Ver. 1. IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD,.... That this is said not of the written word, but of the essential word of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, is clear, from all that is said from hence, to John 1:14 as that this word was in the beginning, was with God, and is God; from the creation of all things be... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SAME WAS IN THE BEGINNING WITH GOD. This is a repetition of what is before said, and is made to show the importance of the truths before delivered; namely, the eternity of Christ, his distinct personality, and proper deity; and that the phrase, in the beginning, is to be joined to each of the ab... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THINGS WERE MADE BY HIM,.... Which is a proof at once of all that is said before; as that he was in the beginning; and that he was with God the Father in the beginning; and that he was God; otherwise all things could not have been made by him, had either of these been untrue: which is to be unde... [ Continue Reading ]
IN HIM WAS LIFE,.... The Persic version reads in the plural number, "lives". There was life in the word with respect to himself; a divine life, the same with the life of the Father and of the Spirit; and is in him, not by gift, nor by derivation or communication; but originally, and independently, a... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LIGHT SHINETH IN DARKNESS,.... Which, through sin, came upon the minds of men; who are naturally in the dark about the nature and perfections of God; about sin, and the consequences of it; about Christ, and salvation by him; about the Spirit of God, and his work upon the soul; and about the... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE WAS A MAN SENT FROM GOD,.... John the Baptist: he was not the Logos, or word; nor was he an angel, but a man; yet an extraordinary one, in his conception of a barren woman, and in being born when both parents were stricken in years; and whilst he was in the womb, he leaped for joy at the salut... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SAME CAME FOR A WITNESS,.... The end of his being sent, and the design of his coming were, TO BEAR WITNESS OF THE LIGHT: by which is meant, not the light of nature, or reason; nor the light of the Gospel: but Christ himself, the author of light, natural, spiritual, and eternal. This was one of... [ Continue Reading ]
HE WAS NOT THAT LIGHT,.... He was a light; he was the forerunner of the sun of righteousness, the "phosphorus" of the Gospel day; he had great light in him; he knew that the Messiah was ready to come, and declared it; and upon his baptism he knew him personally, and signified him to others: he had g... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT WAS THE TRUE LIGHT,.... Christ is that light, that famous and excellent light, the fountain of all light to all creatures; that gave light to the dark earth at first, and spoke light out of darkness; that light of all men in the earth, and of all the angels in heaven, and of all the saints belo... [ Continue Reading ]
HE WAS IN THE WORLD,.... This is to be understood, not of his incarnation; for the word was denotes past existence in the world, even all the time past from the creation of the world; and the world intends the world in general, as opposed to Judea, and the people of the Jews in the next verse; besid... [ Continue Reading ]
HE CAME UNTO HIS OWN,.... Not all the world, who are his own by right of creation; for these, his own, are opposed to the world, and distinguished from them; and his coming to them designs some particular favour, which is not vouchsafed to all: nor yet are the elect of God intended; though they are... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT AS MANY AS RECEIVED HIM,.... This is explained, in the latter part of the text, by believing in his name; for faith is a receiving him as the word, and Son of God, as the Messiah, Saviour, and Redeemer; a receiving grace out of his fulness, and every blessing from him, as a justifying righteousn... [ Continue Reading ]
WHICH WERE BORN NOT OF BLOOD,.... Or bloods, in the plural number. The birth, here spoken of, is regeneration, expressed by a being born again, or from above; by a being quickened by the Spirit and grace of God; by Christ being formed in men; and by a partaking of the divine nature; and by being mad... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE WORD WAS MADE FLESH,.... The same word, of whom so many things are said in the preceding verses; and is no other than the Son of God, or second person in the Trinity; for neither the Father, nor the Holy Ghost, were made flesh, as is here said of the word, but the Son only: and "flesh" here... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN BARE WITNESS OF HIM,.... Which was his office and business, for which purpose he was sent, John 1:6 AND CRIED; this agrees with his work and office, according to the prophecy of him in Isaiah 40:3 and with the time of his ministry, the year of jubilee; and with the nature of his ministry, whic... [ Continue Reading ]
AND OF HIS FULNESS HAVE ALL WE RECEIVED,.... These are the words not of John the Baptist; but of the evangelist carrying on his account of Christ, after he had inserted the testimony of the Baptist, in connection with John 1:14 where he is said to be full of grace and truth; and which fulness is her... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE LAW WAS GIVEN BY MOSES,.... Both moral and ceremonial. The moral law was given to Adam, in innocence, which having been broken, and almost lost out of the minds, and memories of men, was given by Moses, in a new edition of it in writing; and points out what is man's duty both to God and men;... [ Continue Reading ]
NO MAN HATH SEEN GOD AT ANY TIME,.... That is, God the Father, whose voice was never heard, nor his shape seen by angels or men; for though Jacob, Moses, the elders of Israel, Manoah, and his wife, are said to see God, and Job expected to see him with his bodily eyes, and the saints will see him as... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THIS IS THE RECORD OF JOHN,.... The evangelist proceeds to give a large, and full account of the testimony John the Baptist bore to Christ, which he had hinted at before, and had signified was his work, and office, and the end of his being sent. WHEN THE JEWS SENT PRIESTS AND LEVITES FROM JERUS... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE CONFESSED, AND DENIED NOT,.... He freely, and without any reserve, declared, and in the plainest and strongest terms professed to the messengers before all the people, that he was not the Messiah; nor did he retract his confession, or draw in his words again, or drop any thing that looked dou... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY ASKED HIM, WHAT THEN? ART THOU ELIAS?.... Elijah, the prophet; the Tishbite, as Nonnus in his paraphrase expresses it; who was translated, soul and body, to heaven: the Jews had a notion that that prophet would come in person a little before the coming of the Messiah; Matthew 17:10 wherefor... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SAID THEY UNTO HIM, WHO ART THOU?.... Since, as yet, he had only answered in negatives, who he was not, that he was not the Christ, nor Elias, nor that prophet; they desire he would give them a positive account who he was: THAT WE MAY GIVE ANSWER TO THEM THAT SENT US; that their labour might n... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAID, I AM THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS,.... These words are cited by the other evangelists, and applied to John the Baptist; but then they are only to be considered as their citation, and as an application of them to him by them: but here they are used by John himself, who both... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY WHICH WERE SENT WERE OF THE PHARISEES. Who were the straitest sect of religion among the Jews; were very zealous of the traditions of the elders, and professed an expectation of the Messiah; and were famous in the nation for their knowledge and learning, as well as for their devotion and sa... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY ASKED HIM, AND SAID UNTO HIM,.... They put a question, by saying to him, WHY BAPTIZEST THOU THEN, IF THOU BE NOT THAT CHRIST, NOR ELIAS, NEITHER THAT PROPHET? since he denied that he was the Messiah, or Elias that was to come before the Messiah, according to the expectation of the Jews, or... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN ANSWERED THEM, SAYING, I BAPTIZE WITH WATER,.... Or in water, so the Vulgate Latin, and all the Oriental versions render it. The sense of the answer is, that he indeed baptized persons in water, which was all that he could do, or pretended to do; and he owned, that this was a new rite, and that... [ Continue Reading ]
HE IT IS WHO COMING AFTER ME,.... Both into the world, and into the ministry of the word; for John was before Christ, in both these respects, though greatly behind him in others, and therefore he adds, IS PREFERRED BEFORE ME: being not only of a more excellent nature, the Son of God, and of an high... [ Continue Reading ]
THESE THINGS WERE DONE IN BETHABARA,.... That is, this testimony was bore by John; and this discourse passed between him and the Pharisees, at the place here mentioned; which was a passage over Jordan, where much people walked to go on the other side, BEYOND JORDAN; and WHERE ALSO JOHN WAS BAPTIZIN... [ Continue Reading ]
THE NEXT DAY JOHN SEETH JESUS COMING UNTO HIM,.... Not to be baptized, for he had been baptized before by him. This seems to have been after Christ had been forty days in the wilderness, from whence he now returned, and came to attend on John's ministry; both to do honour to him, and that he might b... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS IS HE, OF WHOM IT IS SAID,.... Either the day before, as in John 1:27, or some time before that, John 1:15, when he first began to baptize, even before Christ came to be baptized by him, and before he personally knew him; see Matthew 3:11. AFTER ME COMETH A MAN; not a mere man, but the man God... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I KNEW HIM NOT,.... Ομμασιν, "by sight", as Nonnus paraphrases it; personally he had never seen him, nor had had any conversation and familiarity with him; for though they were related to each other, yet lived at such a distance, as not to know one another, or have a correspondence with each oth... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JOHN BARE RECORD,.... The same day that he said the above things, and at the same time: SAYING, I SAW THE SPIRIT; that is, of God, as is said in Matthew 3:16 and which Nonnus here expresses; and the Ethiopic version reads, "the Holy Ghost", DESCENDING FROM HEAVEN LIKE A DOVE; at the time of hi... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I KNEW HIM NOT,.... That is, before he came to be baptized by him; when it was secretly suggested to him who he was, and the following signal was given him, to confirm him in it: BUT HE THAT SENT ME TO BAPTIZE WITH WATER; or "in water"; that is, God; for John's mission was from God, as in John... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I SAW,.... The Spirit descending from heaven as a dove, and lighting upon Jesus, and remaining some time on him; this he saw with his bodily eyes: AND BORE RECORD; at the same time, before all the people that were with him, when he baptized Jesus: THAT THIS IS THE SON OF GOD; the natural, esse... [ Continue Reading ]
AGAIN, THE NEXT DAY AFTER,.... The third day from the priests and Levites having been with John, to know who he was. The Syriac, Arabic, and Persic versions, leave out the word "again": JOHN STOOD, AND TWO OF HIS DISCIPLES; one of these was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, as appears from John 1:40 a... [ Continue Reading ]
AND LOOKING UPON JESUS AS HE WALKED,.... Either by them; or as he was going from them to his lodgings; it being toward the close of the day, when John had finished his work for that day, and the people were departing home: John fixed his eyes intently on Christ, with great pleasure and delight, and... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE TWO DISCIPLES HEARD HIM SPEAK,.... The above words, and took notice of them; faith in Christ came by hearing them; they reached their hearts, and they found their affections, and the desires of their souls, to be after Christ: AND THEY FOLLOWED JESUS; left their master, and went after him,... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN JESUS TURNED, AND SAW THEM FOLLOWING,.... That is, "him", as the Vulgate Latin, and all the Oriental versions add: he saw by their walk, and by their countenances, that they were following him; and which he knew before he turned himself: he knew what John had said, and what an effect it had upo... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SAITH UNTO THEM, COME AND SEE,.... He gave them an invitation, to go along with him directly, and see with their own eyes, where he dwelt, and there and then converse with him, and at any other time; to which they had a hearty welcome: THEY CAME AND SAW WHERE HE DWELT; they accepted of the invit... [ Continue Reading ]
ONE OF THE TWO WHICH HEARD JOHN [SPEAK],.... The above things, concerning Jesus being the Lamb of God: AND FOLLOWED HIM; that is, Jesus, as the Syriac and Arabic versions read; and the Persic version, Christ: and the Ethiopic version, "the Lord Jesus"; for not John, but Jesus they followed: WAS AN... [ Continue Reading ]
HE FIRST FINDETH HIS OWN BROTHER SIMON,.... Either before the other disciple, or before he found any other person: after he and the other disciple departed from Christ, being affected with the grace bestowed upon him, and his heart warm with the conversation he had had with him, and transported with... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE BROUGHT HIM TO JESUS,.... That is, Andrew brought his brother Simon to Jesus; he persuaded him to go along with him, and showed him where he was; which discovered great zeal for Christ, being desirous of, gaining souls unto him; and great affection to his brother, being heartily concerned tha... [ Continue Reading ]
THE DAY FOLLOWING,.... Not the day after John had pointed out Christ, as the Lamb of God, to two of his disciples; but the day after Simon had been with him, being brought by Andrew: JESUS WOULD GO FORTH INTO GALILEE; from whence he came to Jordan, to John, to be baptized by him; and which being do... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW PHILIP WAS OF BETHSAIDA,.... A town on the lake of Gennesaret, afterwards made a city by Philip the tetrarch, and called Julias, after the name of Caesar's daughter m: it was a fishing town, and had its name from thence; and the disciples that were of it, were of this business: THE CITY OF ANDR... [ Continue Reading ]
PHILIP FINDETH NATHANAEL,.... Who was of Cana of Galilee, John 21:2 and where, it is very likely, Philip found him; since we quickly read of Jesus, and his disciples being there. This man is thought, by some, to be the same with Bartholomew; and so he is called Bartholomew, in a Syriac dictionary o... [ Continue Reading ]
AND NATHANAEL SAID UNTO HIM,.... Taking notice of, and laying hold on what Philip said, that he was of Nazareth, which at once stumbled, and prejudiced him against Jesus being the Messiah; knowing very well that Bethlehem was to be the place of his birth: CAN THERE ANY GOOD THING COME OUT OF NAZARE... [ Continue Reading ]
JESUS SAW NATHANAEL COMING TO HIM,.... For notwithstanding his prejudices, he was a man of so much uprightness and honesty, that he thought Philip's request was very reasonable; and that it was but right, and fair, that he should see, and hear, and judge, for himself, whether the person Philip spoke... [ Continue Reading ]
NATHANAEL SAITH UNTO HIM, WHENCE KNOWEST THOU ME?.... This he said as one surprised, that he, who was a stranger to him, should hit upon his general character, and describe the internal state and frame of his soul: this was more surprising to him, than if he had called him by his name Nathanael, as... [ Continue Reading ]
NATHANAEL ANSWERED AND SAITH UNTO HIM,.... Being fully convinced of his omniscience by these instances: RABBI; that is, master, as it is interpreted in John 1:38, and is not here, because it is there: THOU ART THE SON OF GOD; not by creation, for this would be to say no more of him, than may be sa... [ Continue Reading ]
JESUS ANSWERED AND SAID UNTO HIM,.... Not as reproving him for his faith, as if he was too credulous, and too easily gave into the belief of Christ, as the Son of God, and true Messiah, upon these single expressions of his; but as approving of it, and surprised at it: BECAUSE I SAID UNTO THEE, I SA... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAITH UNTO HIM, VERILY, VERILY, I SAY UNTO YOU,.... Not only to Nathanael, but to the rest of the disciples that were then with him; and to show himself to be the "Amen", and faithful witness, as well as more strongly to asseverate what he was about to say, he doubles the expression: HEREAFT... [ Continue Reading ]