Appendix VII

John's Gospel chapter 1 verses 1 - 18

John's Gospel chapter 20 verse 31 gives John' s object in writing his Gospel. He wrote down signs that Jesus had done in order that his readers might believe that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing they might have life in his name. The basic truth that the Apostle is presenting is essentially the same as that presented by the other Gospel writers, namely, the official position that Jesus has: the Anointed King, and his relationship to God: his Son.

However, his divine Sonship may be easily watered down. Angels are sons of God in a certain sense. In Daniel 3:25 we have reference made to one "like a son of God" and in 3:28 that one is said to be an angel sent by God. Also, men are said to be God's children: "All of you are children of the Most High" (Psalm 82:6). Paul also says: "For we are also his (God's) offspring" (Acts 17:28). Further, in a higher sense Christians are sons of God. "For ye are all God's sons by faith in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:26). In this higher sense they are also Christ's brethren. He (Christ) is the "firstborn among many brethren" (Romans 8:29).

Although Christians are given a very exalted status as Christ's brethren, being sons of God, Christ's own Sonship is unique, and this the Apostle John maintains. We "receive sonship" (we receive it as a gift) (Galatians 4:5), but Christ is the "only-begotten Son" (John 3:16). Maybe, some had watered down Christ's Sonship and therefore the Apostle had it laid on him to combat this line of error. It may also be for this reason that John speaks of believers as children of God rather than sons (John 1:12). It may be noted that Islam does not simply water down Christ's Sonship but denies it altogether - see the Koran.

Another example of John seeking to refute an error that had crept in is his treatment of the crucifixion. It would appear that some may have argued that because Christ died by crucifixion and not by the sword, his blood was not shed and therefore his death could not have been an atoning one. John overthrows any such argument by giving his own witness that Christ's blood was literally shed (John 19:34/35).

What we have in the beginning of John's Gospel is the setting forth of Christ's

greatness and uniqueness as a person. In verses 1 to 5 it is Christ himself :-

(1) His position Godward - He was with Him.

(2) His own nature - He was God.

(3) His connection with creation - It came into being through Him.

(4) His connection with mankind - He was the light of men.

Verses 6-13 expand on (4) above. They give the effect on men generally to verse 11 "The true light... lightens (sheds its light upon) every man", but He is not acknowledged by the world and not received by his own. Verses 12 and 13 give the exceptions; those "born... of God".

Verses 14-17 expand on verses 12 and 13, giving the effect on those born of God. It is Christ dwelling "among us" and we contemplating his glory. "Of his fulness we all have received".

Verse 18 states what Christ has declared - God. The first few verses give his qualifications for so doing, the other verses give first, John the Baptist's testimony and then that of Christ's disciples.

What is given in the first few verses corresponds in a way to what is often put on the jacket of books nowadays : the author's qualifications for writing on the specialism (say gardening) which is the subject of his book. Here, Christ is declaring God, hence the Apostle tells us that He had been with God from the beginning and having his nature absolutely was perfectly qualified to declare him to others.

In a similar way, in John's first Epistle we have the Apostles' qualifications for speaking of Christ - they had heard Him, seen Him (literally), contemplated Him and handled Him. They had in fact been with Him throughout his ministry here on earth and were therefore fully qualified to pass his message on. Then the Apostle gives the message which they had heard from Him (1 John 1:5). See also Acts 1:21/22.

The Apostle's way of making a general statement as in John 1:5 and then enlarging on it is quite common in Scripture. For example, Genesis 1:2 to 2:3 is really an enlargement of Genesis 1:1. This is also true of many of the Psalms as J.N.Darby says in his Synopsis: "This mode of instruction is found in the Psalms, in which the first verses frequently give the thesis and the result, which is reached through circumstances that are afterwards detailed" (Synopsis Vol 2 p.197). Psalms 73, 97 and 116 may be cited as examples of this kind of thing. We have a similar sort of thing in another of John's writings. For examples, in Revelation the " seven trumpets " and their sounding all flow out of the opening of the seventh seal. Again, the sounding of the seventh trumpet brings us to the end of things, but this is enlarged on in the following chapters.

Like a beautiful flower the verses in John's Gospel we are considering can be looked at from more than one angle. For instance, each section overlaps the other. The first section starts from the beginning (eternity) and leads on to the incoming of Christ in verses 4 and 5. The second section (verse 6) starts with the coming of John the Baptist and again goes on to the incoming of Christ. The last section (verse 14) starts with the incoming of Christ and then enlarges on it.

The order follows that of the witness of John the Baptist (verse 15). The one who came after the Baptist was before him so that we have:-

(1) Christ in the beginning (verse 1);

(2) John the Baptist (verse 6); and

(3) Christ in this world (verse 14).