John 1

Joh 1:1-14.

THE

WORD

MADE

FLESH.

1. In the beginning--of all time and created existence, for this

Word gave it being

(Joh 1:3, 10);

therefore, "before the world was"

(Joh 17:5, 24);

or, from all eternity.

was the Word--He who is to God what man's word is to himself,

the manifestation or expression of himself to those without him.

(See on

Joh 1:18).

On the origin of this most lofty and now for ever consecrated

title of Christ, this is not the place to speak. It occurs only in the

writings of this seraphic apostle.

was with God--having a conscious personal existence

distinct from God (as one is from the person he is "with"), but

inseparable from Him and associated with Him

(Joh 1:18;

Joh 17:5;

1Jo 1:2),

where "THE FATHER" is used in

the same sense as "GOD" here.

was God--in substance and essence GOD;

or was possessed of essential

or proper divinity. Thus, each of these brief but pregnant statements is

the complement of the other, correcting any misapprehensions which the

others might occasion. Was the Word eternal? It was not the

eternity of "the Father," but of a conscious personal existence

distinct from Him and associated with Him. Was the Word thus "with

God?" It was not the distinctness and the fellowship of

another being, as if there were more Gods than one, but of One

who was Himself God--in such sense that the absolute unity of

the God head, the great principle of all religion, is only transferred

from the region of shadowy abstraction to the region of essential life

and love. But why all this definition? Not to give us any

abstract information about certain mysterious distinctions in the

Godhead, but solely to let the reader know who it was that in the

fulness of time "was made flesh." After each verse, then, the reader

must say, "It was He who is thus, and thus, and thus described, who was

made flesh."

2. The same, &c.--See what property of the Word the stress is laid

upon--His eternal distinctness, in unity, from God--the Father

(Joh 1:2).

3. All things, &c.--all things absolutely (as is evident from

Joh 1:10;

1Co 8:6;

Col 1:16, 17;

but put beyond question by what follows).

without Him was not any thing--not one thing.

made--brought into being.

that was made--This is a denial of the eternity and

non-creation of matter, which was held by the whole thinking world

outside of Judaism and Christianity: or rather, its proper

creation was never so much as dreamt of save by the children of

revealed religion.

4. In Him was life--essentially and originally, as the

previous verses show to be the meaning. Thus He is the Living Word,

or, as He is called in

1Jo 1:1, 2,

"the Word of Life."

the life . . . the light of men--All that in men which is

true light--knowledge, integrity, intelligent, willing subjection to

God, love to Him and to their fellow creatures, wisdom, purity, holy

joy, rational happiness--all this "light of men" has its fountain in the

essential original "life" of "the Word"

(1Jo 1:5-7;

Ps 36:9).

5. shineth in darkness, &c.--in this dark, fallen world, or in

mankind "sitting in darkness and the shadow of death,"

with no ability to find the way either of truth or of holiness. In

this thick darkness, and consequent intellectual and moral obliquity,

"the light of the Word" shineth--by all the rays whether of natural or

revealed teaching which men (apart from the Incarnation of the Word)

are favored with.

the darkness comprehended it not--did not take it in, a brief

summary of the effect of all the strivings of this unincarnate Word

throughout this wide world from the beginning, and a hint of the

necessity of His putting on flesh, if any recovery of men was to be

effected

(1Co 1:21).

6-9. The Evangelist here approaches his grand thesis, so paving

his way for the full statement of it in

Joh 1:14,

that we may be able to bear the bright light of it, and take in its

length and breadth and depth and height.

7. through him--John.

8. not that Light--(See on

Joh 5:35).

What a testimony to John to have to explain that "he was not

that Light!" Yet was he but a foil to set it off, his night-taper

dwindling before the Dayspring from on high

(Joh 3:30).

9. lighteth every man, &c.--rather, "which, coming into the world,

enlighteneth every man"; or, is "the Light of the world"

(Joh 9:5).

"Coming into the world" is a superfluous and quite unusual description

of "every man"; but it is of all descriptions of Christ amongst the most

familiar, especially in the writings of this Evangelist

(Joh 12:46; 16:28; 18:37;

1Jo 4:9;

1Ti 1:15,

&c.).

10-13. He was in the world, &c.--The language here is nearly as

wonderful as the thought. Observe its compact simplicity, its

sonorousness--"the world" resounding in each of its three members--and

the enigmatic form in which it is couched, startling the reader and

setting his ingenuity a-working to solve the stupendous enigma of

Christ ignored in His own world. "The world," in the first two

clauses, plainly means the created world, into which He

came, says

Joh 1:9;

"in it He was," says this verse. By His Incarnation, He became

an inhabitant of it, and bound up with it. Yet it "was made by

Him"

(Joh 1:3-5).

Here, then, it is merely alluded to, in contrast partly with His being

in it, but still more with the reception He met with from it.

"The world that knew Him not"

(1Jo 3:1)

is of course the intelligent world of mankind. (See on

Joh 1:11,12).

Taking the first two clauses as one statement,

we try to apprehend it by thinking of the infant Christ conceived in the

womb and born in the arms of His own creature, and of the Man Christ

Jesus breathing His own air, treading His own ground, supported by

substances to which He Himself gave being, and the Creator of the very

men whom He came to save. But the most vivid commentary on this entire

verse will be got by tracing (in His matchless history) Him of whom it

speaks walking amidst all the elements of nature, the diseases of men

and death itself, the secrets of the human heart, and "the rulers of the

darkness of this world" in all their number, subtlety, and malignity,

not only with absolute ease, as their conscious Lord, but, as we might

say, with full consciousness on their part of the presence of their

Maker, whose will to one and all of them was law. And this is He of whom

it is added, "the world knew Him not!"

11. his own--"His own" (property or possession), for the word is in

the neuter gender. It means His own land, city, temple, Messianic

rights and possessions.

and his own--"His own (people)"; for now the word is masculine. It means the Jews, as the "peculiar people." Both

they and their

land, with all that this included, were "HIS OWN,"

not so much as

part of "the world which was made by Him," but as "THE HEIR" of the

inheritance

(Lu 20:14;

see also on

Mt 22:1).

received him not--nationally, as God's chosen witnesses.

12. But as many--individuals, of the "disobedient and gainsaying

people."

gave he power--The word signifies both authority and ability, and both are certainly meant here.

to become--Mark these words: Jesus is the Son of God; He is never

said to have become such.

the sons--or more simply, "sons of God," in name and in

nature.

believe on his name--a phrase never used in Scripture of any mere creature, to express

the credit given to human testimony, even of prophets or apostles,

inasmuch it carries with it the idea of trust proper only towards

GOD. In this sense of supreme faith, as due to Him who "gives those

that believe in Himself power to become sons of God," it is

manifestly used here.

13. Which were born--a sonship therefore not of mere title and

privilege, but of nature, the soul being made conscious of the vital

capacities, perceptions, and emotions of a child of God, before

unknown.

not of blood, &c.--not of superior human descent, not of human

generation at all, not of man in any manner of way. By this elaborate

threefold denial of the human source of this sonship, immense force

is given to what follows,

but of God--Right royal gift, and He who confers must be absolutely

divine. For who would not worship Him who can bring him into the

family, and evoke within him the very life, of the sons of God?

14. And the Word, &c.--To raise the reader to the altitude of this

climax were the thirteen foregoing verses written.

was made flesh--BECAME MAN,

in man's present frail, mortal condition,

denoted by the word "flesh"

(Isa 40:6;

1Pe 1:24).

It is directed probably against the Docetæ, who held that

Christ was not really but only apparently man; against whom this

gentle spirit is vehement in his Epistles

(1Jo 4:3;

2Jo 7, 10, 11),

[LUCKE, &c.]. Nor could He be too much so, for

with the verity of the Incarnation all substantial Christianity

vanishes. But now, married to our nature, henceforth He is as

personally conscious of all that is strictly human as of all that is

properly divine; and our nature is in His Person redeemed and

quickened, ennobled and transfigured.

and dwelt--tabernacled or pitched his tent; a word peculiar to John,

who uses it four times, all in the sense of a permanent stay

(Re 7:15; 12:12; 13:6; 21:3).

For ever wedded to our "flesh," He has entered this tabernacle

to "go no more out." The allusion is to that tabernacle where dwelt the

Shekinah (see on

Mt 23:38, 39),

or manifested

"GLORY OF THE

LORD,"

and with reference to God's permanent dwelling among His people

(Le 26:11;

Ps 68:18; 132:13, 14;

Eze 37:27).

This is put almost beyond doubt by what immediately follows, "And we

beheld his glory"

[LUCKE,

MEYER,

DE

WETTE

which last critic, rising higher than usual, says that thus were

perfected all former partial manifestations of God in an essentially

Personal and historically Human manifestation].

full of grace and truth--So it should read: "He dwelt among us full

of grace and truth"; or, in Old Testament phrase, "Mercy and truth,"

denoting the whole fruit of God's purposes of love towards sinners of

mankind, which until now existed only in promise, and the

fulfilment at length of that promise in Christ; in one great word,

"the SURE MERCIES of David"

(Isa 55:3;

Ac 13:34;

compare

2Sa 23:5).

In His Person all that Grace and Truth which had been floating so long

in shadowy forms, and darting into the souls of the poor and needy its

broken beams, took everlasting possession of human flesh and filled it

full. By this Incarnation of Grace and Truth, the teaching of thousands

of years was at once transcended and beggared, and the family of God

sprang into Manhood.

and we beheld his glory--not by the eye of sense, which saw in

Him only "the carpenter." His glory was "spiritually discerned"

(1Co 2:7-15;

2Co 3:18; 4:4, 6; 5:16)

--the glory of surpassing grace, love, tenderness, wisdom, purity,

spirituality; majesty and meekness, richness and poverty, power and

weakness, meeting together in unique contrast; ever attracting and at

times ravishing the "babes" that followed and forsook all for Him.

the glory as of the only begotten of the Father--(See on

Lu 1:35);

not like, but "such as (belongs to)," such as became or

was befitting the only begotten of the Father [CHRYSOSTOM in LUCKE, CALVIN, &c.], according to a well-known use of the word

"as."

Joh 1:15.

A

SAYING OF THE

BAPTIST

CONFIRMATORY OF

THIS.

15. after me--in official manifestation.

before me--in rank and dignity.

for he was before me--in existence; "His goings forth being from

of old, from everlasting"

(Mic 5:2).

(Anything lower than this His words cannot mean); that is, "My

Successor is my Superior, for He was my Predecessor." This enigmatic

play upon the different senses of the words "before" and "after" was

doubtless employed by the Baptist to arrest attention, and rivet the

thought; and the Evangelist introduces it just to clinch his own

statements.

Joh 1:16-18.

SAME

SUBJECT

CONTINUED.

16. of his fulness--of "grace and truth," resuming the thread of

Joh 1:14.

grace for grace--that is, grace upon grace (so all the best

interpreters), in successive communications and larger measures, as each

was able to take it in. Observe, the word "truth" is here dropped.

"Grace" being the chosen New Testament word for the whole fulness of the

new covenant, all that dwells in Christ for men.

17. For, &c.--The Law elicits the consciousness of sin and the need

of redemption; it only typifies the reality. The Gospel, on the

contrary, actually communicates reality and power from above (compare

Ro 6:14).

Hence Paul terms the Old Testament "shadow," while he calls the New

Testament "substance"

(Col 2:17)

[OLSHAUSEN].

18. No man--"No one," in the widest sense.

hath seen God--by immediate gaze, or direct intuition.

in the bosom of the Father--A remarkable expression, used only here,

presupposing the Son's conscious existence distinct from the Father,

and expressing His immediate and most endeared access to, and

absolute acquaintance with, Him.

he--emphatic; As if he should say, "He and He only hath declared Him,"

because He only can.

Joh 1:19-36.

THE

BAPTIST'S

TESTIMONY TO

CHRIST.

19. record--testimony.

the Jews--that is, the heads of the nation, the members of the

Sanhedrim.

In this peculiar sense our Evangelist seems always to use the term.

20. confessed, &c.--that is, While many were ready to hail him as the

Christ, he neither gave the slightest ground for such views, nor the

least entertainment to them.

21. Elias--in His own proper person.

that prophet--announced in

De 18:15,

&c., about whom they seem not to have been agreed whether he were the

same with the Messiah or no.

25. Why baptizest thou, if not, &c.--Thinking he disclaimed any

special connection with Messiah's kingdom, they demand his right to

gather disciples by baptism.

26. there standeth--This must have been spoken after the baptism

of Christ, and possibly just after His temptation (see on

Joh 1:29).

28. Bethabara--Rather, "Bethany" (according to nearly all the best

and most ancient manuscripts); not the Bethany of Lazarus, but another

of the same name, and distinguished from it as lying "beyond Jordan," on

the east.

29. seeth Jesus--fresh, probably, from the scene of the temptation.

coming unto him--as to congenial company

(Ac 4:23),

and to receive from him His first greeting.

and saith--catching a sublime inspiration at the sight of Him

approaching.

the Lamb of God--the one God-ordained, God-gifted sacrificial

offering.

that taketh away--taketh up and taketh away. The word

signifies both, as does the corresponding Hebrew word. Applied to

sin, it means to be chargeable with the guilt of it

(Ex 28:38;

Le 5:1;

Eze 18:20),

and to bear it away (as often). In the Levitical victims both

ideas met, as they do in Christ, the people's guilt being viewed as

transferred to them, avenged in their death, and so

borne away by them

(Le 4:15; 16:15, 21, 22;

and compare

Isa 53:6-12;

2Co 5:21).

the sin--The singular number being used to mark the

collective burden and all-embracing efficacy.

of the world--not of Israel only, for whom the typical victims were

exclusively offered. Wherever there shall live a sinner throughout the

wide world, sinking under that burden too heavy for him to bear, he

shall find in this "Lamb of God," a shoulder equal to the weight. The

right note was struck at the first--balm, doubtless, to Christ's own

spirit; nor was ever after, or ever will be, a more glorious utterance.

31-34. knew him not--Living mostly apart, the one at Nazareth, the

other in the Judean desert--to prevent all appearance of collusion, John

only knew that at a definite time after his own call, his Master would

show Himself. As He drew near for baptism one day, the last of all the

crowd, the spirit of the Baptist heaving under a divine presentiment

that the moment had at length arrived, and an air of unwonted serenity

and dignity, not without traits, probably, of the family features,

appearing in this Stranger, the Spirit said to him as to Samuel of his

youthful type, "Arise, anoint Him, for this is He!"

(1Sa 16:12).

But the sign which he was told to expect was the visible descent

of the Spirit upon Him as He emerged out of the baptismal water.

Then, catching up the voice from heaven, "he saw and bare record

that this is the Son of God."

35. John stood--"was standing," at his accustomed place.

36. looking--having fixed his eyes, with significant gaze, on Jesus.

as he walked--but not now to him. To have done this once

(see on

Joh 1:29)

was humility enough [BENGEL].

Behold, &c.--The repetition of that wonderful proclamation, in

identical terms and without another word, could only have been meant as

a gentle hint to go after Him--as they did.

Joh 1:37-51.

FIRST

GATHERING OF

DISCIPLES--JOHN

ANDREW,

SIMON,

PHILIP,

NATHANAEL.

38. What seek ye--gentle, winning question, remarkable as the

Redeemer's first public utterance. (See on

Mt 12:18-20.)

where dwellest thou--that is, "That is a question we cannot answer in a

moment; but had we Thy company for a calm hour in private, gladly should

we open our burden."

39. Come and see--His second utterance, more winning still.

tenth hour--not ten A.M. (as some), according to Roman, but four

P.M., according to Jewish reckoning, which John follows. The hour is

mentioned to show why they stayed out the day with him--because little

of it remained.

40. One . . . was Andrew--The other was doubtless our Evangelist

himself. His great sensitiveness is touchingly shown in his

representation of this first contact with the Lord; the circumstances

are present to him in the minutest details; he still remembers the Very

hour. But "he reports no particulars of those discourses of the Lord by

which he was bound to Him for the whole of His life; he allows

everything personal to retire" [OLSHAUSEN].

Peter's brother--and the elder of the two.

41. have found the Messias--The previous preparation of their simple

hearts under the Baptist's ministry, made quick work of this blessed

conviction, while others hesitated till doubt settled into obduracy.

So it is still.

42. brought him to Jesus--Happy brothers that thus do to each other!

beheld him--fixed his eyes on him, with significant gaze (as

Joh 1:36).

Cephas . . . stone--(See on

Mt 16:18).

43. would go . . . into Galilee--for from His baptism

He had sojourned in Judea (showing that the calling at the Sea

of Galilee

[Mt 4:18]

was a subsequent one, see on

Lu 5:1).

Follow me--the first express call given, the former three having come

to Him spontaneously.

44. the city of Andrew and Peter--of their birth probably, for

they seem to have lived at Capernaum

(Mr 1:29).

45. Nathanael--(See on

Mt 10:3).

Moses--(See

Joh 5:46).

son of Joseph--the current way of speaking. (See

Lu 3:23).

46. any good out of Nazareth--remembering Bethlehem, perhaps, as

Messiah's predicted birthplace, and Nazareth having no express prophetic

place at all, besides being in no repute. The question sprang

from mere dread of mistake in a matter so vital.

Come and see--Noble remedy against preconceived opinions [BENGEL]. Philip, though he could not perhaps solve his

difficulty, could show him how to get rid of it. (See on

Joh 6:68).

47. an Israelite indeed . . . no guile--not only no

hypocrite, but with a guileless simplicity not always found even in

God's own people, ready to follow wherever truth might lead him,

saying, Samuel-like, "Speak, Lord, for Thy servant heareth"

(1Sa 3:10).

48. Whence knowest thou me--conscious that his very heart had been

read, and at this critical moment more than ever before.

Before Philip called thee--showing He knew all that passed between

Philip and him at a distance.

when . . . under the fig tree, &c.--where retirement

for meditation and prayer was not uncommon [LIGHTFOOT]. Thither, probably--hearing that his master's

Master had at length appeared, and heaving with mingled eagerness to

behold Him and dread of deception--he had retired to pour out his

guileless heart for light and guidance, ending with such a prayer as

this, "Show me a token for good!" (See on

Lu 2:8).

Now he has it, "Thou guileless one, that fig tree scene, with all its

heaving anxieties, deep pleadings and tremulous hopes--I saw it all."

The first words of Jesus had astonished, but this quite overpowered and

won him.

49. Son of God . . . King of Israel--the one denoting

His person, the other His office. How much loftier this than anything

Philip had said to him! But just as the earth's vital powers, the

longer they are frost-bound, take the greater spring when at length set

free, so souls, like Nathanael and Thomas (see on

Joh 20:28),

the outgoings of whose faith are hindered for a time, take the start of

their more easy-going brethren when loosed and let go.

50, 51. Because I said, &c.--"So quickly convinced, and on this

evidence only?"--an expression of admiration.

51. Hereafter, &c.--The key to this great saying is Jacob's vision

(Ge 28:12-22),

to which the allusion plainly is. To show the patriarch that though

alone and friendless on earth his interests were busying all heaven, he

was made to see "heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and

descending upon a" mystic "ladder reaching from heaven to

earth." "By and by," says Jesus here, "ye shall see this communication

between heaven and earth thrown wide open, and the Son of man the

real Ladder of this intercourse."