In this section of scripture the depthness is vast and the truth is foundational to be a believer in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. What separates Jesus from everyone else are His claims to be God. Then proving His claims are true by the signs and miracles that were done through Him and by His death and resurrection. Having faith in Jesus is not based on ideas of Who He is but on actual events that took place proving Who He is. The purpose of God writing this gospel through John is in chapter 20:31. Here it says “so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, The Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.” This is the purpose and intent of why it was written.
In the opening chapter, it becomes clear the foundation of this writing is that Jesus (The Word) is God in the flesh. Throughout the rest of the gospel, he continues to show situations that occured to demonstrate Jesus’ deity.
We will be looking at the first 5 verses in chapter one. The first two verses claim Jesus to be God, the 3rd verse that Jesus is The Creator, and that He shined (lived) in the darkness (earth). Let us focus our attention on the first verse today.
In the Greek, verse one is written, John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word.” The Word is Jesus as we will see in verse 14 and is implied by the writing itself in the first five verses. John is stating one major point that Jesus is God and three aspects about God, Himself: 1. Jesus was from the beginning. He was not created, but before there was a beginning. He is The Creator. 2. Jesus was distinct from The Father. 3. Jesus is God in the fullest meaning.
In verse one, “In the beginning was the Word”, John is paralleling this opening with Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” God is The One Who made the beginning of time. He created all things. He is the only One in the universe that is not created. In the Hebrew, the first word in Genesis starts with a closed letter. This signifies that this is the beginning. There is nothing before it. This is very significant because the understaning is that Jesus was before time and is clearly stating Him to be God, The Creator of the universe.
In the second section of verse one, “the Word was with God,” designates Jesus to be a distinct part of the Godhead. In Hebrew “Elohim”, the word used for God in Genesis chapter 1, has this meaning: “El” means God being one and “ohim” means more than one. This idea is also stressed in the noun and verb relationship in the grammar construction. In the language it is demonstrated in, the noun is in the plural form and the verb in the singular form. This communicates the understanding of the Trinity and Oneness of God. Here is an example. Genesis 1:26 - “Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness;” In the Hebrew the the verbs “said” and “make or fashion” are in the singular form but the noun “God” is in the plural form. This is significant in meaning. It shows that God is more than one person (Trinity) but is one at the same time. In the Gospel of John we see God The Father, The Word (Jesus), and The Spirit.
The closing section, “and God was the Word.” - Hebrews 1:8 But of the Son He says, “YOUR THRONE, O GOD, IS FOREVER AND EVER, AND THE RIGHTEOUS SCEPTER IS THE SCEPTER OF HIS KINGDOM. - The Father is speaking of The Son calling Him God and King. There is only one God and King. This is The Father’s proclaimation of Jesus and Him being One. From the beginning of the Gospel of John, Jesus is spoken of being God, Himself and thus we must worship Him. When we worship Him we are worshipping The Father because they are One.
We can stand firmly on this truth that Jesus is God. We can trust and believe Him at His word because He has proven His word to be true. May He continue to reveal His truth to us and root it in our inner most being. Amen.
Posted on February 20th, 2006 by Daniel
Filed under: Truth To Live By