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- Preaching the Living WORD through
the Written WORD - 2 Tim 4;:2 - |
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GOSPEL OF JOHN Grace Bible Church,
Gillette, Wyoming Pastor Daryl Hilbert I. SON OF GOD’S PROLOGUE (Jn
1:1:1-18) [02 – (Jn 1:1-18) 11/18/2009] A. Son of God Is The Word
(1:1, 14) 1. John is
the most theological book of the Gospels and his prologue is saturated with
theological statements regarding Jesus Christ. 2. John begins with the same phrase that is
used in Gen 1:1 “in the beginning” (same in LXX en archê) to declare
that Christ is more than a mere man. Rather, Christ is the second Person of
the Godhead and has a specific ministry. 3. Christ is called the “Word” and comes
from the Greek word lógos. Lógos does mean a saying
or message, but its classical root means to “gather” as in gather ones
thoughts and express them. Lógos is the idea of “expression” and
Christ is the full expression or full revelation of the Father. 4. Christ is the image of the invisible God
(Co 1:15) and the exact representation of all that God is (He 1:3). B. Son of God Is Eternal
(1:1a, 2) 1. John
also declares that Christ is eternal. To prove that Christ is eternal is to
prove that Christ is God, having no beginning or end. 2. First, the expression “in the beginning”
implies the same attribute of eternality as God in Ge 1:1. Second, Christ was
“with” (pros - to, toward, actively with) the Father from all
eternity. Third, the verb “was” (ên) is a “to be” verb in the
imperfect tense. The imperfect tense expresses continuous action in the past.
It was used three times of the Word in verse 1 and show that Christ
continuously and eternally existed in the past with the Father. C. Son of God Is Deity (God)
(1:1c) 1. Not
mincing his words, John declares Jesus to be God. In order for Christ to be
described as deity, all the attributes that God possesses, Christ must
possess. If even one divine attribute were diminished, it would disqualify
Christ as deity. However, Christ was God and John plainly declares it with
the phrase, “and the Word was God.” 2. Even the term Son of God must be equated
with deity. In Mt 26:63-65, the high priest charged Jesus with blaspheme when
He called Himself the “Son of God. Blaspheme is when a man makes himself out
to be God (Jn 10:33, 26). 3. This perhaps is the simplest and clearest
declaration in the New Testament regarding Christ’s deity. D. Son of God Is Creator
(1:3) 1. John
also attributed to Jesus the work and title of Creator. Verse 3 in the
original Greek is specifically clear that Christ Himself was not a created
being but was the Creator of all things. 2. Literally verse 3 states, All things
through the agency of Him (Christ) came into existence, and apart from Him
not even one thing came into existence that has come into existence. 3. If all things came into existence through
Christ, then Christ could not be a created being otherwise that would be a
false statement. To emphasize that truth, John states that “not even one
thing” came into existence without Him. 4. Christ was not simply the construction
worker of creation but also the Chief Architect. Co 1:16 states that “all
things have been created “though Him” (dia with genitive can mean agency)
and “for Him” (eis with accusative can mean purpose). 5. To be Creator also means to be deity.
There are only two categories: He who created all things and that which was
created. 6. Christ is credited with creation as is
each member of the Godhead. Creation was a joint accomplishment by the
Godhead. God the Father created in Ge 1:1 and God the Holy Spirit created in
Ge 1:2. E. Son of God Is The Light Of
Men (1:4-13) 1. John
stated another truth that pointed to the deity of Christ. In Christ was life
(4a). Though “life” here can mean “physical life” since vs. 3 just made
reference to Christ as Creator, physical life is generally represented by the
Greek word psuchế. However, the Greek word used here is zoê which
is used in the Gospel of John for “spiritual life”. Often zoê is
accompanied with aionios, which would mean eternal life. Eternal life
is a major theme in the book of John and is used approximately 36 times (Jn 1:4;
3:15f, 36; 4:14, 36; 5:24, 26, 29, 39f; 6:27, 33, 35, 40, 47f, 51, 53f, 63,
68; 8:12; 10:10, 28; 11:25; 12:25, 50; 14:6; 17:2f; 20:31). Only God can give
physical and spiritual life to mankind. This life was in Christ (cp. Jn
14:6). 2. This life in Him was the light of men
(4b). Light, used some 23 times in John, is a symbol for spiritual
understanding (Jn 1:5; 12:36, 46), spiritual life (Jn 8:12), and spiritual
living (Jn 3:19-20). Though all men have some light in reason, conscience,
and general revelation (Ro 1:19-20; Ro 2:14-16; Ac 14:17), it not enough to
save them, but only enough to leave them without excuse (Ro 1:20). When
sinful man is enlightened by the Holy Spirit to believe, he receives
spiritual light, spiritual life (1Jn 1:7), spiritual understanding (1Co
2:14-15), and spiritual living (Ep 5:8). 3. Christ’s light shines and reveals itself
to sinful man through the Holy Spirit (5). The darkness is not able to
“overpower” it (katalambánō - lay hold of or gain control of,
though it can mean grasp in understanding). 4. At this point, John the Baptist is
introduced (6) though the narrative on him begins in vs. 19f. John the
Baptist was sent from God to bear witness to the light of Christ (7). His
purpose was the same as the writing of this gospel, namely that all might
believe on Christ (cp. Jn 20:31). 5. We are emphatically told that John was
not the light to the dismay of the Gnostics and Cults of that day (8). Rather
he came to testify and point to the Light, namely Christ. 6. Christ, who is called the Light of the
world (Jn 8:12), enlightens every man (9), not in the sense of universal
salvation or prevenient grace, but in confronting the world with His light,
even as the Holy Spirit will do (Jn 16:8-11). Those whom the Father will draw
will believe (Jn 6:37, 44). 7. The true light came into the very world
He created, but the dark world did not comprehend or know Him (10). Even His
own people Israel did not receive Him but rejected Him (11). 8. But Christ’s message was “as many as” (hósos
- whatever quantity) and from whatever groups received (aorist active
lambanō) Him as Savior would have eternal life (12). Those
“believing” (present participle - pisteuō, synonymous with “received”)
in His name, were given the “right” (exousía) to become children
of God (cp. 1Jn 3:1 cp. Ro 8:14-17). 9. Becoming a child of God, is a divine
regeneration (Jn 3:3, 6, “born from above,” cp. Ti 3:5), which is not
dependent on man’s free will, but on God’s will (13). F. Son of God Is The
Revealer Of God (1:14-18) 1. John
describes Christ’s incarnation as physical dwelling (skenóō -
to dwell in a tent or tabernacle) among man. Christ did not become a
mixture of divine and human, but added perfect humanity to His unadulterated
deity (14). The apostle John personally testified to seeing Christ, in all
His glory, grace and truth, and as the “only begotten” (monogenếs -
unique and one of kind or class, the ultimate Son of God and God/Man).
Christ came in the fullness of grace and truth in that He revealed God in all
of His grace and truth. 2. The phrase “one and only Son” follows
the majority of Gr. MSS, which read (ho monogenēs huios). A number of
MSS, including the two oldest papyri, read “only God” (monogenēs theos).
This is supported by a large number of quotations from the Fathers and
several other MSS that also include the article (ho). If the rule is accepted
that the more difficult reading is preferred—the latter reading in this
case—there can be no doubt that this text also asserts the deity of Christ (Expoitor’s
Bible Commentary). 3. John the Baptist testified to Christ’s
eternality in that Christ, though younger in human years (Lk 1:24-27),
existed before John and therefore was greater than John (15). 4. The author testified again and stated
that he had received the grace of God through Christ. Christ revealed the
grace of God in salvation, the grace of God in sanctification, and the grace
of God in systems (16). Through the deliverer Moses, the Law was given, but
through Christ the Son, grace and truth came into fruition (17). 5. John shows that the ministry of the
second person of the Godhead then is to manifest, reveal, express and explain
the Father (Jn 1:18, explain” exêgeomai, Eng. exegete). Jesus expected
Philip to know the Father by knowing the Son (Jn 14:8-9). Only the second
Person of the Godhead can reveal God because He alone has seen Him and He
alone is the unique and one of kind and Son of God and God/Man. |
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