Observing John

[MennoSota]

Let's go through the gospel of John.
I will share a portion and then you share what you observe in the passage. Only after you make an observation about what the passage says should you even attempt to interpret.
What do we observe in these verses from John 1?

John 1:1-5
[1]In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.
[2]He existed in the beginning with God.
[3]God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him.
[4]The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone.
[5]The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.

 

[psalms 91]

I see that Jesus existed with God from forever and everything was created through Him and life was also given through Him.

 

[Albion]

I see that Jesus existed with God from forever...

I see "the Word WAS God."

 

[MennoSota]

John is making a direct reference to Genesis 1:3 when he says in the beginning was the Word. "Then God said"

Life is IN God.
Life is the Light for mankind.

John refers back to the first day of creation when light and darkness separate.
The Light shines into darkness.
Darkness cannot overcome the Light.

Genesis 1:1-3
[1]In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
[2]The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.
[3]Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

 

[MennoSota]

The implications of these 1st five verses is profound.
We learn that God is:
1) THE Word that creates all there is.
Hebrews 11:3 tells us, "By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible."
This tells us that the scientific hypothesis that matter has always existed goes against what the Bible says.
2) In God is all life. Nothing can exist at all, if God does not exist. THE Life makes it possible for humanity, bound in darkness and sin, to know light. Without God and His Light, humanity would be in utter darkness.
3) Darkness is incapable of stopping the Light from shining. When God chooses to point his Light at any human, the darkness will flee and light will replace darkness.
We learn in these first five verses that God is Sovereign and He does the work of bringing light to humans as he wills, not as humans will. Salvation is entirely God's choice, not by human will.

 

[NewCreation435]

God is timeless and it was through Jesus that everything has purpose and meaning. For me, this is comforting to know that my creator created me for a purpose.
To say that He is light means to me that He is holiness and pure.

 

[Albion]

John is making a direct reference to Genesis 1:3 when he says in the beginning was the Word. "Then God said"

Life is IN God.
Life is the Light for mankind.

John refers back to the first day of creation when light and darkness separate.

Uh, no. "Word" there doesn't mean a verb or a spoken declaration. When you get to the verses that follow after John 1:1, we will see clearly that "Word" in this case is a reference to the second person of the Holy Trinity. It may help, also, to compare with 1 John 5:7 and Revelation 19:13.

 

[MennoSota]

Uh, no. "Word" there doesn't mean a verb or a spoken declaration. When you get to the verses that follow after John 1:1, we will see clearly that "Word" in this case is a reference to the second person of the Holy Trinity. It may help, also, to compare with 1 John 5:7 and Revelation 19:13.

Of course it is God. The person Jesus who is God, is also called the Word.
Since the Word is also Life, it is presented by John that all which exists is held in existence by the Word, Jesus.

 

[Albion]

Of course it is God. The person Jesus who is God, is also called the Word. .

OK. I didn't get that from what was written earlier.

 

[MennoSota]

OK. I didn't get that from what was written earlier.

John waits until further into the chapter to connect the Word with Jesus.
Can a person consider that the first name of God the Son is actually..."the Word"? Jesus is actually not his name as the word used is Yeshua, often translated...Joshua.

 

[MennoSota]

John 1:6-14
[6]God sent a man, John the Baptist,
[7]to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony.
[8]John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light.
[9]The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.
[10]He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him.
[11]He came to his own people, and even they rejected him.
[12]But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.
[13]They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.
[14]So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.

 

[MennoSota]

God sent a man. God determines who the man will be and God sends that specific man.
The purpose of the man's role is to speak about the light. The light, which darkness cannot stop.
The telling about the light is so everyone might believe. (Question: Does this mean that all will believe?)
John the Baptist is not the light. John is a witness to tell about the light.
True light. (Does this mean there is false light?)
Gives light to everyone. (Does this mean all will be saved?)
The light was coming. The light was not yet revealed.
The light is a male(he). The light created the world. Humans did not recognize the creator of the world. (Does this answer the question of universal salvation? If so, who is the "everyone" that John is referring to?
His own people rejected him. (Who is his own people?)
Those who believed him, who accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. (Must a person manufacture their own faith and choose God? Is the reward for choosing God that a person becomes God's child?)
Humans are reborn, not by humans having sex, but by an act of God. (Does this contradict the other verse? Here John says that God must do the work of rebirthing, which indicates that salvation is all God's work.)
John goes back to verse one to connect the Word to the male human he called the light.
The Word became human. The Word's love is unfailing. The Words faith is unfailing.
The writer of the book says that he and others saw the Words glory.