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In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.'" And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.
- John 1:1-18
On Saturday, we read the final reading in our lectionary of the Gospel of Matthew: While the women at the tomb were going to tell the disciples of Christ's Resurrection, behold, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened. When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, saying, "Tell them, 'His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.' And if this comes to the governor's ears, we will appease him and make you secure." So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day. Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Today we begin readings in the Gospel of John. In today's reading, we have all the understanding of Christian theology, and the notes in my study bible reflect that depth of this text, and the quantity of understanding contained in these eighteen verses. Here, it notes: "In the beginning recalls the creation story of Genesis, but speaks more clearly of the Creator Himself. Furthermore, while Genesis spoke of the first creation, this 'Prologue' of John [that is, today's entire reading, verses 1-18 of chapter 1] reveals the new creation in Christ. Was the Word (Greek logos): The Word is the eternal Son of God. Was indicates existence without reference to a starting point and emphasizes the Word's eternal existence without beginning. Logos can mean 'wisdom,' 'reason,' and 'action' as well as 'word,' all of which are attributes of the Son of God. The Word was with God: With shows that the Word -- the Son of God -- is a distinct Person from the Father and that He is in eternal communion with the Father. The Word was God: The Word -- the Son of God -- is co-equal and co-eternal with the Father; He Himself is God with the same divinity as the Father. Some twist and mistranslate this phrase 'the Word was a god' in order to propagate their heresy that the Son of God is a created being, a creature not fully divine. Such a translation is unsupportable, false, dishonest, and deceptive."
He was in the in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. A note suggests: "The Word is the co-Creator with the Father and the Holy Spirit (Gen 1; Ps 32:6, 9; Hebrews 1:2) and not merely an instrument or servant used by the Father. Will, operation, and power are one in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Thus, the heavens and the earth are the works of the One who made them, while the Son was not made but is eternally begotten of the Father."
In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. A note reads: "Only God has life in Himself. Thus, the Word, being God, is the source of life, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit. The life was the light of men: John now introduces mankind as receiver of the divine light. By participating in the life of the Son, believers themselves become children of the light (12:36; Ephesians 5:8; 1 Thessalonians 5:5). Moses saw the divine light in the burning bush (Exodus 3:2); the whole nation saw it at the Red Sea (Exodus 13:21); Isaiah saw it in his heavenly vision (Isaiah 6:1-5); and three apostles saw it at the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-5)."
And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. My study bible tells us that darkness indicates spiritual ignorance and satanic opposition to the light. Those who hate truth will prefer ignorance for themselves, and they strive to keep others ignorant as well (3:19). It says, "The word translated comprehend means both 'understand' and 'overcome.'" [As in English, it can mean to "understand' and also "take in" or "make a part of something;" i.e. to overcome.] My study bible continues, "Thus, darkness can never overpower the light of Christ, nor can it understand the way of love."
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. This John, of course, is not the author of the Gospel but John the Baptist. My study bible says, "Christ offers light to every person, but the world and even many of His own refuse to receive Him; thus, they can neither know nor recognize Him. Those who accept Him have His light." It notes that in many Eastern Churches, a hymn sung at the end of Liturgy, after hearing the Gospel and receiving communion, declares, "We have seen the true light, we have received the heavenly Spirit."
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: . . . Here, a note tells us that "right also means 'authority' and indicates a gift from God, not an inalienable right. Those who receive Christ become children of God by adoption (Galatians 4:4-7) and by grace inherit everything Christ is by nature. To believe in His name means to believe and trust in Him who in His humanity took the name Jesus as Word, Son, Messiah, and Savior."
. . . who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. My study bible tells us that "adoption as a child of God is not a matter of ethnic descent (of blood) as it was in the Old Testament; nor are we children of God simply by natural birth (the will of the flesh), nor by man's own decision (the will of man). Becoming a child of God is a spiritual birth by grace, through faith, and in the Holy Spirit. This is accomplished and manifested in the sacrament of Holy Baptism (3:5-8; see Titus 3:4-7)."
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. Another note tell us here: "The Word became flesh clarifies the manner in which the Son and Word of God came to His people (vv. 9-11), pointing specifically to His Incarnation. The Word became fully human without ceasing to be fully God. He assumed complete human nature: body, soul, will, emotion, and even mortality -- everything that pertains to humanity except sin. As God and Man in one Person, Christ pours divinity into all of human nature, for anything not assumed by Christ would not have been healed. Dwelt among us: In the Old Testament, God's presence dwelt ("tabernacled") in the ark of the covenant and later in the temple. Here, the eternal Word comes to dwell in and among humanity itself. His glory refers both to His divine power shown by His signs and wonders (2:11; 11:4, 40), and to His humble service to mankind, shown most perfectly on the Cross (12:23-32; 13:31). In both ways, Christ reveals that He is the One sent from the Father. Only begotten of the Father: The Son has no beginning, but has the Father as His source from eternity. He is called only begotten because there is no other born from the Father. (The Holy Spirit exists eternally from the Father through another mystery called 'procession'; see 15:26.) Full of grace and truth: This phrase qualifies both the Word and His glory. Grace is Christ's uncreated energy given to us through His love and mercy. Truth includes His faithfulness to His promises and covenants and to the reality of His words and gifts.
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.'" And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. A note here reads: "In saying we have all received of His fullness, the Scriptures confirm that God's grace can fill human nature to the extent of actually deifying it. In Christ, God's children become gods by grace (10:34-35) without ceasing to be human. As metal thrust into fire takes on properties of fire (such as heat and light) without ceasing to be metal, so human nature permeated by God takes on properties of the divine nature. Grace for grace is a Semitic expression signifying an overabundance of grace."
No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him. Finally, a last note expands on this verse: "No one has seen God at any time: No one can see the nature, or essence, of God, for to see God is to die (Exodus 33:20). Only One who is Himself divine can see God, and thus the Son is the only One who can declare Him. This revelation of God's energies can be received by the faithful. Moses saw the 'back' of God (Exodus 33:21-23); Isaiah saw His glory (see Isaiah 6:1; John 12:41).
John's Gospel gives us this great Prologue at its start, these verses 1-18 of its first chapter. But it's not just a prologue, by any means. It is a kind of great summing up, a way to go about answering the question: Who exactly is Jesus Christ? Yesterday's reading, at the end of Matthew's Gospel, gave us a summing up, but really it was a prologue. Jesus tells His followers at His Resurrection, "I am with you always, even unto the end of the age." But always has many meanings, also evident in today's Prologue. This is the Son eternal, the One who was, and is and is to come. The one who is with us always. We begin here, we end here, with the Alpha and Omega, in the flesh, who lived His life as Jesus of Nazareth. This is the One we call Christ, the only-begotten Son of God. His light shines in the darkness, and the darkness does not comprehend it.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Today we begin readings in the Gospel of John. In today's reading, we have all the understanding of Christian theology, and the notes in my study bible reflect that depth of this text, and the quantity of understanding contained in these eighteen verses. Here, it notes: "In the beginning recalls the creation story of Genesis, but speaks more clearly of the Creator Himself. Furthermore, while Genesis spoke of the first creation, this 'Prologue' of John [that is, today's entire reading, verses 1-18 of chapter 1] reveals the new creation in Christ. Was the Word (Greek logos): The Word is the eternal Son of God. Was indicates existence without reference to a starting point and emphasizes the Word's eternal existence without beginning. Logos can mean 'wisdom,' 'reason,' and 'action' as well as 'word,' all of which are attributes of the Son of God. The Word was with God: With shows that the Word -- the Son of God -- is a distinct Person from the Father and that He is in eternal communion with the Father. The Word was God: The Word -- the Son of God -- is co-equal and co-eternal with the Father; He Himself is God with the same divinity as the Father. Some twist and mistranslate this phrase 'the Word was a god' in order to propagate their heresy that the Son of God is a created being, a creature not fully divine. Such a translation is unsupportable, false, dishonest, and deceptive."
He was in the in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. A note suggests: "The Word is the co-Creator with the Father and the Holy Spirit (Gen 1; Ps 32:6, 9; Hebrews 1:2) and not merely an instrument or servant used by the Father. Will, operation, and power are one in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Thus, the heavens and the earth are the works of the One who made them, while the Son was not made but is eternally begotten of the Father."
In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. A note reads: "Only God has life in Himself. Thus, the Word, being God, is the source of life, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit. The life was the light of men: John now introduces mankind as receiver of the divine light. By participating in the life of the Son, believers themselves become children of the light (12:36; Ephesians 5:8; 1 Thessalonians 5:5). Moses saw the divine light in the burning bush (Exodus 3:2); the whole nation saw it at the Red Sea (Exodus 13:21); Isaiah saw it in his heavenly vision (Isaiah 6:1-5); and three apostles saw it at the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-5)."
And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. My study bible tells us that darkness indicates spiritual ignorance and satanic opposition to the light. Those who hate truth will prefer ignorance for themselves, and they strive to keep others ignorant as well (3:19). It says, "The word translated comprehend means both 'understand' and 'overcome.'" [As in English, it can mean to "understand' and also "take in" or "make a part of something;" i.e. to overcome.] My study bible continues, "Thus, darkness can never overpower the light of Christ, nor can it understand the way of love."
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. This John, of course, is not the author of the Gospel but John the Baptist. My study bible says, "Christ offers light to every person, but the world and even many of His own refuse to receive Him; thus, they can neither know nor recognize Him. Those who accept Him have His light." It notes that in many Eastern Churches, a hymn sung at the end of Liturgy, after hearing the Gospel and receiving communion, declares, "We have seen the true light, we have received the heavenly Spirit."
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: . . . Here, a note tells us that "right also means 'authority' and indicates a gift from God, not an inalienable right. Those who receive Christ become children of God by adoption (Galatians 4:4-7) and by grace inherit everything Christ is by nature. To believe in His name means to believe and trust in Him who in His humanity took the name Jesus as Word, Son, Messiah, and Savior."
. . . who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. My study bible tells us that "adoption as a child of God is not a matter of ethnic descent (of blood) as it was in the Old Testament; nor are we children of God simply by natural birth (the will of the flesh), nor by man's own decision (the will of man). Becoming a child of God is a spiritual birth by grace, through faith, and in the Holy Spirit. This is accomplished and manifested in the sacrament of Holy Baptism (3:5-8; see Titus 3:4-7)."
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. Another note tell us here: "The Word became flesh clarifies the manner in which the Son and Word of God came to His people (vv. 9-11), pointing specifically to His Incarnation. The Word became fully human without ceasing to be fully God. He assumed complete human nature: body, soul, will, emotion, and even mortality -- everything that pertains to humanity except sin. As God and Man in one Person, Christ pours divinity into all of human nature, for anything not assumed by Christ would not have been healed. Dwelt among us: In the Old Testament, God's presence dwelt ("tabernacled") in the ark of the covenant and later in the temple. Here, the eternal Word comes to dwell in and among humanity itself. His glory refers both to His divine power shown by His signs and wonders (2:11; 11:4, 40), and to His humble service to mankind, shown most perfectly on the Cross (12:23-32; 13:31). In both ways, Christ reveals that He is the One sent from the Father. Only begotten of the Father: The Son has no beginning, but has the Father as His source from eternity. He is called only begotten because there is no other born from the Father. (The Holy Spirit exists eternally from the Father through another mystery called 'procession'; see 15:26.) Full of grace and truth: This phrase qualifies both the Word and His glory. Grace is Christ's uncreated energy given to us through His love and mercy. Truth includes His faithfulness to His promises and covenants and to the reality of His words and gifts.
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.'" And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. A note here reads: "In saying we have all received of His fullness, the Scriptures confirm that God's grace can fill human nature to the extent of actually deifying it. In Christ, God's children become gods by grace (10:34-35) without ceasing to be human. As metal thrust into fire takes on properties of fire (such as heat and light) without ceasing to be metal, so human nature permeated by God takes on properties of the divine nature. Grace for grace is a Semitic expression signifying an overabundance of grace."
No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him. Finally, a last note expands on this verse: "No one has seen God at any time: No one can see the nature, or essence, of God, for to see God is to die (Exodus 33:20). Only One who is Himself divine can see God, and thus the Son is the only One who can declare Him. This revelation of God's energies can be received by the faithful. Moses saw the 'back' of God (Exodus 33:21-23); Isaiah saw His glory (see Isaiah 6:1; John 12:41).
John's Gospel gives us this great Prologue at its start, these verses 1-18 of its first chapter. But it's not just a prologue, by any means. It is a kind of great summing up, a way to go about answering the question: Who exactly is Jesus Christ? Yesterday's reading, at the end of Matthew's Gospel, gave us a summing up, but really it was a prologue. Jesus tells His followers at His Resurrection, "I am with you always, even unto the end of the age." But always has many meanings, also evident in today's Prologue. This is the Son eternal, the One who was, and is and is to come. The one who is with us always. We begin here, we end here, with the Alpha and Omega, in the flesh, who lived His life as Jesus of Nazareth. This is the One we call Christ, the only-begotten Son of God. His light shines in the darkness, and the darkness does not comprehend it.
