John 1:18

μον. Θεός (אBC1L) for ὁ μον. υἱὸς (AX, the secondary uncials, and all cursives except 33). Thus no ancient Greek authority supports ὁ μον. υἱος, while μον. Θεός is supported by three great types, B, א, CL. The earliest authorities for ὁ μ. υἱός, Lat. vet. and Syr. vet., are somewhat given to insert interpretations as readings. The evidence of the Fathers is divided and complicated.

18. The Evangelist solemnly sums up the purpose of the Incarnation of the Logos,—to be a visible revelation of the invisible God. It was in this way that ‘the truth came through Jesus Christ,’ for the truth cannot be fully known while God is not fully revealed. Πάσῃ θνητῇ φύσει�, ἀπ' αὐτῶν τῶν ἔργων θεωρεῖται ὁ Θεός (Aristotle).

οὐδείς. Not even Moses. Until we see πρόσωπον πρὸς πρόσωπον (1 Corinthians 13:12) our knowledge is only partial. Symbolical visions, such as Exodus 24:10; Exodus 33:23; 1 Kings 19:13; Isaiah 6:1, do not transcend the limits of partial knowledge.

ἑώρακεν. Of actual sight. S. John uses no tense of ὁράω but the perfect either in the Gospel or Epistle: in John 6:2 the true reading is ἐθεώρουν.

μονογενὴς θεός. The question of reading here is of much interest. Most MSS. and versions read ὁ μονογενὴς υἱος or μον. υἱός. But the three oldest and best MSS. and two others of great value read μονογενὴς θεός. The test of the value of a MS., or group of MSS., on any disputed point, is the extent to which it admits false readings on other points not disputed. Judged by this test, the group of MSS. reading μονογενὴς θεός is very strong, while the far larger group of MSS. reading υἱός for θεός is comparatively weak, for the same group-might be quoted in favour of a multitude of readings which no one would think of defending. Again, the revised Syriac, which is among the minority of versions supporting θεός, is here of special weight, because it agrees with MSS. from which it usually differs. The inference is that the very unusual expression μονογενὴς θεός is the original one, which has been changed into the usual ὁ μονογενὴς υἱός (John 3:16; John 3:18; 1 John 4:9); a change easily made, as ΘΣ (= ΘΕΟΣ) is very like ΥΣ (= ΥΙΟΣ). Both readings can be traced back to the second century, which again is evidence that the Gospel was written in the first century. Such differences take time to spread themselves so widely. See on John 1:13; John 3:6, and John 9:35.

ὁ ὢν εἰς τὸν κόλπον. The preposition of motion (comp. John 1:32-33; John 1:51) may point to Christ’s return to glory, after the Ascension. Comp. Mark 2:1; Mark 13:16; Luke 9:61. On the other hand ὤν seems to point to a timeless state; ‘Whose relation to the Father is eternally that of one admitted to the deepest intimacy and closest fellowship.’ But ὤν may be imperf. (‘who was’ rather than ‘who is’), as in John 5:13; John 11:31; John 11:49; John 21:11. Winer, pp. 429, 517.

ἐκεῖνος. S. John’s peculiar retrospective use, to recall and emphasize the main subject: see on John 1:8, and comp. John 1:33; John 5:11; John 5:37; John 5:39; John 5:43; John 6:57; John 9:37; John 12:48; John 14:12; John 14:21; John 14:26; John 15:26.

ἐξηγήσατο. Declared, not ‘hath declared.’ Only-begotten God as He is, He that is in the bosom of the Father, He interpreted (God), supplying an accusative from the beginning of the verse. Ἐξηγεῖσθαι is used both in the LXX. and in classical writers for interpreting the Divine Will.

In this Prologue we notice what may be called a spiral movement. An idea comes to the front, like the strand of a rope, retires again, and then reappears later on for development and further definition. Meanwhile another idea, like another strand, comes before us and retires to reappear in like manner. Thus the Logos is presented to us in John 1:1, is withdrawn, and again presented to us in John 1:14. The Creation passes next before us in John 1:3, to reappear in John 1:10. Then ‘the Light’ appears in John 1:4, and withdraws, to return John 1:8-9. Next the rejection of the Logos is introduced in John 1:5, and reproduced in in John 1:10-11. Lastly, the testimony of John is mentioned in John 1:6-7, repeated in John 1:15, taken up again in John 1:19 and developed through the next two sections of the chapter.

We now enter upon the first main division of the Gospel, which extends to the end of chap. 12, the subject being CHRIST’S MINISTRY, or, HIS REVELATION OF HIMSELF TO THE WORLD, and that in three parts; THE TESTIMONY (John 1:19 to John 2:11), THE WORK (John 2:13 to John 11:57), and THE JUDGMENT (12).