John 1

I decided to stop where I was in Judges and jump over to the book of John.

I am reading John in the New Living Translation (good translation for easy reading and getting the basic thought) and also in the New American Standard Bible (good word for word translation that is harder to read, but super for getting closer to the exact words used) with a word study commentary. There are some really neat ideas that shine through in each.

In verses 1, 2, 4, 8, 9, 19, 15 the word used comes from the Greek word eimi which is the "to be" verb of the Greek language. In this case it is en which is the imperfect sense and means "had been before for an undetermined time". The idea being in John 1 that Jesus (the Word) had been from before the beginning. Jesus was pre-existent. Because of the way some of our translations translate this section of the Bible some people have come to think that Jesus was created by God. The better understanding of this passage and the whole Bible is that Jesus was the initiator of Creation, but that He has always been with God from before the beginning.

In verses 3, 6, 10, 14, 17 John uses the Greek work ginomai in the aorist (eginota) which means "to become something it wasn't before." What you get then is the idea that Jesus was from before the beginning, but that when He came to live on earth He became something He was not before and that would be human. This is a really important and powerful understanding because some people then were saying Jesus really was just a spirit and had no flesh, but this would disagree with that. And today there are people who say Jesus is just one of many created beings, but this would say that John under God's inspiration said Jesus was from before the beginning and therefore is indeed God. Just check out verse 1 where John says the Word (Jesus) was God.

1:5 - The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. (NLT) The NASB says the darkness did not comprehend it. I love the literal translation which says the darkness couldn't take hold of it. I am left with the idea that Jesus was and is so much beyond the control or comprehension of the darkness. It couldn't and can't manipulate Him and it can't figure Him out. Jesus is above the power and influence of anything dark. As my wife Nancy said last night at Bible study, Jesus is untamable and wild.

1:8 - John says that he was a witness that came to tell about the light. The Greek word there is where we get our word martyr from. John came to be a martyr. Did you?

1:12 - believed him and accepted him - It isn't enough to actually believe in Jesus. You actually have to accept His rule in your life or you r belief will mean nothing. Check out James 2:19. True belief causes a lifestyle change.

1:18 - There is an interesting comment in the translator's commentary here. It says that the article (the) is left off of the word for God (theon) and therefore John is expressing that no one has seen God in His complete, eternal and entirety except Jesus. This would be another great proof that Jesus was and is God because if no human or created thing has seen God completely and Jesus has than Jesus is beyond creation.

1:22 - How would you answer the question, What do you have to say about yourself? John had an answer ready that was 100% tied to God's purpose through Jesus. Does your answer have 100% Jesus or does it involve parts of the world?

1:29 - Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. - The word used here can also be used to mean to pick up a stone and move it from the earth. Jesus came to take the overwhelming weight of our sin off of us and He did it by being the sacrifice to God for us.

1:33 - who will baptize with (in - NASB) the Holy Spirit. - I have always understood this to be something God does with the indwelling of His Holy Spirit in the person's life at their water baptism. I am researching the Holy Spirit out more and more right now in my life to see if that is the right answer here or if there is something bigger we are missing in our understanding of the Holy Spirit.

1:39-46 - Come and see. - What a great approach. We try to get so clever with people to get them to meet Jesus, but if we had the confidence because of a changed life and the power of God on that life we could easily just say come and see for yourself. I think we get gimmicky because we haven't fully pursued God and therefore we can't honestly say come and see, because there isn't much to see.

1:51 - ... the one who is the stairway between heaven and earth. - The NASB says that the angels ascend and descend on Jesus. I have never seen this before. I love the idea that Jesus is the stairway between heaven and earth. If you are on Jesus than you are on the way to heaven. It really makes sense when Jesus says that He is the Way. You cannot get there any other way.

Love, Michael