The opening of John’s Gospel supplies profound insights into the character and significance of who Jesus Christ actually is. John approaches his viewers with an assumption of religion, talking on to these keen to listen to the reality about Jesus. He doesn’t attempt to persuade his readers by debate or argument however declares the truth of Christ as foundational and supreme. Let’s discover John’s message and its implications. (John 1: 1-18)
1 To start with was the Phrase, and the Phrase was with God, and the Phrase was God.
2 The identical was at first with God.
3 All issues have been made by him; and with out him was not any factor made that was made.
4 In him was life; and the life was the sunshine of males.
5 And the sunshine shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
6 There was a person despatched from God, whose title was John.
7 The identical got here for a witness, to bear witness of the Gentle, that each one males by him would possibly consider.
8 He was not that Gentle, however was despatched to bear witness of that Gentle.
9 That was the true Gentle, which lighteth each man that cometh into the world.
10 He was on the earth, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
11 He got here unto his personal, and his personal acquired him not.
12 However as many as acquired him, to them gave he energy to change into the sons of God, even to them that consider on his title:
13 Which have been born, not of blood, nor of the need of the flesh, nor of the need of man, however of God.
14 And the Phrase was made flesh, and dwelt amongst us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the one begotten of the Father,) stuffed with grace and fact.
15 John naked witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is most popular earlier than me: for he was earlier than me.
16 And of his fulness have all we acquired, and style for grace.
17 For the regulation was given by Moses, however grace and fact got here by Jesus Christ.
18 No man hath seen God at any time, the one begotten Son, which is within the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
Religion: Obedient, Not Impartial, Not Open-Minded
John begins with a key presupposition: fact will not be one thing to be judged or debated however fairly one thing to be acquired with an obedient coronary heart. Distinction this with how we’d strategy different disciplines. Contemplate arithmetic… once we research arithmetic or algebra, we don’t strategy it skeptically, pondering whether or not 4 + 4 equals 8. As an alternative, we strategy it with an clever, receptive thoughts, in search of to know what has already been established as true.
Likewise, John doesn’t ask his readers to come back to Jesus with a so-called open thoughts, questioning whether or not his message is legitimate or not. As an alternative, he speaks to these ready to obtain the reality with humility and a willingness to comply with it. Religion will not be passive acceptance however an energetic and obedient response to the reality.
The Everlasting Nature of Jesus
John opens his Gospel with a strong assertion about Jesus: “To start with was the Phrase, and the Phrase was with God, and the Phrase was God.” This declaration reveals a number of important truths:
Jesus Is Everlasting. He existed earlier than time started. He was with God “at first,” earlier than creation itself.
Jesus Is God. Because the second individual of the Trinity, Jesus is each distinct from the Father and absolutely God.
Jesus Is the Creator. John emphasizes that “all issues have been made by him.” Every little thing that exists: life, gentle, and the world… was introduced into being by Jesus.
John’s portrayal of Jesus as everlasting, divine, and creator units him other than some other spiritual determine or instructor. Jesus will not be merely a clever man or a prophet however the supply of all life and lightweight.
Jesus, the Gentle of the World, shines as a beacon of fact and life, but the darkness didn’t realize it.
Gentle and Darkness
John additionally makes use of the metaphor of sunshine to explain Jesus’ relationship with the world. Jesus is the “gentle of males,” a beacon of fact and life shining within the darkness. Nonetheless, John additionally factors out the tragic actuality: “The sunshine shines within the darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not.”
The phrase “comprehend” has a twin that means. On one hand, the darkness (symbolizing sin and ignorance) can not perceive the sunshine. However, neither can it overcome or extinguish the sunshine. Jesus’ gentle is unquenchable, but many with exhausting hearts select to show away from it. This rejection will not be a failure of Jesus’ message however a mirrored image of humanity’s sinfulness.
Rejection of the Creator
One of the crucial heartbreaking truths John reveals is that Jesus, the Creator of all issues, was rejected by the very world he created. Regardless of his position because the supply of life, humanity refused to acknowledge him. The truth is, even his personal folks, the Israelites, turned their backs on him.
Additional, this rejection wasn’t then and isn’t now as a result of a lack of expertise. John makes it clear that folks rejected Jesus out of a willful refusal to just accept the reality. It’s the identical right now. Humanity’s downside will not be mental however ethical… an unwillingness to undergo God’s authority.
Changing into Youngsters of God
Amid this rejection, John offers a message of hope. He writes, “However as many as acquired him, to them he gave the facility to change into the sons of God.” This transformation will not be one thing we will obtain on our personal. John emphasizes that it’s:
Not of blood. Being a part of God’s household will not be based mostly on heritage or lineage.
Not of the need of the flesh. It’s not one thing we will accomplish by human effort.
Not of the need of man. Salvation will not be one thing we will will or run to on our personal.
As an alternative, changing into a baby of God is a supernatural work of God himself. It’s a present of grace, not one thing earned, inherited, or gained by mental rigor.
The Phrase Grew to become Flesh
One of the crucial astonishing truths of Christianity is the incarnation: “The Phrase turned flesh and dwelt amongst us.” Jesus, the everlasting Phrase of God, took on human type and lived amongst folks. This act of humility and love is unparalleled. By the incarnation, humanity may see and expertise God in a private, tangible method.
John describes Jesus as “stuffed with grace and fact.” In him, we discover the right stability of kindness and honesty, compassion and justice. Jesus will not be solely the messenger of God’s grace however its embodiment.
The Closing Revelation of God
John additionally declares that Jesus is the last word revelation of God. “No man has seen God at any time; the one begotten Son, who’s within the bosom of the Father, he has declared him.” The phrase “declared” right here is critical. In Greek, it means to “exegete” or absolutely clarify. Simply as a scholar rigorously interprets a textual content, Jesus absolutely reveals God’s nature and character to humanity.
The underside line is that this: After we see Jesus, we see God. He’s the seen picture of the invisible God, the precise illustration of his being. By Jesus, we perceive who God is and what he wishes for us.
Jesus and the That means of Historical past
John’s Gospel goes past theology. It touches on all historical past and human objective. Jesus is not only central to religion however to all of historical past. He’s the Alpha and Omega, the start and the tip. Every little thing that occurs on the earth in the end factors again to him.
Even the darkest moments in historical past, just like the crucifixion, serve God’s higher objective. When the Jews of the Sanhedrin conspired to kill Jesus, they thought they have been attaining their very own plans. As an alternative, they fulfilled God’s plan for salvation. This exhibits that God’s sovereignty extends over all occasions, even these orchestrated by evil.
The Trendy Problem
John’s message stands in stark distinction to fashionable views of fact and historical past. Many individuals right now reject the concept of absolute fact, preferring to assign and outline their very own that means to life and the Universe. Others see historical past as formed by autonomous human progress or political energy.
John challenges these views. He reminds us that Jesus is the last word fact. He’s the one by whom all issues have been made and the one in whom all issues maintain collectively. Once more, historical past will not be about humanity’s plans however about God’s functions.
A Name to Religion
John’s Gospel leaves us with a selection. Will we settle for Jesus as the sunshine and fact of the world, or will we flip and stroll away? Religion in Jesus will not be merely an mental determination however a life-changing dedication. Those that obtain him are remodeled into youngsters of God, given new life and objective.
This religion will not be about concern or uncertainty. It’s about confidence within the energy and plan of God. As John writes, “To them he gave the facility to change into the sons of God.” This energy will not be ours to say however God’s to provide. That makes our religion a by-product of one thing a lot, a lot greater.
Residing within the Gentle of the Reality
For many who consider in Jesus, the Gospel affords a brand new method of seeing the world. As an alternative of concern, we will dwell with hope and objective, trusting in God’s sovereignty. As an alternative of confusion, we will discover readability within the fact of Christ.
Lastly, Jesus is not only a determine of historical past. Nope. He’s its very that means and success. In him, we discover the solutions to life’s most profound questions. John’s Gospel invitations us to see Jesus not solely as our Savior however as the inspiration of all the pieces we’re and all the pieces we do.
