Grace Bible Church
Pastor/Teacher
Robert R. McLaughlin
July 8, 2008
Basic Training in Doctrine
John 1:1 ff. “Believers are united with Eternity”
Matthew, Mark, Luke and John all cover a period of history that changed the world and the course of the angelic conflict, the first advent of the Lord Jesus Christ.
John presents the Gospel of the Son of God, emphasising the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Matthew talks about the coming of the promised saviour; Mark talks about the life of the powerful saviour; Luke talks about the grace of the perfect saviour; John talks about the possession of a personal saviour.
John 20:31 but these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.
The first section of this Gospel is the prologue in vs. 1-18.
This prologue is an introduction of JC as He was before or in the beginning. What was He then? Is He different now? And if so how? These questions of all questions are answered by John in the first 18 verses of his Gospel and with the simplest of language.
We do not begin with the humanity of Christ; we begin with the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, and therefore in verses 1 & 2 the pre-existent one.
John’s presentation of Christ as the divine Son of God is seen in the seven titles given Him in the book: “the word was God” (1:1), “the Lamb of God” (1:29), “the Messiah” (1:41), “the Son of God” and “the King of Israel” (1:49), the “Savior of the world” (4:42), “Lord and God” (20:28).
At the same time, after the virgin birth He becomes true humanity. So He is the unique person of the universe, He is God and He is Man in one person forever.
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
He begins with the simple phrase en arche, which is translated in the NASB as well as many other translations “In the beginning.”
“in a beginning which was not a beginning,” and therefore in eternity.
Here is the sentence that tells us that long before any creature existed, long before the universe existed, Jesus Christ our saviour actually existed as a member of the Godhead.
GEN 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Jesus Christ our Savior existed before man, before the world, before angels, and in fact has always existed as the God who possesses eternal life.
He is the alpha and omega, i.e., He is God’s alphabet. He is all that God is made up from the alpha to the omega, which is not a beginning and end, but rather the sum total of all that God is.
“was” imperfect tense of the absolute status quo verb eimi = to be. The imperfect “en” = kept on being.
The imperfect tense is sort of a moving picture show as if you walked in on a movie but didn’t know when it started or when it will end, but you sat down and enjoyed the show.
He never started He just is, imperfect of eimi. So wherever you plunk your thoughts down to, He was already there and you are walking in on His movie or His plan.
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
“the word” – ho logos.
To the Jews, John opens up with “in the beginning” which is GEN 1:1. Yet in Gen chapter one all of God’s creation or rather restoration of planet earth in the six days were all preempted on “God said” and “said” means words.
Ps 119:172 Let my tongue sing of Thy word, For all Thy commandments are righteousness.
Ps 119:89 Forever, O Lord, Thy word is settled in heaven.
Much evidence points to the fact that John wrote his Gospel in Ephesus in 90 A.D. It was in Ephesus where a logos concept emerged.
Acts 17:23-24 “For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’
What therefore you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you. “The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth,
God through His omniscience planted this word in Greek culture so that they would be ready to hear His salvation message through John’s Gospel.
John’s use of this title for Christ heralds both Jews and Gentiles.
The word Logos goes way beyond the words themselves. Both Jews and Gentiles alike perceived logos as the controlling force in the universe and as God’s medium of expression.
John through the HS chose Logos because it is a title for a person, a person who has THE WISDOM of all ages and who has revealed Himself through men such as John and others by His family member, the HS, to keep for all time the thoughts that make up His entire being.
The word, Ho Logos has four meanings:
1) Revelation J.C. is the revealer of God, visible God
2) Intelligence, to express thought
3) Order, putting and bringing order and design
4) Communication, the word “word” means to transmit ideas and concepts.
REV 19:13 And He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood; and His name is called The Word of God.
with = pros plus the accusative of theon [God] should be translated face to face.
“and the word was (imperfect of eimi again = eternal) God”
But the Greek word order says “and God was the word (Logos).”
1 Tim 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, He is our life apart form Him you may exist but you have no life in you.
In the beginning [which was not a beginning] was the Word, and the Word was with [face to face with] God, and God was the Word.
John 1:2 He was in the beginning with God.
Verse 2 begins with “houtos” which means “the same one”
So to further emphasise His essence. “The same one kept on existing [the same imperfect of eimi] in the beginning [en arche = in eternity] face to face [pros] with God.”
John 1:3 All things came into being by Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.
GEN 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
COL 1:16 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities — all things have been created by Him and for Him.
“All things were made” – this is a constative aorist of ginomai which looks at creative activity as one event.
This brings us to the doctrine of creation: the Father planned it – 1 Corinthians 8:6; the Son created every original creation – Colossians 1:16; John 1:3; Hebrews 1:10.
But whenever something is restored it is the Spirit who restores it, as per Genesis 1:2.
The Father didn’t just give us a plan, He gave us a person. And, you are to be related to this person, occupied with this person, share the same happiness and blessings with this person.
God used dust to form man’s body. What gives man value, PSA 139:14, is that we are fearfully and wonderfully made, which is because of the lives (soul and spirit) breathed into us, GEN 2:7.
John 1:4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
Just because you are alive doesn’t mean you know how to live.
JER 29:13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.
But thanks be to God for 1CO 1:27, God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise.
But then He turned to those who had believed and said, now you are the light of the world, MAT 5:14. In His absence, as He sits at the right hand of God, we are to reflect the love of the hypostatic union.
Matt 5:14-16 You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.
Nor do men light a lamp, and put it under the peck-measure, but on the lampstand; and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
We are to be JOH 5:35 Christians, a burning and shinning lamp.
John 3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease.
The world is blinded by darkness but all men are accountable because of their conscience.
The light gives us a purpose and direction, for without light there is no vision, no view, hence no reality.
John 1:5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
Light is pure and cannot be defiled
Light is gentle as the Lord is full of mercy
Light is transparent and pervasive
Light reveals the Jesus Christ that we can see.
Comprehended – receive; to seize; to overcome; to admit. Darkness and light cannot dwell together or co-exist. If one exists the other must be displaced.
John 12:35 Jesus therefore said to them, “For a little while longer the light is among you. Walk while you have the light, that darkness may not overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes.