John 1:18

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.

No man Not even Moses. Until we see -face to face" (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.

hath seen With his bodily eyes.

at any time Better, ever yet; -no one hath ever yet seen God;" but some shall see Him hereafter.

the only begotten Son The question of reading here is very interesting. Most MSS. and versions have -the only-begotten Son" or -only-begotten Son." But the three oldest and best MSS. and two others of great value have -only-begotten God." 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. which read -only-begotten God" is very strong; while the far larger group of MSS. which have -Son" for -God" is comparatively weak, for the same group of MSS. might be quoted in defence of a multitude of readings which no one would think of adopting. Again, the revised Syriac, which is among the minority of versions that support -God," is here of special weight, because it agrees with MSS. from which it usually differs. We conclude, therefore, that the very unusual expression -only-begotten God" is the true reading, which has been changed to the usual -only-begotten Son," a change which in an old Greek MS. would involve the alteration of only a single letter. Both readings can be traced up to the second century, which again is evidence that the Gospel was written in the first century. Such differences take time to spread themselves widely. See on John 1:13 and John 9:35.

in the bosom Literally, into the bosom, which may mean that the return to glory after the Ascension is meant. Comp. Mark 2:1; Mark 13:16; Luke 9:61. On the other hand the Greek for -which is" points to a timelessrelation.

hath declared Better, declared, acted as His interpreter. The Greek word is used both in the LXX. and in classical authors of interpreting the Divine Will. On the emphatic use of -He" here comp. John 1:33 and see on John 10:1. In the First Epistle this pronoun (ekeinos) is used specially for Christ; John 2:6; John 3:3; John 3:5; John 3:7; John 3:16; John 4:17.

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 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 Word is presented to us in John 1:1, is withdrawn, and again presented to us in John 1:14. The Creation comes next in John 1:3, disappears, and returns again in John 1:10. Then -the Light" is introduced in John 1:5, withdrawn, and reproduced in John 1:10. Next the rejection of the Word is put before us in John 1:5, removed, and again put before us in John 1:10. Lastly, the testimony of John is mentioned in John 1:6, 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). These parts will be subdivided as we reach them. 19 37 The Testimony of the Baptist(1) to the deputation from Jerusalem, (2) to the people, (3) to S. Andrew and S. John: 38 51 The Testimony of the Disciples:John 2:1-11 The Testimony of the First Sign.