In (1) the (a) beginning (b) was (c) the Word, and the Word was (d) with God, and the (e) Word was God. (1) The Son of God is of one and the selfsame eternity or everlastingness, and of one and the selfsame essence or nature with the Father. (a) From the beginning, as the evangelist says in (1 Joh... [ Continue Reading ]
(2) All (f) things were made by him; and (g) without him (h) was not any thing made that was made. (2) The Son of God declares that his everlasting Godhead is the same as the Father's, both by the creating of all things, and also by preserving them, and especially by the excellent gifts of reason a... [ Continue Reading ]
(i) In him (k) was life; and the life was (l) the light of men. (i) That is, by him: and this is spoken after the manner of the Hebrews, meaning by this that by his force and working power all life comes to the world. (k) That is, even at that time when all things were made by him, for otherwise h... [ Continue Reading ]
(3) And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness (m) comprehended it not. (3) The light of men is turned into darkness, but yet there is enough clearness so that they are without excuse. (m) They could not perceive nor reach it to receive any light from it, no, they did not so much as ackno... [ Continue Reading ]
(4) There was a man sent from God, whose name [was] John. (4) There is another more full manifestation of the Son of God, by the consideration of which men are in good time stirred up, even to John's voice, who is as it were the herald of Christ.... [ Continue Reading ]
The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all [men] (n) through him might believe. (n) Through John.... [ Continue Reading ]
He was not (o) that Light, but [was sent] to bear witness of that Light. (o) That light which we spoke of, that is, Christ, who alone can enlighten our darkness.... [ Continue Reading ]
(5) [That] was (p) the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. (5) When the Son of God saw that men did not acknowledge him by his works, although they were endued with understanding (which he had given to all of them), he exhibited himself unto his people to be seen by the... [ Continue Reading ]
(q) He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. (q) The person of the Word was made manifest even at that time when the world was made.... [ Continue Reading ]
He came (r) unto his own, and his own received him not. (r) The Word showed himself again when he came in the flesh.... [ Continue Reading ]
(6) But as many as received him, to them gave he (s) power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on his name: (6) The Son being shut out by the majority of his people, and acknowledged but by a few, regenerates those few by his own strength and power, and receives them into that ho... [ Continue Reading ]
Which were born, not of blood, nor of the (t) will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (t) Of that shameful and corrupt nature of man, which is throughout the scriptures described as an enemy of the spirit.... [ Continue Reading ]
(7) And the Word was made (u) flesh, and (x) dwelt among us, (and we beheld his (y) glory, the glory (z) as of the only begotten of the Father), (a) full of grace and truth. (7) That Son who is God from everlasting took upon himself man's nature, so that one and the selfsame might be both God and m... [ Continue Reading ]
(8) John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh (b) after me is preferred (c) before me: for he was before me. (8) John is a faithful witness of the excellency of Christ. (b) That is, "He before whom I am sent to prepare him the way": so that these word... [ Continue Reading ]
(9) And of his fulness have all we received, and (d) grace for grace. (9) Christ is the most plentiful fountain of all goodness, but he gave out his gifts most bountifully at that time when he exhibited and showed himself to the world. (d) That is, grace upon grace; as one would say, graces piled... [ Continue Reading ]
(10) No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the (e) bosom of the Father, he hath (f) declared [him]. (10) The true knowledge of God proceeds only from Jesus Christ. (e) Who is nearest to his Father, not only in respect of his love towards him, but by the bond of natur... [ Continue Reading ]
(11) And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? (11) John is neither the Messiah, nor like any of the other prophets, but is the herald of Christ, who is now present.... [ Continue Reading ]
And he (g) confessed, and (h) denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. (g) He did acknowledge him, and spoke of him plainly and openly. (h) This repeating of the one and the selfsame thing, though in different words, is often used by the Hebrews, and it has great force, for they used to spe... [ Continue Reading ]
And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, (i) I am not. Art thou (k) that prophet? And he answered, No. (i) The Jews thought that Elias would come again before the days of the Messiah, and they took as the basis of their opinion (Malachi 4:5), which is to be understood as referri... [ Continue Reading ]
(12) And they which were sent were of the Pharisees. (12) Christ is the author of baptism, and not John: and therefore the authority of this does not come from John, who is the minister, but wholly from Christ the Lord.... [ Continue Reading ]
And they asked him, and said unto him, (l) Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet? (l) By this we may prove that the Jews knew there should be some change in religion under the Messiah.... [ Continue Reading ]
John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one (m) among you, whom ye know not; (m) Whom all the world sees, and sees even amongst you.... [ Continue Reading ]
(13) The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold (n) the Lamb of God, which (o) taketh away the (p) sin of the world. (13) The body and truth of all the sacrifices of the law, to make satisfaction for the sin of the world, is Christ. (n) This word "the" which is added has grea... [ Continue Reading ]
And (q) I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. (q) I never knew him by face before.... [ Continue Reading ]
(14) And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. (14) Christ is proved to be the Son of God by the coming down of the Holy Spirit, by the Father's voice, and by John's testimony.... [ Continue Reading ]
And I saw, and bare record that this is (r) the Son of God. (r) This word "the" points out to us some excellent thing, and makes a distinction between Christ and others, whom Moses and the prophets commonly call the sons of the most High.... [ Continue Reading ]
(15) Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples; (15) John gathers disciples not to himself, but to Christ.... [ Continue Reading ]
(16) And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God! (16) Christ is set before us to follow, not as a vain shadow, but as our Mediator.... [ Continue Reading ]
(17) And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. (17) In this first gathering of the disciples we have shown to us that the beginning of salvation is from God, who calls us unto his Son by the ministry of his servants: whom, as he guides us, we must also hear, and follow him hom... [ Continue Reading ]
Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master), (s) where dwellest thou? (s) Where is your lodging?... [ Continue Reading ]
He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the (t) tenth hour. (t) It was getting later in the night.... [ Continue Reading ]
He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the (u) Christ. (u) That is, anointed, and king after the manner of the Jewish people.... [ Continue Reading ]
(18) Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. (18) God uses the good endeavours of the unlearned such that he makes them teachers of the learned.... [ Continue Reading ]
(19) And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see. (19) We must especially take heed of false presumptions, which prevent us from entrance to Christ.... [ Continue Reading ]
(20) Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile! (20) Simple uprightness discerns the true Israelites from the false.... [ Continue Reading ]
(21) Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee. (21) The purpose of miracles is to set before us Christ the Almighty, and also the only author of our salvation, in order that we m... [ Continue Reading ]
And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God (x) ascending and descending upon the Son of man. (x) These words signify the power of God which would appear in Christ's ministry by the angels serving him as the head of the Church.... [ Continue Reading ]