Tyndale Open Study NotesJohn 1

The start of this introduction might be a poem or hymn sung by early Christians (1:1–5).

The themes of this introduction of the Gospel of John prepare readers for the story that follows:

• The arrival of the light in the world.

• The rejection of the light.

• The gift of new life given by the light to those who believed in him.

In the beginning: Using the same phrase as the beginning of the Old Testament (Genesis 1:1), the Gospel of John introduces Jesus Christ as the one through whom God created everything (John 1:3). Through Jesus, God also creates new life in those who believe (1:12–13).

The Gospel of John begins with its central claim: Jesus Christ, the Word (logos), not only revealed God but was God. The Greek word logos means “word” or “message.” The logos is the Word of God, through whom God created everything, made himself known, and became human as Jesus Christ. Later Christian teaching describes the Word as the second person of the Trinity (the one who shares fully in God’s nature with the Father and the Holy Spirit).

In Greek thought, the logos was the rational principle that ordered the universe and made life understandable. It explained why the world had meaning and structure.

For Jewish people, the logos was the word of the Lord. It expressed God’s wisdom and God’s creative power. God spoke, and things came into being.

By the time of Jesus, people understood the logos as coming from God and sharing God’s character and authority (see Psalm 33:6, 9; Proverbs 8:22–31). John affirmed this understanding by declaring that "the Word [logos] became flesh and made His dwelling among us" (John 1:14).

The Word (logos) is God (1:1–2). Everything God does, the Word also does. Throughout his Gospel, John presents the actions of Jesus as the actions of God himself.

God created light and removed the darkness (Genesis 1:2–5). The darkness resists God (John 3:19–21; 12:35; Matthew 6:23; Acts 26:17–18; Ephesians 4:17–19; 5:7–14; 2 Peter 1:19; 1 John 1:5–7; 2:9–11).

• In Him was life: Life was God’s original gift to his creatures at creation (Genesis 1:20–28; 2:7). Now the logos gives people the possibility of new life, which comes through rebirth from God (John 1:13). This means receiving new life from God, not a second physical birth. It describes a spiritual beginning in which God gives people new life through faith, making them his children

• As one of his first creative acts, God brought light into the world (Genesis 1:3). In the re-creation of humankind through Jesus Christ, God offered light and life again. Light is a key theme throughout the Gospel of John.

the darkness has not overcome it: Or the darkness has not understood it; literally, the darkness cannot grasp it. The Greek word katalambanō (“grasp”) can mean either “understand” or “be hostile.” In John’s Gospel, it means "hostility." The darkness would try to destroy Jesus (the Light), but it would fail. The Light would successfully bring salvation to the world.

God sent a man named John the Baptist to announce the arrival of Jesus. He prepared people to accept Jesus as God's Son and Messiah (see 1:19–37; Luke 1:5–25, 57–80; 3:1–22). His work fulfilled what God had promised through the prophets (see Isaiah 40:3; Malachi 4:5–6).

Some Jews thought John the Baptist might be the Messiah (God's chosen one). Some of his followers hesitated to follow Jesus (3:22–30). However, John the Baptist was not the Light. His role was to announce Jesus (1:19–34).

The world does not recognize the true light, even when meeting its Creator. The world lives in rebellion, loving darkness more than light (3:19).

• People can follow the light and join God's family only when God spiritually renews them (3:1–17).

• People must believe in Christ to become children of God (12:35–36).

born of God: People can escape the darkness only by God’s grace (see 8:12; 12:35–36, 44–46).

• The Word became flesh: This means the Word became truly human. The idea that the Word became human was shocking to both Greeks and Jews.

  Many Greeks believed that God was completely separate from the ordinary human world. They used the word sarx (Greek for “flesh”) to describe human life as weak or earthly. John taught something very different. He said that God himself became human in Jesus Christ (compare 1:1).

  Jesus was fully human and fully divine. He was not partly God and partly human. These two truths together form the foundation of Christian teaching about Christ.

• the Word … made His dwelling among us (Greek skēnoō, “pitched a tent”): The Greek verb skēnoō means “to pitch a tent” or “to live in a tent.” This word is related to skēnē, the Greek word for the tabernacle. The tabernacle was the tent where the Lord’s glory lived among Israel in the wilderness (Exodus 25:8–9). In Jesus, God’s glory now lived among his people in a new way (Exodus 40:34–38; John 2:11; 12:23–28, 41; 17:1–5).

• Even though the world was dark and hostile, Jesus came to save it. He offered God’s love and faithfulness to the world (3:15–17).

He was before me: In John the Baptist’s culture, older age was respected and honored (Leviticus 19:32). Younger people were expected to honor those who were older, not replace them (contrast Isaiah 3:5).

By saying that Jesus existed before him, John the Baptist pointed to the greater honor of Jesus. He explained that Jesus existed before creation itself, not just before the birth of John (John 1:1–3).

• the law: This refers to the Torah, the body of instruction given to Moses at Mount Sinai. The Torah taught Israel how to live in faithful relationship with God and with one another.

• God's grace and truth are present in the Torah, but Jesus fully reveals these qualities in his person and power (3:16; 13:1).

• God would not allow Moses to see him directly (Exodus 33:18–20). Only Jesus has seen the Father, so he alone completely knows him and can tell us about him (John 3:32–35; 14:9–10).

• but the one and only Son: The Son, who sees the Father, is himself God. The Son is not simply a messenger who knows something about God. John explicitly affirms Christ’s deity. Jesus shares the substance of God’s being.

Jesus reveals himself to the world through his miracles and teachings. People reacted differently:

• Some wanted to believe in him.

• Others opposed him.

This division becomes more obvious as the book continues. Jesus ended his public ministry with a final call for people to believe in him (12:44–50).

John’s Gospel focuses less on John the Baptist compared to the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew 3:1–6; Mark 1:2–6; Luke 1:1–24, 57–80; 3:1–13). However, the apostle John wants us to understand that John the Baptist correctly identified and honored Jesus.

John the Baptist’s disciples leave him to follow Jesus. Jesus continued the work that John had begun. As the ministry of Jesus grew, John’s ministry became smaller, just as John had said (John 3:30).

The Jews expected the Christ (the Greek form of the Hebrew word Messiah) to bring spiritual leadership and political redemption to Israel. Both words mean “Anointed One” (a king chosen and set apart by God). They believed this promised leader would guide them back to faithful worship and free them from foreign rule (see Deuteronomy 18:15; see also the Jewish book Psalms of Solomon from the period between the Old and New Testaments).

• The people expected Elijah to come before the Messiah (Malachi 4:5). John the Baptist fulfilled this role as the forerunner (the one who prepares the way). However, John said that he was not Elijah himself (see Matthew 11:14; Luke 1:17).

• Are you the Prophet?: Compare John 6:14; 7:40–41.

Who are you?: John the Baptist wanted others to know him as a voice of one calling in the wilderness (see Isaiah 40:3).

The Pharisees were deeply devoted to the Scriptures and earnestly desired a righteous life. They also believed in the coming Messiah, which explains their questions here.

Some Pharisees became followers of Jesus, including the apostle Paul (Acts 15:5; 26:5; Philippians 3:5).

• Jewish baptisms were ritual washings for becoming ceremonially pure following contact with impurity (Leviticus 8:6; Numbers 19:7).

• John announced the Christ's arrival and required participants to confess their sins and be baptized (Matthew 3:6). Baptism later became the symbol of membership in the kingdom of God (Acts 2:38; see also John 4:1–2).

A slave usually did simple tasks like removing a sandal. A disciple never did these tasks.

The phrase the Lamb of God may refer to the Passover sacrifice of a lamb or to the daily sacrifice in the temple (Exodus 29:38–46; Hebrews 10). See also Revelation 5.

• John the Baptist's second testimony (see 1:19–23) describes what happened when he baptized Jesus .

• In the Old Testament, kings and prophets were anointed with the Holy Spirit. These anointings were temporary. They were given for a specific task or time.

  By contrast, the Spirit remained on Jesus. His anointing was not temporary. It was permanent (see 3:34).

the Son of God: Some ancient manuscripts read “the Chosen One of God,” which echoes Isaiah 42:1, where God speaks of his chosen servant.

This section introduces the model for discipleship in John’s Gospel. Disciples wanted to come and see Jesus, and when they met him, they stayed with him (1:39).

Simon is well known in the Gospels, not for his courage and faith, but for his failings (see 18:15–18, 25–27). Jesus gave him the name Cephas, an Aramaic word that means “rock.” In Greek, this name is Petros. In English, we say Peter. This name pointed to the strong church leader Simon would later become (see Acts 1:1–5:42; 8:1–12:25; 15:1–41).

• Galilee was the region of northern Israel around the Sea of Galilee.

• Bethsaida was a village on Galilee's north shore. The name Bethsaida means "house of fishing." It was the home of Peter, Andrew, and Philip. Later, Andrew and Peter moved to Capernaum, a village west of Bethsaida (Mark 1:21, 29).

• Philip, a Greek name, and Nathanael, a Hebrew name, represent the mix of cultures in Galilee. The message of Jesus reached both groups in Galilee. When Greeks wanted to see Jesus in Jerusalem, they asked Philip (12:20–22).

• Jesus grew up in Nazareth, a mountain village southwest of the Sea of Galilee.

Can anything good come from Nazareth?: People did not think this village was important enough to be the hometown of a great leader (see Matthew 13:53–58).

Jesus described Nathanael as a true Israelite. He said there was no deceit (no dishonesty or trickery) in him.

This may contrast Nathanael with Jacob, whose early life was marked by deceit. Jacob later received the name Israel (see Genesis 25:27–34; 27:1–36; 32:22–32). In this way, Nathanael shows what God desires Israel to be. God wants his people to be an honest and faithful people.

Jesus gained Nathanael’s attention by showing that he knew his character (1:47). Then Jesus showed that he knew Nathanael’s earlier actions, even though they had not met before.

This supernatural knowledge (knowledge beyond normal human ability) amazed Nathanael. He saw this as a sign from God and responded with faith.

Nathanael had witnessed a miracle. As a result, he made a strong confession about who Jesus is.

• Truly, truly (Greek amēn amēn): Jesus often used this phrase to emphasize important points. In John’s Gospel, the Greek word amēn is always doubled.

• you will all see heaven open: Jesus made the comparison with Jacob clear (see study note on 1:47; see Genesis 28:10–22). Like Jacob, Nathanael would see God at work. Jacob saw a vision at Bethel, where God revealed himself (Genesis 28:19).

  Jesus himself is the new Bethel. The name Bethel means “house of God.” In other words, Jesus is the place where God now lives among his people.

• Son of Man: See study note on John 9:35; see also Daniel 7:13–14; Mark 8:31.

• John the apostle used several names for Jesus (Son of God, Son of Man, Christ). Knowing the true identity of Jesus is necessary to fully understanding and following him.