Resources for Christian Education

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

• "In the beginning" is a reference to the Genesis creation story (Gen. Chapter 1) and therefore engages the Israelite listener.  Then, by using the Greek word "logos" (which we translated into English as "word"), the author of John is also engaging Greek listeners as well.
• In much the same way the Genesis creation story would have resonance for an Israelite, so would the usage of the word "logos" have resonance for someone raised and formed in Greek culture.  "Logos" was understood by the Greeks as a force that emanated light. Was a divine ideal. The idea that words have power to form and shape was a strong concept in Platonic thought.
• By starting the Gospel of John with a reference to both the logos and the creation story, the author of John does a rather brilliant job of engaging a somewhat disparate audience of Greek and Hebrew. And still stays true to the Genesis story, where God creates by speaking. (Then God said, "Let there be light" Gen John 1:3)
• Although merging the concepts of "logos" and "God" was brilliant, it also created plenty of opportunities for interpretation.  For instance, this first verse can be read with the understanding that Jesus was "the Word" and that Jesus was alive at the beginning of Time with God. This interpretation is also often used to help support the theological creation of the Trinity.  But the concept of the Trinity did not exist when the Gospel of John was written. And, it is EXTREMELY unlikely that the author of John was attempting to develop a new theology/ understanding of God at this juncture.
• Remember, the author of John is putting forth the argument that the same power in the book of Genesis that created everything we know, and what the Greeks might call the "logos life force," was the same power.  The author of John thinks this power is the same thing, but because he is writing for two different audiences, then he uses two different names for that same power.

John 1:2 He was in the beginning with God.

• The Greek word that gets translated as "he" in this verse can also be translated as "the same." To get a sense of how the Greek words appear, see this PDF: http://www.scripture4all.org/OnlineInterlinear/ NTpdf/joh1.pdf
• The sense of the phrase seems to be in continuation with the first verse: The logos and God are together. They are the same thing with different names.

John 1:3 All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being

• And now the author of John merges the two concepts into one.  Logos and God = Him. And nothing happens or exist without God/Logos.

John 1:4 in him was life, and the life was the light of all people.

• Again, the centrality of God/Logos is being emphasized: Life and Light - the essence of Creation - originate and radiate from Him/God/Logos.
• The light imagery is a strong reference to the Genesis story, again, since that was the first thing that God created.
• From a biological point-of-view, it's also pretty clear that life thrives in the light/needs the light to live.  
• Up to this point, the author of John has done a very skillful job of threading the needle between two cultural belief systems.  Both Greeks and Israelites could read these four verses, maybe mutter about the weird usage of some words, but agree with the premise.

John 1:5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

• So now the author of John is pivoting away from the merging of the two ideas of God and Logos and transitioning to the storytelling.  
• But, this is also an important theological reminder.  Call it what you will: Chaos/Evil/Darnkess - but whatever you call it, doesn't it often seem like it is winning? But in one simple line, the author of John reminds us that the darkness never snuffs out the light. Anytime a fire or flashlight or lamp or match is lit, the darkness recedes. The author of John is reminding us that God's light in us functions in the same way.

John 1:6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

• OK, now we're into the story.  With an introduction of John. Remember that the usage of John, here, refers to John the Baptist, not the author of the Gospel of John.

John 1:7 He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him.  John 1:8 He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light.

• Here we are given John's job description.
• The differentiation between John the Baptist and Jesus begins.  Bible scholars believe that there was a decent amount of confusion among the people about who was the Messiah: John or Jesus. Some of this was inherent to how communication worked during that time and place (rumor and gossip), but also due to a sense of competition or pride from John the Baptist's disciples/followers.  When it comes to the human ego, no wants to admittedly follow the second-best. All four of the Gospels make the differentiation between John and Jesus, and here begins the author of John's approach.
• "To testify to the light" - however the arrangement between John the Baptist and Jesus came to be made, it was a clever arrangement.  Jesus couldn't spend his time talking about himself to the crowds. His job was to share the good news with words and actions that the Kingdom of God was at hand.  Thus, someone else had to talk to the people about Jesus, about who he was and what he was going to do and what the people had to do to get ready for him.  
• One more thing about testifying: The word usage of "testifying" reminds us that there's always choice being offered. To testify is to exhort, to persuade, to encourage people to choose.  But the Word does not force itself upon the people.  It must be chosen.

John 1:9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

• In verse 4, the author of John tells us that life and light comes from Him/God/Logos. And now, in verse 9, that light is coming into the world. It will be embodied in a human home - in the form of Jesus.

John 1:10 He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him.

• The past tense of "Was in the world" tells us that the pronoun, "He," is now referring to God/Logos, not Jesus.  
• How do you describe the tension of God being in all of creation and yet not all of us being able to see God's presence in it?  Verse 10 attempts to capture that tension with "the world came into being through him, yet the world did not know him."

John 1:11 He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him.

• Stated in universal/macro terms in v10, v11 transitions to the personal, to the Israelites.  For 1400 years, they've been shaped to be God's example to the world of how to live God's better way.  They are supposed to be the ones who "get it."  But alas, they do not.
• The absolute language of "all" is contradicted in the next verse.  One reason for it can be because as a people, they killed Jesus, even though obviously, as a people, some of them followed Jesus and then went on and shared his message to the world.  This is sort of like when we say "And then, America went to war." Now, did everyone in America agree with that decision to go to war? No, of course not. But when describing the action/decision of the overall unit, the Israelites did NOT accept Jesus.

John 1:12 But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God,

• "believed" & "received" = The way.  Means the people lived what Jesus taught them.  And when they did, then they experienced and took in the same light and life that Jesus embodied.  And in so doing, they became like Jesus, became children of God.

John 1:13 who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.

• This is an incredibly provocative statement: Completely goes against the fate and societal ordering that was based on lineage and bloodlines.  This line in verse 13 says, "It doesn't matter who your parents are. God will make you, not people, not society, and not DNA." If you're at the top of the societal ladder, this is not welcome news.  But to everyone else, this is AMAZING news!

John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth.

• Each of us contain the Word of God in us.  Each of us contain God's light and life in us.  But often we don't know it. Or trust it. Or can see it.  But Jesus could see it and know it in himself and lived accordingly.  And it was an awesome sight. A spectacle of hope and splendor to behold.  A true representation of the type of life God wants available to each and every one of us.
• English term for "only" means "cannot be replicated." Which of course completely contradicts everything that was just previously said.  The Greek word could also mean (and is probably meant to mean) "The first one." Or "Uniquely generated." Which would define him in a trailblazer way instead of as a ____ individual.
• Traditionally, "Son of God" language was understood to be a coded phrase for "Messiah," but emerging scholarship is shifting that understanding.  "Son of Man" is starting to be thought of as the more typical "messiah" language, and "Son of God" language is starting to be understood more as a phrase that denotes "belonging."

John 1:15 (John testified to him and cried out, "This was he of whom I said, "He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.' ")

• Back to the story part. More information about what John the Baptist was telling people - continuing to drive home the point that John was NOT the Messiah, but was preparing people for the Messiah.

John 1:16 From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.

• Because Jesus lives into the fullness of his potential, then we can hear and receive and live the Good News.  
• Possible question for the group: How do you personally understand the grace upon grace that you've received?

John 1:17 The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

• This line does not mean that the law is no longer needed.
• But it does succinctly remind us that salvation does not come from just the rules. The rules are part of a larger process, one that includes the gifts and teachings and transformation that Jesus offers.

John 1:18 No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father's heart, who has made him known.

• As humans, we cannot see light itself.  But we CAN see the objects that the light falls upon and often think, then, that we're seeing light.  The same is true about God and Jesus.  We cannot see God, but because Jesus stands in God's light, because Jesus is filled up with God's life, then Jesus shows and reveals who God is to the rest of us.  

Bible study notes for…

The Gospel
According To John

John 1:1-18