Unpacking John 1
Seventeen Ways God Is Revealed in Chapter 1 of John’s Gospel
by
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Chapter 1
Creation and the Word
In our discussion of creation and the Word, since John begins in the beginning let us begin there as well: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). Compare this to Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” I like to insert a pause after the word ‘God’ when I read this passage—“In the beginning God (pause).” It leads me to ponder God’s existence before creation and feebly try to wrap my finite brain around him as the uncreated God. I think this is what John is getting at as well—before creation, God and the Word were!
In the Beginning
God and the Word. John essentially tells us that God and the Word are one. In Philippians 2:6 Christ Jesus is described in this way: “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage.” John also tells us the Word is with God, implying they are two! God existed before he created the heavens and the earth, and John wants us to understand that the Word (Christ Jesus) also existed before creation and actively participated in creation.
John 1:3 states, “Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.” Later in John 17:5, Jesus prayed “And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began” (italics mine). Other passages in the New Testament confirm and expound on their role in creation:
• 1 Cor. 8:6: From God the Father came all things and we live for him; from Jesus Christ came all things and we live through him.
• Rom. 11:36: All things are from him, through him, and to him.
• Col. 1:16-17: He created all things and holds them together.
• Heb.1:2: Through the Son the universe was made.
• Heb. 2:10: It was God who created all things and made our salvation perfect through Christ’s suffering.
Are you getting it? Jesus was God and was with God in the beginning! To make sure we understand it, verse 2 summarizes verse 1: “He (the Word) was with God in the beginning” (parentheses mine).
The Beginning and the Word. It is clear from the first two verses in John 1 that the beginning and the Word are inexplicably linked. Let us take a closer look at the first two verses by breaking them into four parts:
• In the beginning was the Word,
• and the Word was with God,
• and the Word was God.
• He (the Word) was with God in the beginning.
It reads like a logic puzzle!
Let us play with John 1:1-2 a bit more by breaking the verses into phrases. These two verses consist entirely of just six words or phrases repeated two or more times:
• in the beginning (2 times)
• was (2 times)
• the Word (4 times)
• and (2 times)
• was with (2 times)
• God (3 times)
Let us look at four of the phrases a bit more to underscore the relationship of God and the Word and the beginning that John is hoping we understand.
• In the beginning (a) was the Word; (b) the Word was God.
• The Word (a) in the beginning was; (b) was with God; (c) was God; (d) was with God in the beginning.
• If we think of was to mean equals, then (a) in the beginning = the Word; (b) the Word = God; and (c) not just once, but twice, the Word = with God.
• And we must not forget the seemingly insignificant and. If we think of and to mean plus, then the Word = in the beginning + with God + was God.
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About the Book
Unpacking John 1 was conceived at my kitchen table. I had just finished an intense study the previous morning. Feeling somewhat aimless that morning, I said to myself, “It’s been a while since I studied one of the gospels. Guess I’ll read John.” Two-and-a-half years later I finished John 1.
The first chapter of John’s gospel starts in the beginning and concludes with a picture of heaven opening. That struck me as significant. As I explored what was contained between the beginning and the end, I was stunned to count seventeen themes in just that one chapter.
Unpacking John 1 is a topical study of the seventeen themes I discovered that morning while eating breakfast. As I wrote, I envisioned three primary audiences: people who were curious about the Bible and wanted an overview of some of its important themes; people who were interested in studying John 1; and pastors and teachers preparing to teach about John’s gospel, or any of the themes found in John 1.
What sets this book apart from other studies of John 1 is that the scriptures themselves become the commentary for the topics. Each theme is a chapter: “Creation and the Word”; “Life, Light, and Darkness”; “John the Baptist and His Message”; “Children of God”; “Glory”; “The One and Only”; “Grace”; “Truth”; “Lamb of God”; “Baptism”; “The Holy Spirit”; “Following the Rabbi”; “The Messiah”; “The Law and the Prophets”; “The Son of God”; “The King of Israel”; and “Open Heaven.”
About the Author
Julie Guggino, MS, Family Studies, is Director of Research at Central Washington University. She studied at Northwest University for one year. Julie is an avid studier of the Bible, teaches adult Bible classes, and leads women’s groups. She is married to Joseph Guggino and has three children and six grandchildren.