\\In the beginning\\; of the creation

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In Die Begin

Nota: Hierdie is tekse en uittreksels uit verskillende boeke en geskrifte om vir ons meer insig, verstaanbaarheid te kan gee oor die Skepping, Die Woord en Christus die Seun van God.

Omdat hierdie bundels almal in die Engelsetaal omskryf is, is dit so gehou en dus direk daaruit getrek.

Daar is ook 'n Afrikaanse gedeelte. ( Gaan na Joh 1 )

A. \\In the beginning\\; of the creation. He who was with God in the beginning of all created things, is before all things, and has existed

from eternity. Compare chap \\#Joh 17:5; Col 1:17\\.

\\The Word\\; a term applied by John to the second person of the Godhead in his eternal existence. Just as he is called "the Life" and

"the Light," because he has in himself life and light, and imparts them to his creatures at his pleasure; so he is called "the Word," because

in him "are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge," and by his word and Spirit he reveals them to men. See \\#Re 19:13\\.

\\With God\\; in holy union, fellowship, and communion.

\\Was God\\;

this is a direct assertion of his divine nature as existing from eternity. The Bible reveals that Jesus Christ is God, the maker of all

things that ever were made. All who have the Bible are therefore bound to acknowledge him in this character, and to pay him divine honors.

B. 1:1 In {1} the {a} beginning {b} was {c} the Word, and the Word was {d} with God, and the {e} Word was God.

(1) The Son of God is of one and the selfsame eternity or everlastingness, and of one and the selfsame essence or

nature with the Father.

(a) From the beginning, as the evangelist says in \\# 1Jo 1:1\\; it is as though he said that the Word did not begin

to have his being when God began to make all that was made: for the Word was even then when all things

that were made began to be made, and therefore he was before the beginning of all things.

(b) Had his being.

this "Word", which is the Son of God, and the laws of God, which are also called the word of God.

(d) This word "with" points out that there is a distinction of persons here.

(e) This word "Word" is the first in order in the sentence, and is the subject of the sentence, and this word "God"

is the latter in order, and is the predicate of the sentence.

\\#Joh 1:1\\

2. JOHN'S INTRODUCTION.

\\#Joh 1:1-18\\

\\The Word\\. A title for Jesus peculiar to the apostle John.

\\The Word was with God\\. Not going before nor coming after God, but with Him at the beginning.

\\The Word was God\\. Not more, not less.

(TFG 2)

C. TRANSLATION AND TEXTUAL NOTES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

by Jay P. Green, Sr.

The Gospel of John was written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God (John 20:31). Negatively, the book

serves to refute the humanist claim that Jesus was merely a wise human being born by natural generation on the one hand; and on the other hand, that the Docetic Gnostics were wrong to claim that Jesus was a spirit, that he had no real human body.

Hendriksen's Commentary on John has an excellent introduction to this Gospel. But Hendriksen cannot be trusted in his

pronouncements regarding textual criticism. And his paraphrasing does not always meet the original

It should be kept in mind that John wrote long after the other Gospels had been written, and that his purpose is not to repeat,

but to add much of what they did not say. At the same time, this Gospel centers on the deity of Christ far more than the others do.

1:1 In the beginning was (eimi) the Word, and the Word was (eimi) with God, and the Word was (eimi) God - Three times in this sentence John uses this imperfect of eimi (to be) which conveys no idea of origin for God or for the Logos, [but] simply continuous existence . See the distinction sharply drawn in John 8:58: before Abraham came into being, (genesthai) I AM (eimi = timeless existence) (RWP, p. 3).

The Word (Logos) can have a number of translations: word, saying, decree, declaration, speech, doctrine, reason, account, being some of them. Logos is applied to Christ in John 1:1, 14; 1 John 1:1; and Rev. 19:13.

The Gnostics denied the actual humanity of Christ, insisting that their aeons were involved in the creation. John effectively answered both of these errors.

John also answered Arianism, because the Logos was eternally God, had fellowship with the Father, and that fellowship with the other Persons of the Trinity completely destroys Arianism along with Gnosticism.

John's first sentence is a sufficient answer to the Jehovah's Witnesses. And this in spite of the fact that they heavily promote the fact that there is no article preceding God in the last clause: And the Word was God. The JWV New World Translation has this: And the Word was a God. Then there is a footnote in which they remark that an anarthous theos (one without the definite article) points to a quality about someone. The plain intent of all this is to make The Word a created being. Gordon Clark quotes Goodwin's Greek Grammar as saying, A predicate noun seldom has the article. He also quotes E. C. Colwell who did intensive study of predicate nouns, saying, A definite predicate nominative has the article when it follows the verb; it does not have the article when it precedes the verb. Clark cites many places where the predicate noun is anarthous, among which are 1 John 4:16; John 1:49; 8:39; 17:17; Rom. 14:17; Gal. 4:25; and, Rev. 1:20. In summary, John knew his Greek better than the Jehovah's Witnesses scholars. And by using the Greek with exactitude in verse 1 he has completely foiled the Jehovah's Witnesses attempt to take away the co-essential Godhood of Jesus Christ; for the Word was God.with God, and the Word was God = alongside God, and the Word was God. Chrysostom remarked: which sweetly sets forth his co-eternity and co-existency with the Father (quoted by John Trapp

(TCNT, p. 344)

For the grammatical construction, see RWP pp. 4, 5; Robertson's Grammar, pp. 767f.

D. 1 The divinity, humanity, office, and incarnation of Jesus Christ.

15 The testimony of John.

39 The calling of Andrew, Peter, etc.

* the beginning.

# 2 Ge 1:1 Pr 8:22-31 Eph 3:9 Col 1:17 Heb 1:10 7:3 13:8

# Re 1:2,8,11 2:8 21:6 22:13

* the Word.

# 14 1Jo 1:1,2 5:7 Re 19:13

* with.

# 18 16:28 17:5 Pr 8:22-30 1Jo 1:2

* the Word was.

# 10:30-33 20:28 Ps 45:6 Isa 7:14 9:6 40:9-11 Mt 1:23 Ro 9:5

# Php 2:6 1Ti 3:16 Tit 2:13 Heb 1:8-13 2Pe 1:1 *Gr:

# 1Jo 5:7,20

{In the beginning} (\en archêi\). \Archê\ is definite, though anarthrous like our at home, in town, and the similar Hebrew _be reshith_ in \\#Ge 1:1\\. But Westcott notes that here John carries our thoughts beyond the beginning of creation in time to eternity. There is no argument here to prove the existence of God any more than in Genesis. It is simply assumed. Either God exists and is the Creator of the universe as scientists like Eddington and Jeans assume or matter is eternal or it has come out of nothing. {Was} (\ên\). Three times in this sentence John uses this imperfect of \eimi\ to be which conveys no idea of origin for God or for the Logos, simply continuous existence. Quite a different verb (\egeneto\, became) appears in verse \\#14\\ for the beginning of the Incarnation of the Logos. See the distinction sharply drawn in \\#8:58\\ "before Abraham came (\genesthai\) I am" (\eimi\, timeless existence). {The Word} (\ho logos\). \Logos\ is from \legô\, old word in Homer to lay by, to collect, to put words side by side, to speak, to express an opinion. \Logos\ is common for reason as well as speech. Heraclitus used it for the principle which controls the universe. The Stoics employed it for the soul of the world (\anima mundi\) and Marcus Aurelius used \spermatikos logos\ for the generative principle in nature. The Hebrew _memra_ was used in the Targums for the manifestation of God like the Angel of Jehovah and the Wisdom of God in \\#Pr 8:23\\.

Dr. J. Rendel Harris thinks that there was a lost wisdom book that combined phrases in Proverbs and in the Wisdom of Solomon which John used for his Prologue (_The Origin of the _Prologue to St. John_, p. 43) which he has undertaken to reproduce. At any rate John's standpoint is that of the Old Testament and not that of the Stoics nor even of Philo who uses the term \Logos\, but not John's conception of personal pre-existence. The term \Logos\ is applied to Christ only in \\#Joh 1:1,14; Re 19:13; 1Jo 1:1\\ "concerning the Word of life" (an incidental argument for identity of authorship). There is a possible personification of "the Word of God" in \\#Heb 4:12\\. But the personal pre-existence of Christ is taught by Paul (\\#2Co 8:9; Php 2:6; Col 1:17\\) and in \\#Heb 1:2\\ and in \\#Joh 17:5\\. This term suits John's purpose better than \sophia\ (wisdom) and is his answer to the Gnostics who either denied the actual humanity of Christ (Docetic Gnostics) or who separated the \aeon\ Christ from the man Jesus (Cerinthian Gnostics). The pre-existent Logos "became flesh" (\sarx egeneto\, verse \\#14\\) and by this phrase John answered both heresies at once. {With God} (\pros ton theon\). Though existing eternally with God the Logos was in perfect fellowship with God. \Pros\ with the accusative presents a plane of equality and intimacy, face to face with each other. In \\#1Jo 2:1\\ we have a like use of \pros\: "We have a Paraclete with the Father"

(\paraklêton echomen pros ton patera\). See \prosôpon pros prosôpon\ (face to face, \\#1Co 13:12\\), a triple use of \pros\.

There is a papyrus example of \pros\ in this sense \to gnôston tês pros allêlous sunêtheias\, "the knowledge of our intimacy with one another" (M.&M., _Vocabulary_) which answers the claim of Rendel Harris, _Origin of Prologue_, p. 8) that the use of \pros\ here and in \\#Mr 6:3\\ is a mere Aramaism. It is not a classic idiom, but this is _Koiné_, not old Attic. In \\#Joh 17:5\\

John has \para soi\ the more common idiom. {And the Word was God}(\kai theos ên ho logos\). By exact and careful language John denied Sabellianism by not saying \ho theos ên ho logos\. That would mean that all of God was expressed in \ho logos\ and the terms would be interchangeable, each having the article. The subject is made plain by the article (\ho logos\) and the predicate without it (\theos\) just as in \\#Joh 4:24\\ \pneuma ho theos\ can only mean "God is spirit," not "spirit is God." So in \\#1Jo 4:16\\ \ho theos agapê estin\ can only mean "God is love," not "love is God" as a so-called Christian scientist would confusedly say. For the article with the predicate see Robertson, _Grammar_, pp. 767f. So in \\#Joh 1:14\\ \ho Logos sarx egeneto\, "the Word became flesh," not "the flesh became Word." Luther argues that here John disposes of Arianism also because the Logos was eternally God, fellowship of Father and Son, what Origen called the Eternal Generation of the Son (each necessary to the other). Thus in the Trinity we see personal fellowship on an equality.

E ** The apostle and evangelist, John, seems to have been the youngest of the twelve. He was especially favoured with our Lord's regard and confidence, so as to be spoken of as the disciple whom Jesus loved. He was very sincerely attached to his Master. He exercised his ministry at Jerusalem with much success, and outlived the destruction of that city, agreeably to Christ's prediction, ch. \\#21:22\\. History relates that after the death of Christ's mother, John resided chiefly at Ephesus. Towards the close of Domitian's reign he was banished to the isle of Patmos, where he wrote his Revelation. On the accession of Nerva, he was set at liberty, and returned to Ephesus, where it is thought he wrote his Gospel and Epistles, about A. D. 97, and died soon after. The design of this Gospel appears to be to convey to the Christian world, just notions of the real nature, office, and character of that Divine Teacher, who came to instruct and to redeem mankind. For this purpose, John was directed to select for his narrative, those passages of our Saviour's life, which most clearly displayed his Divine power and authority; and those of his discourses, in which he spake most plainly of his own nature, and of the power of his death, as an atonement for the sins of the world. By omitting, or only briefly mentioning, the events recorded by the other evangelists, John gave testimony that their narratives are true, and left room for the doctrinal statements already mentioned, and for particulars omitted in the other Gospels, many of which are exceedingly important.

F. * The Divinity of Christ. (\\#1-5\\)

His Divine and human nature. (\\#6-14\\)

John the Baptist's testimony to Christ. (\\#15-18\\)

John's public testimony concerning Christ. (\\#19-28\\)

Other testimonies of John concerning Christ. (\\#29-36\\)

Andrew and another disciple follow Jesus. (\\#37-42\\)

Philip and Nathanael called. (\\#43-51\\)

\\#1-5\\ 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. What the evangelist says of Christ proves that he is God. He asserts, His existence in the beginning; His coexistence with the Father. The Word was with God. All things were made by him, and not as an instrument. Without him was not any thing made that was made, from the highest angel to the meanest worm.

This shows how well qualified he was for the work of our redemption and salvation. The light of reason, as well as the life of sense, is derived from him, and depends upon him. This eternal Word, this true Light shines, but the darkness comprehends it not. Let us pray without ceasing, that our eyes may be opened to behold this Light, that we may walk in it; and thus be made wise unto salvation, by faith in Jesus Christ.

G. \\INTRODUCTION TO JOHN\\

The author of this Gospel is John, the son of Zebedee and Salome, the brother of James the greater; he outlived the rest of the disciples, and wrote this Gospel after the other evangelists; and in it many things are recorded, which are not in the other Gospels; as various discourses of Christ, and miracles done by him; several incidents in his life, and circumstances that attended his sufferings and death: the occasion of it is generally thought to be the errors of Ebion and Cerinthus, who denied the divinity of Christ, asserted he was a mere man, and that he did not exist before his incarnation; and the design of it is to confute them: and it is easy to observe, that he begins his Gospel with the divinity of Christ; asserts him to be God, and proves him to be truly and properly so, by the works of creation, which were wrought by him, as well as shows that he was really man. Clemens

{a} calls this Gospel of John, \~pneumatikon euaggelion\~ "a spiritual Gospel", as indeed it is; consisting of the spiritual discourses of our Lord, on various occasions, both at the beginning, and in the course of his ministry, and especially a little before his sufferings and death: and the same writer observes, that John, the last of the evangelists, considering that in the other Gospels were declared the things relating to the body of Christ, that is, to him, as he was after the flesh; to his genealogy and birth as man; to what was done to him, or by him, in his infancy; to his baptism, temptations, journeys, &c. at the request of his familiar friends, and moved by the Spirit of God, composed this Gospel. Moreover, it is observed by some

{b}, that the other three evangelists only record what was done by Christ, in one year after John the Baptist was cast into prison, as appears from \\#Mt 4:12, Mr 1:14 Lu 3:20\\ wherefore John, at the entreaty of his friends, put these things into his Gospel, which were done or said by Christ, before John was cast into prison. He was called very early by Christ, though young; and was with him throughout the whole of his ministry, and was an eye and ear witness of what he here relates, and his testimony is to be received; he was the beloved disciple, he leaned on the bosom of Jesus, and had great intimacy with him; and might be privy to some things, which others were not acquainted with; and though he was a Galilean, and an unlearned man,

\\#Ac 4:13\\ yet being endowed with the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, he was abundantly qualified to write this book: for what some ancient writers

{c} say of him, that he was a priest, and wore a plate, that is, of gold upon his forehead, cannot be true, since he was not of the tribe of Levi; and besides, only the high priest wore that upon his mitre; unless they mean, as seems most likely, that he was a Christian bishop: perhaps the mistake may arise from John the Baptist, who was of the priestly order, and is called by some Jewish writers

{d}, John the high priest. When and where this Gospel was written, is not certain; some say in

{e} Asia, after he had wrote his Revelation in Patmos; and others say particularly, that it was wrote at Ephesus; the title of it in the Syriac version, signifies much, which runs thus;

``the holy Gospel, the preaching of John, which he spoke and published in Greek at Ephesus.''

And to the same purpose is the title of it in the Persic version;

``the Gospel of John, one of the twelve apostles, which was spoken in the city of Ephesus, in the Greek Roman tongue.''

{a} Apud Euseb. Eccl. Hist. l. 6. c. 14.

{b} Ib. l. 3. c. 24.

{c} Polycrates in ib. l. 3. c. 31. & l. 5. c. 24. & Hieron. Catalog.

Script. Eccles. fol. 96. sect. 55.

{d} Ganz Tzemach David, par. 1. fol. 25. 2.

{e} Hieron. Prolog. Evang. Joannis.

Ver. 1. \\In the beginning was the word\\, &c.] That this is said not of the written word, but of the essential word of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, is clear, from all that is said from hence, to \\#Joh 1:14\\ as that this word was in the beginning, was with God, and is God; from the creation of all things being ascribed to him, and his being said to be the life and light of men; from his coming into the world, and usage in it; from his bestowing the privilege of adoption on believers; and from his incarnation; and also there is a particular application of all this to Christ, \\#Joh 1:15-18\\. And likewise from what this evangelist elsewhere says of him, when he calls him the word of life, and places him between the Father and the Holy Ghost; and speaks of the record of the word of God, and the testimony of Jesus, as the same thing; and represents him as a warrior and conqueror,

\\#1Jo 1:1,2,7 Re 1:2,9 19:11-16\\. Moreover this appears to be spoken of Christ, from what other inspired writers have said of him, under the same character; as the Evangelist Luke, \\#Lu 1:2\\, the Apostle Paul,

\\#Ac 20:32 Heb 4:12\\ and the Apostle Peter, \\#2Pe 3:5\\. And who is called the word, not as man; for as man he was not in the beginning with God, but became so in the fulness of time; nor is the man God; besides, as such, he is a creature, and not the Creator, nor is he the life and light of men; moreover, he was the word, before he was man, and therefore not as such: nor can any part of the human nature be so called; not the flesh, for the word was made flesh; nor his human soul, for self-subsistence, deity, eternity, and the creation of all things, can never be ascribed to that; but he is the word as the Son of God, as is evident from what is here attributed to him, and from the word being said to be so, as in

\\#Joh 1:14,18\\ and from those places, where the word is explained by the Son, compare

\\#1Jo 5:5,7 Mt 28:19\\. And is so called from his nature, being begotten of the Father; for as the word, whether silent or expressed, is the birth of the mind, the image of it, equal to it, and distinct from it; so Christ is the only begotten of the Father, the express image of his person, in all things equal to him, and a distinct person from him: and he may be so called, from some action, or actions, said of him, or ascribed to him; as that he spoke for, and on the behalf of the elect of God, in the eternal council and covenant of grace and peace; and spoke all things out of nothing, in creation; for with regard to those words so often mentioned in the history of the creation, and God said, may Jehovah the Son be called the word; also he was spoken of as the promised Messiah, throughout the whole Old Testament dispensation; and is the interpreter of his Father's mind, as he was in Eden's garden, as well as in the days of his flesh; and now speaks in heaven for the saints. The phrase, \^yyd armym\^, "the word of the Lord", so frequently used by the Targumists, is well known: and it is to be observed, that the same things which John here says of the word, they say likewise, as will be observed on the several clauses; from whence it is more likely, that John should take this phrase, since the paraphrases of Onkelos and Jonathan ben Uzziel were written before his time, than that he should borrow it from the writings of Plato, or his followers, as some have thought; with whose philosophy, Ebion and Cerinthus are said to be acquainted; wherefore John, the more easily to gain upon them, uses this phrase, when that of the Son of God would have been disagreeable to them: that there is some likeness between the Evangelist John and Plato in their sentiments concerning the word, will not be denied.

Amelius

{f}, a Platonic philosopher, who lived after the times of John, manifestly refers to these words of his, in agreement with his master's doctrine: his words are these;

``and this was truly "Logos", or the word, by whom always existing, the things that are made, were made, as also Heraclitus thought; and who, likewise that Barbarian (meaning the Evangelist John) reckons was in the order and dignity of the beginning, constituted with God, and was God, by whom all things are entirely made; in whom, whatsoever is made, lives, and has life, and being; and who entered into bodies, and was clothed with flesh, and appeared a man; so notwithstanding, that he showed forth the majesty of his nature; and after his dissolution, he was again deified, and was God, as he was before he descended into a body, flesh and man.''

In which words it is easy to observe plain traces of what the evangelist says in the first four verses, and in the fourteenth verse of this chapter; yet it is much more probable, that Plato had his notion of the Logos, or word, out of the writings of the Old Testament, than that John should take this phrase, or what he says concerning the word, from him; since it is a matter of fact not disputed, that Plato went into Egypt to get knowledge: not only Clemens Alexandrinus a Christian writer says, that he was a philosopher of the Hebrews

{g}, and understood prophecy

{h}, and stirred up the fire of the Hebrew philosophy

{i}; but it is affirmed by Heathen writers, that he went into Egypt to learn of the priests

{k}, and to understand the rites of the prophets

{l}; and Aristobulus, a Jew, affirms

{m}, he studied their law; and Numenius, a Pythagoric philosopher

{n}, charges him with stealing what he wrote, concerning God and the world, out of the books of Moses; and used to say to him, what is Plato, but Moses "Atticising?" or Moses speaking Greek: and Eusebius

{o}, an ancient Christian writer, points at the very places, from whence Plato took his hints: wherefore it is more probable, that the evangelist received this phrase of the word, as a divine person, from the Targums, where there is such frequent mention made of it; or however, there is a very great agreement between what he and these ancient writings of the Jews say of the word, as will be hereafter shown. Moreover, the phrase is frequently used in like manner, in the writings of Philo the Jew; from whence it is manifest, that the name was well known to the Jews, and may be the reason of the evangelist's using it. This word, he says, was in the beginning; by which is meant, not the Father of Christ; for he is never called the beginning, but the Son only; and was he, he must be such a beginning as is without one; nor can he be said to be so, with respect to the Son or Spirit, who are as eternal as himself; only with respect to the creatures, of whom he is the author and efficient cause: Christ is indeed in the Father, and the Father in him, but this cannot be meant here; nor is the beginning of the Gospel of Christ, by the preaching of John the Baptist, intended here: John's ministry was an evangelical one, and the Gospel was more clearly preached by him, and after him, by Christ and his apostles, than before; but it did not then begin; it was preached before by the angel to the shepherds, at the birth of Christ; and before that, by the prophets under the former dispensation, as by Isaiah, and others; it was preached before unto Abraham, and to our first parents, in the garden of Eden: nor did Christ begin to be, when John began to preach; for John's preaching and baptism were for the manifestation of him: yea, Christ existed as man, before John began to preach; and though he was born after him as man, yet as the Word and Son of God, he existed before John was born; he was in being in the times of the prophets, which were before John; and in the times of Moses, and before Abraham, and in the days of Noah: but by the beginning is here meant, the beginning of the world, or the creation of all things; and which is expressive of the eternity of Christ, he was in the beginning, as the Maker of all creatures, and therefore must be before them all: and it is to be observed, that it is said of him, that in the beginning he was; not made, as the heavens and earth, and the things in them were; nor was he merely in the purpose and predestination of God, but really existed as a divine person, as he did from all eternity; as appears from his being set up in office from everlasting; from all the elect being chosen in him, and given to him before the foundation of the world; from the covenant of grace, which is from eternity, being made with him; and from the blessings and promises of grace, being as early put into his hands; and from his nature as God, and his relation to his Father: so Philo the Jew often calls the Logos, or word, the eternal word, the most ancient word, and more ancient than any thing that is made

{p}. The eternity of the Messiah is acknowledged by the ancient Jews: \\#Mic 5:2\\ is a full proof of it; which by them

{q} is thus paraphrased;

``out of thee, before me, shall come forth the Messiah, that he may exercise dominion over Israel; whose name is said from eternity, from the days of old.''

Jarchi upon it only mentions \\#Ps 72:17\\ which is rendered by the Targum on the place, before the sun his name was prepared; it may be translated, "before the sun his name was Yinnon"; that is, the Son, namely the Son of God; and Aben Ezra interprets it, \^Nb arqy\^, "he shall be called the son"; and to this agrees what the Talmudisis say

{r}, that the name of the Messiah was before the world was created; in proof of which they produce the same passage.

\\And the word was with God\\; not with men or angels; for he was before either of these; but with God, not essentially, but personally considered; with God his Father: not in the Socinian sense, that he was only known to him, and to no other before the ministry of John the Baptist; for he was known and spoken of by the angel Gabriel before; and was known to Mary and to Joseph; and to Zacharias and Elisabeth; to the shepherds, and to the wise men; to Simeon and Anna, who saw him in the temple; and to the prophets and patriarchs in all ages, from the beginning of the world: but this phrase denotes the existence of the word with the Father, his relation and nearness to him, his equality with him, and particularly the distinction of his person from him, as well as his eternal being with him; for he was always with him, and is, and ever will be; he was with him in the council and covenant of grace, and in the creation of the universe, and is with him in the providential government of the world; he was with him as the word and Son of God in heaven, whilst he as man, was here on earth; and he is now with him, and ever will be: and as John here speaks of the word, as a distinct person from God the Father, so do the Targums, or Chaldee paraphrases; \\#Ps 110:1\\ "the Lord said to my Lord", is rendered, "the Lord said to his word"; where he is manifestly distinguished from Jehovah, that speaks to him; and in \\#Ho 1:7\\ the Lord promises to "have mercy on the house of Judah", and "save them by the Lord their God". The Targum is, "I will redeem them by the word of the Lord their God"; where the word of the Lord, who is spoken of as a Redeemer and Saviour, is distinguished from the Lord, who promises to save by him. This distinction of Jehovah and his word, may be observed in multitudes of places, in the Chaldee paraphrases, and in the writings of Philo the Jew; and this phrase, of "the word" being "with God", is in the Targums expressed by, \^Mdq Nm rmym\^, "the word from before the Lord", or "which is before the Lord": being always in his presence, and the angel of it; so Onkelos paraphrases \\#Ge 31:22\\ "and the word from before the Lord, came to Laban", &c. and \\#Ex 20:19\\ thus, "and let not the word from before the Lord speak with us, lest we die"; for so it is read in the King of Spain's Bible; and wisdom, which is the same with the word of God, is said to be by him, or with him, in \\#Pr 8:1-36 30:1-33\\ agreeably to which John here speaks. John makes use of the word God, rather than Father, because the word is commonly called the word of God, and because of what follows;

\\and the word was God\\; not made a God, as he is said here after to be made flesh; nor constituted or appointed a God, or a God by office; but truly and properly God, in the highest sense of the word, as appears from the names by which he is called; as Jehovah, God, our, your, their, and my God, God with us, the mighty God, God over all, the great God, the living God, the true God, and eternal life; and from his perfections, and the whole fulness of the Godhead that dwells in him, as independence, eternity, immutability, omnipresence, omniscience, and omnipotence; and from his works of creation and providence, his miracles, the work of redemption, his forgiving sins, the resurrection of himself and others from the dead, and the administration of the last judgment; and from the worship given him, as prayer to him, faith in him, and the performance of baptism in his name: nor is it any objection to the proper deity of Christ, that the article is here wanting; since when the word is applied to the Father, it is not always used, and even in this chapter, \\#Joh 1:6,13,18\\ and which shows, that the word "God", is not the subject, but the predicate of this proposition, as we render it: so the Jews often use the word of the Lord for Jehovah, and call him God. Thus the words in \\#Ge 28:20,21\\ are paraphrased by Onkelos;

``if "the word of the Lord" will be my help, and will keep me, &c. then "the word of the Lord" shall be, \^ahlal yl\^, "my God":'' again, \\#Le 26:12\\ is paraphrased, by the Targum ascribed to Jonathan Ben Uzziel, thus;

``I will cause the glory of my Shekinah to dwell among you, and my word shall "be your God", the Redeemer;'' once more, \\#De 26:17\\ is rendered by the Jerusalem Targum after this manner;

``ye have made "the word of the Lord" king over you this day, that he may be your God:'' and this is frequent with Philo the Jew, who says, the name of God is his word, and calls him, my Lord, the divine word; and affirms, that the most ancient word is God {s}.

{f} Apud Euseb. Prepar. Evangel. l. 11. c. 19.

{g} Stromat. l. 1. p. 274.

{h} Ib. p. 303.

{i} Ib. Paedagog. l. 2. c. 1. p. 150.

{k} Valer. Maxim. l. 8. c. 7.

{l} Apuleius de dogmate Platonis, l. 1. in principio.

{m} Apud. Euseb. Prepar. Evangel. l. 13. c. 12.

{n} Hesych. Miles. de Philosophis. p. 50.

{o} Prepar. Evangel. l. 11. c. 9.

{p} De Leg. Alleg. l. 2. p. 93. de Plant. Noe, p. 217. de Migrat. Abraham, p. 389. de Profugis, p. 466. quis. rer. divin. Haeres. p. 509.

{q} Targum Jon. in loc.

{r} T. Bab. Pesachim, fol. 54. 1. & Nedarim, fol. 39. 2. Pirke Eliezer, c. 3.

{s} De Allegor. l. 2. p. 99, 101. & de Somniis, p. 599.

H. 1:1 In {1} the {a} beginning {b} was {c} the Word, and the Word was {d} with God, and the {e} Word was God.

(1) The Son of God is of one and the selfsame eternity or everlastingness, and of one and the selfsame essence or nature with the Father.

(a) From the beginning, as the evangelist says in \\# 1Jo 1:1\\; it is as though he said that the Word did not begin to have his being when God began to make all that was made: for the Word was even then when all things that were made began to be made, and therefore he was before the beginning of all things.

(b) Had his being.

(c) This word "the" points out to us a peculiar and choice thing above all others, and puts a difference between this "Word", which is the Son of God, and the laws of God, which are also called the word of God.

(d) This word "with" points out that there is a distinction of persons here.

(e) This word "Word" is the first in order in the sentence, and is the subject of the sentence, and this word "God" is the latter in order, and is the predicate of the sentence.

I. \\"In the beginning" \\

Augustine well reminds us that this beginning had no beginning. Calv.

Bengel 1.541

\\"and the Word was with God,"\\

There is no attempt to go back beyond "the Word was with God;" it was so "in the beginning," and no "silence" preceded the "Word".

RB Jn 33

\\"and the Word was with God,"\\

This [saying] regards it as self-evident that in the beginning God was: but He was not alone; the Logos was with Him.

RB Jn 32

\\"the Word was God."\\

There is therefore no talk of subordination; the status of the Word is one of equality with God: He was God; the Word is therefore given the same status as God, just as faith confesses the Son, who had been raised again to the glory that He had had before, to be "my Lord and my God."

# Jo 20.28 *

RB Jn 32

The truth to be expressed lies between the alternating and apparently contradictory ways in which the Word is defined... it has to be grasped from the succession of contradictory propositions, and this pervades the whole of the Gospel: certainly the Father and the Son are one, see:-

# 10.30 *

and yet the Father is greater than the Son, see:-

# 14.28 *

Certainly the Son carries out the Father's will obediently, see:-

# 5.30 6.38 *

and yet the Son has the same power as the Father; He bestows life and claims the same honour as the Father, see:-

# 5.21-27*

and whoever sees the Son, sees the Father, see:-

# 14.9

God is there only in His revelation, and whoever encounters the revelation really encounters God: "the Word was God."

RB Jn 35 cf:-

# Prov 8.22 *

"The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, Before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, Or ever the earth was."

\\"and the word was God."\\

Either Christ, as revelation of God, is identical in being with God, or monotheism breaks down at the point of revelation.

DB C 100

\\John's Gospel\\

The synoptic gospels present Christ in relation to what had been before in the history of the testimony, but John presents the person of Christ in relation to what is from eternity. He shows how divine love operates in time according to purpose, how the activities of divine Persons are for the satisfaction of that love, so that those in whom God has worked, respond to it.

PL 2.213

\\"the Word"\\

"Not to the salvation wrought by Gideon, the son of Joash, does my soul look, for it is temporal. Not to the salvation wrought by Samson, the son of Manoah, is my longing directed, for it is transient: but to the salvation, the completion of which Thou has promised, by Thy everlasting Word, to bring to Thy people the descendants of Israel.

To Thy salvation, O Jehovah, to the salvation of Messiah the son of David, Who will one day redeem Israel and bring her back from the dispersion, to that salvation my soul looks forward; for Thy salvation is an everlasting salvation.." (Jerusalem Targum)

EWB CB app. 36

\\John's gospel\\

Whereas the Synoptics portray Jesus' ministry by collecting together a large number of small pieces of tradition, which they try to join up as best they can, John gives his portrayal in a series of large detailed pictures.

RB 210

J. Joh 1:

1 � In die begin was die Woord, en die Woord was by God, en die Woord was God.

2 Hy was in die begin by God. ( Gaan na Kruisverwysings van vers 2 )

3 Alle dinge het deur Hom ontstaan, en sonder Hom het nie een ding ontstaan wat ontstaan het nie.

4 In Hom was lewe, en die lewe was die lig van die mense. ( Gaan na Kruisverwysings van vers 4 )

5 � En die lig skyn in die duisternis, en die duisternis het dit nie oorweldig nie.

( Gaan na Kruisverwysings van vers 5 )

Kruisverwysings van vers 1

Genesis 1:1 � In die begin het God die hemel en die aarde geskape.

Spreuke 8:22 � Die HERE het my berei as eersteling van sy weg, voor sy werke, van ouds af.

Spreuke 8:23 Van ewigheid af is ek geformeer, van die begin af, van die voortyd van die aarde af.

Spreuke 8:24 Toe daar nog geen wêreldvloede was nie, is ek gebore; toe fonteine, swaar van water, nog nie daar was nie;

Spreuke 8:25 voordat die berge ingesink het, voor die heuwels is ek gebore;

Spreuke 8:26 toe Hy die aarde en die velde en al die stoffies van die wêreld nog nie gemaak het nie.

Spreuke 8:27 Toe Hy die hemele berei het, was ek daar; toe Hy 'n kring afgetrek het op die oppervlakte van die wêreldvloed;

Spreuke 8:28 toe Hy die wolke daarbo bevestig het, toe die bronne van die wêreldvloed sterk geword het;

Spreuke 8:29 toe Hy vir die see sy grens gestel het, dat die waters sy bevel nie sou oortree nie; toe Hy die fondamente van die aarde vasgelê het--

Spreuke 8:30 toe was ek 'n kunstenaar naas Hom, en ek was dag vir dag vol verlustiging en het gespeel voor sy aangesig altyd,

Spreuke 8:31 en het gespeel op sy wêreldrond, en my verlustiginge was met die mensekinders.

Efesiërs 3:9 en vir almal aan die lig te bring wat die gemeenskap is van die verborgenheid wat van alle eeue af verborge was in God wat alles geskape het deur Jesus Christus,

Kolossense 1:17 En Hy is voor alle dinge, en in Hom hou alle dinge stand.

Hebreërs 1:10 en: U, o Here, het in die begin die aarde gegrondves en die hemele is werke van u hande.

Hebreërs 7:3 sonder vader, sonder moeder, sonder geslagsregister, sonder begin van dae of lewenseinde, maar gelykgestel aan die Seun van God, bly hy priester altyddeur.

Hebreërs 13:8 Jesus Christus is gister en vandag dieselfde en tot in ewigheid.

Openbaring 1:2 wat getuig het van die woord van God en die getuienis van Jesus Christus alles wat hy gesien het.

Openbaring 1:8 Ek is die Alfa en die Oméga, die begin en die einde, sê die Here, wat is en wat was en wat kom, die Almagtige.

Openbaring 1:11 Ek is die Alfa en die Oméga, die eerste en die laaste, en skryf wat jy sien in 'n boek en stuur dit na die sewe gemeentes wat in Asië is: na Éfese en Smirna en Pérgamus en Thiatíre en Sardis en Filadelfía en Laodicéa.

Openbaring 2:8 � En skryf aan die engel van die gemeente in Smirna: Dít sê die eerste en die laaste, wat dood was en lewend geword het:

Openbaring 21:6 En Hy het vir my gesê: Dit is verby! Ek is die Alfa en die Oméga, die begin en die einde. Aan die dorstige sal Ek gee uit die fontein van die water van die lewe, verniet.

Openbaring 22:13 Ek is die Alfa en die Oméga, die begin en die einde, die eerste en die laaste.

Johannes 1:14 En die Woord het vlees geword en het onder ons gewoon--en ons het sy heerlikheid aanskou, 'n heerlikheid soos van die Eniggeborene wat van die Vader kom--vol van genade en waarheid.

1 Johannes 1:1 � Wat van die begin af was, wat ons gehoor het, wat ons met ons oë gesien het, wat ons aanskou het en ons hande getas het aangaande die Woord van die lewe--

1 Johannes 1:2 en die lewe is geopenbaar, en ons het dit gesien, en ons getuig en verkondig aan julle die ewige lewe wat by die Vader was en aan ons geopenbaar is--

1 Johannes 5:7 Want daar is drie wat getuig in die hemel: die Vader, die Woord en die Heilige Gees, en hierdie drie is een;

Openbaring 19:13 En Hy was bekleed met 'n kleed wat in bloed gedoop was, en sy Naam is: Die Woord van God.

Johannes 1:18 Niemand het ooit God gesien nie; die eniggebore Seun wat in die boesem van die Vader is, dié het Hom verklaar.

Johannes 16:28 � Ek het van die Vader uitgegaan en in die wêreld gekom. Weer verlaat Ek die wêreld en gaan na my Vader.

Johannes 17:5 En nou, Vader, verheerlik My by Uself met die heerlikheid wat Ek by U gehad het voordat die wêreld was.