THE DIVINITY AND INCARNATION OF THE WORD. WITNESS OF JOHN. THE FIRST DISCIPLES 1-18. Preface, declaring (1) that the Word was God, (2) that He was made man, (3) that He revealed the Father. This sublime preface is intended to commend 'the truth as it is in Jesus,' both to Jewish and Gentile minds.... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE BEGINNING] not as in Genesis 1:1, 'in the beginning of creation,' but 'in the beginning of eternity,' i.e. from all eternity: cp. John 8:58; John 17:5. WAS THE WORD] i.e. the Word existed. 'The Word' as a title of our Lord is only found in the Johannine writings (John 1:24; 1 John 1:1; Revela... [ Continue Reading ]
MADE BY HIM] i.e. 'through' Him, as the Father's agent. That Christ is the creator of the universe is stated Colossians 1:16; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Hebrews 1:2; Hebrews 1:10; Revelation 3:14, but not in any Gospel except this. 3, 4. The Word is not only the Creator of the world, but is also its LIFE; i... [ Continue Reading ]
This instruction by the Word was hindered by the Fall, which involved the world in moral and spiritual darkness. AND THE DARKNESS COMPREHENDED (RV 'apprehended') IT NOT] i.e. the people whose minds were darkened by sin did not understand or obey the instructions of the Word. Prejudice prevented them... [ Continue Reading ]
PARENTHESIS: THE MISSION OF CHRIST'S FORERUNNER, JOHN THE BAPTIST. Perhaps this section is directed against those followers of the Baptist who maintained that he was the Messiah. The evangelist makes it clear, (1) that the Baptist had a true mission from God, and (2) that he was not the Light. His m... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PREFACE RESUMED. The true Light, Christ our Lord, existed even before His Incarnation, and enlightened every man, whether Jew or Gentile, born into the world. This important text teaches us that the light of revelation shines among all races, and that there is some truth, however distorted by er... [ Continue Reading ]
HE CAME, viz. at the Incarnation, UNTO HIS OWN (home), viz. the Holy Land; AND HIS OWN, i.e. the Jews, RECEIVED, i.e. believed, HIM NOT.... [ Continue Reading ]
POWER] rather, 'the right,' or 'privilege.' Those who 'believed on His name,' i.e. accepted Him as the divine Son of God, and the Saviour of the world, received the privilege of becoming true sons of God.... [ Continue Reading ]
This sonship conferred on men depended not on human descent from Abraham (BLOOD), nor upon the sexual relations of their parents (THE WILL OF THE FLESH), nor could it be had for willing or wishing it, i.e. human effort (THE WILL OF MAN). It was a free and supernatural gift from God, inward and spiri... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WORD WAS MADE (RV 'became') FLESH] a plain statement of the wondrous fact of the Incarnation, the central mystery of our religion. God became man to atone for sin, and to make us partakers of the divine nature. 'Flesh' in St. John means human nature (body, soul, and spirit) without the added ide... [ Continue Reading ]
ANOTHER PARENTHESIS, introducing further testimony of the Baptist, which the evangelist indicates as of permanent importance ('beareth,' 'crieth,' RV, not bare, cried, AV). HE THAT COMETH AFTER ME] i.e. He who begins his work later than myself. IS BECOME (RV) BEFORE ME] viz. in honour. FOR HE WAS B... [ Continue Reading ]
OF HIS FULNESS] 'Fulness' (_pleroma_) was a word much used (and abused) by the Gnostics against whom St. John contended. Here it means, (1) the fulness of the divine attributes which dwelt in Christ (Ephesians 1:23; Colossians 1:19; Colossians 2:9), and (2) the fulness of the human virtues which He... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PREFACE CONCLUDED. The 'we' of John 1:16 shows that these vv. are not words of the Baptist, but that they express the spiritual experience of Christ's disciples, in whose name the evangelist speaks.... [ Continue Reading ]
Moses set before us mere commands, without changing our nature, or giving us the power to obey them. Jesus Christ came to change our nature. He offers us 'grace,' whereby we are born again as children of God, and become heirs of everlasting life; also 'truth,' i.e. Christian holiness, which becomes... [ Continue Reading ]
God the Father never reveals Himself to men directly, but always by and through His only-begotten Son. This was the case even before the Incarnation. It was God the Son who manifested Himself to the patriarchs, gave the Law to Moses, inspired the prophets, and enlightened the sages of the Gentiles.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE JEWS] In this Gospel 'the Jews' has the following special senses: (1) the inhabitants of Judæa, (2) members of the Sanhedrin (the meaning here), and (3) the enemies of Jesus. SENT] One function of the Sanhedrin was to judge false prophets, hence they now desired to judge the claims of John. PRI... [ Continue Reading ]
PUBLIC TESTIMONY OF THE BAPTIST TO JESUS IN REPLY TO A DEPUTATION FROM THE SANHEDRIN. The independence and fulness of the account of the Baptist in this Gospel renders it highly probable that the evangelist had once been the Baptist's disciple. He knows, for example, the exact places where John bapt... [ Continue Reading ]
NOT THE CHRIST] Some already believed that he was, Luke 3:15.... [ Continue Reading ]
ELIAS] i.e. Elijah, whose personal return to prepare the way of the Messiah was expected by many (Malachi 4:5; Mark 6:15 see especially on Matthew 16:14; Matthew 17:10). John denied that he was literally Elijah, though his coming fulfilled Malachi's prophecy (Matthew 11:14; Matthew 17:12; Luke 1:17)... [ Continue Reading ]
The words in Isaiah (Isaiah 40:3) refer to the preparation for the return from Babylon of the exiled Jews: the Baptist applies them to himself, as descriptive of his work: see on Matthew 3:3.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY] RV 'and they had been sent from the Pharisees.'... [ Continue Reading ]
WHY BAPTIZEST THOU?] Baptism was ordinarily administered only to proselytes. The meaning of the challenge seems, therefore, to be, 'What right hast thou, who art neither the Messiah, nor his forerunner “that Prophet,” to treat Israelites as if they were proselytes?' It is implied that the Messiah, w... [ Continue Reading ]
WITH WATER] John's baptism was outward, symbolising repentance and remission of sin: Christ's was inward, conveying the gift of the Spirit, and the power to lead a new life.... [ Continue Reading ]
BETHABARA] lit, 'house of passing over,' RV 'Bethany,' RM 'Bethabarah,' or 'Betharabah'; probably the same as the Bethbarah of Judges 7:24. A ford on the Jordan, NE. of Bethshean, is still called 'Abarah,' lit. 'passing over.'... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LAMB OF GOD] The reference is perhaps not to the Paschal lamb, but to the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53, who is 'brought as a lamb to the slaughter,' and whose death atones for sin. Contrast this description of the Messiah with the prevalent idea of a conqueror who would restore the kingdom to... [ Continue Reading ]
See John 1:15.... [ Continue Reading ]
I KNEW HIM NOT] But in Matthew 3:14 he seems to know Him, for he says, 'I have need to be baptized of thee.' The discrepancy, however, is only apparent. John is looking for the promised sign. Jesus presents Himself for Baptism. His majestic appearance strikes John with awe. Through prophetic insight... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SON OF GOD] The chief difficulty as to the use of this term by the Baptist is removed by the statement that he first learnt that Jesus was 'the Son of God' at the Baptism. In the OT. it was a title of the Davidic king, and of the Messiah (2 Samuel 7:14; Psalms 89:27, etc.), and did not necessari... [ Continue Reading ]
PRELIMINARY CALL OF FIVE APOSTLES, ANDREW, JOHN, PETER, PHILIP, AND BARTHOLOMEW (peculiar to Jn). This account, so far from conflicting with the (later) call described Matthew 4:18; Mark 1:15; (cp. Luke 5:1), really removes a difficulty, for it shows how the Apostles came to obey the final call to f... [ Continue Reading ]
TWO] One was Andrew, the other (who characteristically suppresses his name) was John himself (see John 1:40). The Baptist points out Jesus, thus suggesting that henceforth they should be His disciples.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE TENTH HOUR] i.e. by Jewish reckoning, about 4 p.m. But some think that at Ephesus, where this Gospel was written, hours were numbered as with us, in which case the time would be 10 a.m. (see John 4:6; John 19:14).... [ Continue Reading ]
JONA] RV 'John'; see Matthew 16:17. CEPHAS] At the very first interview our Lord reads Peter's character: see on Matthew 16:18.... [ Continue Reading ]
It would appear that Jesus Himself was acquainted with Philip.... [ Continue Reading ]
NATHANAEL] is probably an apostle, and is hence to be identified with Bartholomew, whose name also appears coupled with Philip's in Matthew 10:3. 'Bartholomew' means 'son of Tolmai': cp. Barjona, Barabbas, Bartimæus, Barjesus. THE SON OF JOSEPH] This does not indicate the evangelist's own belief, bu... [ Continue Reading ]
NAZARETH] an obscure place not even mentioned in OT., which indicated Bethlehem as the birthplace of the Messiah (Micah 5:2).... [ Continue Reading ]
NO GUILE] 'guile' or deceitfulness was the special failing of Jacob (Israel) and of Israelites generally. Again our Lord discerns the heart of man.... [ Continue Reading ]
I SAW THEE] implies supernatural knowledge. Perhaps Jesus alludes to some recent prayer or resolution which Nathanael made under the figtree.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SON OF GOD] A title of the Messiah even in the OT.: see on John 1:34.... [ Continue Reading ]
See Genesis 28:12. As Jacob saw in his dream a vision of angels ascending and descending the ladder, so the disciples would see in Christ the link and connexion between heaven and earth. Through Christ the locked-up heavens were again to be opened, and communion between heaven and earth restored. Th... [ Continue Reading ]