John 1 - The Moody Bible Commentary

1:1 In the beginning (cf. Gn 1:1) was the Word (logos) already in existence in eternity past. John took the OT concepts of God’s spoken word and applied them to Jesus. The parallels between Gn 1 and Jn 1 demonstrate that the concept behind the “Word” in Jn 1 is drawn from the OT. God’s Word creates all life (Gn 1:11, 20, 26), and Jesus has the right to give eternal life (Jn 6:27; 10:28). God sends out His word, and it always accomplishes His will (Is 55:11), just as Jesus was sent out and accomplished the Father’s will (Jn 4:34; 6:38). God’s word in the OT is His divine self-expression (Ps 138:2). So Jesus is the divine self-expression of God. Since the Word was with God before all else existed, He had intimate companionship with the Father. This points to separate persons in the Godhead (the Trinity). Yet, since the Word was God, everything that God was in essence, the Word was also. This indicates the deity of Christ—a major theme of the Fourth Gospel.

I. Prologue (1:1-18)

The prologue introduces the Fourth Gospel by demonstrating the supremacy of Jesus as the unique One who should be believed. He is the Word (vv. 1, 14), true Light (v. 9), One and Only Son (vv. 14, 18, HCSB), Lamb of God (vv. 29, 36), Rabbi or Teacher (vv. 38, 49), Messiah (vv. 20, 25, 41), Son of God (vv. 34, 49), King of Israel (v. 49), and Son of Man (v. 51).

1:2 Verse 2 subtly repeats v. 1. The Greek phrase was … with [pros] God places a stress on the loving companionship that has always existed between Jesus and the Father (another theme in John). As v. 3 implies, before what happened in the beginning, God was all that there was—and the Word was there personally with God.

1:3-4 The Word created all things—material and immaterial (e.g., angels). While the Father initiated creation, through Him confirms that Jesus was the direct agent of creation (cf. Rm 11:36; Col 1:16; Heb 1:2). John rephrased the thought of v. 3a in 3b to confirm the all-inclusive nature of Christ’s creative work. Since in Him was life (v. 4; Cf. 14:6), all life derived from and is given by Jesus (5:21; 10:28; 17:2). The life that was in Jesus was to be a Light for people. In Scripture, light (a thematic word in this gospel) is the place of security and deliverance (Ps 27:1; Ac 13:47), and a figure for holiness, revelation, and truth (1Jn 1:5).

1:5 John stressed the ongoing reality that the Light shines [pres. tense] in the darkness. A spiritual battle exists between good and evil, God and Satan. All darkness (e.g., Satan, Judas, the unbelieving Jews) opposed Jesus. In His sacrificial death for sin, He gained the victory over darkness (Cf. 19:30). Therefore, the darkness did not comprehend the light. Since the Greek word “comprehend” (katalambano) means “overtake” in a similar statement in 12:35 (“so that darkness will not overtake you”), it is best taken that way in 1:5 (i.e., the darkness “did not overcome” the light; NET, ESV).

1:6-8 The great forerunner to the Messiah is now introduced. As was the case with OT prophets, John was sent from God. That God “sent” John the Baptist begins the missionary outlook of the book. Witness, which appears for the first time (v. 7), fits into this theme of mission. John’s witness, like the testimony of the book itself (20:31-32), existed so that all might believe in Christ. This marks the first of nearly 100 uses of “believe” (pisteuo) in the book. To “believe” (pisteuo) means “to have confidence in” or “be fully persuaded about” (Ac 28:24; Rm 4:20-21). Even though John the Baptist never did any miracles (10:41), the fact that he came to testify about the Light (v. 8) gives the explanation for his greatness.

1:9-10 Coming into the world refers to Christ’s incarnation (Cf. 6:14; 9:39; 11:27; 12:46; 16:28). This phrase does not describe when or in what sense Jesus enlightens every man. The primary point of the phrase is to describe who Jesus is. “The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world” (NIV; cf. ESV, NET). Since Jesus is Creator (vv. 3-4), He has given a measure of light to everyone through general revelation and an inner moral law (Rm 1:18-32; 2:14-15; Leon Morris, The Gospel of John, NICNT [Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1995], 84). Alternately, He may bring objective revelation to all, forcing people to accept or reject Him (D. A. Carson, The Gospel According to John, PNC [Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1991], 124). The world was made through Him (v. 10), including plants and animals. However, in John “world” (kosmos, a thematic word, used 78 times in John, 15 times in the Synoptics) primarily refers to people (e.g., Jn 3:16-17, 19), and the world did not know Him means that most people did not believe in Christ (17:3). The first two references to kosmos in this verse are neutral (Cf. 17:24; 21:25), but more often kosmos carries negative overtones (third reference). The “world” is in need of forgiveness (1:29), a Savior (4:42), and eternal life (6:33; 8:12). It hates God (17:25) and Jesus (7:7) as well as believers (15:18, 19), and is ruled by Satan (14:30; 16:11). While believers are in the physical world (13:1; 17:11), they are separated out of the evil world system by their faith in Christ (17:6, 17).

1:11-13 Through the incarnation, Jesus came to His own nation and land (in Gk. “own” is neuter pl.). Ironically, the Jewish people, who were His own (Gk. masculine pl.) people, refused to accept their own Messiah. As many as (v. 12) stipulates a universal promise extending beyond the Jewish people. The promise is to all who have received [lambano, “welcome, take”] Him. “Receive Him” is parallel to believe in His name, showing the terms “receive” and “believe” are essentially synonymous (Cf. 12:48; 13:20; 17:8). This is the first of over 35 uses of the phrase “believe in” (pisteuo eis)—a special Johannine construction that always means genuine faith (3:16, 18, 36; 6:40; 11:25). Becoming a child of God results in a spiritual “birth” produced by God’s Spirit (Cf. 3:3-8; 1Pt 1:3, 23; 1Jn 5:1, 4) unlike human birth (v. 13). Spiritual birth is not of blood, i.e., it is not the result of human descent. Neither is it of the will of the flesh, as if human desires can bring it about. Nor is spiritual birth of the will of man (Gk. “male, husband”), negating any pride of males in producing children as was common in Jewish culture (and in most cultures). Contrary to anything innate, spiritual birth is an act of God.

1:14 John 1:1-13 and v. 18 focus on the deity of Christ; vv. 14-17 outline the humanity of Christ. The Word became flesh, i.e., He became fully human. The Word dwelt or “tabernacled” (skenoo) on earth. God’s glory, resident in the OT tabernacle, now became resident in Jesus as God’s NT temple (Cf. 2:19-21). This begins John’s theme that Jesus has fulfilled the OT system of worship (Cf. 4:21). Glory draws on the images of the OT when God manifested Himself to Israel (Ex 16:10; 24:15-17; 33:22), but also encompasses Christ’s incarnation, miracles (Jn 2:11; 11:4, 40), and death, resurrection, and ascension (12:16; 13:31-32; 17:1). The phrase only begotten (monogene) is used for the first of four times in John (1:18; 3:16, 18). NIV, NET, and HCSB translate this word, “one and only,” because it looks at the uniqueness of the Son, not at a “birth.” Isaac is called Abraham’s “only begotten son” (Heb 11:17), but was neither Abraham’s only nor first-born son, though he was certainly Abraham’s “one-of-a-kind” or unique son. Full of grace and truth is to be understood in light of the incarnation (“the Word became flesh”). See v. 17.

1:15-16 Next to Jesus, John the Baptist as the forerunner of the Messiah is the apostle’s chief example of one who boldly testified to the truth (see comment on 2:23). Like an OT prophet, John cried out in giving his message. Jesus was born after John the Baptist (He who comes after me). But Christ was superior to John (has a higher rank than I) on the grounds that He is eternally preexistent (for He existed before me). In light of the words His fullness (v. 16), the phrase grace upon grace means a maximized grace or “one gracious gift after another” (NET).

1:17 As did Paul (Rm 5:20; 6:14), John made a contrast between the law and Moses (not Judaism), and grace and Jesus Christ. Grace (used in John only in vv. 14, 16, 17) and truth may recall the OT concept of “lovingkindness [Hb. chesed] and truth [Hb. emet]” (Ex 34:6; 33:13, 18-19) and point to God’s covenant faithfulness to Israel. Moses was the indirect source of law; Jesus was the source of all grace, even God’s grace shown to Israel (cf. Ex. 34:6-7). (Note the preexistence of Christ in Jn 1:15). So ultimately, grace and truth were mediated (were realized, lit., “came”) through Jesus Christ in both the OT and NT.

1:18 No one has seen God at any time (cf. 1Tm 6:16), though people have received partial revelations of Him in the person of the preincarnate Christ (e.g., Abraham, Gn 18:1; Moses, Ex 33:18-23). The only begotten God, “the only God” (ESV), or “the only one, himself God” (NET) reads a different set of Greek mss as opposed to “the One and Only Son” (HSCB, TNIV). The latter is more Johannine (Cf. 3:16, 18), though many scholars think the antiquity of the manuscripts and the difficulty of the reading (a scribe probably would not have changed “Son” to “God”) support the NASB translation. In the bosom of the Father is an idiom denoting the extreme intimacy that Jesus had with God the Father (Cf. 13:23). Other versions translate the phrase “in closest relationship/fellowship with” (TNIV, NET), or “near/close to the Father’s heart” (NLTse, NJB, NRSV).

II. Public Ministry: Miraculous Signs of Jesus’ Identity (1:19–12:50)

The first major unit of John centers on the public ministry of Jesus with seven sign-miracles performed by Him (eight signs including Jesus’ resurrection; see chart at 2:1) that identify Him as the Christ. Verses 19-51 offer four witnesses (John the Baptist, Andrew, Philip, Nathaniel) to the truth presented in the Prologue: Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God who is fully God come in human form.

1:19-20 The Jews sent to John the Baptist priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him about his identity. The “Jews” refers here to the Jewish authorities (cf. v. 24). Behind the question Who are you? is the thought that John the Baptist might be the coming Messiah (cf. Lk 3:15). The forerunner vigorously denied it (v. 20). Christ is the Greek term corresponding to the Hebrew and Aramaic word “Messiah.” Both terms mean “anointed one.”

1 Testimony of John the Baptist (1:19-34)

A. Preliminary Events to Jesus’ Ministry (1:19-51)

1:21-23 Judaism had diverse opinions about what great leaders were promised in the OT to deliver Israel. Elijah was prophesied to return in the end times (Mal 4:5; Mt 17:11; Lk 1:17). Also, there was an eschatological Prophet (cf. Jn 1:45; 6:14; 7:40) predicted to be like Moses (Dt 18:15, 18). Peter and Stephen claimed this prophet was Jesus (Ac 3:22; 7:37), and while He certainly functioned in a way befitting a prophet, He was also much more.

1:23 John the Baptist (v. 23) literally preached IN THE WILDERNESS as Is 40:3 indicated (cf. Mt 3:2-3; Mk 1:3-4; Lk 3:3-4). By calling for repentance, he was preparing the people’s hearts (MAKE STRAIGHT THE WAY) to receive Christ by faith (cf. Ac 19:4). Of the four Gospels, only John’s does not mention the word “repent” or “repentance.”

1:24-25 That these men had been sent from the Pharisees contrasts radically with those sent from God, i.e., John the Baptist and Jesus Himself (cf. vv. 6, 19, 22, 33). The Pharisees (about 6,000 at the time) were laymen (not priests) who zealously followed the Mosaic law but added many extrabiblical traditions to it. As the largest Jewish religious-political party, they exercised considerable influence. While the Jewish people highly esteemed them, Jesus often unmasked their hypocrisy (cf. Mt 23:1-36). This is not surprising since even later rabbinic authorities, having sprung from Pharisaism, also criticize their hypocrisy (Babylonian Talmud Sotah 22b). John’s baptizing ministry (v. 25) grew out of the OT emphasis on symbolic cleansing with water (Lv 13–17; Nm 19; Ps 51:2, 7; Is 4:4). The form of the question presupposes that the Jewish leaders thought of baptism as a mark of the coming Messiah.

1:26-28 Among you stands One whom you do not know implies the Messiah could be easily overlooked (Is 53:2) and potentially rejected (v. 10). John acknowledged his unworthiness to serve Christ even as a slave who loosens the straps of another’s sandal. The location of Bethany beyond the Jordan (3:26; 10:40) is uncertain, though it may be the area northwest of the Sea of Galilee where there was a considerable amount of water that served as the headwaters of the Jordan River. The Latinized form of the name of this region was “Batanaea.” At any rate, it is to be distinguished from the Bethany near Jerusalem (11:1). “Beyond the Jordan” recalls the time when Israel was positioned to conquer the promised land (Nm 22:1; Dt 3:20; Jos 1:14-15; 22). Israel is now positioned to be led by Jesus, the new Joshua.

1:29 Chronologically, the next day sets up a sequence of an entire week (cf. vv. 29, 35, 43; and “the third day” in 2:1). By referring to Jesus as the Lamb of God (cf. v. 36), John the Baptist alluded to the fulfillment of OT sacrificial imagery (Gn 22:8; Is 53:7, 12; 1Pt 1:19; Rv 5:12), especially the Passover lamb (Jn 19:36; Ex 12:1-13; 1Co 5:7). The substitutionary death of Christ takes away the sin of the whole world, including all Gentiles—a shocking revelation to the Jewish readers.

1:30 For the third time (cf. vv. 15, 27), the Baptizer confirmed that the Messiah would appear after him. The reason He has a higher rank than the forerunner is that He existed before John. Since John the Baptist was born before Jesus (Lk 1:26-31), this can only refer to the eternality (and therefore the deity) of Jesus—a theme in harmony with the purpose of chap. 1.

1:31 Unlike the Synoptics’, the Fourth Gospel’s record of John the Baptist downplays the role of his baptism (see comment on v. 22). Instead, the focus is on the forerunner’s testimony to Jesus’ true identity. As everyone else, John did not recognize Jesus as the Messiah at first. In the dialogues with the Jewish interviewers (vv. 19-27), he had offered very little information about his own identity. John’s role was that Jesus might be manifested to Israel as their Messiah.

1:32-33 The Spirit’s descent on Christ took place at the baptism of Jesus (not mentioned in John). The significance of the event was that the Spirit remained upon Christ. The wording recalls Isaiah’s prophecies where the Spirit rests on the Messiah (11:1-2; 42:1; 61:1). The Messiah had to be revealed to John (v. 33) from the Father (He who sent me) by means of the Spirit descending and remaining upon Jesus. This Jesus would be the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit (see the comments on 1Co 12:13). This is the only mention in John of the baptism of the Holy Spirit (Mt 3:11; Mk 1:8; Lk 3:16).

1:34 The title Son of God is reserved in the Fourth Gospel for Jesus alone, implies His deity, and is roughly synonymous to “Christ” (11:27; 20:30-31). It finds its background in the Davidic covenant (2Sm 7:14; Ps 2:7; see the comments there) where God promised an unending reign for His chosen King-Son (cf. v. 49). Jewish people rightly understood Jesus’ claim to being the Son of God as a claim to be being equal with God (5:18).

1:35-37 For the next day, see v. 29. Jesus’ first disciples were originally disciples of John the Baptist. As such they had faith in the One true God of Israel. They now understood that Jesus is the Messiah they had believed would come to Israel (Cf. 6:37). That John was standing (v. 36) while Jesus walked intimates that the movement of God was shifting to Jesus (Edwin A. Blum, “John,” BKCNT [Wheaton: Victor, 1983], 275). For Lamb of God, see v. 29. Two of the forerunner’s disciples … followed Jesus (v. 37). In the Jewish culture, discipleship entailed physically following one’s teacher or rabbi to receive training.

2 First Disciples (1:35-51)

1:38 Since Jesus turned and saw the two disciples following Him, they could not follow Him secretly (see the theme of the secret disciple at 2:24-25). Jesus asked them What do you seek? Jesus’ question was designed to draw out their commitment. What were they hoping to gain in life by following Christ? They asked, Where are You staying? The thought of “staying” (meno, “abide”) with Jesus prepares the reader for the intimate relationship of abiding in Jesus, the True Vine (15:1-17).

1:39 Come, and you will see invited the disciples to investigate Jesus further, a pattern of evangelism and discipleship that should be imitated. Although it is often assumed, the text does not directly state that they stayed overnight. A debate exists over whether John used Roman or Jewish reckoning of time (the Synoptics use the Jewish system). By Roman reckoning, the tenth hour would be 10:00 a.m. (HCSB). The time indications in 4:6 and 19:14 best fit the Jewish system, making the “tenth hour” 4:00 p.m. (NET, TNIV, NLTse, TEV).

1:40-42 Only one of the two who followed Jesus is mentioned (cf. v. 37), Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. The other is unnamed, but is likely the apostle John (see Introduction: Author). Andrew, who found first his own brother (v. 41), became one who brought others to Christ (Cf. 6:8-9; 12:22). Andrew’s confession (We have found the Messiah, v. 41) is the first direct declaration in John that Jesus is the Christ. For Messiah and Christ, see 1:20. In the OT, God changed the name of an individual to mark out his divine calling (e.g., Abraham, Gn 17:5; Jacob, Gn 32:28). Jesus renamed Peter as Cephas (v. 42), an Aramaic word meaning “stone.” Peter would become a solid leader in the early church, despite his denials at the trials of Jesus.

1:43-44 On the next day, see v. 29. Since Jesus purposed to go into Galilee, He found another disciple originally from Galilee. Philip, the fourth disciple to follow Jesus, was from Bethsaida (Cf. 12:21), a village on the northeast shore of the Sea of Galilee. Andrew and Peter (v. 44) were also from Bethsaida. Bethsaida (meaning “house of fish”) was the scene of the feeding of the 5,000 (Lk 9:10-17) and the healing of a blind man (Mk 8:22-26). By this time, however, all three had taken up residence in Capernaum (Mk 1:21, 29).

1:45-46 Philip found Nathanael (21:2), probably the disciple named Bartholomew in other accounts (Mt 10:3; Mk 3:18; Lk 6:14; Ac 1:13). We have found Him begins Philip’s personal testimony. Personal witness brings people to Christ. Philip mentioned Him of whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote, i.e., the Messiah (see comment on 1:22). The “Law and the Prophets” was a common title for the whole OT (Mt 7:12; 22:40; Lk 16:16). Nathanael questioned whether any good thing could come out of Nazareth, so insignificant it was not even mentioned in the OT (Cf. 7:52). Philip responded simply, Come and see, imitating Jesus’ own methods (v. 39; Cf. 4:29).

1:47 Nathanael was a regenerate man of OT faith. Otherwise, Jesus could not have said of him that he was an Israelite indeed (cf. Rm 2:29) and that no deceit could be found in him. This faith would soon include a belief in Jesus as the Messiah (v. 49). Jesus made a wordplay on the name “Israel,” the new name given to Jacob, the patriarch of the Jews (Gn 27:35; 31:26). Nathanael exemplified Jacob’s faith rather than his deceit (Heb 11:21).

1:48 Nathaniel’s question How do You know me? begins the Johannine theme of the Lord’s supernatural knowledge of people and events (2:24-25; 5:42; 6:15, 64; 13:1, 3, 11; 18:4; 19:28; 21:17). Before Philip called Nathanael and without being physically present, Jesus miraculously saw Nathanael under the fig tree. Jesus’ divine awareness of Nathanael’s heart brought about immediate faith in Jesus as Israel’s Messiah. In the OT, the fig tree symbolized peace and safety brought by the messianic kingdom (Mc 4:4; Zch 3:10). In addition, “being under the fig tree” is a rabbinic figure of speech for studying the Torah (Bab Talmud Erubin 54a, also Midrash Ecclesiastes 5:11 and Midrash Song 6:2; cf. Jerome H. Neyrey, The Gospel of John, NCBC [Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006], 58). Perhaps Nathanael was busy studying his Torah when Jesus saw him.

1:49 Nathanael addressed Jesus first as Rabbi or teacher, then as the Son of God (see v. 34), and third as King of Israel. As King of Israel, Jesus will sit on the throne of David in the coming millennial kingdom (2Sm 7:12-16; Ezk 37:21-28). In contrast to Nathanael’s sincere confession, the Jewish people will falsely claim Jesus as King during the last week of His life (Jn 12:13), and the Romans will crucify Him for claiming to be King of the Jews (19:3, 14-21).

1:50 Jesus praised the simplicity of Nathanael’s faith. The new disciple believed merely because Jesus, without being present, saw him under the fig tree. The phrase You will see greater things is both a prophecy and a promise, and refers to Jesus’ sign-miracles (2:1–12:50), especially the resurrection (2:18-22). The fulfillment began at the wedding of Cana (2:1-11).

1:51 Truly, truly (“I tell all of you the solemn truth,” NET) is found 25 times in John, never in the Synoptics. It is always spoken by Christ and introduces an earnest announcement that stresses His unique authority. The Greek word for “truly” is amen, from which we get the English word “amen” (cf. Jesus as the authoritative “Amen” in Rv 3:14). The Greek for you in v. 51 now becomes plural, addressing the group. The disciples will see “previews” of the coming kingdom (cf. Mt 16:28–17:8). See comment on 2:11. The heavens opened refers to a new phase in revelation (e.g., Is 64:1; Ezk 1:1; Mt 3:16; Rv 4:1; 19:11). Like Jacob’s ladder that mediated between heaven and earth (see the comments on Gn 28:12, 16), Jesus will be humanity’s access to God and God’s communication with humanity (Jn 14:6; 10:9). Son of Man is a messianic title of One (Jesus) who exhibits both human and divine characteristics and receives an eternal, earthly kingdom (Ps 8:4-5; Dn 7:13-14).