The Simple Gospel of John - Ch. 1:1-28

Who Is Jesus?

(1) In the beginning

was the Word,

and the Word was with God,

and the Word was God.

(2) The same [Word],

was in the begining with God.

(3) All things were made by him

[the Word],

and without him

was not anything made that was made

(4) In him [the Word] was life;

and the life [the Word]

was the light of men.

(Word = Life) (Life = Word)

(Life = Light) (Light = Life)

Therefore, "Word," "Life," and "Light" are all equal, according to Euclid's Law (of physics--i.e. God's established law of the universe): "things that are equal to same thing, are also equal to each other."



(5) And the light [Word]

shineth in darkness;

and the darkness

comprehended it not.

"comprehend" = [Greek #2638 in Strong's Concordance]

1. to lay hold of
2. in a good sense, of Christ by his holy power and influence laying hold
3. of the human mind and will, in order to prompt and govern it
4. to understand, perceive, learn, comprehend

(6) There was a man sent from God,

whose name was John [the Baptist]

(7) The same came for a witness,

to bear witness of the Light,

that all men

through him [the Light/Word/Jesus]

might believe.

(8) He [John the Baptist] was not that Light,

but was sent

to bear witness of

[announce/identify]

that Light.

(9) That was the true Light

[Word of God/Jesus],

which lighteth

[gives physical and spiritual life to]

every man

that cometh into the world.

(10) He was in the world,

and the world was made by him

[Jesus/Word of God]

and the world knew him not.

See v.5--"the darkness comprehended not," now in v. 10 we see that "the world knew him not." 

Many people today are searching for "the light," but they do not realize the simple truth that the Light of the One True God is the Word of God--the Living Word, Jesus Christ and the written Word, the Holy Bible.

In the Book of Psalms 119:105, we are told: "Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." 

From this we can conclude that except for those who believed who Jesus Christ really was and received Him, the rest of mankind continued to live in spiritual darkness and did not realize who He was or the significance of His existence.

When Jesus arrives on the planet, immediately the dichotomy between good and evil, spiritual darkness and spiritual light is manifested. 

(11) He came unto his own,

and his own received him not.

(12) But as many as received him,

to them gave he power

[spiritual ability]

to become the sons of God,

even to them that believe on his name:

The ones who received Jesus and accepted who He really was were those He had given the spiritual ability/power to become the sons of God.

His "name" is the key.  What is the function (totality) of a person's name?

Doesn't His Name reveal who He really is?

In other words, those who were given the power to see and accept who Jesus really was were given the ability to enter into the family of God.

Jesus = [Greek #2424] and [Hebrew #3091]

Have same meaning:  Jesus - "Jehovah is salvation"

(13) Which were born,

not of blood,

nor of the will of the flesh,

nor of the will of man,

[Not a physical birth]

but of God.

Here God begins to emphasize the difference between physical life and spiritual life and how man is to enter into a spiritual relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ, who is defined here also as the Light, the Life, and the Word.

Only His people will be able to understand and receive the True Light (Jesus Christ), the Life, and Word. . .while others will not be able to understand it and will therefore remain in spiritual darkness.

(14) And the Word was made flesh

[became the man, Jesus]

and dwelt among us,

(and we beheld his glory, the glory

as of the only begotten of the Father,)

full of grace [merciful loving kindness]

and truth [only what is true/absolute fact/reality],

"glory" = [Greek #1391]

1. opinion, judgment, view
2. opinion, estimate, whether good or bad concerning someone
3. in NT always a good opinion concerning one, resulting in praise, honor and glory
4. splendor, brightness, magnificence, excellence, preeminence, dignity, grace
5. a thing belonging to God--kingly majesty which belongs to him as supreme ruler
6. majesty in the sense of the absolute perfection of the deity
7. a thing belonging to Christ--the kingly majesty of the Messiah
8. the absolutely perfect inward or personal excellency of
9. a most glorious condition, most exalted state

(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

[Gen.1:1--He was at creation doing the creating],

(16) And of his fulness

have all we received,

and grace for grace.

(17) For the law

was given by Moses,

but grace and truth

[merciful loving kindness

and absulute fact/reality--v.14]

came by Jesus Christ.

(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.

Just a thought:

What could John have been symbolizing and what example could he have been giving when he put his head on the bosom of Christ during the last supper?

Perhaps John was not only showing his affection for his Lord and Savior, but could it be possible that John was also declaring who Jesus really was, just as Jesus declared who God was when He resided in the "bosom of the Father," as we are told here in verse 18?

(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.

The priests and Levites reveal their contentious attitude by asking John the Baptist the same question after he had already told them that he was not Elias.

(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?

This was a threat as well as a question.  They were letting John the Baptist know that superior worldly/religious authorities were investigating John.  They were not there to merely satisfy their own curiosity.

(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

[referring to the prophecy in the Word of God].

(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;

[John baptizes with water but...]

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.

**Why Did Jesus Come?***
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