaking through the clouds ever so brilliantly after a thunderstorm.
2. It could mean a moment when God miraculously tore apart the barrier between heaven and earth, and allowed Jesus to see into the glory of heaven from where He had come.
Whatever the meaning, Jesus was being commissioned and set apart by heaven itself. God was giving His Son an experience that would make the commissioning unquestionable and unforgettable.
The empowering of Jesus was also a very dramatic moment. The Spirit of God descended upon Jesus in the form of a dove. This event was not only identifying Jesus as the Messiah, it was declaring that the Spirit of God and His power were upon Jesus. This man, Jesus of Nazareth, was being empowered by God's very own Spirit to do the work of God (see note—• John 1:32-33).
There was also something else symbolized in the dove. The work which Jesus was to do would be the work of peace and purity (again, see note—• John 1:32-33 for the symbolism of the dove). (Note: Luke 3:21 points out that the Spirit came to Jesus while He was praying after having been baptized. The Spirit's descending upon Him, not in Him, was definitely an empowering experience as well as an identifying experience.)
Thought 1. Every true believer is commissioned and empowered by God to do the work of God. Some commissioning experiences are dramatic (the heavens are torn apart); other experiences are not so dramatic (the still small voice of God's Spirit tugs at the heart with an awareness that one is called). Nevertheless, every true believer is commissioned and empowered by God's Spirit.
The awareness of the commission and power, however, is a different matter. Too many are not aware of God's commission and of the Spirit's presence within. What makes the difference? The first two points: one's decision and submission, one's beginning and identification. Too many of us lack a consistent commitment in both steps. As a result, we wander through life unaware of God's commission and the presence of God's Spirit empowering us to do the task.
⇒ Too many of us do not make a decision to follow Christ totally; we do not surrender all we are and have to Christ. Therefore, we are not aware of the great call and commission of Christ.
⇒ Too many of us do not begin with Christ; we just never identify with Him. We may be baptized, but we never follow through with Christ. The world never knows that we are a follower of Christ, not a committed, genuine follower.
"Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you" (John 15:16).
"But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth" (Acts 1:8).
"But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee" (Acts 26:16).
"Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God" (2 Cor. 5:20).
"Also I heard the voice of the LORD, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me" (Isaiah 6:8).
Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - Mark.
3. In the Old Testament the Spirit of God came upon men only on special occasions. He never came and remained upon men. John went out of his way to point out that the Spirit's descent upon Christ was unique: He abode (John 1:32) and He remained upon Christ (John 1:33). The Holy Spirit entered the life of Christ once-for-all, permanently and powerfully, in His full manifestation and unlimited power.
Thought 1. When a person is baptized by the Holy Spirit into Christ, the Holy Spirit enters the life of the believer and becomes a permanent experience of the believer.
"Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. These things I command you, that ye love one another" (John 15:16).
"Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you" (John 16:7).
"But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness" (Romans 8:9-10).
"For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit" (1 Cor. 12:13).
4. John repeated, he did not know who the Messiah would be. God's sign to John was the Holy Spirit coming upon the Messiah in the form of a dove.
5. Christ is the One who baptizes believers with the Holy Spirit.
Thought 1. It is the person who receives the Spirit of God that has the presence and care of God looking over his life (see notes—•John 14:15-26; notes—•John 16:7-15; Deeper Study #1—Acts 2:1-4; note—• Romans 8:1-17).
4. (1:34) Jesus Christ, Son of God: Jesus Christ is the Son of God. (See note—•John 1:1-2; note—•John 10:30-33; note—• Phil. 2:6; note—• Phil. 2:7 for more discussion.) What did John mean by "the Son of God"? Note the definite article. Christ is the Son, not a son of God. He is...
• the only Son.
• the only begotten Son.
• the only begotten Son who came from the very bosom of God, that is from the deepest part, from the most intimate place, from the most honorable fellowship of God.
John 1:35-39 (NLT2) 35 The following day John was again standing with two of his disciples. 36 As Jesus walked by, John looked at him and declared, “Look! There is the Lamb of God!” 37 When John’s two disciples heard this, they followed Jesus. 38 Jesus looked around and saw them following. “What do you want?” he asked them. They replied, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?” 39 “Come and see,” he said. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon when they went with him to the place where he was staying, and they remained with him the rest of the day.
John 1:35-39 (KJV) 35 Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples; 36 And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God! 37 And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 38 Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou? 39 He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour.
John 1:35-39 (MSG) 35 The next day John was back at his post with two disciples, who were watching. 36 He looked up, saw Jesus walking nearby, and said, "Here he is, God's Passover Lamb." 37 The two disciples heard him and went after Jesus. 38 Jesus looked over his shoulder and said to them, "What are you after?" They said, "Rabbi" (which means "Teacher"), "where are you staying?" 39 He replied, "Come along and see for yourself." They came, saw where he was living, and ended up staying with him for the day. It was late afternoon when this happened.
John 1:35-39 (PassionNTPsa with notes)
Jesus’ First Followers
35–36 The very next day John was there again with two of his disciples as Jesus was walking right past them. John, gazing upon him, pointed to Jesus and said, “Look! There’s God’s Lamb!”
37 And as soon as John’s two disciples heard this, they immediately left John and began to follow a short distance behind Jesus.
38 Then Jesus turned around and saw they were following him and asked, “What do you want?”[a] This is the first recorded saying of Jesus in the Gospels. It is a question that should be asked to every follower of Jesus: “What do you want in following me?” Do we want something only for ourselves? A ministry? Answers to prayer? Or do we simply want to be with him? Their answer, “Where are you staying?” shows that they were seeking only him. The first question God asked to Adam and Eve was, “Where are you?” The first words of the God-man were, “What do you want?” - They responded, “Rabbi (which means, Master Teacher [b] The parenthetical words are added by the author, John. Rabbi is an honorific term that means more than teacher. The Aramaic word is best translated “Master,” or “Master Teacher.”), where are you staying?” [c] Or “Where do you abide?” This is the same word used in John 15:4 where it refers to life-union, to be joined to Jesus as the living vine. Jesus wants everyone to come and discover where he “abides” in life-union with his Father.
39 Jesus answered, “Come and discover for yourselves.” So they went with him and saw where he was staying, and since it was late in the afternoon, they spent the rest of the day with Jesus.
1:35-51 This portion deals with John's witness to a third group, i.e., some of John's disciples, on the third day (see vv. 19-28, 29-34 for the first and second groups) regarding Jesus. Consistent with John's humility (v. 27), he focuses the attention of his own disciples onto Jesus (v. 37).
1:37 they followed Jesus. Although the verb "follow" usually means "to follow as a disciple" in the writing of the apostle (v. 43; 8:12; 12:26; 21:19, 20, 22), it may also have a neutral sense (11:31). The "following" here does not necessarily mean that they became permanent disciples at this time. The implication may be that they went after Jesus to examine Him more closely because of John's testimony. This event constituted a preliminary exposure of John the Baptist's disciples to Jesus (e.g., Andrew; 1:40). They eventually dedicated their lives to Him as true disciples and apostles when Jesus called them to permanent service after these events (Mt 4:18-22; 9:9; Mk 1:16-20). At this point in the narrative, John the Baptist fades from the scene and the attention focuses upon the ministry of Christ.
1:39 the tenth hour. John is reckoning time by the Roman method of the day beginning at midnight. See Mk 15:25 [note]. This would make the time about 10:00 a.m. John mentions the precise time most likely to emphasize that he was the other disciple of John the Baptist who was with Andrew (v. 40). As an eyewitness to these events occurring on 3 successive days, John's first meeting with Jesus was so life-changing that he remembered the exact hour when he first met the Lord.
The MacArthur Study Bible.
1:35-39. John's Gospel does not say much about the calling of Jesus' disciples, but the remainder of chapter 1 introduces several of them. The spotlight falls on two of John's followers, quite possibly one of them the author of these words. Upon hearing their leader announce the second time that Jesus was God's Lamb, they both left John and followed Jesus, only to have their motives challenged. Rabbi was a term of great respect, acknowledging Jesus as a master teacher.
The text seems to suggest that these two disciples spent the evening with the Lord (the tenth hour would have been 4 p.m.)—an evening which led to their affirmation that he was indeed the Messiah. The evening also led to witness, since Andrew began his ministry with family evangelism by bringing his brother to Jesus.
Holman New Testament Commentary - John.
B. The Fruitfulness of His Testimony (1:35-51)
The apostle John turns now from the faithfulness of John the baptist's testimony to a consideration of the fruitfulness of that testimony. Some of the Lord's earliest disciples had previously been disciples of John the baptist. John the apostle was one of these. The greatness of John's fruitfulness is seen in two phrases, "They heard him [John]" and "they followed Jesus" (1:37). That should be the primary objective of every evangelist, soul-winner, pastor, teacher, deacon, and elder. When people hear us, they should follow Jesus.
1. Disciples of John in View (1:35-39)
We consider, first, these disciples of John and how they found the Lord (1:35-37). John the apostle, now living far from his native land, thinks back to that memorable period in his younger years.
It was "the next day," the third day in a series of days shortly before the Passover. On the first day in the series we have a delegation, the representatives of the Sanhedrin, questioning and challenging John the baptist. On the second day we have a declaration, John the baptist formally presenting Jesus as lamb of God and Son of God. Now on this third day we have a decision. Two of John the baptist's followers leave him in order to become followers of Jesus. It was John the baptist who promoted this move. He saw Jesus walking nearby. The word for "looking upon" Jesus is emblepo, which means "to fix one's gaze upon" or "to give a penetrating look." The only other time the word occurs in the gospel is in verse 42, where the Lord Jesus is said to have given the same kind of searching look at Simon. As far as we know, this was the last time John the baptist ever saw Jesus. John's gaze was accompanied by an exclamation: "Behold the Lamb of God!" That was all. The public declaration of the preceding day now became a personal direction to his disciples. Two of them instantly transferred their allegiance to Jesus (1:37), won to him, significantly, not by a declaration of his deity but by a declaration of his death and atoning sacrifice.
We note, next, how they followed the Lord (1:38-39). One of the two is identified as Andrew. The other remains unnamed, though there can be little doubt it was John himself, the author of this gospel. He never names himself except in the book of Revelation. The narrative bears the marks of one who was there and for whom every small detail still lived in his memory. From this time on in the gospel, John speaks as an eyewitness, though he withholds his name (1:40; 13:23, 25; 19:26, 35; 20:2, 4, 8; 21:7, 20, 24).
The Lord, knowing that he was being trailed, turned around and confronted these two. "What seek ye?" he asked. Those are his first words in this gospel. Probably the two men were so awed by the thought of who this one really was that they did not dare to speak to him directly. If so, he opened the door for them. John, of course, knew who Jesus was on the purely human level. But the words of John the baptist had set Jesus worlds apart from him. Andrew, too, probably knew him or at least knew of him. He and his brother Simon were business partners of John and his brother James. Now the words of John the baptist, identifying Jesus as lamb of God and Son of God, put awe in the hearts of both these men.
Andrew spoke for both of them; he addressed Jesus as "Rabbi" (Master). "Where dwellest thou?" Evidently Andrew felt that the issues now being confronted were too momentous to be discussed out there in public. He wanted a more personal and private setting. Where could he find this wondrous messiah again? Already he had someone in mind he wanted to bring to Jesus.
The Lord responded with an invitation: "Come and see" (1:39) or "Come and ye shall see." The two men responded at once. This was John's spiritual birthday and to the end of his days he could remember the exact time, "the tenth hour." We cannot be sure whether John was using Hebrew time or Roman time. If it was Hebrew time it was four p.m.; if Roman time it was ten a.m. The likelihood is that it was Roman time. In any case they spent the rest of the day with Jesus and left determined to waste no time in bringing others to Christ.
John Phillips Commentary Series, The - Exploring the Gospel of John: An Expository Commentary.
THE WITNESSES TO THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST, 1:1-51
G. Jesus the Messiah, the Christ: The Witness of Andrew, 1:35-42
(1:35-42) Introduction: this was Andrew's discovery of Jesus. He discovered that Jesus was the Messiah, the Christ. (See Deeper Study #6, Andrew—Mark 3:18 for more discussion.)
1. Andrew's experience (v.35-37).
2. Andrew's critical hour (v.38-39).
3. Andrew's great decision: he came and saw Christ and remained (v.39-40).
4. Andrew's first concern: his brother (v.41).
5. Andrew's conviction: Jesus was the Messiah (v.41).
6. Andrew's fruit: Simon was brought to Jesus and was reaped (v.42).
1. (1:35-37) Andrew: there was Andrew's experience. His experience was simple, somewhat like the experience of many who come to Christ.
1. Andrew "stood" where preaching was. Note the word "stood" (John 1:35). John had been holding his campaign around the Jordan. Andrew, who had an ache for the Word of God, had become interested in what was happening and had attended the meetings, and had at some point became a follower of this preacher of righteousness. The point to see is that Andrew hungered for righteousness; therefore, he availed himself of the opportunity to hear preaching. He "stood" right in the midst of preaching. He was there to hear the Messiah proclaimed.
2. Andrew "heard him [the preacher] speak." He was listening to the message, not allowing his mind to ramble elsewhere. He was alert and awake; therefore, when the announcement of the Messiah came, he was ready. Note also the message: "Behold the Lamb of God." It was the message of the Messiah's sacrificial death (see note—•John 1:29).
3. Andrew "followed Jesus." The word "followed" (ēkolouthēsan PWS: 1547) is in the Greek aorist tense, meaning a once-for-all act. Andrew was turning to Jesus, ready to make a commitment to Him. He wanted to become a disciple of Jesus.
Thought 1. The same three steps must be taken by each of us.
1) A person must stand where the Word, Christ Himself, is preached. A person must have a hunger that drives him to preaching, a hunger that drives him to stay alert and awake to hear the Word proclaimed.
2) A person must hear the Word, the announcement: the Lamb of God has come to take away the sin of the world.
3) A person must follow Jesus.
"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" (John 8:12).
"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me" (John 10:27).
"If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour" (John 12:26).
"Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain upon the earth" (Hosea 6:3).
Thought 2. Two things will cause a man to miss Christ.
1) Not standing where Christ is preached: standing elsewhere in the world, in self, in the flesh; standing in the midst of those who do not care for Christ nor for the preaching of the Word.
2) Not hearing: allowing the mind to wander, being sleepy-eyed, disinterested, distracted, not paying attention.
Thought 3. Note several significant facts about John.
1) His message was Christ, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.
2) His purpose was to point people, even his own followers, to Christ. He wanted people to be where they could receive and grow the most. (How different from so many ministers!)
3) His spirit was filled with enormous humility. He was completely selfless. He pointed His own followers to Christ and encouraged them to follow Him.
"Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things....but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot" (1 Peter 1:18-19).
2. (1:38-39) Andrew— Seeking Christ— Invitation: there was Andrew's critical hour. This is a most graphic picture: it shows the great eagerness of Jesus to reach men. Jesus longs for men to come to Him and He longs to reach out to help them in their coming. Note: Jesus was walking some distance away and Andrew and his friend were following behind Jesus. Jesus did three things that demonstrated His great eagerness.
1. "Jesus turned" to face them. This was a clear demonstration of His open arms, His willingness, and His eagerness for them to join Him. He knew their hearts had just been stirred to reach out to Him and to follow Him, so He immediately snapped around to face them and help them. (Cp. Luke 15:20.)
2. Jesus asked the basic question of life: "What seek ye?" He did not ask, Whom seek ye? but
"What seek ye?" What are you after? Are you seeking...
• meaning, purpose, and significance in life?
• a religion of self-improvement and human development?
• rules and regulations and laws of righteousness?
• fellowship and companionship?
• deliverance from trials and trouble and suffering?
• approval and acceptance of God?
• blessings from God, His care and provision and security?
Note what Andrew and his friend asked: "Rabbi...where dwellest thou [pou meneis PWS: 1191]?" They had never met Jesus before, yet they called Him Master or Teacher, acknowledging His position as their Teacher. They were not asking for a simple conversation by the side of the road. They were asking to join Him in the quiet of His home, to open and pour out their hearts to Him and for Him to become their teacher. They wanted Him to meet the crying need of their heart, and to do such in the quiet confines of His dwelling.
"That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us" (Acts 17:27).
"But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul" (Deut. 4:29).
"Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near" (Isaiah 55:6).
"And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart" (Jeremiah 29:13).
3. Jesus extended the invitation: "Come and see." The invitation was immediate: it was while Andrew and his friend were attracted to Jesus. They were invited to Jesus while they sensed their need. Jesus did not postpone their request nor leave them hanging.
"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).
"Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord; though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool" (Isaiah 1:18).
"Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price" (Isaiah 55:1).
"And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely" (Rev. 22:17).
Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - John.
John 1:40-41 (NLT2) 40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of these men who heard what John said and then followed Jesus. 41 Andrew went to find his brother, Simon, and told him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means “Christ”).
John 1:40-41 (KJV) 40 One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41 He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.
John 1:40-41 (MSG) 40 Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who heard John's witness and followed Jesus. 41 The first thing he did after finding where Jesus lived was find his own brother, Simon, telling him, "We've found the Messiah" (that is, "Christ").
John 1:40-41 (PassionNTPsa)
40–41 One of the two disciples who heard John’s words and began to follow Jesus was a man named Andrew.[a] Andrew means “brave.” - He went and found his brother, Simon, and told him, “We have found the Anointed One!”[b] Or “Messiah.” The word messiah is taken from the Hebrew verb, “to anoint with oil.” Jesus Christ is the One anointed to deliver, to save, and to reconcile us back to God. (Which is translated, the Christ.)
1:41 Messiah. The term "Messiah" is a transliteration of a Heb. or Aram. verbal adjective that means "Anointed One." It comes from a verb that means "to anoint" someone as an action involved in consecrating that person to a particular office or function. While the term at first applied to the king of Israel ("the Lord's anointed"—1Sa 16:6), the High-Priest ("the anointed priest," Lv 4:3) and, in one passage, the patriarchs ("my anointed ones," Ps 105:15), the term eventually came to point above all to the prophesied "Coming One" or "Messiah" in His role as prophet, priest, and king. The term "Christ," a Gr. word (verbal adjective) that comes from a verb meaning "to anoint," is used in translating the Heb. term, so that the terms "Messiah" or "Christ" are titles and not personal names of Jesus.
The MacArthur Study Bible.
1:40-42. Jesus, these disciples would learn, sometimes issued shocking statements. The first thing he did with Peter was to change his name. Cephas, the Aramaic form, became Peter, the Greek version. Both names mean "rock." Andrew was the first disciple to follow Jesus, but he is never mentioned first in any list of the disciples in the New Testament. Peter, on the other hand, rose to dominance in the Jerusalem church. He was hardly a rock when Jesus called him, but he became that after Pentecost.
Holman New Testament Commentary - John.
2. Disciples of Jesus in View (1:40-51)
We look first at how Peter was drawn to Jesus (1:40-42). One can picture Andrew and John hurrying away from this momentous meeting. Andrew is saying, "I must tell Simon." John is saying, "I'm going to get James." This is implied by the next verse: "He [Andrew] first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messiah" (1:41). Now that phrase, "Andrew first findeth his own brother," can legitimately be rephrased, "Andrew findeth first his own brother." The implication is not that he found his own brother before he did anything else or went after somebody else. The implication is that Andrew found his brother first, that is, before John found his brother. It is well within the meaning of the text that both Andrew and John brought a brother to Jesus but that Andrew was first to do so.
"And he brought him to Jesus," John says, characteristically telling us about Andrew's convert rather than his own. Andrew's convert became the first messenger of the church; John's convert became the first martyr among the apostles.
There can be no doubt that the day of Peter's conversion was a notable day in heaven—almost as notable as the day of Paul's conversion. For Simon Peter preached that famous pentecostal sermon which won three thousand people to Christ in a single day and gave the infant church its first major influx of members.
The Lord looked searchingly at Andrew's big blustering brother. He identified him at once and then gave him a new name which completely eclipsed the old one: "Thou art Simon, the son of Jona [an Aramaic form of the name John]; thou shalt be called Cephas [the Aramaic form of the name Peter]." The word for "Peter" is petros meaning a movable stone, not a rock (petra). It was an indication of what Christ intended to do for impulsive, easily swayed Simon. He was going to give him a rocklike character.
On this important day three (or more likely four) men were attached to Jesus. Three of them (Peter, James, and John) became his most intimate disciples. This was the first day of the Lord's public ministry. The Lord established a personal relationship with these men at this time. Later, as the synoptist writers record, he would call them to fulltime service (Matthew 4:18-22; Mark 1:16-20; Luke 5:1-11).
John Phillips Commentary Series, The - Exploring the Gospel of John: An Expository Commentary.
3. (1:39-40) Decision: there was Andrew's great decision. He "came and saw" and "remained" with Jesus. There are three significant facts here.
1. Andrew "came" to Jesus. He accepted the invitation. He walked up to Jesus and walked along with Him in order to see just where Jesus did dwell.
Thought 1. Note two critical points.
1) Andrew had to accept the invitation.
2) Andrew had to be willing to "see" where Jesus dwelt and to let Jesus lead him to His dwelling place.
"For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation" (2 Cor. 6:2).
"But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O LORD, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation" (Psalm 69:13).
2. The word "see" (opsesthe PWS: 3405) was a promise: "ye shall see." Jesus was talking about much more than just seeing where He lived. He was talking about seeing the truth and learning of Him. Andrew was being assured, if he would come, that he would most definitely see and learn the truth of life. The Lord guaranteed it. (See Deeper Study #2, See—John 20:20.)
DEEPER STUDY #2
(20:20) See (eido PWS: 3381): means more than mere sight. It is seeing with understanding. It is the very same word used of John when he saw and believed (cp. John 20:8).
Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - John.
"For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (2 Cor. 4:6).
"The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power" (Ephes. 1:18-19).
"But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy" (1 Peter 2:9-10).
3. Andrew and his friend "abode with him," that is, by Jesus' side, in His presence. They received of Him and He met their needs. Note a significant fact: this confrontation with Jesus changed their lives forever. This is seen in that the very hour is still remembered fifty or more years later (see Deeper Study #1—John 1:39). Andrew and his friend committed their lives to Jesus.
"But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name" (John 1:12).
"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13).
"And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me" (Luke 9:23).
DEEPER STUDY #1 (1:39) John the Apostle— Confrontation— Conversion
4. (1:41) Witnessing— Family: Andrew's first concern was his brother Peter. The scene was striking. Immediately, as quickly as he could after discovering Jesus for himself, Andrew rushed to find his own brother, Simon.
1. Andrew had met Jesus personally, and Jesus had met the crying need of his heart. Andrew could not contain the peace and joy; he just had to tell his loved ones immediately. He wanted them also to experience the love and joy and peace of Jesus.
2. Andrew was a great witness, a great personal worker for the Lord. He was always seen bringing someone to Jesus (cp. John 6:8; John 12:22).
"And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men" (Matthew 4:19).
"For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10).
"Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you" (John 20:21).
"And of some have compassion, making a difference: and others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh" (Jude 22-23).
"The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise" (Proverbs 11:30).
"And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness, as the stars for ever and ever" (Daniel 12:3).
5. (1:41) Messiah— Witnessing: there was Andrew's conviction, "We have found the Messiah." (For the meaning of the word "Messiah," see Deeper Study #2, Christ—John 1:20.)
Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - John.
John 1:42 (NLT2) 42 Then Andrew brought Simon to meet Jesus. Looking intently at Simon, Jesus said, “Your name is Simon, son of John—but you will be called Cephas” (which means “Peter”).
John 1:42 (MSG) 42 He immediately led him to Jesus. Jesus took one look up and said, "You're John's son, Simon? From now on your name is Cephas" (or Peter, which means "Rock").
John 1:42 (KJV) 42 And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.
John 1:42 (PassionNTPsa) with notes 42 Then Andrew brought Simon to meet him. When Jesus gazed upon Andrew’s brother, he prophesied to him, “You are Simon and your father’s name is John. (a) The Aramaic is also translated "You are Simon, son of the dove," Simon means "one who hears." - But from now on you will be called Cephas” (which means, Peter the Rock). (b) The Aramaic word is Keefa, which means, "rock." It is anglicized as "Peter." This parenthetical statement is not found in the Aramaic, but only in Greek manuscripts. It appears that the Greek text is admitting it is a translation from the Aramaic.
1:42 Jesus looked at him. Jesus knows hearts thoroughly (vv. 43-51) and not only sees into them (vv. 47, 48) but also transforms a person into what He wants him to become.
you shall be called Cephas. Up to this time, Peter had been known as "Simon the son of John" ("Jonah" in some translations; the name "Jonah" in Aram. means "John"; cf. 21:15-17; Mt 16:17). The term "Cephas" means "rock" in Aram. which is translated "Peter" in Greek. Jesus' assignment of the name "Cephas" or "Peter" to Simon occurred at the outset of his ministry (cf. Mt 16:18; Mk 3:16). The statement not only is predictive of what Peter would be called but also declarative of how Jesus would transform his character and use him in relationship to the foundation of the church (cf. 21:18, 19; Mt 16:16-18; Ac 2:14-4:32).
The MacArthur Study Bible.
Next we see how Philip was discovered by Jesus (1:43-51). We see Philip's call (1:43-44). The next day (the fourth day in the sequence and the second day of the Lord's ministry) the Lord went out soulwinning himself. The Lord had made up his mind to leave Judea and go to Galilee. Connected with this decision was the Lord's approach to Philip, though we are not told just where this meeting took place. We are simply told: "The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me"
John Phillips Commentary Series, The - Exploring the Gospel of John: An Expository Commentary.
6. (1:42) Witnessing: Andrew's fruit, Simon, was reached for Jesus and reaped. Andrew saw his brother Simon come to Jesus.
1. Note the word "beheld" (emblepsas PWS: 330). It means to look upon with an intense, earnest look, to concentrate, to stare and gaze upon. Jesus looked into the innermost being of Peter.
2. Note the words, "Thou shalt be called." They refer to the future. Simon's name would be changed to Cephas. This was a prediction that he would be converted and changed from a self-centered, defensive, overbearing, and carnal man into a strong, solid, immovable and unbreakable rock for God.
Thought 1. Note two significant facts.
1) Jesus "beholds" a man: studies and knows him intimately. This is both a comfort and a warning, depending upon man's response.
"[Jesus] needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man" (John 2:25).
"For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known" (Luke 12:2).
"Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD" (Jeremiah 23:24).
2) Jesus sees the potential within a man and longs to change that man to make him everything he can become.
"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" (2 Cor. 5:17; cp. Ephes. 4:24).
"And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins" (Ephes. 2:1).
"Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever" (1 Peter 1:23).
"A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh" (Ezekiel 36:26).
Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - John.
John 1:44-49 (NLT2) 44 Philip was from Bethsaida, Andrew and Peter’s hometown. 45 Philip went to look for Nathanael and told him, “We have found the very person Moses and the prophets wrote about! His name is Jesus, the son of Joseph from Nazareth.” 46 “Nazareth!” exclaimed Nathanael. “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” “Come and see for yourself,” Philip replied. 47 As they approached, Jesus said, “Now here is a genuine son of Israel—a man of complete integrity.” 48 “How do you know about me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus replied, “I could see you under the fig tree before Philip found you.” 49 Then Nathanael exclaimed, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God—the King of Israel!”
John 1:44-49 (KJV) 44 Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. 46 And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see. 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile! 48 Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee. 49 Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.
John 1:44-49 (MSG) 44 (Philip's hometown was Bethsaida, the same as Andrew and Peter.) 45 Philip went and found Nathanael and told him, "We've found the One Moses wrote of in the Law, the One preached by the prophets. It's Jesus, Joseph's son, the one from Nazareth!" 46 Nathanael said, "Nazareth? You've got to be kidding." But Philip said, "Come, see for yourself." 47 When Jesus saw him coming he said, "There's a real Israelite, not a false bone in his body." 48 Nathanael said, "Where did you get that idea? You don't know me." Jesus answered, "One day, long before Philip called you here, I saw you under the fig tree." 49 Nathanael exclaimed, "Rabbi! You are the Son of God, the King of Israel!"
John 1:44-49 (PassionNTPsa) 44 (Now Philip, Andrew, and Peter were all from the same village of Bethsaida.) Then Philip went to look for his friend, Nathanael, and told him, “We’ve found him! We’ve found the One we’ve been waiting for! It’s Jesus, son of Joseph from Nazareth, the Anointed One! He’s the One that Moses and the prophets prophesied would come!” 45 (Now Philip, Andrew, and Peter were all from the same village of Bethsaida.) Then Philip went to look for his friend, Nathanael, and told him, “We’ve found him! We’ve found the One we’ve been waiting for! It’s Jesus, son of Joseph from Nazareth, the Anointed One! He’s the One that Moses and the prophets prophesied would come!” 46 Nathanael sneered, “Nazareth! What good thing could ever come from Nazareth?” Philip answered, “Come and let’s find out!” 47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said, “Now here comes a true son of Israel—an honest man with no hidden motive!” 48 Nathanael was stunned and said, “But you’ve never met me—how do you know anything about me?” Jesus answered, “Nathanael, right before Philip came to you I saw you sitting under the shade of a fig tree.” 49 Nathanael blurted out, “Teacher, you are truly the Son of God and the King of Israel!”
1:44 Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and Peter. While Mk 1:21, 29 locates Peter's house in Capernaum, John relates that he was from Bethsaida. Resolution centers in the fact that Peter (and Andrew) most likely grew up in Bethsaida and later relocated to Capernaum in the same way that Jesus was consistently identified with His hometown of Nazareth, though He lived elsewhere later (Mt 2:23; 4:13; Mk 1:9; Lk 1:26).
1:45 Him of whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote. This phrase encapsulates the stance of John's whole gospel: Jesus is the fulfillment of OT Scripture (cf. v. 21; 5:39; Dt 18:15-19; Lk 24:44-47; Ac 10:43; 18:28; 26:22, 23; Ro 1:2; 1Co 15:3; 1Pe 1:10, 11; Rev 19:10).
1:46 Can any good thing come out of Nazareth? Nathanael was from Cana (21:2), another town in Galilee. While Galileans were despised by Judeans, Galileans themselves despised people from Nazareth. In light of 7:52, Nathanael's scorn may have centered in the fact that Nazareth was an insignificant village without seeming prophetic importance (cf., however, Mt 2:23). Later, some would contemptuously refer to Christians as the "sect of the Nazarenes" (Ac 24:5).
1:47 no deceit. Jesus' point was that Nathanael's bluntness revealed that he was an Israelite without duplicitous motives who was willing to examine for himself the claims being made about Jesus. The term reveals an honest, seeking heart. The reference here may be an allusion to Ge 27:35 where Jacob, in contrast to the sincere Nathanael, was known for his trickery. The meaning may be that the employment of trickery characterized not only Jacob but also his descendants. In Jesus' mind, an honest and sincere Israelite had become an exception rather than the rule (cf. 2:23-25).
1:48 I saw you. A brief glimpse of Jesus' supernatural knowledge. Not only was Jesus' brief summary of Nathanael accurate (v. 47), but He also revealed information that could only be known by Nathanael himself. Perhaps Nathanael had some significant or outstanding experience of communion with God at the location, and he was able to recognize Jesus' allusion to it. At any rate, Jesus had knowledge of this event not available to men.
1:49 the Son of God... the King of Israel. Jesus' display of supernatural knowledge and Philip's witness removed Nathanael's doubts, so John added the witness of Nathanael to this section. The use of "the" with "Son of God" most likely indicates that the expression is to be understood as bearing its full significance (cf. v. 34; 11:27). For Nathanael, here was One who could not be described merely in human terms.
The MacArthur Study Bible.
1:43-49. Philip went off to find another friend, telling Nathanael about their discovery, and mentioning Nazareth in his announcement. Nathanael asked a question which, though probably intended quite innocently at the time, has become a cliche among Bible students: Can anything good come from there?
Philip wasted no time arguing the point. He took Nathanael (also called Bartholomew in the New Testament) directly to Jesus. Again Jesus stunned a future disciple with his first words. He affirmed Nathanael as a genuine student of the Torah—a righteous Jew taught to live in accordance with all the light he had.
Upon learning about the Lord's omniscience—having known his exact location even before Philip found him—Nathanael, like John the Baptist, declared Jesus the Son of God and added, "You are the King of Israel." The phrase under the fig tree was used in rabbinical literature to describe meditation on the law. Nathanael had apparently been reading Genesis 28. Jesus contrasted Jacob's guile with Nathanael's integrity.
Holman New Testament Commentary - John.
2. Disciples of Jesus in View (1:40-51)
We look first at how Peter was drawn to Jesus (1:40-42). One can picture Andrew and John hurrying away from this momentous meeting. Andrew is saying, "I must tell Simon." John is saying, "I'm going to get James." This is implied by the next verse: "He [Andrew] first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messiah" (1:41). Now that phrase, "Andrew first findeth his own brother," can legitimately be rephrased, "Andrew findeth first his own brother." The implication is not that he found his own brother before he did anything else or went after somebody else. The implication is that Andrew found his brother first, that is, before John found his brother. It is well within the meaning of the text that both Andrew and John brought a brother to Jesus but that Andrew was first to do so.
"And he brought him to Jesus," John says, characteristically telling us about Andrew's convert rather than his own. Andrew's convert became the first messenger of the church; John's convert became the first martyr among the apostles.
There can be no doubt that the day of Peter's conversion was a notable day in heaven—almost as notable as the day of Paul's conversion. For Simon Peter preached that famous pentecostal sermon which won three thousand people to Christ in a single day and gave the infant church its first major influx of members.
The Lord looked searchingly at Andrew's big blustering brother. He identified him at once and then gave him a new name which completely eclipsed the old one: "Thou art Simon, the son of Jona [an Aramaic form of the name John]; thou shalt be called Cephas [the Aramaic form of the name Peter]." The word for "Peter" is petros meaning a movable stone, not a rock (petra). It was an indication of what Christ intended to do for impulsive, easily swayed Simon. He was going to give him a rocklike character.
On this important day three (or more likely four) men were attached to Jesus. Three of them (Peter, James, and John) became his most intimate disciples. This was the first day of the Lord's public ministry. The Lord established a personal relationship with these men at this time. Later, as the synoptist writers record, he would call them to fulltime service (Matthew 4:18-22; Mark 1:16-20; Luke 5:1-11).
Next we see how Philip was discovered by Jesus (1:43-51). We see Philip's call (1:43-44). The next day (the fourth day in the sequence and the second day of the Lord's ministry) the Lord went out soulwinning himself. The Lord had made up his mind to leave Judea and go to Galilee. Connected with this decision was the Lord's approach to Philip, though we are not told just where this meeting took place. We are simply told: "The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me" (1:43). John adds the information that Philip "was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter" (1:44). Perhaps they had already prepared the soil. Bethsaida was a city not far from the place where the river Jordan runs into the lake. It was evidently a wicked place and was denounced by Jesus for rejecting him and the "mighty works" he had done in its streets. He said that, given such proofs of a divine visitation, the wicked Phoenician cities of Tyre and Sidon would have repented in sackcloth and ashes (Matthew 11:21). Actually Bethsaida was a fishing suburb of Capernaum. Bethsaida is said here to be "the city of Andrew and Peter." It is implied in Mark 1:29 that by the time the Lord began his Galilean ministry, Peter and Andrew had taken up residence in Capernaum itself.
We see Philip's concern (1:45-51). The Lord's invitation to Philip was trimmed of all verbiage: "Follow me" or "Come, travel with me" as some have suggested it be phrased. We can picture the warmth in the tone of the Lord's voice, the smile that accompanied it, and perhaps the friendly hand on the shoulder. From that moment on Philip was his man, and his first concern was for his friend Nathanael.
The story of Nathanael's conversion is in three parts. We begin with the way in which Nathanael was introduced to Jesus (1:45-46). "Philip findeth Nathanael." There is some doubt as to who Nathanael was since he is not mentioned by that name by any other New Testament writers. Generally, however, it is taken for granted that he is the disciple of the Lord called Bartholomew elsewhere in the New Testament.
"We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write," Philip said, adding for further indentification: "Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of Joseph." We note that he began by describing Jesus as the one who fulfilled all the scriptural requirements for the messiah. Nathanael was evidently a man who knew the Hebrew Scriptures. It is possible that Philip and Nathanael had often pored over the prophetic pages together. They knew that the messiah was to be a scion of David's royal line, that he was to be born in Bethlehem, that he was to be born of a virgin, that he was to be a sojourner in Egypt for at least a time, and that he was to be identified with the northern part of the promised land. All these details were fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth.
Still, it came as a shock to Nathanael to hear his friend describe this newfound messiah as "Jesus of Nazareth" and further add the identifying description, "the Son of Joseph" (as was commonly believed). Nathanael came from Cana of Galilee (21:2), less than five miles from Nazareth. We can be sure that Jesus already had a reputation for goodness in that part of the country even though he was generally looked on as a local peasant and known as the carpenter. Probably very few people were aware of the secret of Christ's virgin birth. Everyone, however, must have known of his remarkable reputation for honesty and integrity, for sympathy and kindness, for knowledge and wisdom, for helpfulness and generosity, for scholarship and for godliness. But the messiah? From Nazareth? Impossible. "Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?" was Nathanael's response.
Because of its proximity to gentile cities and its mixture of gentile population, its backwoods manners, general biblical illiteracy and lack of sophistication, and the coarseness of its dialect, the people of Judea held Galilee in low esteem. Nathanael, a Galilean, exhibited this local prejudice against Nazareth, which seems to have had a poor reputation. Was Nathanael perhaps hedging for time? Jesus, the messiah? The Son of Joseph? Surely not. From Nazareth? Impossible. Nazareth, in the gospels, lived up to its reputation. It was the first city to greet Jesus' claims with violence, and was ready to put him to death on the strength of just one day's exposure to his teaching. He was actively hindered in ministry there because of the town's scornful rejection of his claims.
Philip wasted no time discussing the reputation of Nazareth. He used an unanswerable argument. "Come and see," he said.
We look next at the way in which Nathanael was interested in Jesus (1:47-48). The Lord could read Nathanael's soul. Speaking not to Nathanael but to the others he said, "Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile." It has often been pointed out that the words can be paraphrased, "Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no Jacob." Jacob was a man of guile and deceit in his early years, until God broke him at the Jabbok and changed him into Israel. Jesus saw in Nathanael a guileless disposition, a man in whom the spirit of Jacob had been supplanted by the spirit of Israel.
Nathanael's reaction was one of surprise. "How do you know me?" he asked. A less sophisticated reaction would be hard to imagine. Most people, when confronted with such a compliment, would hedge and deny the statement: "Me? guileless? You don't know me!" Nathanael was not like that. He accepted the Lord's evaluation of his character as being true. His problem was not with his own disposition but with the Lord's discernment. How could this man know him?
Jesus went still further. He showed Nathanael that even before Philip had found him he had found him. He knew not only what Nathanael was like, but also he knew where he had been earlier that day: "Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee." It would seem, from the form of the sentence, that Nathanael had actually been right underneath the fig tree, in leaf about this time, possibly looking for privacy in which to ponder and pray. The Lord's subsequent words imply that Nathanael had actually been thinking about Jacob and the Genesis story of "Jacob's ladder" (Genesis 28:12), thinking about the night of Jacob's conversion. The Lord revealed to this thoughtful man Nathanael his own infallible ability to read an individual's soul and thoughts as well as his ability to see him at a distance and in a place where he had secluded himself in order to be alone.
John Phillips Commentary Series, The - Exploring the Gospel of John: An Expository Commentary.
3. (1:39-40) Decision: there was Andrew's great decision. He "came and saw" and "remained" with Jesus. There are three significant facts here.
1. Andrew "came" to Jesus. He accepted the invitation. He walked up to Jesus and walked along with Him in order to see just where Jesus did dwell.
Thought 1. Note two critical points.
1) Andrew had to accept the invitation.
2) Andrew had to be willing to "see" where Jesus dwelt and to let Jesus lead him to His dwelling place.
"For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation" (2 Cor. 6:2).
"But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O LORD, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation" (Psalm 69:13).
2. The word "see" (opsesthe PWS: 3405) was a promise: "ye shall see." Jesus was talking about much more than just seeing where He lived. He was talking about seeing the truth and learning of Him. Andrew was being assured, if he would come, that he would most definitely see and learn the truth of life. The Lord guaranteed it. (See Deeper Study #2, See—John 20:20.)
"For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (2 Cor. 4:6).
"The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power" (Ephes. 1:18-19).
"But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy" (1 Peter 2:9-10).
3. Andrew and his friend "abode with him," that is, by Jesus' side, in His presence. They received of Him and He met their needs. Note a significant fact: this confrontation with Jesus changed their lives forever. This is seen in that the very hour is still remembered fifty or more years later (see Deeper Study #1—John 1:39). Andrew and his friend committed their lives to Jesus.
"But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name" (John 1:12).
"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13).
"And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me" (Luke 9:23).
DEEPER STUDY #1 (1:39) John the Apostle— Confrontation— Conversion
4. (1:41) Witnessing— Family: Andrew's first concern was his brother Peter. The scene was striking. Immediately, as quickly as he could after discovering Jesus for himself, Andrew rushed to find his own brother, Simon.
1. Andrew had met Jesus personally, and Jesus had met the crying need of his heart. Andrew could not contain the peace and joy; he just had to tell his loved ones immediately. He wanted them also to experience the love and joy and peace of Jesus.
2. Andrew was a great witness, a great personal worker for the Lord. He was always seen bringing someone to Jesus (cp. John 6:8; John 12:22).
"And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men" (Matthew 4:19).
"For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10).
"Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you" (John 20:21).
"And of some have compassion, making a difference: and others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh" (Jude 22-23).
"The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise" (Proverbs 11:30).
"And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness, as the stars for ever and ever" (Daniel 12:3).
5. (1:41) Messiah— Witnessing: there was Andrew's conviction, "We have found the Messiah." (For the meaning of the word "Messiah," see Deeper Study #2, Christ—John 1:20.)
6. (1:42) Witnessing: Andrew's fruit, Simon, was reached for Jesus and reaped. Andrew saw his brother Simon come to Jesus.
1. Note the word "beheld" (emblepsas PWS: 330). It means to look upon with an intense, earnest look, to concentrate, to stare and gaze upon. Jesus looked into the innermost being of Peter.
2. Note the words, "Thou shalt be called." They refer to the future. Simon's name would be changed to Cephas. This was a prediction that he would be converted and changed from a self-centered, defensive, overbearing, and carnal man into a strong, solid, immovable and unbreakable rock for God.
Thought 1. Note two significant facts.
1) Jesus "beholds" a man: studies and knows him intimately. This is both a comfort and a warning, depending upon man's response.
"[Jesus] needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man" (John 2:25).
"For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known" (Luke 12:2).
"Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD" (Jeremiah 23:24).
2) Jesus sees the potential within a man and longs to change that man to make him everything he can become.
"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" (2 Cor. 5:17; cp. Ephes. 4:24).
"And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins" (Ephes. 2:1).
"Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever" (1 Peter 1:23).
"A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh" (Ezekiel 36:26).
Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - John.
THE WITNESSES TO THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST, 1:1-51
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H. Jesus the One Prophesied: The Witness of Philip, 1:43-45
(1:43-45) Introduction: Philip's discovery and witness of Jesus Christ was unmistakable. Jesus was the One prophesied in Scripture; He was the promised Messiah.
1. Philip's experience (v.43-44).
2. Philip's first concern: Nathanael (v.45).
3. Philip's conviction: Jesus was the One prophesied (v.45).
1. (1:43-44) Salvation— Discipleship— Jesus Christ, Seeking Man: Philip's experience involved three significant points.
1. Jesus Himself went forth and sought Philip—Philip was not seeking Jesus. The initiative came from Jesus entirely. Jesus made the move to find and save Philip and to enlist Philip in His mission.
a. Jesus travelled a long distance to find Philip. Galilee was a long distance away, and note: the stated purpose for Jesus going to Galilee was to find Philip. This is a picture of how far Christ will go to reach a soul. In order to reach a man, Christ will go any distance...
• to any sin, no matter how terrible or awful. He will prick and prick at the mind and heart of a person.
• to any place, no matter how hidden or shameful. He will send a thought or memory or person of righteousness to remind and warn a person.
• to any condition, no matter how hopeless or helpless. He will see that the message of hope and help crosses a person's path.
• to any person, no matter how shameful or guilty. He will see that a person hears the word of salvation if he repents and hears the word of judgment if he does not repent.
Christ will go any distance to reach people. He will go to any place, to any condition, to any person. He will see that every person has some chance of turning to God. The word of deliverance can come from any number of sources: another person, a thought, a stirring of conscience, a memory, a writing, or just through seeing nature (Romans 1:20). Christ seeks every person, and He will go any distance to reach him, no matter the difficulty.
Thought 1. Every person must heed the seeking of Christ when His seeking is sensed. A person must respond immediately, for God's Spirit does not always strive with man. When we first feel the pull to make a decision for Christ, if we put the decision off for an hour or two, the pull fades and eventually leaves us completely. God's Spirit does not continue to strive with us.
"And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man" (Genesis 6:3).
"He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy" (Proverbs 29:1).
Thought 2. Every believer should be willing to go any distance to reach people, no matter how far or how deeply depraved the person may be. Too many in the world are considered and treated as untouchable: the alcoholic, immoral, poor, prisoner, lowly, diseased.
"But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth" (Acts 1:8).
"For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me" (Matthew 25:35-36). (Remember that the person in prison is guilty of the most serious offenses and sins.)
b. Jesus is seen fulfilling His mission in seeking and saving Philip. He came into the world for the very purpose of seeking and saving the lost.
"For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10).
"I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly" (John 10:10).
"To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice" (John 18:37).
"This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief" (1 Tim. 1:15).
2. Jesus Himself called Philip. He called Philip to "follow Him" (see Deeper Study #1—John 1:43; Deeper Study #1—Luke 9:23).
"And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me" (9:23).
"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me" (John 10:27).
"If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour" (John 12:26).
3. The reason Philip was called by Jesus is apparently the reason John 1:44 is mentioned. He was from the same town as Andrew and Peter. Philip longed for deliverance; he ached for the Messiah (cp. "We have found Him, John 1:45). Therefore, he had sought the company of those who were like-minded. He wanted the fellowship of those who sought for godly deliverance. In search for such people he had met Andrew and Peter and had apparently become friends of theirs for some time. Therefore, it was only natural for Andrew and Peter to suggest that Jesus seek out Philip to become a disciple. The point is this: Philip was called by Jesus because...
• he had done something about the longing and aching for deliverance within his soul.
• he had sought the fellowship of those who were seeking for God's salvation.
• he had placed himself where the message would reach him when it came.
"Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled" (Matthew 5:6).
"Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh" (Luke 6:21).
"If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink" (John 7:37).
"For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness" (Psalm 107:9).
"Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price" (Isaiah 55:1).
DEEPER STUDY #1 (1:43) Follow (akolouthei)
DEEPER STUDY #2 (1:44) Bethsaida
2. (1:45) Witnessing: Philip's first concern was to reach his friend Nathanael. Philip "findeth" Nathanael. Jesus had challenged Philip to "follow" Him, to become just like Him, and Philip did. He went out and did exactly what Jesus had done to him. Jesus had sought and found Him. Now, following the example of his Lord, He went out and found his friend Nathanael. Philip became a personal soul-winner just like his Lord.
"Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you" (John 20:21).
"And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also" (2 Tim. 2:2).
"For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard" (Acts 4:20).
"For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard" (Acts 22:15).
"We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak" (2 Cor. 4:13).
3. (1:45) Conviction— Decision: Philip's conviction—the One prophesied was Jesus Christ. "We have found Him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." Note four points.
1. Philip was extremely joyful. "We have found Him." There was jubilation, excitement, and rejoicing beating in the chest of Philip. Jesus had met the needs and craving of his heart.
"These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full" (John 15:11).
"Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full" (John 16:24).
"For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost" (Romans 14:17).
"Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore" (Psalm 16:11).
"Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation" (Isaiah 12:3).
2. God's eternal plan for man and his world is recorded in Scripture. It is there for man's direction.
"Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me" (John 5:39).
"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (2 Tim. 3:16).
3. Philip and Nathanael knew the Scripture. They were familiar with the prophesies of the promised Messiah.
"Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth" (2 Tim. 2:15).
"As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: if so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious" (1 Peter 2:2-3).
4. Jesus of Nazareth was definitely identified as the Messiah. (See Deeper Study #3—John 1:45.)
THE WITNESSES TO THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST, 1:1-51
I. Jesus the Son of God, the King of Israel: The Witness of Nathanael, 1:46-49
(1:46-49) Introduction: Nathanael's confrontation with Jesus was dramatic. Nathanael was a man of prejudice and strong feelings, yet he knew despair and hopelessness; therefore, he was difficult to lead to Christ. However, despite all, his friend Philip persisted and refused to give up in witnessing to him. As a result, Nathanael was won to Christ.
1. Nathanael's experience (v.46).
2. Nathanael's confrontation with Jesus (v.47-48).
3. Nathanael's conviction: Jesus was the Son of God (v.49).
DEEPER STUDY #1 (1:46-49) Nathanael
1. (1:46) Nathanael— Prejudice— Witnessing: Nathanael's experience. Note three facts.
1. It was Nathanael's close friend Philip who shared the good news with him (cp. John 1:45). He had the privilege of hearing the gospel from someone who cared for him very deeply. He was so loved by Philip that he was the first one with whom Philip shared the most important experience of his life.
2. Nathanael was a man gripped by despair and prejudice.
a. The despair is seen in his response to Philip. He rejected Philip's testimony and did it in a negative, skeptical, reactionary spirit: "Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?" He struck out at what Philip had said. He questioned it; he would not accept it nor believe it. There was a sense of hopelessness, of despair and skepticism in his question. Apparently he was a man who had tried and followed so many voices in the world that he had just lost hope. Many in the world had promised so much, only to leave him still empty and searching. Why should he believe and follow another voice?
Thought 1. So many voices in the world promise the path to life and fulfillment and joy and satisfaction. However, their claims are soon discovered to be false, and they still leave the human heart empty and wondering. A person caught up in despair wonders about the real purpose, meaning, and significance of life.
"My soul is weary of my life; I will leave my complaint upon myself; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul" (Job 10:1).
"For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: my strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed" (Psalm 31:10).
"O my God, my soul is cast down within me" (Psalm 42:6).
"I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me" (Psalm 69:2).
"But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well-nigh slipped" (Psalm 73:2).
"When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me" (Psalm 73:16).
"By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion" (Psalm 137:1).
"The LORD hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me" (Isaiah 49:14).
"Withhold thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from thirst: but thou saidst, There is no hope: no; for I have loved strangers, and after them will I go" (Jeremiah 2:25).
"But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep [dead], that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope" (1 Thes. 4:13).
"That at that time ye were without Christ...having no hope, and without God in the world" (Ephes. 2:12).
b. The prejudice of Nathanael is seen in his slur against Jesus because Jesus was from Nazareth (see Deeper Study #2, Nazareth—John 1:46). Nathanael was apparently a crowd-follower. He had allowed himself to be influenced by the world's foolish prejudices.
Thought 1. Prejudice has a great failing; it disregards the wrong within oneself and with one's own place (city, home, business, church); it overlooks personal wrong, shortcomings, weaknesses, and error.
"Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him" (Acts 10:34-35).
"For there is no respect of persons with God" (Romans 2:11).
"For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him" (Romans 10:12).
3. Nathanael was still invited to follow Jesus. His sin, despair, and prejudice did not discourage nor keep Philip from inviting his friend and neighbor to "come and see" Jesus. Note also that Philip did not argue with Nathanael. He simply confronted him with Jesus.
Thought 1. Note three things.
1) No matter what the sin is, we must still go and invite men to "come and see" Jesus. Because Philip went to his dear friend, Nathanael did come to Jesus, despite his despair and prejudice.
2) Think what Nathanael would have missed if he had...
• let his prejudice against the people of Nazareth keep him from the One who was called Jesus the Nazarene.
• let his wallowing around in despair keep him from coming to Jesus.
3) The way to lead a man to Christ is not by argument, but by confronting him with Christ.
"For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard" (Acts 4:20).
"These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee" (Titus 2:15).
"Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul" (Psalm 66:16).
DEEPER STUDY #2 (1:46) Nazareth
DEEPER STUDY #2
(1:46) Nazareth: the town was an obscure village in Galilee. Galilee bordered Gentile or heathen nations; therefore, it was sometimes called Galilee of the Gentiles. The Jews were so deeply prejudiced against the Gentiles that they considered anyone or anything touched by a Gentile to be unclean in the sight of God. Nazareth was despised by the Jews because it was on the border of Gentile country and was so commercially touched by Gentiles. It was despised by the Romans because its citizens were a conquered people. (See note, pt.2—• Matthew 13:53-58 for more discussion.)
Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - John.
2. (1:47-48) Guilelessness— Jesus Christ, Knowledge— Sin, Exposed: Nathanael's confrontation. Two very significant things happened in Nathanael's confrontation with Jesus.
1. Jesus knew Nathanael, his beliefs and character.
a. Jesus knew his beliefs. This is seen in Jesus calling Nathanael an "Israelite indeed." He was the epitomy of an Israelite, everything an Israelite should be. He believed the promises of God. He tried to live up to the covenant name, the standard God had set for Israel, and he was looking for that blessed hope and glorious appearing of the Messiah. Jesus Christ knew Nathanael's beliefs.
Thought 1. Christ knows the beliefs of a man, that upon which a man has set his heart. He knows both the good and bad beliefs, both the godly and evil thoughts of the human heart.
"[Christ] needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man" (John 2:25).
"But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption" (1 Cor. 1:30).
"For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things" (1 John 3:20).
"Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed" (1 Sam. 2:3).
"O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my sins are not hid from thee" (Psalm 69:5).
"I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings" (Jeremiah 17:10).
b. Jesus knew his character. Nathanael was a man without guile (dolos PWS: 1833). This means he did not deceive, bait, or mislead people. He did not hide what he thought; he said what he thought and acted what he felt. He was straightforward, open and honest, not deceptive or hypocritical. This trait had just been demonstrated in his response to Philip. He would not hide his true thoughts (1:46).
Thought 1. One of the great tragedies in the legacy of persons is that they are full of guile. Many deceive, bait, and mislead others. Few are straightforward, open and honest, free of deception and hypocrisy.
"Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God" (Matthew 5:8).
"Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless" (2 Peter 3:14).
"And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God" (Rev. 14:5).
"Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile" (Psalm 32:2).
"Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully" (Psalm 24:3-4).
2. Jesus knew Nathanael's innermost being, all things about him (see Deeper Study #3—John 1:48).
Thought 1. Jesus knows everything about every man. Nothing escapes His watchful eye, not even a single thought.
1) This offers great hope to the man who will cast himself upon Christ. Christ can help him by meeting his need and giving purpose and direction to his life.
2) This is a great warning to the man who goes his merry way, thinking his sin is hid and will not be judged.
"For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known" (Luke 12:2).
"Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God" (1 Cor. 4:5).
"If I sin, then thou markest me, and thou wilt not acquit me from mine iniquity" (Job 10:1).
"For though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord GOD" (Jeremiah 2:22).
"For mine eyes are upon all their ways: they are not hid from my face, neither is their iniquity hid from mine eyes" (Jeremiah 16:17).
"And they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness: now their own doings have beset them about; they are before my face" (Hosea 7:2).
"For I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sins: they afflict the just, they take a bribe, and they turn aside the poor in the gate from their right" (Amos 5:12).
DEEPER STUDY #3 (1:48) Fig Tree— Worship
DEEPER STUDY #3
(1:48) Fig Tree— Worship: in Palestine the fig tree stood for peace, security, rest, and worship (cp. 1 Kings 4:25; Micah 4:4). Very often a man would seek solitude and worship under his fig tree. No doubt this is what Nathanael had been doing. When Jesus told Nathanael that He had seen him under his fig tree, He was telling Nathanael that He knew everything about him, even the deepest longings of his heart. Jesus knew Nathanael's despair and sense of hopelessness; He knew his longing for peace and release and freedom. That was enough to cause Nathanael to give his life to Jesus forever.
Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - John.
3. (1:49) Confession— Decision: Nathanael's conviction. He confessed that Jesus was the Rabbi (Prophet), the Son of God, the King of Israel. Note two things.
1. How readily Nathanael confessed Jesus as His Lord.
"Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven" (Matthew 10:32).
"Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God" (Luke 12:8).
"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved" (Romans 10:9).
"Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: [but] he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also" (1 John 2:23).
"Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God" (1 John 4:15).
2. How clearly Nathanael grasped who Jesus was.
a. He was "Rabbi," the great Teacher or Prophet promised to Israel (see note—• Luke 3:38 for discussion).
b. He was the Son of God (see note—•John 1:1-2; note—•John 1:34 for discussion).
c. He was the King of Israel (see Deeper Study #4—John 1:49 for discussion).
DEEPER STUDY #4 (1:49) Jesus Christ, King of Israel
DEEPER STUDY #4
(1:49) Jesus Christ, King of Israel: Jesus was declared to be the Messianic King. God had given to David and his seed (the Messiah) the promise of eternal government (2 Sam. 7:12; Psalm 39:3f; Psalm 132:11).
Note how often Jesus was called the son of David. (Cp. Matthew 12:23; Matthew 15:22; Matthew 20:30-31; Matthew 21:9, 15; Acts 2:29-36; Romans 1:3; 2 Tim. 2:8; Rev. 22:16.) It was the common title and popular concept of the Messiah. Generation after generation of Jews had ached and looked for the promised deliverer of Israel. The people expected Him to be a great general who would deliver and restore the nation to its greatness. In fact, they expected Him to make the nation the center of universal rule. He would, under God, conquer the world and center the glory and majesty of God Himself in Jerusalem; and from His throne, the throne of David, He would execute the Messianic fire of judgment upon the nations and peoples of the world (see Deeper Study #2—Matthew 1:18; Deeper Study #2—Matthew 3:11; note—• Matthew 11:1-6; note—• Matthew 11:2-3; Deeper Study #1—Matthew 11:5; Deeper Study #2—Matthew 11:6; note—• Luke 7:21. Referring to these notes will show what the Jewish concept of the Messiah was.) (See note, Jesus, Davidic Heir—• Luke 3:24-31 for more discussion.)
Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - John.
John 1:50-51 (NLT2) 50 Jesus asked him, “Do you believe this just because I told you I had seen you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.” 51 Then he said, “I tell you the truth, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God going up and down on the Son of Man, the one who is the stairway between heaven and earth.”
John 1:50-51 (KJV) 50 Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these. 51 And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.
John 1:50-51 (MSG) 50 Jesus said, "You've become a believer simply because I say I saw you one day sitting under the fig tree? You haven't seen anything yet! 51 Before this is over you're going to see heaven open and God's angels descending to the Son of Man and ascending again."
John 1:50-51 (PassionNTPsa) with notes
50 Jesus answered, “Do you believe simply because I told you I saw you sitting under a fig tree? You will experience even more impressive things than that! 51 I prophesy to you eternal truth: (a) As translated from the Aramaic. John records Jesus using this phrase twenty-five times. The Greek is "Amen, Amen I say to you." From now on (b) As translated from the Aramaic. - you will see (c) Or "you (plural) will spiritually see." This is a promise for every believer today. - an open heaven and gaze upon the Son of Man (d) John 1:51 This is a messianic term pointing to Christ, not as the son of a man, but the Son of Man (humanity). He is the true Man. He is not Joseph's son, but the Son of God. - like a stairway reaching into the sky with the messengers of God climbing up and down upon (f) This is an obvious reference to "Jacob's Ladder" as the fulfillment of his dream found in Gen. 28:10-22. Jesus Christ is that stairway that joins earth to heaven and brings heaven to earth. The word for "angels" can be branslated "messengers" and could be humans given access into the heavenly realm through the blood of Jesus. Jesus, as the stairway, is both in heaven and on earth as he speaks this to Nathanael. What mysteries surround him! - him!” (g) "Or "next to."
1:51 Truly, truly. Cf. 5:19, 24, 25. A phrase used frequently for emphasizing the importance and truth of the coming statement.
heavens opened and the angels of God ascending and descending. In light of the context of v. 47, this verse most likely refers to Ge 28:12 where Jacob dreamed about a ladder from heaven. Jesus' point to Nathanael was that just like Jacob experienced supernatural or heaven-sent revelation, Nathanael and the other disciples would experience supernatural communication confirming who Jesus was. Moreover, the term "Son of Man" replaced the ladder in Jacob's dream, signifying that Jesus was the means of access between God and man.
Son of Man. See Mt 8:20 [note]. This is Jesus' favorite self-designation, for it was mostly spoken by Jesus who used it over 80 times. In the NT, it refers only to Jesus and appears mostly in the gospels (cf. Ac 7:56). In the fourth gospel, the expression occurs 13 times and is most commonly associated with the themes of crucifixion and suffering (3:14; 8:28) and revelation (6:27, 53) but also with eschatological authority (5:27). While the term at times may refer merely to a human being or as a substitute for "I" (6:27; cf. 6:20), it especially takes on an eschatological significance referring to Da 7:13, 14 where the "Son of Man" or Messiah comes in glory to receive the kingdom from the "Ancient of Days" (i.e., the Father).
The MacArthur Study Bible.
1:50-51. The last two verses of chapter 1 seem difficult to understand. Had Nathanael been reading about Jacob's dream under the fig tree? Is this why Jesus referred to the open heavens? Should we view this as a future prophecy? Tenney suggests that "he himself was to be the new medium of revelation, a surer link between heaven and earth than the ladder which for the errant Jacob meant a way to God" (p. 82). Whatever the interpretation, Jesus indicated that Nathanael's old covenant faith must now center in him, the focus of the new covenant. Jesus referred to himself as the Son of Man, a term he used more than eighty times. This title emphasized his humanity and suffering as well as the perfection of his human nature.
John 1 describes five men who met the Lord and the Lamb. All different. All believers. All models. What great lessons they teach us. We learn that witnessing is everybody's responsibility. We also learn that witnessing begins at home, either in one's own family or hometown, not necessarily by going to another country. A third lesson is that witnessing promotes the Lord, not ourselves or some personal agenda. And finally, these early disciples show us that witnessing is both verbal and specific.
During one of my pastorates, I conducted a Thursday evening visitation program, after which those of us who went out sharing the gospel would come back and describe our experiences. On one occasion I asked the group, "What did you pray as you left the building and started out to knock on doors?" One young man responded in refreshing candor, "I prayed nobody would be at home."
How often we feel that way. Witnessing sometimes seems so difficult, such an imposition on people who do not want to hear what we have to say. Yet we must learn to start at home and, without wasting words, direct people to Jesus. Like John the Baptist, we must say to our modern world, "Look, the Lamb of God!"
Holman New Testament Commentary - John.
J. Jesus the Son of Man, God's Mediator: The Witness of Jesus Himself, 1:50-51
(1:50-51) Introduction: Jesus bore witness to Himself. He clearly declared who He was.
1. Nathanael's experience (v.46-49).
2. The revelation of God, the One who reveals greater things (v.50).
3. The Mediator (v.51).
4. The Son of Man (v.51).
1. (1:50) Nathanael: Nathanael's experience with Jesus is the background for what Jesus said in this passage.
2. (1:50) Jesus Christ, Revelation of God: Jesus Christ is the Revelation of God, the One who reveals greater things. Note two points.
1. It was belief in Jesus that brought "greater things" into Nathanael's life. Nathanael believed Jesus; therefore, he could expect to receive greater things, to receive more and more from God.
"Verily, I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you" (Matthew 17:20).
"Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth" (Mark 9:23).
"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" (John 10:10).
"O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!" (Romans 11:33).
"But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him" (1 Cor. 2:9).
"That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God" (Ephes. 3:17-19).
2. It is Jesus Himself who is the Revelation of God; therefore, it is Jesus who reveals the "greater things" of life. (See note—•John 14:6 for more discussion.)
a. Jesus Christ is the Embodiment of Revelation.
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God" (John 1:1-2).
"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (14:6).
"For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily" (Col. 2:9).
b. Jesus Christ is the Communicator of Revelation.
"In him was life; and the life was the light of men" (John 1:4; cp. John 1:1-3).
"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth" (John 1:14).
"Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works" (John 14:9-10).
c. Jesus Christ is The Liberator of Revelation.
"If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:31-32).
"I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly" (John 10:10).
3. (1:51) Jesus Christ, Mediator: Jesus Christ is the Mediator between God and man. This is seen in the picture Jesus painted by the words, "Ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man" (1:51).
This is a picture of Jacob's ladder (Genesis 28:10-22). It is a picture of open access into the very presence of God: the door of heaven is open and the angels are ascending from earth to heaven. Jesus was saying...
• He is Jacob's ladder; the ladder is a symbol of Him. He is the One who opens heaven.
• He is the One who reaches from earth to heaven, the One by whom man has his communication carried up into heaven.
Thought 1. Three critical facts should be noted.
1) A man can approach God and enter heaven through Christ (John 14:6). The gulf, the loneliness, and the alienation which man knows have been bridged.
2) A man has access to God only through Christ (John 14:6).
3) A man can have constant communication with God. The picture is that of angels carrying messages from earth to heaven and back to earth again.
4. (1:51) Jesus Christ, Son of Man: Jesus Christ is the Son of Man. This does not mean that Jesus was born of a man. It means that He is more than what an ordinary man is, more than a son of some man. Jesus is what every man ought to be, the Son of Man Himself.
1. Jesus Christ is the Ideal Man: the Representative Man, the Perfect Man, the Pattern, the Embodiment of everything a man ought to be (see Deeper Study #3—Matthew 1:16). Jesus Christ is the perfect picture of a man. Everything God wants a man to be is seen perfectly in Jesus Christ (cp. John 1:14; Col. 2:9; Hebrews 1:3).
2. Jesus Christ is the Ideal Servant of man. The term Ideal Servant stresses Jesus' sympathy for the poor, the broken-hearted, the captives, the blind, the bruised, the outcasts, the bereaved (cp. Luke 4:18). Jesus is the pattern, the model, the perfect example of concern and caring. He served other people just like every man ought to serve other people.
Jesus called Himself "the Son of Man" about eighty times. It was His favorite term. The title Son of Man is probably based upon the Son of Man in Daniel 7:13-14. There is also a picture of Jesus as the heavenly Son of Man contrasted with Adam as the earthly Man in 1 Cor. 15:45-47. Both references picture Jesus as the Representative Man, the Ideal Man, in God's plan for world history.
"And Jesus saith unto him, the foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head" (Matthew 8:20).
"But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house" (Matthew 9:6).
"Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28).
"For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be" (Matthew 24:27).
"Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels" (Mark 8:38).
"Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:8).
"For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10).
"For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; and hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man" (John 5:26-27).
"Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you" (John 6:53).
"And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified" (John 12:23).
"Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him" (John 13:31-32).
"When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?...And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:13, 16).
"And [Stephen] said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God" (Acts 7:56).
"And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks [churches]; and in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle" (Rev. 1:12-13).
Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - John.
MAIN IDEA REVIEW: Jesus Christ is the heart and core of the gospel. Christianity is not a philosophy of life; it centers in a person who is the core of everything Christians believe.
III. Conclusion
Father and Sons
Fathers and sons have a special relationship. I never experienced that from a son's point of view, but I treasure the relationship I have with my son. He is a Bible teacher too. In recent years I have invited him to speak with me at Bible conferences. Sometimes he will substitute for me in a teaching or preaching opportunity. Our theology and approach to Scripture are nearly identical, so I know he will say what I would have said had I been there—and perhaps even say it the way I would have said it.
John describes a relationship like that in this chapter. Jesus Christ the Word, the Lamb, the Son of God, came to earth to bring humanity the message of his Father. In chapter 14 he told his disciples, "Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the father'? Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work" (14:9b-10).
But Jesus also came to make sure the message of the Father came through with no error. As the Book of Hebrews declares, "In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word" (1:1-3a).
Thirty years ago I wrote the biography of Dr. Walter L. Wilson, a prominent physician and evangelist during the years after World War II. Much of the information came through personal interviews, but Dr. Wilson went to heaven while the book was being written. So the manuscript was affirmed and corroborated by Walter L. Wilson, Jr., representing his father and pronouncing that the message about his father was indeed true.
John the Gospel writer did not wait until chapter 3 or 4 to take us into the temple; in chapter 1 we have already entered the Holy of Holies. This first chapter contains more theology than some congregations hear in a year. May God grant us the understanding to grasp it and to let it impact our lives.
PRINCIPLES
Jesus Christ is God in human flesh. Jesus Christ is the foremost revelation of the Father. Jesus Christ is God's provision for our sin. Jesus Christ is our teacher and king.
APPLICATIONS
Be sure people understand you are only a messenger, not the message itself. Understand the theology of the Lamb. Make sure you treat others with grace and truth. Be ready to follow Jesus anywhere.
IV. Life Application
Sparrows in Winter
Paul Harvey tells about a raw winter night on which a farmer heard a thumping sound against the kitchen door. He went to a window and watched as tiny, shivering sparrows, attracted to the warmth inside, beat in vain against the glass storm door.
The farmer bundled up and trudged through fresh snow to open the barn for the struggling birds. He turned on the lights, tossed some hay in a corner, and sprinkled a trail of saltine crackers to direct them to the barn. But the sparrows hid in the darkness, afraid of him.
He tried various tactics: circling behind the birds to drive them toward the barn, tossing crumbs in the air toward them, retreating to his house to see if they would flutter into the barn on their own. Nothing worked. He had terrified them; the birds could not understand that he was trying to help them.
He withdrew to his house and watched the doomed sparrows through a window. As he stared, a thought hit him like lightning from a clear blue sky: If only I could become a bird—one of them—just for a moment, then I would not frighten them so. I could show them the way to warmth and safety. At the same moment, another thought dawned on him: He had grasped the whole principle of the incarnation.
A man's becoming a bird is nothing compared to God's becoming a man. The concept of a sovereign being as big as the universe confining himself to a human body is too much for some people to believe (cited in Swindoll, The Tardy Oxcart, pp. 294-95).
We began this chapter by quoting a few lines by Charles Wesley. The text first appeared in 1739 and was altered numerous times before it took its present form in George Whitefield's Collection of Hymns for Social Worship in 1753. The hymn tune was adapted from the second movement of Felix Mendelsshon's Festgesang, Opus 68, composed in 1840. This magnificent combination of text and tune provides not only a Christmas hymn but an exercise in New Testament doctrine every time we sing it. The message of John's first chapter fills homes and churches every December with the songs of the people of the Lamb.
V. Prayer
Father, thank you for Jesus our Creator and Savior. May his life and light shine through us, even though the darkness around us may not understand it. Amen.
VI. Deeper Discoveries
A. Word (1:1-3)
Appearing some 330 times in the New Testament, the word logos is familiar to many people who have never studied Greek. John used it no fewer than sixty-five times in his writings, forty of those found in this Gospel. The noun refers to a message or pronouncement, either oral or written. John used it to refer to the Old Testament, or the words of Jesus, or to Jesus himself. Henry Blackaby spells it out: "Thus, the primary use of logos is to denote divine revelation in some form or another. John used the term in its most exalted sense when he personified logos to refer to Christ. The Logos eternally existed as God (the Son) and with God (the Father)—He was in fact the Creator (John 1:1-3)—but He became a human being (v. 14), Jesus of Nazareth, so that He could reveal the Father and His will for humanity (v. 18)" (Blackaby, p. 2).
B. Life (1:4)
Ever been to a zoo? The word zoo and all the other words built around it (like zoology) are based on the Greek word zoe, which is also sometimes used as a woman's name. Detzler tells us how it was applied by the ancient Greeks: "In ancient Greece the word referred to the natural life which is shared by animals and people. Aristotle used it to describe the procreative processes whereby life is multiplied. In classical Greek it meant any self-movement, in contrast with mechanical movement. Plato extended the word to mean both mortal and immortal life. The Stoics felt that one should live in accordance with the life principle of the universe. For Plato, life could be divided between the here and the hereafter" (Detzler, p. 216).
But like many Greek words, zoe takes different meanings in the New Testament where it appears 260 times. All life comes from God the Creator, but different kinds of zoe must be acknowledged—physical, spiritual, and eternal. All forms of life come through the power of Jesus who described himself by saying, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6).
C. Light (1:4-5)
In addition to zoo and its cognates, your vocabulary surely contains the words photograph and phosphorus, to name just two English words springing from the Greek word phos. We find this word in the New Testament seventy-two times, almost half of them in the Gospel of John. Satan represents darkness; Jesus represents light. The bad news is that we live in a world of darkness. The good news is that the darkness cannot overwhelm the light. One significant segment of our book carrying the message of light appears in the words of Jesus himself.
Here are those verses in Peterson's paraphrase: "This is the crisis we're in: God-light streamed into the world, but men and women everywhere ran for the darkness. They went for the darkness because they were not really interested in pleasing God. Everyone who makes a practice of doing evil, addicted to denial and illusion, hates God-light and won't come near it, fearing a painful exposure. But anyone working and living in truth and reality welcomes God-light so the work can be seen for the God-work it is" (John 3:19-21, The Message).
D. World (1:10)
Here is another Greek lesson, and this time the English word sounds exactly like its Greek ancestor. The universe is often called the "cosmos" from the Greek word kosmos. The ancient Greeks used this word to describe a building or a city or even a culture. This common word for "world" appears 188 times in the New Testament, often referring to the earth and its inhabitants, the sinful society alien to God's truth. Hence we get the concept "worldliness." Pastors often remind us that even Christians can be "worldly" in the sense that they can focus their attention on possessions and entertainment rather than God's Word and the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives. The characteristic of the lost world is precisely the darkness we discussed above. Boice puts it this way: "Why was it that the world did not know and recognize the Lord Jesus Christ when He was present? The first answer to that question is that the world did not want Him. We know from experience that if a man does not want to see a truth (or an injustice either, for that matter), he will not see it. So, in exactly the same way, men and women did not recognize the Lord Jesus Christ primarily because they did not want to recognize Him" (Boice, I, p. 73).
E. Born of God (1:13)
Non-Christians commonly associate the term born again with believers, but in actuality the word again does not describe the process adequately. 1:13 talks about being "born of God" and John 3:3 about being "born again." Both phrases refer to a second birth. Peter spoke twice of being born again, using the word anagennao (1 Pet. 1:3,23), but John used only the word born without the prefix ana. Probably some of our modern grasp of the term comes from Chuck Colson's testimony book entitled Born Again.
The evangelist George Whitefield once wrote to Benjamin Franklin, "As you have made a pretty considerable progress in the mysteries of electricity, I would now honestly recommend to your diligent unprejudiced pursuit and study the mysteries of the new birth."
VII. Teaching Outline
A. INTRODUCTION 1. Lead Story: Confusing Pictures 2. Context: Writing about A.D. 90, John looked back more than six decades to approximately A.D. 26 or 27 and the beginning of Jesus' public ministry. In one sweeping chapter he pulled together the doctrines of creation, incarnation, and regeneration; introduced the Lamb of God to his readers; and described the gathering of Jesus' first disciples. John 1 is one of the most doctrinally rich chapters in the Bible. 3. Transition: Following on the heels of the three synoptic Gospels in the arrangement of New Testament books, John introduced a different way of looking at the life of Jesus with greater focus on Jesus' message than the events of his earthly life.B. COMMENTARY 1. Revelation of the Lamb (1:1-5) a. Revelation of eternality (1:1a) b. Revelation of personality (1:1b) c. Revelation of deity (1:1c-2) d. Revelation of creativity (1:3) e. Revelation of life (1:4) f. Revelation of light (1:5)2. Purpose of the Lamb (1:6-13) a. Announcement of regeneration (1:6-9) b. Apathy toward regeneration (1:10) c. Acceptance of regeneration (1:12-13)3. Incarnation of the Lamb (1:14-18) a. What is the incarnation? (1:14) b. When did it occur? (1:15-16) c. Why did God design it as he did? (1:17-18)4. Forerunner of the Lamb (1:19-28) a. Examination by the Jews (1:19-22) b. Explanation by John (23)5. Appearance of the Lamb (1:29-34) a. Recognition by John (1:29-31) b. Baptism by the Spirit (1:3)6. Followers of the Lamb (1:35-51) a. John and Andrew (1:35-40) b. Simon Peter (1:4) c. Philip and Nathanael (1:43-51)C. CONCLUSION: SPARROWS IN WINTER
VIII. Issues for Discussion
1. How can your family and church focus all year long on the importance of the incarnation?
2. Name some ways Christians "follow" the Lamb today.
3. How was the baptism of John the Baptist different than Christian baptism today?
Holman New Testament Commentary - John.
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