John 1:6

John 1:6. There arose a man, sent from God, whose name was John. With this verse we pass forward into the times of the Incarnate Word. The section upon which we first enter is, as compared with the second, general; hence the Incarnation is only implied, not expressly mentioned. The immediate preparation for this new period is the testimony of the Baptist; and the words with which he is introduced to us stand in striking contrast to what we have been told of the Word in John 1:1. He ‘arose,' literally, he ‘came into being,' as distinguished from the ‘was' of that verse. He was a man ‘sent from God,' as distinguished from the Word who was ‘with God. ‘In adding,' his name was John, the Evangelist (we may perhaps say) does more than identify him as the great prophet who had so powerfully impressed all classes of the people. If we remember the deep significance attached to ‘name' in this Gospel, it will seem possible that the antithesis to John 1:1 is still continued. The personal name needed for identification amongst men is placed in contrast with that name by which the eternal attributes of the Son are expressed, ‘the Word' (comp. John 1:12).