The Gospel according to John. Gospel means the good news. The good news of what? Christ of course.
John means Yahaveh’s gift. God’s gift and he certainly was a gift as we will see.
Have you ever wondered why there are 4 Gospels? We don’t have 4 accounts of Daniel or 4 accounts of Genesis. So why do we have 4 accounts of Christ’s time on earth? I am sure we can say it’s because Christ was far more important and leave it at that, but I have to tell you there is more to it. We can look to numerics for an answer. 4 means earth (4 corners of the earth, 4 winds, 4 directions, etc.) and it covered God’s time on earth.
But even with that we may see why we have 4, but we don’t see the specific reason for each. Each of the Gospels has a specific purpose. Matthew presents Christ as king of Israel. Mark shows him as the servant to all. Luke shows him as the perfect sacrifice and John as God. So when you are reading John keep in mind the purpose of the book as a whole.
(John 1:1) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Do you recognize this phrasing? (Genesis 1:1) In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
So who was with God when heaven and earth were created? The Word and the Word was God. Do not let anyone take that away from you either. I don’t want to sound like I am pounding on and on again about one verse, but let’s look at the Greek for the word was:
G2258 ἦν ēn ane
Imperfect of G1510; I (thou, etc.) was (wast or were): – + agree, be, X have (+ charge of), hold, use, was (-t), were.
I pull this up because I want you to see that it isn’t A God or one of many Gods. We have one God.
(John 1:2) The same was in the beginning with God.
I want to pause again so that we can take note of how God is explained here. It would seem from this verse that the Word was “with” God or next to him. But we know that we only have one God. Look at (Isaiah 44:6) Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.
So we see scripture that states with God or next to God it doesn’t mean that there are two. It is only separated to help you understand the different function.
(John 1:3) All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
And again we know from Genesis chapter 1 that God spoke (the Word) and it happened.
(John 1:4) In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
(John 1:5) And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
You should still see the correlation between this and Genesis
(Genesis 1:3) And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
(Genesis 1:4) And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
(John 1:6) There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
This is not John the writer of the book rather John the Baptist. The other Gospels will use John the Baptist, but in John he is only referred to as John and when John speaks of himself he uses “the disciple that Christ loved.”
(John 1:7) The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
(John 1:8) He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
We know John the Baptist was the voice calling in the wilderness.
(John 1:9) That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
(John 1:10) He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
Have you ever wondered if Christ was God and if God walked the earth. Reread that last verse.
(John 1:11) He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
Who is God’s own? Everyone. They are all his children. We will see more on this in chapter 17.
(John 1:12) But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
Ok I can’t resist here is a preview. John 17:9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.
(John 1:13) Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Who are born of God? Those who received him.
(John 1:14) And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Other religions and even some Christians want to play hanky panky with this word begotten and say it doesnt’ belong. Lets pull that word up in the Greek.
G3439 μονογενής monogenēs mon-og-en-ace
From G3441 and G1096; only born, that is, sole: – only (begotten, child).
Even without a definition we should see the meaning of this word. Mono 1 and genes–well DNA. But regardless we that it is the only born. Singular.
(John 1:15) John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.
God is not a respecter of persons. Even the Angel Gabriel told Daniel to stand up before him. Here we have someone greater than John.
(John 1:16) And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
(John 1:17) For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
Why do we get grace by Jesus Christ? Because he came and he was the perfect sacrifice. God is the only one who is perfect.
(John 1:18) No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
Wait a minute I thought that Moses was able to see at least the hinder parts of God so what if he talking about? Perhaps this verse will help.
Luke_10:22 All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.
