JOHN 1:1 Prologue: The Incarnate Word. John presents Jesus as the eternal, preexistent, and now incarnate Word (vv. John 1:1, John 1:14). Jesus is the one-of-a-kind Son of God the Father, which means that he is God (vv. John 1:1, John 1:18). John says that God’s revelation and redemption in and thro... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 1:3 MADE THROUGH HIM. God the Father did his work of creation through the activity of the Son (see Colossians 1:16). This verse disproves any suggestion that the Word (the Son; John 1:14) was created. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=image... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 1:4 The references to LIFE, LIGHT, and DARKNESS draw on language found in Genesis 1:1 (compare Genesis 1:3, Genesis 1:14, Genesis 1:20; Genesis 2:7). ⇐ [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 1:6 WITNESS. John speaks of the first of several witnesses who bear testimony concerning Jesus (see John 5:31; and chart). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 1:11 John moves from HIS OWN things (see esv footnote)—that is, creation—to HIS OWN PEOPLE, the Jews. The Jewish rejection of the Messiah is one of the book’s major emphases (see especially John 12:37). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=ima... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 1:12 RECEIVE HIM means welcoming and submitting to Jesus in a personal relationship. “Believed in” means personal trust. HIS NAME refers to all that is true about Jesus. BORN, NOT OF BLOOD..., BUT OF GOD makes clear that neither physical birth nor ethnic background nor human effort... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 1:14 THE WORD (see v. John 1:1) BECAME FLESH does not mean the Word ceased being God. Rather, the Word, who was God, also took on humanity (see Philippians 2:6). He lived as God and man at the same time. DWELT AMONG US. Literally, “pitched his tent,” a reminder of how God resided a... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 1:15 BORE WITNESS. Jesus speaks of several witnesses who bear testimony concerning him (see chart). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 1:16 In the LAW, God graciously revealed his character and the things he required of his people. JESUS, however, is the final, definitive revelation of God’s GRACE AND TRUTH. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 1:18 NO ONE HAS EVER SEEN GOD, that is, in a full and complete way (see John 6:46). THE ONLY GOD. Some ancient manuscripts say “the only Son” here (see esv footnote); the earliest manuscripts say “the only God.” John refers here to two different persons as “God,” as he did in John... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 1:19 Signs of the Messiah, with Teaching about Life in Him. The first half of John’s Gospel features Jesus’ demonstration of his messianic identity through several selected “signs” (see note on 2:11). The section ends with a reference to the Jewish nation’s rejection of the Messiah... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 1:20 John the Baptist denies being THE CHRIST or ELIJAH. Elijah, who never died (2 Kings 2:11), was expected to return in the end times (Malachi 4:5) to “restore all things” (Matthew 17:11). John the Baptist did resemble Elijah in his rugged lifestyle (Matthew 3:4; compare 2 Kings... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 1:23 THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING OUT IN THE WILDERNESS. See Isaiah 40:3; compare Matthew 3:3; Mark 1:3; Luke 3:4. This messenger was to prepare the way for the LORD to come to his people. ⇐ ⇔... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 1:24 PHARISEES. A small but influential group of Jews who emphasized observance of the law and their own traditions as the path to righteousness. Many Pharisees opposed Jesus, but some followed him (John 3:1; John 7:50; John 19:38). See note on Matt. 3:7. ⇐ ⇔... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 1:28 JOHN WAS BAPTIZING. Compare Luke 3:3. John’s baptism was an outward sign reflecting inward repentance (see Matthew 3:6; compare later Christian baptisms at Matthew 28:19; Romans 6:3; 1 Peter 3:21). The BETHANY ACROSS (east of) THE JORDAN (see... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 1:29 JESUS, by his sacrifice, fulfills the symbolism of the Passover LAMB and other OT sacrifices (Leviticus 1:1; Leviticus 14:25; 1 Corinthians 5:7; Hebrews 10:1; Revelation 5:6). TAKES AWAY THE SIN OF THE WORLD. See... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 1:31 I MYSELF DID NOT KNOW HIM. John probably means he did not know that Jesus was the Messiah until he saw the sign mentioned in vv. John 1:32. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 1:32 The Spirit did not merely DESCEND on Jesus. He REMAINED ON HIM, which was a sign of Jesus’ divine anointing as Messiah (Isaiah 11:2; Isaiah 61:1; see Luke 4:18). See note on John 1:41. ⇐ ⇔... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 1:36 LAMB OF GOD. See note on v. 29. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 1:40 ONE OF THE TWO... WAS ANDREW. The name of the other disciple is not stated; most likely he was John, the author of this Gospel. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 1:41 The terms MESSIAH (Hebrew) and CHRIST (Greek) both mean “anointed.” In the NT and early Judaism, “Messiah” combines many OT expectations about an “anointed one” who would lead, teach, and save God’s people (see, e.g., 2 Samuel 7:5; Psalms 110:1; Isaiah 9:6). ⇐ ⇔... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 1:42 CEPHAS is an Aramaic word meaning “rock” (see Matthew 16:16). In the Bible, God frequently changes people’s names to indicate their special calling; see Genesis 17:5; Genesis 32:28. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 1:43 GALILEE. The region west of the Jordan and the Sea of Galilee and north of Samaria. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 1:44 BETHSAIDA was just northeast of where the Jordan flows into the Sea of Galilee from the north. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 1:45 NATHANAEL (see also John 21:2) may be the personal name of Bartholomew (see Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:14). THE LAW AND... THE PROPHETS commonly referred to the entire OT (e.g., Matthew 5:17).... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 1:46 NAZARETH. Nazareth was a town of no more than 2,000 people. See note on Luke 1:26. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 1:48 I SAW YOU. Jesus displays supernatural knowledge, thus confirming his identity as the Messiah. The FIG TREE often is a symbol for Israel. See note on Mark 11:13–14. Jesus sees Nathanael as an honest Jew. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, l... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 1:49 SON OF GOD designates Jesus as the Messiah predicted in the OT (2 Samuel 7:14; Psalms 2:7; see note on John 1:14). KING OF ISRAEL also is an OT title for the Messiah (Zephaniah 3:15). ⇐ ⇔... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 1:51 TRULY, TRULY, I SAY TO YOU is a way of emphasizing the authoritative nature of what Jesus says. The expression is found 25 times in John’s Gospel. SEE HEAVEN OPENED, AND THE ANGELS OF GOD ASCENDING AND DESCENDING. Jesus will be a greater way of access to God than the ladder on... [ Continue Reading ]