The Book of John is one of four books that sets forth the four-fold earthly-life and death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. John emphasizes the Lord Jesus Christ being God's son, and that he is the fulfillment of the word that God spoke regarding the Christ, which was first recorded in Genesis 3:15.
John wrote this book after the resurrection and ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ into heaven and after the out-pouring of holy spirit on the day of Pentecost (refer to Acts 2). He wrote it by revelation – he received the information of what to write via his holy spirit-life (not from his intellectual memory).
Before we continue with our study, I want to note here that many verbs in the Book of John are in the “imperfect” tense which can be translated with the words "used-to" and the verb. The imperfect tense is frequently used by John to historically describe past events relating what happened, and therefore when this occurs I translate these verbs using the simple past tense in most places for ease of reading.
John 1:1-5:
1:1In (the) beginning was the word, and the word was towards God, and the word was God - .2this (word) was in (the) beginning towards God;
.3all-things came-to-pass by means of it, and without it not one-thing came-to-pass which came-to-pass2;
.4in it was life, and the life was the light of the men, .5and the light shines-light in the darkness - and the darkness did not take-hold-of it.
Initially there was the spoken account of God's inner thoughts during a past time, historically. It was not at the beginning of the world - but the focus in this phrase is that at the outset, commencement, source, origin, start there was continuing to exist the word of/from God.
In the beginning was God's spoken-account containing individual words constituting what He spoke to/for mankind...
Chronological times relative to mankind began when God put His gracious plan of redemption in motion. That was the day when God first spoke the promise of the coming savior, the Christ (refer to Genesis 3:15), and then God expelled mankind from Paradise that same day (refer to Genesis 3:22-24).
[Reference: Genesis chapter 3; Isaiah 55:11; Hebrews 4:12; I John 1:1 and 5. Also refer to the article Adam and Eve.]
In verses 6-8 John writes about how God announced to mankind regarding God's light via the presence of His son, Jesus Christ, on earth:
Verses 6-8:
.6There became a man having been apostled2 from God named John; .7this (man) came for a witness in order that he may witness concerning the light in order that all-people may believe by means of it - .8that (man) was not the light but in order that he may witness concerning the light.
There became (came to pass to be)...
...this man came for a witness (into, with a view to, directed to, for the purpose of being a witness, an attestation or declaration which is borne bringing to light or confirming what is witnessed as being authentic information or knowledge)...
...that specific man (John) was not the light (he himself was continuing during a past time, historically, not to be the light) - but on the contrary, it was for the purpose and result that he would witness concerning the light (emphatically restating this truth; as verse 7 above).
[Reference: Luke 1:13 and 60-63.]
In verses 9-13 John returns to writing about God and His plan of redemption and salvation for mankind:
Verses 9-13:
.9The Light, the True (Light) which lightens every man, was coming into the world; .10He was in the world, and the world came-to-pass by means of Him, and the world did not know Him.
.11Into (His) own-places He came, and (His) own-people did not receive Him - .12but as-many-as received Him, He gave to them authority to become children of God, the (people) believing into His name, .13the (people) born - not from bloods, neither from (the) intention of flesh, nor from (the) intention of an adult-male, but - from God.
The Light (referring to God Who is the absolute light)...
Previously, God came/went into His own places (the areas or things that belonged to Him), and His own people did not receive Him (those who were identified by God as belonging to Him did not take Him beside or alongside themselves even though He presented Himself to them)...
Any person who believed what God said during the old covenant times will receive his/her eternal life in the future at the time of resurrection from being dead (refer to Revelation chapter 20).
Note: In this chapter, John writes the Greek verb ginomai many times, which can be translated into English as "to become" or "to come-to-pass" or "to come-into-being" depending on the context so as to communicate its meaning in English - therefore it is not always possible to translate it the same way for all usages. The basic meaning is that what the verb is referring to in a sentence was not this way prior to that time but it became this way.
[Reference: Acts 2:1-4, 7:51-53; Romans 1:19-25, 8:15-17 and 21, 10:18; Philippians 2:15; I John 1:5, 2:8, 3:1, 2, 9 and 24, 5:1-5 and 18. Also refer to the articles Hope and Resurrection and Pentecost and holy spirit.]
How did God carry-out His promise to/for mankind to be saved from darkness into His light? John continues in this writing to detail how God did this by means of His son - Jesus Christ.
Verses 14-18:
.14And the word became flesh and tented among us, and we gazed-upon his glory, glory as (the) only-begotten from (the) Father full of grace and truth - .15John witnessed concerning him and shouted2 saying, "This-one was whom I said, 'The (one) coming behind me became in-front-of me because he was first of me'" - .16because out-from his fullness we all received, even grace in-the-place-of grace - .17because the law was given by means of Moses, the grace and the truth came-to-pass by means of Jesus Christ.
.18Not-one-person at-any-time saw2 God; the only-begotten, the (one) being into the bosom of the Father - that-one told-out (God).
And the word (God's spoken-account regarding the Christ; refer to Genesis 3:15)...
...and we gazed-upon his glory (members of mankind, human-beings looked at his glory with a purpose)...
...John the baptizer witnessed about him (as verses 6-8 above) and cried-out saying (the truth of which has not changed)...
...and more detailed reasons in explanation of verses 14 and 15 are...
Next, John distinguishes very definitely between God and His son, Jesus Christ:
In verse 14, the word translated as “only-begotten” is taken from the Greek word monogenes which literally means: an only genus born (the sole kind begotten, the only descendant born), as an only child of the parent(s) - the single/unique offspring of its kind/genus - because the parent(s) have no other children. The only child is loved with deepest love, affection and tenderness by his/her parent(s), and that child would have the attributes, characteristics, etc, given to him/her by the parent(s). Regarding Jesus Christ – he is the monogenes son relative to God his Father because Jesus is the only kind/genus of being who truly is: the son of God. Jesus is the MONOGENES. This word emphasizes genus/kind. Refer to Luke 9:38; John 1:14 and 18, 3:16 and 18; Romans 1:3 and 4; Hebrews 11:17; and I John 4:9.
Regarding the name of Jesus Christ, it includes all that the name of "Jesus" and the name of "Christ" represent and stand for – such as all the authoritative-power, and ability, etc, that God gave to Jesus. It also emphasizes his obedience and service to God on a horizontal level to benefit people.
1) The word "Jesus" is explained in Matthew 1:21 by the Angel Gabriel when he spoke to Joseph.
Matthew 1:21:
.21She [Mary] will bring-forth a son and you [Joseph] will call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."
"Jesus" means "God saves / Jehovah (Yahweh) the Savior," and the Lord Jesus Christ was given that name "Jesus" because he is the one who carried-out God's will to make it available for people to be saved, to be made-safe. It is by means of Jesus, the Christ, that people are able to be saved and thereby have a true and vital spiritual relationship with the only true God. Jesus Christ is God's son – he is alive today! He is now at God's right-hand side, second-in-command to God his Father.
2) The word "Christ" means the "anointed-one" or "Messiah." In the lands and during the time-period of the writing of the Bible, holy oil was poured on the high priest of God to begin his ministry for God, and it was also used to anoint kings. Many people and things were anointed with holy oil to signify their making holy (sanctified) for a specific purpose, etc, which can be read about in many scriptures in the Bible (refer to Exodus 30:22-33; Acts 2:32-36, 4:27, and 10:38-41). The resurrected Christ continues doing God's will today.
During the time of Jesus' earthly ministry before his death, resurrection, etc) God had given Jesus certain authority – and Jesus could give a certain portion of this authority to other people. When they would be carrying out what Jesus instructed them during a specific assignment, they would be living within the sphere of action of the authoritative-power that Jesus had been given by God and which he had given to them to use during different situations - they would be carrying out their assignment in the name of Jesus Christ.
[Reference: Exodus 33:20, 34:1-10; Deuteronomy 4:12, 18:15-19; Matthew chapter 1, 3:11, 11:27, 18:19; John 3:16, 18 and 28-30, 4:24, 5:37, 6:46, 8:31 and 32, 14:6; Romans 1:3 and 4, 3:24, 4:16, 5:15, 20 and 21; 6:14, 8:3 and 4, 10:4; I Corinthians 1;4; II Corinthians 3:7-18; Galatians 4:4; Ephesians 1:23, 2:5-7, 4:7 and 13; Colossians 1:15 and 19, 2:9; I Timothy 1:17, 2:5, 6:16; II Timothy 1:9; Hebrews 2:14; James 2:1; I John 1:1, 4:9 and 12; Revelation 19:13.]
Verses 19-28:
.19And this is the witness of John when the Judeans apostled priests and Levites out-from Jerusalem in order that they may ask him, "Who are you?" .20And he expressed-agreement and he did not deny, even he expressed-agreement that, "I am not the Christ." .21And they asked him, "Therefore what? Are you Elijah?" And he says, "I am not." "Are you the prophet?" And he answered, "No." .22Therefore they said to him, "Who are you - in order that we may give an answer to the (people) having sent us? What do you say concerning yourself?" .23He said, "I (am) a sound crying-aloud in the desert-place, 'You must make-straight the way of (the) Lord' according as Isaiah the prophet said."
.24And there were (people) having been apostled2 out-from the Pharisees, .25and they asked him and said to him, "Why therefore do you baptize if you are not the Christ neither Elijah nor the prophet?" .26John answered them saying, "I baptize in water; (in) your midst there stood2 whom you did not know2 - .27the (one) coming behind me of whom I am not worthy in order that I may loosen the thong of his sandal." .28These-things came-to-pass in Bethany (on the) other-side of the Jordan where John was baptizing.
This is the witness of John (as verse 7 above) when people of the Judean/Israeli background apostled (sent forth/away)...
And John expressed agreement (he agreed, assented to, said the same words in agreement with what God had revealed to him regarding his own apostleship, as recorded in verses 6-8 above) and he did not deny (disown, negate, reject) - emphatically to the degree and in explanation he expressed agreement that...
And they asked him, "Following-on logically - what are you (what is your mission, what is your assignment, what are you doing)? Emphatically are you Elijah (again there is emphasis as verse 19 above – are you yourself Elijah)?"
And the collection of words that John laid out before them in response was: "I am not." Elijah himself had died many years prior to the time that John spoke these words, plus the time of Elijah's resurrection will not arrive until the resurrection of dead-people as recorded in Revelation 20:11-15. The fact that they asked such a question indicates that these Pharisees did not understand the scriptures regarding resurrection nor the prophecy given and recorded in Malachi 4:5 (also refer to Matthew 11:14 and 17:10-12).
"Emphatically are you the prophet (again there is emphasis as verse 19 above – are you yourself the prophet who was foretold by Moses would come, the one who would speak-forth God's words being revealed to him concerning the past, present and/or future to, before, in front of a person or people)?"
And John answered (he judicially replied to their question): "No."
Therefore they said to him, "Who are you - (and the reason why we are asking you is) for the purpose and result that we would give an answer to (present a response, a judicial reply to a question/statement made by) the people who sent us? What do you say about yourself?"
John said (he brought to light by speaking - indicating that he knew exactly what his assignment from God was at that time)...
John was the person who was carrying-out this prophecy - he was preparing the people of Israel for the Lord Jesus Christ to come after him carrying-out his own ministry to those people.
There were people querying John during that past time who were apostled (sent forth/away and remained sent on a specific mission or assignment) from among the Pharisees, and they asked and said to him...
John answered them saying (indicating that he knew exactly why, for what reason, and how he was to carry-out this assignment from God at that time)...
These events came-to-pass (became, happened, occurred) in Bethany (Bethania) at the other-side of the Jordan (across, beyond, at the east side of the river Jordan) which was the location where John was continuing during a past time, historically, to be baptizing. Some Greek texts vary as to the name of the place where John was baptizing at that time, but this record clearly indicates that it was at the eastern side of the river, whether the town had the same name as a city on the western side of the river or not.
John's baptism with water was a type (pattern) of the baptism that Jesus was going to bring to pass - baptism in holy spirit (refer also to verse 31 below). As with John's baptism which was made available to all but all did not choose to partake of it, so it was and is with Jesus' baptism since the day he first made it available as recorded in Acts chapter 2 - only those who choose to believe what God says regarding Himself and His son, the Lord Jesus Christ, receive the gift of holy spirit during the present time.
Notes:
There are many places where the Greek words are written as "having answered saying" or "he answered and said" etc. This does not mean that the person answered first and then afterwards said something else. It is the way that the people spoke and wrote at that time; and it means that the person judicially replied to a question/statement made by someone else, or to a situation, by saying such-and-such
Pharisees and Sadducees
Pharisees and Sadducees were two of the leading religious groups of Judah/Israel claiming to know and teach others about God and the old covenant writings. The Pharisees were one of the sects that had their own beliefs and practices. They believed that their own oral law was needed to complete and interpret the written scrolls of the old covenant law. The Sadducees came from Zadok, the founder of this sect. They constantly argued with the Pharisees, and they did not believe the teaching of resurrection. The Sanhedrin was the supreme or ruling religious council of the Judean/Israeli nation located at that time in Jerusalem. It was composed of 70 members (including Pharisees and Sadducees), besides the chief/high priest(s), which were selected from former chief/high priests and the heads of the 24 courses of priests.
[Reference: Numbers 3:6-13; Deuteronomy 18:5, 15 and 18; Isaiah 40:3; Matthew 3:3 and 11, 22:29; John 3:26-28; Acts 1:5, 3:22, 7:37, 13:23-25.]
Verses 29-34:
.29On the morrow he observes Jesus coming towards him and he says, "Look!, the lamb of God, the (lamb) lifting the sin of the world. .30This-one is on behalf of whom I said, 'Behind me an adult-male comes who became2 in-front-of me because he was first of me.' .31And I had not known him - but in order that he may be manifested to Israel because-of-this I came baptizing in water."
.32And John witnessed saying that, "I gazed-upon2 the spirit descending as a dove out-from heaven and it remained on him; .33and I had not known him - but the (One) having sent me to baptize in water That-One said to me, 'On whom ever you may see the spirit descending and remaining on him - this is the (one) baptizing in holy spirit.' .34And I saw2 and I witnessed2 that this-one is the son of God."
This record did not take place at the time when John water-baptized Jesus in the Jordan river at the location of Judea when Jesus came towards him from Galilee - but this record in John chapter 1 took place after Jesus' baptism and after the 40 days of temptation in the desert-place (refer to Matthew chapters 3 and 4).
John writes: The next day, on the eastern side of the Jordan river, John observes Jesus coming towards him (he looks at, mentally envisions, is mentally aware, contemplates Jesus going to him) and he says...
And John witnessed (he gave the declaration of knowledge that he personally had and therefore stated and confirmed it on the strength of his own authority, he attested with information) saying that...
The spirit that Jesus received from God at the time of his water-baptism was similar to the holy spirit that many of God's people received from Him for specific periods of time throughout the ages, such as Jacob, Moses, Isaiah. The event of John water-baptizing Jesus and then the spirit from God descending upon Jesus - (refer to Matthew chapter 3, which occurred prior to the time of this record of John chapter 1) - officially began Jesus' ministry to accomplish redemption and salvation once and for all. However, both John and Jesus were aware that there was a balance between their individual ministries (refer to Matthew 4:12-17; Mark 1:14 and 15; Luke 4:14-30; John 3:30).
It was only after Christ's resurrection and ascension into heaven that he could shed forth the gift of holy spirit, which is the spirit of Christ, on the day of Pentecost as recorded in Acts chapter 2 – the spirit of Christ was not available until after redemption and salvation was accomplished by Jesus Christ. The baptism in holy spirit is not with/by anything like the water baptism which is only temporary, because once a person comes out of the water and the water dries off of him/her then the water is gone. But the baptism in holy spirit is a complete immersion and surrounding whereby once holy spirit is in/within a person - it never leaves that person, it can never "dry off" - it is permanent spiritual-water!
[Reference: Genesis chapter 3; Isaiah 53:4-12; Matthew 3:11 and 16, 4:12-17, 8:17, 10:16; Mark 1:14 and 15; Luke 4:14-30; John 3:30; Acts 1:5-8, 2:1-4, 8:32-35, 11:16; Romans 5:12 and 15, 15:8; Colossians 2:14; I Timothy 2:5; I Peter 1:19; I John 2:2, 3:5. Also refer to the article Adam and Eve.]
Verses 35-42:
.35On the morrow again John had stood, and two from his learning-disciples, .36and having observed Jesus walking, he says, "Look!, the lamb of God"; .37and the two learning-disciples heard (during) his uttering-forth and they followed Jesus. .38But Jesus having been turned and having gazed-upon them following, says to them, "What do you seek-after?" And the (two) said to him, "Rabbi..." - which is said being translated 'Teacher' - "...where do you remain?" .39He says to them, "You must come and you will see." Therefore they went and saw where he remains, and they remained with him that day - (the) hour was as (the) tenth.
.40Andrew the brother of Simon Peter was one from the two, the (two) having heard from John and having followed him; .41this-person firstly finds the brother, (his) own (brother) Simon, and he says to him, "I found2 the Messiah" - which is being translated 'Christ' - .42he led him towards Jesus. Jesus having observed him said, "You are Simon the son of John; you will be called Cephas" - which is interpreted 'Peter'.
The next day, again John had been standing, and 2 from among his learning-disciples (students, those who were learning from John regarding God and the things of God and who were interested in learning more) were with him. After John...
...he says...
...and the two learning-disciples heard John while he is speaking and they followed after (behind) Jesus.
But Jesus turned responding to what happened and he gazed-upon (purposefully saw or looked at) them coming after him, and he says to them...
And the two men said to him...
Jesus says to them, "You must come (go with me) and you will see (I will present where I am currently staying to be perceived with your eyes and known by you)." Therefore they went and saw where he stays (where he abode at that time), and they remained with him (they stayed or continued beside him) that day - and the limited period of time while this was occurring was during the tenth hour of the day (4 pm in the afternoon).
Andrew the brother of Simon Peter was one from among the two (1 of the 2), emphatically and specifically the 2 men who had heard what John the baptizer had spoken (refer to verse 36 above) and who then followed Jesus (refer to verse 37 above).
The first thing that Andrew did was to find (locate) the brother, specifically his own biological brother named Simon, and he says to him, "I found and continue to have found the Messiah (transliterated from the Hebrew language)" - which is being translated 'Christ (the Greek word christos is translated into English as Christ - the Anointed-one; Jesus was anointed with holy spirit; refer to verses 17, 32 and 33 above)' - and then Andrew brought Simon towards Jesus.
Jesus having observed him (he looked attentively at Simon, he mentally-envisioned in himself, was mentally-aware of and contemplated within himself, even though he may not have seen anything as to the words that he spoke of the name 'Peter' with his physical eyes, but it may have been information received from God to him via the holy spirit-life within him at this time) said...
This records Jesus' first meeting with Simon (Cephas, Peter). It may be interesting to notice that John the writer calls Simon by the name of "Peter" in verse 40, even though he had not yet written about the time when Jesus gave that name to Simon. There are many similar occurrences in this writing, which clearly indicate that John did not write while the events were occurring but he wrote it afterwards.
[Reference: Isaiah 53:4-7; Matthew 4:18-20, 10:2, 16:17 and 18; Mark 1:16; Luke 5:1-11, 6:14; John 4:25, 21:15; Acts 1:13, 10:5 and 38; I Corinthians 15:5; Galatians 1:18; I Peter 1:19.]
Verses 43-51:
.43On the morrow Jesus intended to go-out into Galilee, and he finds Philip and says to him, "You must follow me" - .44and Philip was from Bethsaida, out-from the city of Andrew and Peter. .45Philip finds Nathanael and says to him, "Whom Moses wrote in the law and the prophets - we found2 - Jesus son of Joseph, the (Jesus) from Nazareth." .46And Nathanael said to him, "Is something good able to be out-from Nazareth?" Philip says to him, "You must come and see."
.47Jesus saw Nathanael coming towards him and says concerning him, "Look!, truly an Israelite in whom there is not deceit." .48Nathanael says to him, "From-where do you know me?" Jesus answered and said to him, "Before Philip sounded (to) you - I saw you being under the fig-tree." .49Nathanael answered him, "Rabbi, you are the son of God, you are king of Israel." .50Jesus answered and said to him, "Because I said to you that I saw you down-under the fig-tree you believe - greater of these-things you will see." .51And he says to him, "With-certainty, with-certainty I say to you, you will see the heaven having opened2 and the angels of God ascending and descending on the son of man."
The next day (the 3rd day since Jesus came into the area where John was baptizing), Jesus intended (willed, with active volition and desire) to go out from where he was on the eastern side of the Jordan river, and come into Galilee on the western side of the Jordan river. On his way there, Jesus finds Philip and says to him...
Philip was from Bethsaida, the city (town) from which Andrew and Peter also originated. He finds Nathanael and says to him...
Nathanael said to him, "Is something good able to be out-from Nazareth (God is the One Who issues His goodness and He sets the standard of/for what is good to be conformed to by others - is anything good from God's viewpoint capable of being from Nazareth)?"
Philip says to him, "You must come and see (it is imperative that you go and perceive with your eyes and understand the object-of-sight, Jesus, in your mind's thoughts)."
Jesus saw Nathanael (he perceived him, knew him with his mind) while he was going towards him and says about him...
Nathanael says to Jesus, "From-where do you know me (from what manner of action, how, from what source or place do you personally know me with a truly active and relative knowing)?"
Jesus answered and said to him...
Nathanael answered Jesus...
Jesus answered and said to him...
In addition, Jesus says to him...
Notes:
Israel
The name Israel was given by God via one of His angels to Jacob, the biological father of the twelve men forming the twelve tribes of Israel. “Jacob” means: supplanter, contender, organizer, the one who strives or wrestles to get goals accomplished via the natural realm. “Israel” means: the one who is strong with God, the one who strives or wrestles to receive God’s blessings, and who accomplishes God’s goals by doing God’s intention, allowing God to be his guide via God’s spirit realm – God commands, rules, and has authority over Israel. Refer to Genesis 32:27, 28, 35:10, and Hosea 12:3 and 4.
The title “Israelites” (referring to the physical descendants of Jacob/Israel) may also include those who call themselves “Judeans.” The record in I Kings chapter 12 details the division of the nation of Israel into the 10 northern tribes (then referred to as Israel) and the 2 southern tribes of Judah and Benjamin (then referred to as Judah).
An angel is a spirit-being whose office and character is one of a messenger in official service via words and/or actions. The word "angel" comes from the Greek word aggello which means to tell or deliver a message and therefore an angel could be called a "messenger." Those angels who have continued to take their instructions from the only true God are also now under the command of the Lord Jesus Christ.
But those angels who have refused to take their instructions from God and have instead decided to follow the devil are known as devils (devil-spirits, demons, evil, unclean or unholy spirits). The devil (satan, the snake/serpent, etc) was once one of God's angels, but he rebelled against God wanting to take God's place and he continues attempting to do so.
We should also note that the Bible shows us that no human-being was or is or will be a spirit-being angel! Refer to Hebrews chapter 1.
The son of man
The phrase "the son of man" refers to Jesus himself and emphasizes that he is the one who is descended from the man whom God created and made and formed as recorded in Genesis chapters 1 and 2, the first man Adam to whom God gave dominion, etc, on/over the earth. However this first man gave it to satan as recorded in Genesis chapter 3. In accordance with God's promise - Jesus is the seed of the woman (refer to Genesis 3:15).
Today of course Jesus has accomplished redemption and salvation and so he is the resurrected Christ, the second man, having received his spiritual body, the life of which is holy spirit (not soul/breath life). Therefore the title "the son of man" is not relevant to holy-people (Christians) because true Christians have the spirit of Christ within them - Christ being the new man, the last man. After the time that all Christians will be gathered together away from the earth, Christ Jesus will come to be present on earth for those who will believe at that time among the nation of Israel and the other nations, the Gentiles, as "the son of man" and he will exercise the authority that he has, his dominion on/over the earth having regained and replaced the first man and all that the first man gave to the devil/satan.
The resurrected Christ Jesus is now second-in-command to God his Father. You may like to review the Chart of Events.
[Reference: Deuteronomy 18:15; Matthew 1:18-25, 2:13-23; Luke 3:23, 24:27 and 44; I Timothy 2:5. Note: verbs with a superscript 2 (2) immediately following them indicate the "perfect" tense - details are provided in the "Relevant Notes" link of this study.]
Gospel of John Chapter 1, verses 1-5 (the word)
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