STUDY STORAGE
John 1.1-18
The Gospel of John introduces the profound truth that Christ was with God from the beginning and that He is God. This foundational belief is reinforced by various passages throughout the Bible, which highlight the eternal nature and divinity of Christ.
In the opening verses of John, we read: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made." (John 1:1-3). This passage unequivocally asserts that Christ, referred to as the Word, existed from the very beginning and played a crucial role in creation.
In the High Priestly Prayer, from John 17:5 Jesus speaks directly to the Father, saying, "And now, Father, glorify Me in Your presence with the glory I had with You before the world began." This verse highlights Christ’s pre-existence and His sharing in the divine glory before the foundation of the world. Jesus' prayer reveals the profound reality of His pre-existence and divine glory shared with the Father. This eternal glory is further echoed in Jesus' declaration in John 8:58, "Before Abraham was, I am," connecting Him with the timeless and self-existent God. When the Jews challenged Jesus about His age, questioning how He could have seen Abraham, Jesus responded with a profound declaration of His eternal nature. This statement not only affirms Christ’s existence before Abraham but also echoes the divine name revealed to Moses in Exodus 3:14, where God declares, "I AM WHO I AM."
The encounter with the Samaritan woman in John 4:12 underscores Christ's role as the source of eternal life, offering "living water" that quenches the deepest thirst of the human soul. In His conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well, she questions if Jesus is greater than their father Jacob. Jesus reveals His divine nature by offering her "living water" that leads to eternal life. This passage's emphasis on Christ's role as the Source of eternal life, further affirms His divinity, as the Source of All Things.
Genesis 1:1 and 1:26 remind us, the triune God, including Christ, was actively involved in the creation of the heavens and the earth, reflecting His divine unity and purpose. The opening verses of the Bible state, "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." The Hebrew word for God used here is "Elohim," which is plural, suggesting the presence of the Trinity. Later, in Genesis 1:26, God says, "Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness." This plurality further indicates the involvement of Christ in creation.
With joy and reverence, John opens this gospel acknowledging the eternal nature and divinity of Jesus Christ, Who is One with God the Father and the Holy Spirit. From the dawn of creation to the fullness of time, Christ has been the embodiment of divine glory and power. As John 1:1 proclaims, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." This foundational truth affirms that Christ is not merely a historical figure, but the eternal Word through whom all things were made.
In these passages, we witness the harmonious testimony of Christ's divinity and His oneness with the Father and the Holy Spirit.
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He was with God in the beginning.
3 All things were created through Him, and apart from Him not one thing was created that has been created.
4 In Him was life, and that life was the light of men.
5 That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it.
6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John.
7 He came as a witness to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through Him.
8 He was not the light, but he came to testify about the Light.
9 The true Light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.
10 He was in the world, and the world was created through Him, and yet the world did not recognize Him.
11 He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him.
12 But to all who did receive Him, He gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in His Name,
13 who were born, not of natural descent, or of the will of the flesh, or of the will of man, but of God.
14 The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed His glory, the glory as the One and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
15 (John testified concerning Him and exclaimed, “This was the One of whom I said, ‘The One coming after me ranks ahead of me, because He existed before me.’ ”)
16 Indeed, we have all received grace upon grace from His fullness,
17 for the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
18 No one has ever seen God. The One and only Son, Who is Himself God and is at the Father’s side—He has revealed Him.