1: The Word — John 1:1–28


1 the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was in the beginning with God. ³ All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being ⁴ in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. ⁷ He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. ⁸ He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. ⁹ The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. ¹¹ He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him.
¹² But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, ¹³ who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.

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. 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.’”) ¹⁶ From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. ¹⁷ The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 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.

This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”
²⁰ He confessed and did not deny it, but confessed, “I am not the Messiah.” ²¹ And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the prophet?” He answered, “No.” ²² Then they said to him, “Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” ²³ He said,

“I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness,
‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’” 
as the prophet Isaiah said.

Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. ²⁵ They asked him, “Why then are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?” ²⁶ John answered them, “I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, ²⁷ the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal.” ²⁸ This took place in Bethany across the Jordan where John was baptizing.  NRSV

Get into the Word

1. What images does John use for Jesus in this passage? What mental pictures do you get from these images? Why do you think John chose these images for his opening?

2. What major concepts or understandings about Jesus is John trying to convey here? What distinctions does John make between Jesus and  all other humans? 

3. What does Jesus do? How do people react to this? What happens as a result? Who does this change?

4. Who does John introduce in this narrative? What is his message? Who does he say he is? What is his relation to Jesus?

5. What seems to be the main concern of the priests when they approach John? What do you think of John’s answer to their questions? Do you think he wanted to help them understand?

6. Why would the Jews be concerned about John’s baptizing? Why does John say he baptizes only with water?

Get Personal

How does God help you understand that Jesus is fully God and fully human? How does this understanding affect your life?

1:1. Beginning — Even though this phrase parallels Genesis 1:1, John makes it clear he is talking about things before the creation narrative.
Word — see the Note on page 2.
1:3. Came into being — John draws a clear distinction between the Word and all other creatures. In fact the Word created all things. Early in the church’s history, questions about Jesus’ divinity were creeping into Christian writings. Some could not understand how Jesus could be fully God and fully human at the same time, but John forcefully declares  that Jesus was God and shared all attributes, including the power to create “all things” with God the Father.
1:4-5. Light — Matthew refers to Isaiah to describe Jesus as light: The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned. From that time Jesus began to proclaim, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven has come near, [4:16-17].
Peter and Paul also use “light” to refer to Christ and Christians: God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light, [1 Pet 2:9]; and, [light] has shone in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ, [2 Cor 4:6].
1:10. World — the Greek word, “cosmos,” means primarily “order, arrangement.” The Bible uses it to refer to both the earth and humans, the “non-heaven” part of creation. Later in John Jesus says, You belong to the world here below but I come from above, [John 8:23]. 
1:12. Children — Paul expands on the idea that we can become “children of God” in Galatians: When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, in order to  redeem those under law, so that

we might receive adoption as children. And because you are children, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba, Father.” So you are no longer a slave, but a child; and if a child, then also an heir, [4:4-7].
1:14. Glory . . . grace and truth — John is testifying of his own experience of God through his relation-ship with the human Jesus. This is his attempt to reconcile in language the fact that Jesus was fully divine and fully human. This is a personal, not an intellectual, statement about Jesus. 
1:15. Before — the Greek word refers only to place or position — “in front,” it does not mean first in time or occurrence. 
1:19. John the Baptist — was the final prophet, or “speaker of God’s word,” before Jesus – the full and complete “Word” – arrived. He stressed that people had to repent and prepare for Jesus’ arrival and he influenced many Jews. Evidently his influence continued after his death, because Paul discovered some of John’s disciples in Ephesus thirty years later, [Acts 19:1-7]. 
1:20. Messiah — literally “anointed one” – people thought the Messiah would come soon to perform signs [John 7:31] and to deliver His people, after which He would live and rule forever [John 12:34]. 
1:23. John is referring to Isaiah: A voice cries out: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. . . . Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all people will see it together,” [40:3, 5].
1:24. Baptize — the Jews did have a tradition of ritual cleansing before entering the temple or performing any priestly sacrificial duties; however, they did not associate such practices with spiritual renewal, regeneration or rebirth as Christians do.