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John 1,1-18

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1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with GOD, and the Word was GOD. 2 He was with GOD in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. (...) 9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of GOD— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of GOD. 14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (...) 18 No one has ever seen GOD, but the one and only Son, being in the bosom of the Father, has made him known.

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1 In the beginning

The words in the beginning (Old Greek: en archē) are reminiscent of the first words of the creation account. While Genesis 1,1 is about the first/original creation, the New Testament - including John 1 - mostly refers to the gospel and the restoration of the fallen creation. The claim that archē means a timeless eternity is false. Archē firstly always refers to a specific point in time and secondly to the object under consideration (John 15,27 / John 16,4 / Acts 11,15). In the beginning was the plan of salvation that GOD realized through Jesus Christ (Acts 1,1). The same applies to 1st John 1,1. Mark 1,1 even speaks of the beginning (archē) of the Gospel.

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...was the word

The Old Greek word logos (Hebrew: dâbâr) means, among other things, word, speech, promise, decree, wisdom, reason. It is used over 300 times in the New Testament and over 1500 times in the Old Testament as a saying or speech of GOD, without any connection to Jesus. Therefore, the Word and Jesus are neither identical nor synonymous. Furthermore, Jesus never refers to himself as "the Word" or "the Word of GOD". Only in the Book of Revelation does this designation appear in direct connection with Jesus; however, in a completely different context than in John 1. In the beginning was the Word (Old Greek: logos); not "the son" (Old Greek: huios). GOD's mind always precedes GOD's actions (Isaiah 42,9 / Isaiah 46,9-11). GOD speaks and it happens (Genesis 1,3 + 6 + 9 + 14 + 20 + 24 + 26 + 29 / Psalm 33,9).

 

Logos is not an abstract description for a pre-existent Son called “the Word”, but describes an act in which GOD decides something and calls it into existence from nothing (Romans 4,17). The same applies to the word speak (Hebrew: 'âmar / Old Greek: legō). Thus logos stands for GOD's plan to reconcile humanity with Himself. The content of this plan is the Messiah, the man Jesus Christ. He existed in GOD's mind before the creation of the world, but not as a real person. Adam was the first human being created by GOD. Jesus is the beginning or the first creature of the new creation (Revelation 3,14). He comes after Adam, not before him. In 1st Corinthians 15,45, Jesus is called the last Adam because he embodies what Adam or man was created to be. The Word (logos) and Jesus the Son (huios) are not synonymous.

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see:

Mt 4,4 / Mt 7,24 / Lk 8,11 / Lk 11,28 / Joh 8,31 f. + 47 / Joh 17,17 / Act 6,2 / Rom 10,17 / Eph 6,17 / Phi 2,16 / 1st Thes 2,13 / 2nd Tim 2,9 / 1st Pet 1,23-25 / Heb 3,7 / Heb 4,12 / Heb 11,3

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...and the word was with GOD

The word (logos), i.e. the plan of salvation, comes from GOD (Isaiah 55,11 / Psalm 147,15 / Matthew 4,4). Therefore one can say that in the beginning it was with (Old Greek: pros) GOD.

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...and GOD / divine was the word

GOD'S word / plan belongs to GOD and is closely interwoven with GOD. It is an expression of His will and wisdom. In this respect one can say that GOD was the Word. Since the definite article the (Old Greek: ho) before GOD (Old Greek: theos) is missing here, theos can also be rendered as divine. This expresses that the plan of salvation is of divine origin.

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3 Through it all things were made; without it nothing was made that has been made.

All things can mean both the first creation (i.e. heaven and earth) or the gospel. In several places we read that GOD created through His Word (Old Greek: logos) (Psalm 33,6 / Psalm 148,5 / Hebrews 11,3 / 2nd Peter 3,5-7). There is no reference to Jesus here. None of the apostles connect Genesis 1 with Jesus. In relation to the gospel, it means that GOD made everything that He had planned and devised before the creation of the world in order to save humanity and to restore His kingdom has come true in the Messiah.

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4 In it (the word) was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.

The promise of the Messiah was the light of mankind. He was and is the hope of redemption from sin and death for GOD's people and thus of eternal life. For many centuries, GOD announced the coming of the Savior through His prophets through dreams, visions and numerous revelations (Amos 3,7 / Acts 7,52). GOD already gave the first prophecy to Adam and Eve (Genesis 3,14 f.). Over time, more and more concrete predictions were added.

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9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.

John the Baptist was the herald sent by GOD to announce the imminent appearance of the Messiah and thus of the light that GOD had promised in His word (logos). Coming into the world can refer to Jesus' birth or Jesus' mission, which began with Jesus' baptism. This does not mean an incarnation of a pre-existing being.

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10 He was in the world, and though the world was made because of him, the world did not recognize him.

Verse 10 is a foresight, because only in verse 14 does it say that Jesus began to really exist. The Greek word dia, rendered through in most translations, can also be translated as for someone's sake. GOD created the earth for the Messiah and for man to give it, to him as an inheritance. The Messiah was to sit on the throne of his father David and rule over GOD's people for all time (Luke 1,31-33). Because Jesus fulfilled GOD's will, he is the rightful heir (Hebrews 1,2).

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11 He came to his own, but his own did not receive him.

The Jews rejected Jesus as their Messiah, who was one of them. Although he was the king of Israel and at the same time the rightful heir, Jesus was rejected and murdered by the leaders of his people (Matthew 21,38 f.). But everyone who is willing to believe GOD's message and accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior may belong to GOD's people and thus participate in GOD's inheritance, eternal life in the world to come. GOD raised up His servant Jesus to mankind so that all could come to the Father through him (John 14,6). Jesus is the way and GOD is the destination. Faith in Jesus goes hand in hand with a person's spiritual rebirth and a holy lifestyle.​

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12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of GOD—

13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of GOD.​

These two verses make it clear that the Gospel of John is not about the incarnation of a pre-existing divine being, but about the new creation that begins with the human Jesus Christ (2nd Corinthians 5,17 / Ephesians 4,24 / 1st John 4,7 / 1st John 5,1-4) and continues with believers. Adam, formed by GOD from the dust of the earth, represents the beginning of the first (natural) creation. Jesus (the last Adam), however, whom GOD begot from His Spirit, is the beginning of the new (spiritual) creation (1st Corinthians 15,45-49 / Colossians 1,15 / ​​Revelation 3,14). This was necessary to sever the connection to the first creation, which had been contaminated by the sin of Adam and his descendants. Only in this way could Jesus be sinless, which makes him unique as a Son (Old Greek: monogenes) Just as Jesus was born of GOD, all other people are to be born (anew) of GOD (John 3,3-7). In this way, a person becomes a child of GOD, while Jesus is already GOD's Son from the first day of his life (Luke 1,35). Jesus is therefore also the example to which all should be conformed (Romans 8,29). Because Christians, like Jesus, are born of GOD, they are brothers of Jesus (Hebrews 2,11), while GOD is the Father of Jesus and all believers.

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14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the only begotten Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.

Since time immemorial, the Jews have eagerly awaited their messianic king. The Jews have always eagerly awaited their messianic king. When the time was fulfilled, the Messiah was born as a human being (1st Peter 1,20 f.). The Word became flesh. GOD's promise became reality. The Savior of the world, who stands at the center of GOD's plan of salvation and who until then existed only in GOD's thoughts (logos), now dwelt among men as a real person. Because Jesus was directly conceived by the Holy Spirit of the Father, he was sinless from the beginning. Jesus taught people the whole truth about GOD and His will. The Mosaic Law was not perfect in this regard. The many good works that Jesus did among people and his substitutionary death on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins reveal GOD's immeasurable grace towards humanity. Jesus radiates the glory that Adam and his descendants lost through sin (Romans 3,23). In Jesus Christ, the Son of GOD, we recognize the perfect human being and the true image of GOD (Colossians 1,15). The Bible is the written Word of GOD (logos). You could also say, "And the Word became a book". No believer would conclude that the Bible is GOD or that it already existed alongside GOD in another form before its creation. The fact, that the Bible is GOD's Word means that GOD expresses His will in this book. The same is true of Jesus as a person. That GOD's Word became flesh does not mean that Jesus existed before his birth. It does mean that we can discern GOD's will from this person's teachings and conduct.​

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​The phrase born of GOD and begotten of GOD (John 1,13 / John 3,3-9 / James 1,18 / 1st Peter 1,3 + 23 / 1st John 3,9 / 1st John 4,7 / 1st John 5,4) refers to the second/new creation, with Jesus as the firstborn. This contrasts with the first/fallen creation, which began with Adam. Jesus Christ was literally begotten by GOD as a new human being/new creation, without any relation to the old creation. This makes Jesus unique among all people. For this reason, the New Testament calls Jesus the only-begotten/unique Son (Greek: monogenēs huios). Hebrews 2,11 explains that both Jesus and believers come from GOD. They therefore have one and the same Father (John 20,17). Just like every other human being, Jesus also had a beginning, namely, his birth. This is described in detail in the New Testament. There are only four instances in the New Testament where monogenēs is mentioned in connection with Jesus; and these are exclusively by John. None of the other apostles uses this term in their letters. If monogenēs were to designate Jesus' divinity and thus distinguish him from all other children of GOD, then a continuous use of this word throughout the entire New Testament would be expected for the sake of clear differentiation.

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The word monogenes describes the uniqueness of a person or thing with regard to a particular aspect. In the context of Jesus, it does not refer to his physical nature, but rather to Jesus' supernatural conception by the Holy Spirit of the Father and his spotless character. For this reason, unlike all other people, Jesus was without sin from the beginning of his life. This fact makes Jesus unique and, at the same time, the true Son and image of GOD. Because Jesus was directly conceived by GOD, he is GOD's Son from his physical birth (Luke 1,35). All other people become children of GOD through their conversion and the accompanying spiritual rebirth. Monogenes can also refer to Jesus' election as the Messiah. In Hebrews 11,17-19, this term is used in reference to Isaac, the son of Abraham, even though Abraham had other sons besides Isaac (Genesis 16,11 / Genesis 25,1). This clearly concerns Isaac's election, not his nature.

 

That Jesus is the Son of GOD does not express a metaphysical lineage. The idea that gods beget offspring who share the same divine nature as themselves was widespread in Greco-Roman paganism and was later transferred to the Christian faith by the so-called "Church Fathers". The notion that Jesus is GOD because he was begotten/born of GOD is a purely philosophical assumption read into the Bible by Trinitarians. In this respect, the designation "GOD the Son" is not only unbiblical, but it also distorts the biblical meaning of "son" and thus elevates a creature to the status of GOD Equally unbiblical and contradictory is the idea of ​​"eternal begetting". Everywhere in the Bible that begetting or birth is mentioned, it refers to the (physical or spiritual) creation or beginning of a person. GOD did not beget Jesus as a (second) GOD, but as a human being. The Bible testifies that Jesus only became GOD's Son and GOD his Father at a specific time (Hebrews 1,5).

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18 No one has ever seen GOD, but the only begotten Son, being in the bosom of the Father, has made Him known.

GOD is invisible. Before the Messiah came, people only knew GOD as He had revealed Himself in the Old Testament. Nobody really knew who or what GOD was like. Jesus made GOD's fatherly love understandable to people and showed through His life what true righteousness based on faith means. In the father's bosom is a Semitic saying that expresses a special closeness and trusting relationship between two people; in this case between Jesus and GOD. The use of the participle being does not express an eternal binitarian unity, but rather the constant (spiritual) communion between the Heavenly Father and His human Son. In the bosom of the father refers to either the time after Jesus' birth or after his ascension to GOD.

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John 1 is not about the incarnation of GOD, but about GOD's plan/counsel (logos), which He fulfilled in the Messiah to reconcile the world to Himself and give hope to humanity. Jesus proclaimed the words of GOD, which the Father taught Him through the Holy Spirit. Jesus' teaching does not originate with Him, but with GOD the Father (John 7,16 / John 14,10). Jesus is GOD's mouthpiece. In contrast to the Mosaic Law, Jesus revealed the original and complete will of GOD in His preaching. Jesus embodies GOD's Word/truth in person. His words are true. They enable us to have fellowship with GOD the Father and grant us eternal life if we accept them in faith and live by them. Jesus is the Word of GOD made flesh (in human form). Nowhere in the New Testament, however, does it say that the eternal Son became human, as is traditionally taught today. The idea of ​​a pre-existent Logos as a divine being and its incarnation as a human being does not originate in the Bible, but in Hellenistic philosophy. It was conceived by Plato and described in his work "Timaeus". Later, it was taken up by the Jewish philosopher Philo Judaeus and linked to Holy Scripture. The so-called "Church Fathers" further developed this concept into the present-day dogma of the Trinity.

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see:

Isa 50,4 f. / ISa 53 / Mt 4,4 / 7,24 / Mt 24,35 / Joh 3,34 / Joh 5,39 / Joh 6,36 / Joh 7,16 f. / Joh 8,26 + 38 + 40 + 47 + 54 / Joh 8,58 / Joh 10,35 / Joh 12,48 / Joh 13,3 f. / Joh 15,3 + 7 / Joh 17,1 + 5 + 17 + 22 / Act 5,20 / Act 10,36 / Phi 2,9 + 16 / Col 3,16 / 1st Pet 1,11 f. / 1st Pet 1,20 / 1st Pet 1,23-25 / 2nd Pet 1,17 / 1st Thes 2,13 / Jam 1,21 / Heb 1,3 / Heb 12,2 / Rev 19,13​

 

A meaningsful translation of the prologue to John reads:

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1 In the beginning was the plan, and this plan came from GOD, and the plan contained a divine message. 2 This plan came from GOD. 3 Through this plan, GOD realized everything that is now reality. 4 The content of GOD's plan was eternal life, which would give hope (light) to humanity. 5 And this hope illuminates the darkness, and the darkness cannot compete with it. 6 There was a man named John, who was sent by GOD. 7 His commission was to announce the coming of the bearer of hope, so that everyone might believe through him. 8 He himself was not the bearer of hope, but he was to announce his coming. 9 This bearer of hope was the true hope for humanity. 10 He was in the world that GOD had created for his sake (as his inheritance), yet the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to his people, but his people did not acknowledge him. (...) 14 And GOD's promise was fulfilled in a man who lived among us. And we beheld his glory as the heir (son) of GOD, uniquely begotten by GOD's Holy Spirit, full of grace and truth. (...) 18 No one has ever seen GOD; the uniquely begotten heir (son), who is in closest (spiritual) fellowship with GOD, has made known to us His will.

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see:

Isa 53 / Joh 17,1 + 5 + 22 / Joh 8,58 / Phi 2,9 / Heb 12,2 / 1st Pet 1,11 f. / 1st Pet 1,20 f. / 2nd Pet 1,17

 

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John 1,22 f.

Isaiah 40,3

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22 Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” 23 John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’"

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This is a prophetic quote from the book of Isaiah. The word Lord (Old Greek: kyrios) refers here to GOD and not to Jesus, as is often assumed. John the Baptist was sent by GOD with the mission to announce the coming of the Messiah. In this way he prepared the way for GOD to carry out His purpose (John 1,1-18) for the redemption of humanity through the Messiah. Jesus came in the name of the LORD His GOD to carry out His plan and will. In the Old Testament we read in many places how GOD announces things that He plans to do, even though He uses people or angels to carry out His plans. Jesus is the way of the Lord (Yahweh) and the salvation of GOD (Luke 2,30 / Luke 3,6), i.e. he is the fulfillment of the promise that GOD made to His people.

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see:

Mt 21,9 / Lk 1,32 / Joh 5,43 / Joh 14,6

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John 1,29 f.

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29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of GOD, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’"

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The Greek word prōtos can mean both before in the temporal sense and first. There are many examples of this in Scripture (Matthew 20,27 / Matthew 22,38 / Mark 6,21 / Mark 10,44 / Luke 11,26 / Acts 28,17). The Greek word emprosthen means to be higher than someone else in a spatial sense as well as in position or rank, influence or honor. Therefore verse 30 can also be translated as he has surpassed me or he is superior to me. Jesus was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world (Revelation 13,8). In this sense, Jesus has a more important meaning in GOD's plan of salvation than John the Baptist. It is said that John jumped for joy in his mother's womb when Mary visited Elizabeth because at that moment he was close to his Savior (Luke 1,41). Jesus was born approximately six months after John the Baptist (Luke 1,26). John knew that the Messiah was superior to him. Furthermore, John the Baptist explicitly calls the Messiah a man/human (Old Greek: anēr).

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In his statement, John refers to the one who comes after (Old Greek: opisa) him. Jesus used the same word when he asked people to follow him (Matthew 19,21) and when he told Peter to go behind him (Matthew 16,23). Since John the Baptist appeared before Jesus, Jesus was initially behind John. The Greek word gegonen is a form of the Greek verb ginomai, which means to be. It is in the perfect tense and means has become or has been. Jesus, who came after or behind John the Baptist, became the first before him because he is ahead of him in rank or has surpassed him. At one point, John was before Jesus. But in John 3,30, John says that he must decrease and Jesus must increase in return. The ministry of John the Baptist preceded that of the Messiah. But the ministry of Jesus was to replace that of John. Because Jesus is the Messiah, his ministry has always had greater significance than that of John the Baptist. Thus verse 30 can be rendered as follows:

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30 This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed (replaced) me because he was before me (in rank).’

 

 

 

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John 2,24 f.

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24 But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew them all. 25 He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in people.

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It is clear from Scripture that Jesus did not know everything, as he increased in wisdom (Luke 2,52) and had no knowledge of certain things (Matthew 24,36). Whenever the word everything (old Greek: pas) is used, it must be checked based on the context whether it is to be understood in the absolute or in the restricted sense. The apostle John writes that believers know everything (1st John 2,20). John does not mean that Christians have all knowledge, but that they have already understood the most important things regarding the gospel and the will of GOD. The statement in John 21,17 does not mean that Peter believed his Lord to be all-knowing, but rather that Jesus knew him well enough to know that Peter loved him. Jesus also only knew as much as he needed to know in order to be able to judge people right.

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The claim that Jesus knew everything in his “divine nature” but was limited in his “human nature” falls short. GOD is omniscient, while humans have limited knowledge. Jesus cannot be omniscient and yet not omniscient at the same time. If Jesus had temporarily turned off his omniscience, he would not have been able to know everything. If Jesus had only hidden his knowledge, the statement that he did not know the time of his return, but only the Father, would be a lie, since Jesus in truth knew everything. The explanation that Jesus hid his omniscience as a human is also not credible because he apparently used his supernatural knowledge specifically, as in this case.

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There is no verse that says Jesus knew everything the same way GOD did. All wisdom that Jesus possesses comes from GOD. It is the Father who revealed everything important to Jesus in advance. GOD showed Jesus through the Holy Spirit what was in people's hearts, i.e. their true motives and intentions. Similarly, GOD revealed secrets to His prophets that a normal person could not know. The prophet Nathan knew of David's secret sin (2nd Samuel 12,7). The prophet Ahijah knew what Jeroboam's wife wanted and who she was, even though he was already blind at the time and she was wearing a disguise (1st Kings 14,4 + 6). Elijah knew that King Ahab had committed murder by falsely accusing Naboth (1st Kings 21,17-20). He also knew what the king of Israel wanted to know (2nd Kings 1,1-4). Elisha knew that his servant Gehazi was lying and about the greed in his heart (2nd Kings 5,19-27). Daniel knew Nebuchadnezzar's dream, although Nebuchadnezzar had not revealed it to anyone (Daniel 2,5 + 28-30).

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John 3,13

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4 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.

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The words recorded in John 3,13 do not come from Jesus, but from the author of the gospel. When Jesus spoke to Nicodemus, he was not in heaven but on earth. Jesus himself speaks until only verse 12, while verse 13 is part of the author's narrative, as is most of the Gospel of John. Most chapters begin with a narrative; so does the third. This narrative continues from verse 13 to the end of the chapter. The past tense, used from verse 13 onwards, indicates completed events. The phrase who is in heaven (verse 13) makes it clear that at the time the gospel was written, Jesus had already ascended to GOD the Father in heaven.

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The verb ascended (Old Greek: anabainō) is in the past tense in Greek. In verse 14, both verbs for increased (Old Greek: hypsōsen and hypsōthēnai) are also in the past tense. As the serpent Moses was lifted up, so the Son of Man must also be lifted up. Both the serpent and the Son of Man were exalted in the past. The verbs loved and gave used in verse 16 further show that Jesus' death is in the past. In addition, Jesus speaks in the first person until verse 12, while from verse 13 onwards the Son of GOD is only spoken of in the third person. Instead of saying everyone who believes in me (John 6,35 / John 7,38 / John 8,12 / John 11,25 f. / John 12,44 + 46) we read: everyone who believes in him.

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The phrases from heaven / sent from above / sent by GOD that Jesus uses in the Gospel of John mean that Jesus came on behalf of GOD to proclaim the heavenly / divine message of the Father, which brings eternal life to all who accept it. In John 17,18 and John 20,21, Jesus uses the same expression for his disciples when he says that he is sending them into the world as the Father sent him into the world. This means that Jesus commissioned or appointed the believers, just as GOD commissioned and appointed the Messiah for his mission. John the Baptist was also sent by GOD (John 1,6). Just like Moses and the prophets, Jesus received his instructions and revelations directly from GOD (figuratively: from heaven / from above), but to a far greater extent than any human being before him. James 1,17 says that every good gift comes from above. GOD promised His blessings to the people if they would give Him their tithes, saying that He would open the windows of heaven and pour out His blessings (Malachi 3,10). This does not mean that GOD literally makes things fall out of the sky, but rather that He is the source of all blessings. In Matthew 21,25, Jesus asks the Pharisees whether John's baptism was from heaven or from men. Here too, the expression from heaven means that John's baptism was given by GOD. Paul writes in 1st Corinthians 15,47 that the first (perishable) man is from the earth, while the second (glorified) man is from heaven. Because Jesus was the only human being conceived by the Holy Spirit of the Father in Mary's womb, he symbolically comes from above / from heaven / from GOD. Jesus is GOD's seed and therefore GOD's son.

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see:

Ex 4,22 / Ps 89,27 / Mt 25,34 / Joh 8,56 / Joh 15,19 / Joh 17,14-16 / Joh 20,17 / Eph 1,3 f. / Eph 2,10 / Heb 4,3 / 2nd Tim 1,9 f. / 1st Pet 1,20 / Heb 4,14 / Rev 17,8

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