Thinking through John 1:1-14

Recently I’ve been reading through the Gospel of John with my dad and offering up questions, thoughts, comments via email to him.  I thought they might be a helpful resource for thinking through the passage if  you’re reading through John, so I’ve included them below.  Lord willing, I’ll be able to post my other notes as I move through the book.

Observations on verses 1-5, the Deity of Christ:

  1. Jesus is eternal
  2. Jesus was with God; i.e. separate and distinct from the Father
  3. Jesus was (is) God
  4. All things were created through Him.
  5. In Him was life
  • Do you think John 1:1, “In the beginning was the Word” sounds similar to Genesis 1 “In the beginning God created”? John may develop this more a few verses later.

John the Baptist vs. 6-8:

  • Why do you think Jesus had someone come before Him? Why is it significant?

Jesus is the Light: vs. 9-13

  • Verses 9-11 are the Rejection of Christ

  • Verses 12-13 are the Acceptance of Christ; note the “But” connects them

  • What do you think of when you think of light?

  • How do verses 3 and 10 affect your view of Genesis 1?

  • Who were His own people?

  • Verses 12-13 are one sentence, I notice the verbs: receive, believe, gave, born.

  • What do you think the significance is that “He (Jesus) gave the right to become children of God” is contrasted with, “born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh nor the will of man, but of God.”?

    • Based on this, is there anything that man can do to earn or gain the right to become a child of God? Or is it all a “right” given from God?

Jesus’ Incarnation vs 14:

  • John here returns back to the “Word”; here we have the incarnation of Jesus, namely His “humiliation” in stepping down into human flesh.

  • “We have seen” – John is an eyewitness; this is an eyewitness account.

  • What do think John means by saying, “we have seen His glory”, “Glory as of the only Son from the Father”; What is this glory?

  • Grace and truth, why are both significant? For us?

About the author

Christian saved by grace through faith.

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