Jesus Uniqueness (John 1:1-5)
False teaching: Dualism- matter is evil/ spirit is good so God did not directly create but spun off inferior spiritual beings of which one eventually created & Christ/the Word of God did not become incarnate. These hierarchical beings brought forth Christ. Cerinthus taught that Christ descended upon the man Jesus at His baptism & departed before the cross. Initiates possess secret knowledge of how to work your way up this hierarchy to God.
1. No beginning: v1 "In the beginning was the Word"
a) "in the beginning was the Word" (Gen. 1:1). God’s spoken word created things out of nothing.
b) "was" imperfect tense (6X in v1-4), verb “to be” contrast “came into being” v3. This phrase implies that in the very beginning the Word already existed.
c) "Word"- It transcends the OT concept of the word as an active force in creation, and refers to the 2nd Person of the Trinity. As words express thoughts and ideas, this Person gives a full expression of God. He existed before His birth (v17). This eternal, active Person wants to reveal God to you.
2. Companionship: v1 "and the Word was with God"
a) "with" (προς) implies closeness/togetherness ( 2 Cor. 5:8). A.T. Robertson “face to face with each other”. This Person enjoyed a personal, intimate relationship with God.
b) We were not created or born again into God’s family because God was lonely, but are invited into fellowship with the Father and the Word (I John 1:3). There is no shallowness to these relationships.
3. Deity: v1 "and the Word was God"
a) This is a careful claim of Deity "God" (predicate) is without “the” as in the previous phrase & v2 to show Deity but allow for more than one Person in the Trinity.
b) v2 uses phrases of v1 to stress He always was with God. There are no gaps in His fullness.
4. Creator (vs. 3)
a) This counters thinking that God was not directly involved in creating, and dualism where matter, or other spiritual beings are eternal. John states his point positively and then negatively.
b) "by/through" (δια) teaches this Person was the Agent/Means of creating everything; “nothing/not even one” is exclusive. God, the Father is the source of creation and the Word (His Son) is the means/agency of creation (I Cor. 8:6).
c) "has come" (pf. tense) points to on-going existence. All things have been created by Him, and are continually sustained by Him (Colossians 1:17, Heb. 1:3).
d) You can know the One Who created & continually sustains you.
5. His gift (vs. 4)
a) “light” & “life” pick-up Gen. 1 themes. "In Him was life"- “life” is used 36X in John with a special emphasis on spiritual, eternal life. He is the Source of all life (Ps. 36:9, John 5:26). When we believe in Him we pass out of death into life (John 5:24) and enter into a relationship which is the essence eternal life (John 17:2-3).
b) "the life was the light"- This was true before the Incarnation, but seems focused afterwards (John 12:36). Kittel on “light”- “it is a figure for the presence of revelation, which is later shown to be identical with the Revealer”. His life is the light for people. He imparts life to those who believe in Him. Their lives become light too (John 8:12).
c) The need for His light is because people are in darkness of sin (John 3:19-20). His light allows us to see ourselves/the world in its sinfulness, and more of God as He is. It invites us to come to Him for spiritual life & light.
6. His might (vs. 5)
a) "The Light shines…" present tense- continuous shining. "darkness"- As a result of the fall, people are born into sin & by nature love it. The devil rules over this realm.
b) "did not comprehend" understand/grasp or “overcome/overpower/seize (12:35). There is on-going battle between light and darkness from Genesis 3 until Revelation 20. However, there is no dualism of equal spiritual powers. It is amazing that God patiently allows darkness to continue (2 Peter 3:9).
c) His light cannot be overcome no matter how strong the darkness seems.