Notes on John Chapter 1

JOHN

CHAPTER 1
1 “…with God” = distinct from God; and yet “…was God” = God. Jesus Christ is God!

3 “…by him…” not through Him, as mere agent – but by His own virtue as God. If Jesus Christ was made by God, as some say, then it could not be said of Him that “all things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made” – unless Jesus made Himself! Jesus was eternally coexistent with God and eternally God.
4 If you want to have light, you’ve first got to have life. Light doesn’t come primarily from mental allightenment – it comes first from receiving spiritual life. The cure for double-mindedness is to cleanse one’s heart.
6 God is still into sending men. He may want to send you! John means, God is gracious. God sent him as an expression of His grace for humanity. God wants our life, and our going, to be an expression of His grace through the Gospel. All of His grace – including forgiveness, healing, the baptism with the Holy Ghost, and the promise of His Kingdom
7 “Witness”. John’s primary purpose. We also are empowered as witnesses. Our beautiful identity. Empowered, because we are witnesses not by word only but by demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that people’s faith may rest not in wisdom of words but in the power of God. “Believe” the primary task of man.
8 Jesus distinct and greater than John
9 Otherwise man is in the dark
10 Knowing Him is of all-importance
11 “…his own…” = the Jews. Receiving him is of all-importance
12 “…gave he power to become the sons of God…” only God has such power. Therefore Jesus is God. “…on his name” that is, on Jesus’ Name. He, his = Jesus. Believing on His name is of all-importance. He give, not pays, the power to become the sons of God. It is a grace gift, received by faith, not of works. Sons, plural. He brought many sons unto glory.
13 Becoming the sons of God is through being “born” – born of God. Truly, it is like a birth. You have to experience it to know it. I experienced it on 16 December 1979.
14 Here Jesus’ identity as the Word is clear. “Made flesh” He preexisted, but was only made flesh at this time. He truly was made flesh. There was no doubt about that, for he “dwelt among us”. But His true identity was also known, for “we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father”. They saw this on the mount of transfiguration; but also through His miracles. His character and holiness were seen: “full of grace and truth”. Note about the term “only begotten”. Isaac was said to be Abraham’s only begotten son, and yet Abraham already had a son, Ishmael – and he also had other sons after Isaac. But Isaac was unique in that he was Abraham’s only son born through Sarah. So the term carries the idea of uniqueness. God has many sons – Adam, and all believers in Jesus – however, Jesus was unique because He was the only man born of a virgin; not to mention that He was always with God and had glory with God
15 “…he was before me…” John was conceived three months before Jesus. Evidently then, John bare witness that Jesus was preexistent, that is, Jesus is God.
16 We have received of His fulness!
18 See note on “only begotten”.
19 From this verse until 2:11 is about five consecutive days.
20 Study this term “the Christ”.
23 So John infers that Jesus is “Lord” = divine.
29 Lamb of God = divine; for only the Son of God is pure enough to take away sin; and, God provided for Himself, of His own, an offering for sin. If the Lamb were not of His own – if He was not His only begotten Son – then the offering wouldn’t be from His own.
30 “He was before me” = divine, for, phsically, John was before Jesus
34 John bare record that this is the Son of God = divine
41 Messiah, or Christ = divine
42 Stone, meaning a large building cornerstone, a foundational stone
45 Philips testified of Jesus’ identity, and hence, divinity
49 Nathanael’s testimony: Jesus is the Son of God; the Kig of Israel.
50 Believing is the all-important thing
51 The angels ascend first, and then descend. They ascend with our faith, and descend with the answer. Speak your faith, act your faith – and you will have