The Beginning – Part I John 1:1-5

John 20:30-31 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name

Packer The Church of England reads it annually as the gospel for Christmas Day, and rightly so. Nowhere in the New Testament is the nature and meaning of Jesus’s divine Sonship so clearly explained as here.

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

The Beginning Eternity – In the beginning was the Word Personality – and the Word was with God Deity – and the Word was God

Hendriksen …just another way of saying that He existed from all eternity. He was not what certain heretics claimed Him to be, a created being.

John 8:58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”

Colossians 1:16-17 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Micah 5:2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.

Revelation 1:8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

Henry The plainest reason why the Son of God is called the Word, seems to be, that as our words explain our minds to others, so was the Son of God sent in order to reveal his Father’s mind to the world.

Simeon This name, as applicable to the Messiah, was not altogether unknown to the Jews: and it seems peculiarly proper to the Son, because it is by the Son that God has in all ages revealed his mind to man.

Hendriksen A word serves two distinct purposes: it gives expression to the inner thought, the soul of the man, doing this even though no one else is present to hear what is said or to read what is thought; and it reveals this thought (hence, the soul of the speaker) to others.

Hendriksen Christ is the Word of God in both respects; he expresses or reflects the mind of God; also, he reveals God to man.

The Beginning Eternity – In the beginning was the Word Personality – and the Word was with God

Hendriksen Christ experienced the “closest possible fellowship with the Father, and that He took supreme delight in this communion”

John 1:2 He was in the beginning with God.

1 John 1:1-2 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— 2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us

John 17:5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.

John 17:24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.

John 1:18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.

1 John 2:1 …we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

Genesis 1:26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.”

The Beginning Eternity – In the beginning was the Word Personality – and the Word was with God Deity – and the Word was God

Philippians 2:6 …who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,

Colossians 1:15 He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation.

Colossians 2:9 For in Him the whole fulness of Deity dwells bodily.

Matthew 1:23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).

1 Timothy 3:16 He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.

John’s Logic There is a Person known as the Word. This Person is God, because He is eternal (In the beginning) This Person is God, because He is plainly called God (the Word was God). At the same time, this Person does not encompass all that God is. God the Father is a distinct Person from the Word (the Word was with God).

Nicene Creed We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man.

Nicene Creed For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

John 1:34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.