JOHN CHAPTER 1.

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN. L.H.Brough.

(Notes compiled from the Assembly Bible School notes).

The Fourth Gospel has suffered much at the hands of its critics.  However, today many Johannine scholars are coming to more conservative conclusions.  While at one time, it was insisted that the Fourth Gospel was a Hellenistic book, now, it is generally recognized that its material was forged on the soil of Southern Palestine.  Johannine Scholars are ready to admit that its author did not know the Synoptic Gospels but followed an independent tradition that was historically sound.  The displacement theory, at one time advocated by Bernard and others, has been largely abandoned and the Gospel in its present form is regarded as a unity.

           

It is now admitted that John's Gospel must have been written at an earlier date than formerly thought possible, and the apostolic authorship is given more credence.

John CHAPTER 1.

The Prologue.  1:1-18.  The Gospel of John begins with a hymn-like composition known as the Prologue.  This covers the first eighteen verses and its main ideas continually reappear throughout the Gospel.  Its origin is Jewish and Palestinian.  However, the language and ideas are such as would convey a clear message to Greeks and to everyone familiar with Greek ideas.  For the Prologue is concerned with the glory of the Word who became flesh and sojourned among men.  The Prologue is a summary of the message of the Fourth Gospel and its ideas pervade the Gospel and provide a key to its interpretation.

           

THE WORD.  1:1-7. In the first verse the Logos or the Word is repeated on three occasions to give emphasis.  For the Word has a central role in the Prologue as the revealer of God and executor of His purpose.  The Word expresses God in all He is and does.

           

"The Word was in the beginning."  He is eternal.  The Word was face to face with God, eternally enjoying His love and sharing His counsels.  He had an unequal opportunity to know God.  And John concludes the verse with, "the Word was God."  This is to declare the Deity of the Word.  In this instance there is no definite article in the Greek before "God" as in the previous statement.  However, it is not good enough to translate "the Word was Divine" or "the Word was a God."  It expresses His nature as truly God.  C.F.D. Moule in his `Idiom Book of New Testament Greek' writes: "It is necessarily without the article as it describes the Nature of the Word." (page 116).

           

The second verse combines the first two statements of verse one.  The Word was not promoted at some era into the presence of God, but was with God eternally.  We further learn that the Word was the Agent in creating all things.  How great was the Word!  The work of creation was also one of Revelation.  For in creating all things He revealed God and expressed His purpose.

           

The Word is the source and the giver of life.  No life consists without Him, but John may write especially of eternal life.  For this is one of the great themes of the Gospel.  And that life "was the light of men."  He is not confined to Israel alone.  As Simon moved by the Spirit said: "a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel."  (Luke 2:32).  He has a message for all men.  The final verse of John chapter 1:5 affirms that the light shines in hostile surroundings.  The darkness sought to overcome the light and to destroy it.  For the light reveals the true nature of the darkness.  It is true that John frequently alludes to the double meaning of a word.  However, the central idea is to emphasize the hostility of the darkness to the light.

           

THE WITNESS.  1:6-8.  There appeared a remarkable man whose name was John and he came to fulfil a special mission.  For he came as a witness to the Light and he had the greatest qualification for a witness in that he was sent from God.  In the Fourth Gospel he is the witness to Christ, rather that the preacher of repentance and as the baptiser.  John came upon the plane of history to introduce the Light to men.  His testimony was not to Israel alone, but it is to all men that through him all might believe in the Light.

           

In verse 9 the clause "was coming into the world" is attached to "every man" in the A.V. but it is better attached to "the true light."  The Incarnation is a central truth in John's Gospel. (see 9:39).  The adjective `true' means `real, genuine'.  The true light gives light to every man, and in doing so shows the way and exposes the works of darkness.  The Incarnation has great moral issues for men and they who reject the light have no excuse.

           

THE CHILDREN OF GOD.  1:10-13.  The world did not recognize its Maker though He came to do it good.  He was in the world and the world was made through Him.  It was inexcusable then that the world did not recognize Him.  He came to that which was His own property (neuter) but His own people (masculine) did not receive Him.  Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.  This is the unique privilege of all who received Him.  We receive Christ by believing in His name.  All such are born of God.  The new birth is not by blood or natural descent from Abraham, nor of human decision to reform, nor by the agency of any man, but by the sovereign will of God.  Therefore the world does not recognize the children of God as it did not recognize Him.

           

THE WORD BECAME FLESH.   This is the central theme of this Gospel.  The Word became Incarnate.  This involved humiliation and obedience.  Bp. Temple wrote: "The Word did not merely indwell a human being.  Absolutely identity is asserted.  The Word is Jesus.  Jesus is the Word." (Readings in St. John's Gospel).  The author rejects the Docetic teaching and its denial of His real humanity.

           

The N.I.V. translates: "to live in a tent" and this suggests a temporary residence among us.  There may be a reference to the Shekinah here.  For the consonants of the Greek word are identical with those of Shekinah and in Hebrew the consonants convey the meaning of the word.

           

The Word who became flesh was the manifestation of the presence and glory of God.  And it was by becoming man He could fully communicate God to men.  However, His glory was discernable only to the eye of faith.  For His glory consisted in the uniqueness of His Sonship, in that, He came from the Father.  He did not come to condemn, but was full of grace and truth.  The reality of the past as well as the completeness of the present revelation was manifested in Him.

           

THE WITNESS OF JOHN.  1:15-18.  John the Baptist came to bear witness to the Son.  He came as the forerunner of the Light.  But Jesus far surpassed John in greatness, for as the Eternal Son He was before John.   It is not easy to be sure where John's words end and the Evangelist's comments begin.  But the comment is: "From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another."  This means we have all received grace to meet every situation of life.  In Him is all-sufficiency to meet every need.  We are dependent on Him alone.  Every step of the Christian life depends upon His unfailing favour.  For His ministry to His people is one of continual grace and blessing.  There is a continual succession of blessing.

           

The Jews prided themselves in possessing the Law of Moses, which they regarded as the expression of God's covenant.  However, in Jesus Christ, who is much greater than the Law, there is an inexhaustible supply of grace and truth.  We have only to receive what He offers.

           

No man has seen God.  The theophany at the giving of the Law was partial and generated fear.  The only Son who eternally resides in the bosom of the Father has made God known.  The Greek for "declared" A.V. and "made known" N.I.V. was almost a technical term in Greek literature for declaration of Divine secrets (Lindars in New Century).  The Revelation that comes in the Son has greatly surpassed any of the theophanies and revelations to be found in the Old Testament.

           

1:19-28.  John the Baptist denies that he is the Christ or any person of eschatological significance.  The religious leaders among the Jews at Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to interview John and to ask who he was.  They wished to know what authority he claimed.  It is obvious that John made a great impression upon the Jewish people.  So that they wondered if he was the Christ or Elijah or the prophet who was to come (see Deut.18:15).  However, without hesitation, he denied that he fulfilled such hopes.

           

But his interrogators were persistent and insisted they must take an answer to those who sent them.  They wished to know what John had to say for himself.  John defines his mission in the words of Isaiah (40:3) and in the manner he justifies his task, we discern his humility.  He was the voice of one calling in the desert, an insignificant and lonely sound in an insignificant and lonely place.  He sought no glory for himself.  The task assigned to him was a humble one.  He made no claim to be one of the great personages of Israel's history.

           

That John should deny he was Elijah may surprise some modern readers of the Gospel.  For the Synoptic Gospels record that Jesus said concerning John, "he is Elijah who was to come." (Matt.11:14; 17:12; Mk.9:13 and Lk.1:17).  However John himself, made no such claim.  Hoskyns and Davey write: "There is no real contradiction, for it is one thing to be named Elijah by the Christ, but quite another for a man, even for a prophet, to assert it of himself." (p.174).

           

John had come to prepare the people for the coming of their Messiah-King.  This preparation was spiritual and moral in character.  He sought to enthrone the Messiah in the hearts of His people, and his one desire was to emphasize the superiority and greatness of the One who stood among them whom they did not recognize.

           

The messengers were sent by the Pharisees and they sought to know John's ground for baptizing.  They marvelled that he should baptize if he was not the Christ nor a person of great eschatological significance.  The Pharisees were religiously conservative and held fast to the traditions of the fathers and they wondered at the radical nature of his demands.  That he should insist upon such ordinance for Jews justified them to think he was the Messiah or at least a great personage in Israel's history.  However, John assures them that while he baptized in water, One stood among them who was much greater than himself, for John was not worthy to be the slave that untied the thong of His shoe.  The central point of John's testimony was the greatness of the One about to be manifested.  This interview with John took place in Bethany on the other side of Jordan.  This Bethany is to be distinguished from Bethany on the farther side of the Mount of Olives.  See New Bible Dictionary, Intervarsity. (p142).  Bethabara of the A.V. should be omitted.

           

JOHN'S TESTIMONY TO THE MESSIAH.  1:29-34.  Then on the day following John's interview with the messengers who were sent from Jerusalem, as John looked upon Jesus coming towards him, he exclaimed, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world."

           

Adoring wonder and worship must have filled the heart of John.  Not only so, but he gives expression to a new understanding of Messiah's work.  Jesus was the Lamb appointed and provided by God.  The Greek participle for "taketh away" means "lifted up, take up, carry away, remove" (Bauer).  A lamb could only take away sin by sacrificially dying on account of sin.  This verse focuses on the Cross of Jesus.  It was on the cross the Lord Jesus bore our sins.

           

What then is the background to the statement that Jesus is the Lamb of God?  This Gospel mentions at least three Passovers, and Jesus was crucified at the Passover Season.  The slaying of the Passover lamb prefigured the death of Jesus.  However, the figure of the lamb is to be regarded in a comprehensive sense, and several Old Testament ideas are telescoped into one another.  For instance, there must be a reference to the Suffering Servant of Yahweh, whose substitutionary sufferings are so vividly described in Isaiah 53.  There the Servant is described as "a lamb that is led to the slaughter".  In John's Gospel "the Lamb of God" is a Messianic title, but His work contemplates not Israel alone but the world.

           

John had no doubt about the pre-eminence and greatness of Christ though he had only recently come to know it.  He must have known Jesus from boyhood days, but he had only recently come to know that Jesus was the Christ.  God gave John a sign, that upon whomsoever the Holy Spirit should come down from heaven as a dove and abide upon Him, this was the Christ and the Baptizer in the Holy Spirit.  The ministry of baptizing with, or in the Holy Spirit anticipated the resurrection of Christ, for as the risen and glorified Lord, He would give His Spirit.  John concludes his witness: "I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God."  Here much can be said for the more difficult reading, "This is God's Chosen One." (see N.E.B. and the N.Am.B.).

           

THE CALL OF THE FIRST DISCIPLES.  1:35-51.  The next day John was again standing there with two of his disciples, and when he saw Jesus passing by, he said, "Look the Lamb of God." John preached Christ.  He was the theme of John's witness and John's witness to the Lamb of God aroused faith in the hearts of his disciples.  They understood John's testimony to "the Lamb of God" to mean that Jesus was the Messiah.  Both men were deeply impressed by John's testimony, so they left John to follow Jesus.  That they now followed Jesus means they became His disciples.  They recognized in Jesus a greater than John.  For both of them the path of discipleship began with John's five words of praise concerning the Lamb.

           

The two disciples addressed Jesus as "Rabbi" which means "my teacher".  This was a title of respect and reverence.  They wished to be with Him where He stayed that they may enjoy His company and hear His teaching.  When they enquired as to where He stayed, He replied, "Come and see."  He invites them to personally experience for themselves.  His circumstances were humble, but His presence transformed all things.

           

Andrew, the brother of Simon, was one of the two men.  Many think the other disciple was John the Son of Zebedee.  Both men must have greatly profited from spending the day with Jesus.  Andrew first finds his brother Simon and said to him, "We have found the Messiah."  Andrew brought Simon to Jesus.  The Lord looked at Simon and spoke to him and gave him a new name.  Simon would be called Cephas, or Peter, meaning the Rock-man.  These verses tell us how men were made disciples of Jesus and they instruct the Church how to win disciples.  Andrew's task required enthusiasm and skill for a person may need help and guidance to be brought to Jesus.

           

PHILIP AND ANDREW.  1:43-51. On the next day Jesus decided to go into Galilee, and He finds Philip.  He knew about Philip and had him in His mind and seeks him out.  The command of Jesus to him is, "Follow me."  This is a Present Imperative.  "Continually follow me" or "Be my disciple continually."  Philip must accompany Him and learn from Him.

           

Philip no sooner became a disciple of Jesus than he began to seek out another, whom he knows, is exercised in heart as to when the Messiah should come.  Philip finds Nathanael and enthusiastically says, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law and whom the Prophets also wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."  But Nathanael was hesitant to believe that any person of significance could come out of Nazareth.  He is cautious and Philip knew he could not argue with Nathanael about his local prejudices.  So he avoids this issue and invites Nathanael to "come and see."  Philip is confident of Jesus and is sure a personal interview with Jesus would convince Nathanael.

           

The Lord salutes Nathanael.  "Here is a true Israelite in whom there is nothing false."  But such a salutation makes Nathanael a little cautious.  He was not the kind of man to be swept away by fair speech.  He is first a little sceptical about Jesus' sincerity and wonders whether Jesus made disciples with plausible words.  So he replies, "How do you know me?"  Jesus answered, "I saw you while you were still under the fig-tree before Philip called you."  Nathanael is immediately convinced and the Lord's knowledge brings an immediate confession of faith, "Rabbi! You are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel."

           

Nathanael had sat under the fig-tree and there meditated on the experiences of Jacob, especially those of Genesis 28:12 and 32:27.   Nathanael is amazed, he thought no one knew about it.  But the omniscience and greatness of Jesus provoked him to confess His greatness.  However, the Lord would enlarge his vision, a vision of the Son of Man.

           

The Lord promises that they shall see greater things than these.  The pronoun is plural and the N.I.V. translates, "You shall all see heaven open and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man." (1:51). (He affirms this by the words, "I tell you the truth you......"  "you" is plural, He was speaking to all His disciples present).

           

Nathanael had discerned that Jesus was the King of Israel, but the Lord speaks of a greater vision in which the Son of Man will occupy the central place.  This title emphasizes His relationship to the human race.  Nathanael was made to see that Christ was the fulfilment of his meditations on Jacob and this surpassed all his nationalistic concepts of the Messiah.