John 1:4

In him was life; and the life was the light of men. IN HIM WAS LIFE. From simple creation, or calling into existence, the Evangelist now advances to a higher idea-the communication of life. But he begins by announcing its essential and original existence in Himself, virtue of which He became the great Fontal Principle of life in all living, but specially in the highest sense of life. Accordingly, He is called "The Word of life" (1 John 1:1). AND THE LIFE WAS THE LIGHT OF MEN. It is remarkable, as Bengel notes, how frequently in Scripture light and life, on the one hand, and on the other, darkness and death, are associated: "I am the Light of the world," said Christ: "he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life" ()....

4._In him was life_. Hitherto he has taught us, that by _the Speech _of God _all things were created_. He now attributes to him, in the same manner, the preservation of those things which had been created, as if he had said, that in the creation of the world there was not merely displayed a sudden exercise of his power, which soon passed away, but that it is manifested in the steady and regular order of nature, as he is said to uphold all things _by the word _or will _of his power_, (Hebrews 1:3). This _life _may be extended either to inanimate creatures, (which live after their own manner, though they are devoid of feeling,) or may be explained in reference to _living _creatures alone. It is of little consequence which you choose; for the simple meaning is, that _the Speech _of God was not only the source of _life _to all the creatures, so that

1-5 The plainest reason why the Son of God is called the Word, seems to be, that as our words explain our minds to others, so was the Son of God sent in order to reveal his Father's mind to the world. What the evangelist says of Christ proves that he is God. He asserts, His existence in the beginning; His coexistence with the Father. The Word was with God. All things were made by him, and not as an instrument. Without him was not any thing made that was made, from the highest angel to the meanest worm. This shows how well qualified he was for the work of our redemption and salvation. The light of reason, as well as the life of sense, is derived from him, and depends upon him. This eternal Word, this true Light shines, but the darkness comprehends it not. Let us pray without ceasing, that our eyes may be opened to behold this Light, that we may walk in it; and thus be made wise unto salva...

Verse John 1:4. _IN HIM WAS LIFE_] Many MSS., versions, and fathers, connect this with the preceding verse, thus: _All things were made_ _by him, and without him was nothing made. What was made had life_ _in it; but THIS LIFE was the light of men_. That is, though every thing he made had a principle of life in it, whether _vegetable,_ _animal_, or _intellectual_, yet this, that life or animal principle in the human being, was not the _light_ of men; not _that light_ which could guide them to heaven, for _the world by wisdom knew not God_, 1 Corinthians 1:21. Therefore, the expression, _in him was life_, is not to be understood of life _natural_, but of that life _eternal_ which he revealed to the world,...

IN HIM WAS LIFE - The evangelist had just affirmed John 5:3 that by the λόγος Logos or “Word” the world was originally created. One part of that creation consisted “in breathing into man the breath of life,” Genesis 2:7. God is declared to be “life,” or the “living” God, because he is the source or fountain of life. This attribute is here ascribed to Jesus Christ. He not merely made the material worlds, but he also gave “life.” He was the agent by which the vegetable world became animated; by which brutes live; and by which man became a living soul, or was endowed with immortality. This was a “higher” proof that the “Word was God,” than the creation of the material worlds; but there is another sense in which he was “life.” The “new creat

EXPOSITION THE title of the book is differently given in the manuscripts and ancient versions, and the differences are so considerable that they cannot be referred to the original text. The simplest form of the title is found in א, B, D, and is nothing more than "_according to_ John," ΚΑΤΑ ΙΩΑΝΝΗΝ (B gives only one N in John's name, but א two); and this is followed by the vulgate and Syriac as a running title. The immense proportion of the uncials—A, C, E, F, G, L, and eight or nine others—read "Gospel according to John" (Εὐαγγέλιον κατὰ Ιωάννην). This is followed by Tregelles, Lachmann, Alford. The T.R., with a large number of manuscripts, reads, "The Gospel according to John;" and in Stephen's third edition the word "holy" occurs before "Gospel." The cursives 69, 178, 259, read Εὐαγγέλιον ἐκ τοῦ κατὰ Ἰωὰνην. Some cursives read, "Of the (holy) Gospel according to John." The p...

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, and from all eternity: indeed he lived before his incarnation as Mediator, and Redeemer. Job knew him in his time, as his living Redeemer; but this regards him as the word and living God, and distinguishes him from the written word, and shows that he is not a mere idea in the divine mind, but a truly divine person: and there was life in Christ the word, with respect to others; the fountain of natural life is in him, he is the efficient cause, and preserver of it; whether vegetative, animal, or rational; and proves him to be truly God, and that he existed before his incarnation; since creatures,...

John 1:1. _In the beginning was the Word,_ Christ the Word has existed from all eternity. He is the eternal Son of the eternal Father; he is really what Melchisedec was metaphorically, «having neither beginning of days, nor end of life.» «In the beginning was the Word,» John 1:1. _And the Word was with God, and the Word was God._ The Word was as truly God as the Father was God, and as the Spirit was God:» these three are one,» and ever have been one. «Very God of very God» is that Jesus whom we trust, and love, and adore. John 1:2. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the li

JOHN 1:3-4 ouvde. e[n) o] ge,gonen evn {B} Should the words o] ge,gonen be joined with what goes before or with what follows? The oldest manuscripts (î66, 75* a* A B) have no punctuation here, and in any case the presence of punctuation in Greek manuscripts, as well as in versional and patristic sources, cannot be regarded as more than the reflection of current exegetical understanding of the meaning of the passage. A majority of the Committee was impressed by the consensus of ante-Nicene writers (orthodox and heretical alike) who took o] ge,gonen with what follows. When, however, in the fourth century Arians and the Macedonian heretics began to appeal to the passage to prove that the Holy Sp...

ANALYSIS AND ANNOTATIONS I. The Only-begotten, the Eternal Word; His Glory and His Manifestation -- Chapter 1:1-2:22 CHAPTER 1 __ 1. The Word: the Creator, the Life and the Light. (John 1:1 .) 2. The Light and the Darkness. The Light not Known. (John 1:5 .) 3. The Word Made Flesh and Its Gracious Results. (John 1:12 .) 4. The Witness of John. (John 1:19 .) 5. Following Him and Dwelling With Him. (John 1:35 .) 6. The Next Day. Nathanael's Unbelief and Confession. ...