John 1:1-5

THE PRE-EXISTENCE OF THE WORD DESCRIBED

Text 1:1-5

1

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2

The same was in the beginning with God.

3

All things were made through him; and without him was not anything made that hath been made.

4

In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

5

And the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness apprehended it not.

Queries

a.

Who is the Word?

b.

What relationship does the Word have to God?

c.

Is the Word a created person, or is He Creator?

d.

In John 1:4 John uses the past tense, was. Does this mean that life and light no longer exist in the Word?

e.

What is the darkness?

Paraphrase

When the cosmos was created, the Word was already existent, and the Word was equal, intimate, and face to face with God. This same person was existing eternally in the bosom of the Father. All things came into existence through him, and separate from him not one thing was created that has been created. In the Word was the very essence of all life; and the life was the source of illumination for men. And this light is shining in the darkness and the darkness appropriated or perceived it not.

Summary

The Word (the expression of God), Jesus Christ, existed eternally with God. The Word was co-equal with God. The co-existent and co-equal Word was the agency with the Father in the creation of the universe. In the Word is the source of Life and Illumination. The Darkness does not wish to appropriate the True Light.

Comment

Our finite minds cannot comprehend eternity. John is condescending to our level of understanding. He gives us a point in time (the beginning) from which to reflect upon the eternal existence of the Word. All other things came into being, but the Godhead has enjoyed timeless existence. Jesus said the same thing in John 8:58. before Abraham came (genesthaiwas begotten), I am (eimitimeless existence). Jesus also laid claim to pre-existence with the Father in His high priestly prayer, John 17:5.

The discerning reader will notice that John makes no argument for the existence of God. He boldly assumes that God does existjust as the writer of Genesis (Genesis 1:1) begins by assuming the existence of God. Either God exists and is Creator of the cosmosor the universe just happened!

What is the Logos (Word)? Probably the best way to define the Word is to say that in the Word we see the expression of the mind and the thought and the purpose of God. Just as our thoughts and purposes are made known when we communicate through words (Matthew 15:18), God's ageless purposes are made known through His Word, cf. Hebrews 1:1-2; Matthew 11:25-30; John 5:19-20.

How is the Word with God? The Greek word translated with is the word pros. As John used it here and other places it represents equality and intimacy. The Logos was face to face with God; He was in the bosom of the Father (John 1:18), and was on an equality with God (Philippians 2:6). There was perfect fellowship (sharing) by the Father and the Word. The same Greek word pros is used in 1 John 2:1... we have an Advocate (face to face, intimately, etc.,) with the Father.

And the Word was God means that the Logos is of the very essence and nature of God, As the writer of Hebrews expresses it. the effulgence of his glory, and the very image of his substance, (Hebrews 1:3 a). Paul wrote to the Colossians that in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily, (Colossians 2:9).

When we understand that Jesus existed eternally in such a state of oneness with the Father, we begin to understand that God was and is always like Jesus Christ (minus His earthly body, of course). Certain sects would teach today that Jesus Christ did something to change God's attitude toward men. Jesus changed a God of wrath in the Old Testament, they say, to a God of love in the New Testament. Nothing could be more foreign to the entire Bible. God has always been, and still is, a merciful, graceful and loving God (Hebrews 13:8). Jesus Christ came to change men's hearts and attitudes toward God!

In John 1:3 of our text we have the astounding information that the Word was the exclusive agent in the creation of our universe. Whether John wrote this Prologue to combat Gnosticism or not is a moot question. Be that as it may, this Prologue does refute Gnosticism and many other isms. The Gnostics were an heretical sect arising at the very time some of the Apostles were still alive. They believed and taught that matter is evil, and only spirit is good. God is spirit, therefore God Himself could not have created the world. Their philosophy was that God, at some time or another, sent forth successive emanations from Himself. Each successive emanantion was further away from, more ignorant of, and more hostile toward the Eternal Being. At long last there came an emanantion (the Demiurge) far enough removed from God, that it could create evil matter, and God would be free of the taint of evil. Accept their absurdities and one must conclude that this world was created by a being who is ignorant of and hostile to, the One True God!

On the other hand, John's doctrine of the creation is the most reasonable. The Logos is the expression of the purposes and mind of God. The Logos enjoyed perfect fellowship with the Father. The Logos was the exclusive agency in the creation. Therefore, creation is an expression of the mind of the One True God. Jesus manifested the attitude of God. an attitude of infinite love. Matter is not evil! This universe is not antagonistic toward God! Of a truth, man's sin turns God's beauty into ugliness; man's foolishness turns God's gifts into instruments of his own destruction. This world was designed for man's good, but alas, man has abused it.

Other Scriptures testify that Jesus was Creator and is now Sustainer of our universe. Cf. Colossians 1:15-17; Hebrews 1:1-4; Genesis 1:26. JESUS IS THE GOD WHOM WE WORSHIP! Any church or organization that does not honor Jesus Christ as Deity does not honor the One God! He that, honoreth not the Son honoreth not the Father that sent him (John 5:23 b).

John 1:4 informs us that in the Logos was, and is, that unfathomable essence called LIFE. The Greek word zoe means the very principle or essence of life. Jesus Christ not only created the universe, but He imparted to it life. This Life also includes eternal life. Here is one place where science must humbly acknowledge its limitations. Science may be able to synthesize the elements until it comes near to composing a bodyhuman or animal. But it cannot give that body life. It was the Godhead that created the body of man from the dust of the earth, and it was also the Godhead that breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul (Genesis 2:7). Paul said, in him we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28 a). There is the answer to that impenetrable substance called LIFE. Science cannot furnish the answer. The famous Theory of Relativity and Einstein's formula revealed to us that our universe was created and does now subsist from the power or energy that is within the atom. But where does that power and energy come from? Hebrews 1:3 b tells us that the Son is upholding all things by the word of his power. As the Psalmist also said, By the word of Jehovah were the heavens made, and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth, Cf. Psalms 33:6-7; Psalms 148:5. Philosophy, history and science cannot search it out, God's Word reveals it, and this is all that anyone can know about Life!

Jesus gave many discourses on the Eternal Life that was His to give to men and how He would give it. Cf. John 5:21; John 5:26; John 6:50-65; John 10:1; John 11:25-26, etc. The Lord also attested His authority to dispense this inscrutable substance when He reinvested the decaying body of Lazarus with life. Cf. also His raising of the widow's son at Nain (Luke 7:11 ff) and the raising of Jairus-' daughter (Mark 5:2 ff).

In the phrase the life was the light of men, John uses the Greek Imperfect tense for was, which means continued action in past time. The best commentary on this would be Peter's indication that Christ by His Spirit illuminated the prophets of the Old Testament period (and consequently all Israel), cf. 1 Peter 1:10-11.

One author says that this phrase is interchangeable. The light was the life of men is also true. Life, when it is revealed, becomes light. Power turned into electricity and made manifest becomes light. Christ, the Power of God and the Word of God manifested for us truth, love, knowledge, life and light. His light is a revealing light. It reveals man as he really is. It also reveals the love of God which is able to change man into what he ought to be. His light is a guiding light that leads man through the darkness of sin, ignorance error and death. Cf. Psalms 119:1-2; Psalms 119:105; Proverbs 6:23.

In the fifth verse, as may be noted from the paraphrase, the word shining is in the present tense. continuing action. The Light which illuminated men of old keeps on giving light. John wrote in his first epistle, ... the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining (1 John 2:8 b). The Life and Light existed when the Spirit of Christ abode in the prophets of old and shone forth. It existed in Jesus of Nazareth when God became incarnate, and it shone forth. Life and Light is now shining forth through the inspired Word of the apostles, and the lives of men and women who have this Word written and engraven on their hearts.

There seem to be two schools of interpretation on the fifth verse. Darkness, in John's writings, is synonymous with ignorance, hate, error, sin and death. So light is synonymous with knowledge, love, truth, holiness and life. Here John records that the Light is shining in the darkness and the darkness did not apprehend (katelaben) it. Some would translate the Greek word overcome or overtake, while others say it means apprehend or appropriate.

The first interpretation would have John mean that the darkness warred with the Light and made strong attempts to overcome the Light (John 12:35). Yet the Light kept on shining in spite of the darkness.

The second interpretation, which we have chosen in our paraphrase, seems to fit the context better. John seems to be speaking of the same Light and the same rejection and failure to appropriate in John 1:9-11. Evil and darkness will, by its very nature, actively oppose truth and light and thus refuse to perceive it.

If darkness is opposed to all truth, opposed to all good, love and holiness, what then shall be the lot of those who are going to be sentenced to ETERNITY in outer darkness? For the redeemed, the glory of God will lighten the heavenly city. there will be no more sin, pain, tears, mourning or death. And there shall be night no more; and they need no light of lamp, neither light of sun; for the Lord God shall give them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever (Revelation 22:5). What do YOU want for yourself and others? Eternal LIGHT with God, or eternal DARKNESS with Satan and his angels?

Quiz

1.

When was the Word in relationship to time?

2.

What is a good definition of Logos?

3.

How does John 1:1-3 refute the Gnostic philosophy?

4.

Where does life, in essence, originate?

5.

Name two things light does as the light of men.

6.

How do you think the darkness apprehended not the light?