This commentary is a work in progress and may be revised as study continues. If you have a question, spot an error, or want to discuss a passage, please reach out.
1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2The same was in the beginning with God.
3All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
5And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
6There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
7The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
We don’t go through Jesus or the Light in order to then believe on Jesus, rather, we go through Jesus to reach the Father (John 10:9; John 14:6). Therefore, the phrase “through him” is referring to John. John was sent to prepare the way of the Lord (Isaiah 40:3; Matthew 3:3; Mark 1:2–3; Luke 3:4). It was through John that people’s eyes were opened to receive their Messiah, Jesus, as Acts 19:4 states: “Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.”
8He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
9That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
10He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
11He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
God’s will was for His own people, the Jews, to receive Him as their Messiah:
Jesus emphasizes His earthly ministry was primarily to the Jews, “the lost sheep of Israel.” Matthew 15:24
“But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Matthew 10:6
But His grace was resisted and rejected by His own people throughout history, even up to the day when Jesus physically came to them:
Jesus wept over Jerusalem’s coming judgment because of her refusal in Luke 19:41-44
They refused His desire to gather them in Matthew 23:37
They rejected God throughout history by killing His messengers the prophets in Luke 11:49-51
Clearly, the responsibility to believe fell on the Jews; they could have received Him, but they refused to believe:
John 5:46-47 “I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not...How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only? ...For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me; for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?”
12But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
A gift must be received, if someone refuses to receive the gift, they will not have salvation:
Romans 5:17 “they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness”
There is a first step in order to become the“sons of God” we must receive him and “believe on his name”. Jesus tells Nicodemus the same thing in John 3:15 “That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.”
13Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
We cannot be “born” again by anything human:
Being born into the right family (Jewish or Christian) = “not of blood”
Human effort or good works = “of the will of the flesh”
Human desire or determination = “nor of the will of man”
We cannot enter God’s family or be “born” again by anything outside of God Himself. However, for this to happen in our lives, we must first receive by belief . As John 1:12 makes clear, receiving Jesus is the starting point for God giving us the power to become His children.
John 1:12 states the order plainly:
first: receive Christ
then: God gives the right/power to become children of God
then: those children (v.13) are “born…of God”
Believing (v.12) precedes the new birth (v.13).
Scripture consistently teaches that being born again is the Holy Spirit’s work, and that this life-giving action (“quickening”) is what God does in us once we believe.
“It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing.” John 6:63
“And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;” Ephesians 1:1
“Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)” Ephesians 2:5
“For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body… and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.” 1 Corinthians 12:13
This matches the biblical sequence:
hearing → believing → receiving the Spirit → being made alive / born again.
14And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
15John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.
16And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
We get God’s grace and then on top of that we get more! You can’t out sin His grace for us as Paul say sin Romans 5:20 “Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:”
17For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
18No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
19And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?
20And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.
21And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.
22Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?
23He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.
In Luke 3 we understand the meaning of “make straight the way of the Lord”. Specifically Luke 3:10-14 explains the tangible way to do so. We see John telling people how to live righteous lives which is what he baptized them into and then told them to bear fruit proving they did have a change of mind. Not for salvation but so they would be able to see and receive their Messiah. Sin is blinding (1 John 2:11) and even with John doing this most Jews missed their Messiah.
As Paul says in Galatians 3:24 “law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ”. These people needed to see their need for Jesus in order that they might believe upon him for salvation (Acts 19:4). John told them what righteous living looked like, it was the law being a tutor and humbling each man’s heart. He was making straight the ways of the Lord by preparing the people’s hearts. We can see two responses:
Accepted John, received baptism: Luke 7:29 And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John.
Rejected John, no baptism: Luke 7:30 But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him.
In ancient times, before a king traveled through a region, workers would go ahead of him to clear the road removing rocks, leveling bumps, and straightening the path.
It was a way of honoring the king’s arrival and ensuring there was nothing that hindered his journey. John was the one doing this helping remove the obstacles of sin, unbelief, and hardness of heart. Jesus was the King and the path to people’s hearts needed to be cleared to receive Him.
24And they which were sent were of the Pharisees.
25And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?
26John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not;
27He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose.
28These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.
29The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
30This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.
31And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.
32And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.
33And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.
34And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.
35Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples;
36And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!
37And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.
38Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?
39He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour.
40One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.
41He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.
42And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.
43The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me.
44Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.
45Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
46And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.
47Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!
48Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.
49Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.
50Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.
51And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.
1
John 1 — Forever Word commentary
King James VersionThis commentary is a work in progress and may be revised as study continues. If you have a question, spot an error, or want to discuss a passage, please reach out.
1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2The same was in the beginning with God.
3All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
5And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
6There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
7The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
We don’t go through Jesus or the Light in order to then believe on Jesus, rather, we go through Jesus to reach the Father (John 10:9; John 14:6). Therefore, the phrase “through him” is referring to John. John was sent to prepare the way of the Lord (Isaiah 40:3; Matthew 3:3; Mark 1:2–3; Luke 3:4). It was through John that people’s eyes were opened to receive their Messiah, Jesus, as Acts 19:4 states: “Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.”
8He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
9That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
10He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
11He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
God’s will was for His own people, the Jews, to receive Him as their Messiah:
Jesus emphasizes His earthly ministry was primarily to the Jews, “the lost sheep of Israel.” Matthew 15:24
“But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Matthew 10:6
But His grace was resisted and rejected by His own people throughout history, even up to the day when Jesus physically came to them:
Jesus wept over Jerusalem’s coming judgment because of her refusal in Luke 19:41-44
They refused His desire to gather them in Matthew 23:37
They rejected God throughout history by killing His messengers the prophets in Luke 11:49-51
Clearly, the responsibility to believe fell on the Jews; they could have received Him, but they refused to believe:
John 5:46-47 “I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not...How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only? ...For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me; for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?”
12But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
A gift must be received, if someone refuses to receive the gift, they will not have salvation:
Romans 5:17 “they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness”
There is a first step in order to become the “sons of God” we must receive him and “believe on his name”. Jesus tells Nicodemus the same thing in John 3:15 “That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.”
13Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
We cannot be “born” again by anything human:
Being born into the right family (Jewish or Christian) = “not of blood”
Human effort or good works = “of the will of the flesh”
Human desire or determination = “nor of the will of man”
We cannot enter God’s family or be “born” again by anything outside of God Himself. However, for this to happen in our lives, we must first receive by belief . As John 1:12 makes clear, receiving Jesus is the starting point for God giving us the power to become His children.
John 1:12 states the order plainly:
first: receive Christ
then: God gives the right/power to become children of God
then: those children (v.13) are “born…of God”
Believing (v.12) precedes the new birth (v.13).
Scripture consistently teaches that being born again is the Holy Spirit’s work, and that this life-giving action (“quickening”) is what God does in us once we believe.
“It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing.” John 6:63
“And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;” Ephesians 1:1
“Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)” Ephesians 2:5
“For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body… and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.” 1 Corinthians 12:13
This matches the biblical sequence:
hearing → believing → receiving the Spirit → being made alive / born again.
14And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
15John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.
16And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
We get God’s grace and then on top of that we get more! You can’t out sin His grace for us as Paul say sin Romans 5:20 “Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:”
17For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
18No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
19And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?
20And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.
21And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.
22Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?
23He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.
In Luke 3 we understand the meaning of “make straight the way of the Lord”. Specifically Luke 3:10-14 explains the tangible way to do so. We see John telling people how to live righteous lives which is what he baptized them into and then told them to bear fruit proving they did have a change of mind. Not for salvation but so they would be able to see and receive their Messiah. Sin is blinding (1 John 2:11) and even with John doing this most Jews missed their Messiah.
As Paul says in Galatians 3:24 “law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ”. These people needed to see their need for Jesus in order that they might believe upon him for salvation (Acts 19:4). John told them what righteous living looked like, it was the law being a tutor and humbling each man’s heart. He was making straight the ways of the Lord by preparing the people’s hearts. We can see two responses:
Accepted John, received baptism: Luke 7:29 And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John.
Rejected John, no baptism: Luke 7:30 But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him.
In ancient times, before a king traveled through a region, workers would go ahead of him to clear the road removing rocks, leveling bumps, and straightening the path.
It was a way of honoring the king’s arrival and ensuring there was nothing that hindered his journey. John was the one doing this helping remove the obstacles of sin, unbelief, and hardness of heart. Jesus was the King and the path to people’s hearts needed to be cleared to receive Him.
24And they which were sent were of the Pharisees.
25And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?
26John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not;
27He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose.
28These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.
29The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
30This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.
31And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.
32And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.
33And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.
34And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.
35Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples;
36And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!
37And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.
38Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?
39He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour.
40One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.
41He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.
42And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.
43The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me.
44Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.
45Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
46And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.
47Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!
48Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.
49Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.
50Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.
51And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.