The Deity and Eternal Nature of Christ
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. (Jn. 1:1-3)
- The Word is Christ, as we will see at the end of the passage, and He existed before the foundation of the world. (v. 1-2)
- He was involved in the creation of all things. (v. 3)
- He is God. (v. 1)
The Gospel
Man is Hopeless Without Him
In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (Jn. 1:4-5)
- John Piper refers to this “Life” that is in Him as spiritual life. (v. 4-5)
- 1 John 5:11–12: “God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.”
- John 5:40: “You refuse to come to me that you may have life.”
- John 10:10: “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”
- John 10:28: “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish.”
- If the life in him is the light of men, then it is the spiritual life in men.
- Without light, there is only darkness (v. 5)
- Without life, there is only death
- Therefore, without Christ, men know nothing but darkness and death.
He was Rejected
The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. (Jn. 1:9-11)
- Christ came into the world, to His own chosen people (Israel), and they rejected him. (v. 9-10)
There is Still Hope
But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. (Jn. 1:12-13)
- For those who do believe in Him, salvation is found. (v. 12)
- Aside from our choice to accept him, our adoption as God’s children has absolutely nothing to do with us, it comes from nowhere but the mercy and grace of God. (v. 13)
The Deity of Christ
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.'”) For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known. (Jn. 1:14-18)
- If, at this point, there is still any doubt that Jesus is the “Word” spoken of in verses 1-3, these last four verses should put that doubt to bed.
- The Word became flesh and dwelt among us
- Not only does this link us back to the beginning verses, and the deity of Christ, but it also speaks to the humanity of Christ. (v. 14)
- The quote from John the Baptist is also found in John 1:31 and is in direct reference to Christ. (v. 15)
- “from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace” (v. 16)
- “grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” (v. 17)
- The Word became flesh and dwelt among us
- Finally, John circles back and ends the passage in the same way he began it, and flat says that Jesus is God. (v. 18)