1:1-5 ~ Jesus Christ is the Word who has always been

The first words of Genesis are, In the beginning God *created the heavens and the earth. Genesis means beginning. These first words of the *gospel are the same. The Word of God (Jesus) was with God before the *creation of the world. He was there from the beginning with God. Jesus is the power of God: he made the world and keeps it going (3). Jesus is also God. God is one God, but he shows himself to us in different ways. The Bible speaks of him as God the Father, God the Son (Jesus) and God the *Holy *Spirit. In himself, Jesus is the same as God. He shares in everything God does. So when we see Jesus, we see God the Father. God is always Jesus-like. God has never changed. God has never been different from what he has always been. He is the same God in the *Old Testament as in the *New Testament. Jesus words and actions show us what God thinks about us. They show us too how much he loves us. Together with and through the Word (Jesus), God *created all things (Hebrews 11:3). God did not make anything without the help of Jesus Christ. Before God *created the world, there was nothing there. God did not take something and make it into the world. God is not part of the world. He was there before the world was. He is therefore separate from the world. We cannot find God in parts of his world. For example, we cannot find him in animals or trees. Everything that God *created received its life from the Word (Acts 17:28). When God *created the world he said, Let there be light (Genesis 1:3). The Word of God gave the physical light. He also wants to give *spiritual light (being able to understand) to everyone (4). This light shows everyone who God is. God *created the world. He saw that it was very good (Genesis 1:4). However, when *sin entered the world, darkness entered too. Because of *sin, the world is no longer very good. It is in darkness. The light made the darkness disappear. Darkness describes those do not want to follow Gods ways. Darkness is life without Jesus Christ. He is the light that shines in the darkness (5). He defeated the darkness at the *cross. The light of Jesus Christ keeps shining in the darkness. But the darkness has never understood or won the battle against the light. Jesus defeated the darkness at the *cross.

1:6-8 ~ John the *Baptist

God has always sent people (called *prophets) to tell the good news about himself. As far as we know, there had been no *prophets for four hundred years. At this time in history, God sent a *prophet named John the *Baptist. He came to point out to the *Jews that Jesus was their *Messiah. John was a great man (see Acts 19:3-4). He became very famous. People thought that he might even be the *Messiah. John, the *gospel writer, emphasises that John the *Baptist is not the *Messiah. John is not the light. He came only to show people the light.

1:9-13 ~ The light coming to the world

John now speaks of the one who is more important than John the *Baptist. The true light (the Word) is Jesus who is coming into the world (9). There has always been light in the world. People have always been able to see God through the things that he has *created. There is also a voice inside speaking to us of right and wrong (*Romans 1:18-21). The world means more than the *Jewish people of the world. It means the people who do not believe. (The writer is thinking most but not entirely of *Jews here). John now writes about Jesus life. Jesus came to the world that he had made. But most *Jews did not believe that he was their *Messiah (10-11). However, some people (*Jews and *gentiles) believed his words. Then they became Gods children.

The name of a person was very important. It showed what he or she was like. The name Jesus means God is the *saviour (Matthew 1:21). Believing in Jesus name means accepting the *salvation that he obtained for everyone at the *cross. When people believe in his name, it means they believe in the character of God. They believe that God is good. He is kind and loves the people of the world. When they see Jesus, they see God and believe in him. Then God gives them the right to become his own children. All who believe in him are in Gods family. Gods children do not come from a human birth. We cannot make ourselves children of God. Only God can make us his children. Jesus took our *sins on the *cross. He gives us his *Holy *Spirit when we agree that he died for us. All who believe in him are his children. God is their Father (12-13).

1:14-18 ~ The Word has become a human person

John tells us in these verses that the Word becomes the man, Jesus. He becomes a person and the *disciples see him with their own eyes. Would you like to see what this great God is like? Then look at the Jesus who was on this earth. He shows us how God would live if he were a man. God came from *heaven to this earth and became like us. He ate, drank and slept like us. He had the same feelings that we have. John uses the idea of a tent to describe how Jesus lived on earth. Jesus came for a short period. He did not have a permanent home. In the *Old Testament, Gods people lived in the desert. Gods home was a tent. See Exodus 36:18-38, and chapter 40 for details of the *tabernacle (tent). This was where God would meet the *Israelites. In the desert, the *glory of the *Lord appeared in a cloud (Exodus 16:10). The *glory of the *Lord came upon Mount Sinai. This was before God gave the Ten *Commandments (Exodus 24:16). When Moses had prepared the *tabernacle, the *glory of the *Lord filled it (Exodus 40:34). Solomon built the *Temple. The priests could not go into it. Because then, the *glory of the *Lord filled the house of the *Lord (1 Kings 8:11). When Isaiah saw the *Lord in the *Temple, he heard the *angels singing. They sang, The whole earth is full of his *glory (Isaiah 6:3). John tells us how he and other *disciples saw the *glory of Jesus, Gods Son. They saw his *glory in the *miracles that he did (John 2:11). They saw his *glory in the *Transfiguration on the mountain (Matthew 17:2). Always when the *disciples were with him, they saw his *glory. They knew and felt that he was present with them all the time. It was wonderful. Moreover, Jesus is full of *grace and truth. *Grace is Gods special *blessing. We do not have to earn it. It does not depend on how good we are. God gives it to us freely and without price. *Grace also helps us to understand God. It shows us that he is strong and powerful. He could easily destroy us if he wished. But *grace shows that he is gentle and kind. He wants good things for us. Jesus came to show us Gods *grace and Gods truth. John the *Baptist makes clear that Jesus is greater than he is. The reason is that he was before me (15). Verse 1 tells the same truth. With a loud voice, John shouts this message. John is older than Jesus. But Jesus existed before John was born. Verse 16 shows that God has given his *grace to all Christians. God gives his *grace in full, but it does not come all at once. God gives all of his *grace time and time again. He gives us one *blessing after another. It is one *grace and then another *grace. After one *grace, another comes to take its place. Fullness (being full) is the total of everything that God is. All that is in God and of God is ours (see 1 Corinthians 3:21-23). Verse 17 says that God gave the law to the *Jews through Moses. Now he shows himself in a new way, through Jesus. We see here two ways in which God deals with us. One is through obeying laws. The other is through receiving *grace. *Grace does not replace law. We must all still obey the law. *Grace helps us to obey the law.

Verse 18 tells us that the only person who has seen God the Father is Jesus, his Son. God did not allow even Moses to see him. The only way we can know God is through Jesus Christ, the Word. It is a better way to know God than Moses knew. Jesus is Gods only Son who is close to the Father. He is the one who shows God to us. In the first 18 verses, John has been trying to tell us how great God is. In doing this, he can only use human words to describe God. We must always recognise that we do not have the knowledge to understand God. We have to ask him to help us to understand Johns message.

Part 2 ~ The first events (1:19 - 2:11)

John now begins the story of the life of Jesus during a period of six days. God through Jesus (the Word) *created the world in six days (Genesis 1). John has already mentioned this. Perhaps John sees Jesus life on earth as a six-day period. He worked to *create the world in six days. Now Jesus, the Word who became man works for six days.

1:19-28 ~ John explains who he is

The *Jews of Jerusalem send priests and *Levites to ask John the *Baptist who he is (19). The words the *Jews appear many times in this *gospel. Here it means mostly the *Jewish leaders in Jerusalem. Zacharias, the father of John the *Baptist was a priest. The job of priest passed from father to son. No other person could be a priest. So this could be a reason for this visit. John, the son of a priest, is behaving in an unusual way. They want to know why. Many people are coming to hear him speak. So the leaders may think he is a *false *prophet. The *Jews expected the *Messiah (the Christ) to come from God to the earth. *Messiah is a *Jewish word. The Greek word means Christ. The meaning of the word *Messiah is the one God chose above all other people. He is the one to whom God gives his *Spirit in a special way. The *Messiah is a king who comes to rule. The *Jews had many different ideas of what the *Messiah would do. Some thought that he would bring peace to the earth. He would make right everything that was wrong. Other people expected him to lead the armies of the *Jews. They would defeat the armies of the world. Some *Jews said that they were the *Messiah. They caused a lot of trouble. Some of the *Jews who listened to John thought that he was Elijah. They believed that Elijah would return to the earth. This would be before the *Messiah came. He would prepare the world to receive the *Messiah (Malachi 4:5). So they thought that Elijah had returned to earth. The *Jews also expected a *prophet like Moses whom they should listen to (Deuteronomy 18:15-20). The *Jews were serious about *false *prophets. They would kill them if the things that they spoke of did not happen (Deuteronomy 18:20). We can understand therefore how the *Jews thought. They wanted to make sure that John was a true *prophet. John says that he is not the *Messiah. Nor is he Elijah or the *prophet (21). Johns answer to their question is that he is nothing. He is just a voice. He uses the words of Isaiah: "I am only someone shouting in the desert; make the road ready for the *Lord! (23). The roads in those days were rough. When a king came to visit, they made the roads as smooth and straight as possible. Then he could travel in comfort. The Pharisees wonder why John *baptises people (25). What right has he to do this? If he were the *Messiah, or Elijah or the *prophet, he might have *baptised people. Isaiah had written that the *Messiah would pour water upon many nations (Isaiah 52:15). Ezekiel said that the *Messiah would pour clean water upon the people. That would *cleanse them (Ezekiel 36:25).

The *Jews did use water as a sign. It showed that a person was a true *Jew. This was in agreement with the laws of their religion. They thought that *Jews were already clean. There was no need for anyone to wash them. They did not need *baptism. The *Jewish leaders believed that only *gentiles needed *baptism. They needed it if they wanted to accept the *Jewish *faith. John does not agree with that. He is suggesting that even the *Jews need someone to wash them. John *baptises people when they show *repentance for their *sins (Matthew 3:11). His answer is, I use water to *baptise people. But here with you is someone whom you do not know. Although I came first, I am not good enough to undo his shoes. That was the job of a slave. In Johns own opinion, he is not good enough even to be the slave of the one who is to come (26 27). John is saying to the *Jews, The king is coming and it is not only the *gentiles who need to be clean; you too need to be clean. John is like a finger pointing to Christ. John *baptises people at Bethany. This is a village on the east side of the Jordan river (28). This is not the Bethany on the hill called the Mount of Olives near Jerusalem. He *baptises to make people clean. But that *baptism does not give people the power to stay clean.

1:29-34 ~ John talks about the *Lamb of God

We now come to the next day in Jesus story. The *baptism of Jesus had taken place. God allowed the *devil to test him in the desert. John sees Jesus coming towards him. John and Jesus are relatives. But John does not understand until now that Jesus is the *Messiah. John calls Jesus The *Lamb of God who takes away the *sin of the world! (29). God provided a *lamb for *sacrifice in place of Isaac (Genesis 22:8). God now provides Jesus the *Lamb as a *sacrifice in the place of other people. There is also a reference to a *lamb in the *Jewish *Passover. It came after the *Jews left Egypt. They killed a *lamb and used its blood. It was to save the *Jews from the *Angel of Death. The *angel saw the blood of the *lamb on the door. He would then pass by. He would not kill anyone in the house (Exodus 12:11-13. During the time of the *Old Testament God forgave the *sins of the people. It was through the *sacrifice of animals. The *New Testament is all about how God sent Jesus to the world. He sent him to be the *sacrifice for everyones *sin (Hebrews 10:10). Isaiah chapter 53 is a *prophecy. It tells how Jesus suffered and died for us. Jesus was the *lamb that people killed. He took upon himself the punishment for the *sins of all people. He took away the *sins of the world. This includes every kind of *sin by every kind of person. No *sin is too great. John was the one who *baptised Jesus. Then the *Spirit of God came down like a *dove upon Jesus. John emphasised that the *Spirit remained on Jesus. In *Old Testament times, the *Holy *Spirit came to people at certain times and for special tasks. But he did not remain with them. The time would come when God would give his *Holy *Spirit. He (the *Holy *Spirit) would rest and remain on those who believe in his Son, Jesus Christ. That would be after Jesus had done the work that he came on earth to do. That work was to die upon the *cross. He would take our *sin upon himself and became our *Saviour. God told John the *Baptist to look for the person who received the *Spirit. He would *baptise other people with the *Holy *Spirit. The Greek word for *baptise means to put something or someone under the water. This is similar to the way you put clothes under water to wash them.

John says that Jesus will *baptise people with the *Holy *Spirit. First, we need to *repent. Then Jesus will *forgive our *sins and bring us into Gods family. It will be like a flood of wate r over our lives. He will cover us all over. The *Holy *Spirit lights up a persons life. Then that person begins to know Gods *will for his life. God *cleanses him and takes away his *sin. The *Holy *Spirit makes a person strong. The *Holy *Spirit gives the power to do right and to fight against *evil. Christs *baptism with the *Holy *Spirit is also a *baptism of fire (Matthew 3:11). The *Holy *Spirit burns *evil things and makes a person clean.

1:35-51 ~ Jesus chooses his first *disciples

The next day John the *Baptist shows Jesus to two of his *disciples. Again, John calls him the *Lamb of God. When the *disciples hear this, they leave John and follow Jesus. We see that John puts Jesus first. He is not jealous when the two *disciples leave him. One of the *disciples is Andrew. The other may be John, the writer of this *gospel. Jesus turns round and sees the two *disciples following him. He asks what they want. Why are they following him? They do not answer his question straight away. Rabbi means Teacher. The two *disciples want to know more about Jesus. That is probably why they refer to him as Rabbi. Jesus answer is Come and see! Jesus is asking the *disciples to come with him. They can then talk with him. They can find out more about him. So they go to see where he lives. John says, The time was about the 10th hour. The *Jews counted time from 6 oclock. So many Bible teachers think that John means 4 oclock in the afternoon. However, the *Romans said that the day started at midnight. So other Bible teachers think that John means 10 oclock in the morning here. They spend the rest of the day with him. We come now to the next day. Andrew is one of the first two *disciples to meet Jesus. He is then eager to find his brother, Simon. He tells him that they have found the *Messiah (the Christ). After this, we hear of Simon Peter many times. We hear of Andrew only a few times. Andrew always takes second place to Peter. But one of the good things he does is to bring other people to Jesus. He brought to Jesus the boy who had five loaves and two small fish (John 6:8-9). He brought to Jesus the Greeks who were asking about him (John 12:21-22). He did not keep quiet about Jesus. Jesus looks at Simon and gives him another name, Cephas. This is *Jewish for rock. In Greek, the word for rock is Peter. In the *Old Testament, a new name often had meaning. It meant that the person knew God in a different way. Abram became Abraham (Genesis 17:5). Jacob became *Israel (Genesis 32:28). This is the idea. When you come to know God, you become a new person. It is good for you then to have a new name. When Jesus looked at Peter, he saw the kind of man Peter was then. But he could also see the rock that he would become. Peter was a rock. He would be part of the firm groun d underneath the *church (Matthew 16:18). Jesus looks at all of us in this way. He sees us as we are and he sees us as we will be. The next day Jesus goes north to the country of Galilee. Perhaps they are in the town of Cana. There he finds Philip. He asks Philip to follow him. Philip then goes to find Nathanael. He tells him that they have found the *Messiah. Nathanael is surprised that Jesus comes from Nazareth. It was not an important place. The *Jews expected the *Messiah to be born in Bethlehem (Matthew 5:4-6). Philip calls Jesus the son of Joseph. This is not denying that Jesus is Gods Son. At this time, that is probably the only way he knows Jesus.

Jesus knows all about Nathanael. He knows he is an honest person. Jesus sees him as the kind of man David spoke about in *Psalm 32:2. He sees someone in whom there is nothing *false. Nathanael is astonished that Jesus knows him. It is possible that Nathanael has been looking for the *Messiah to come. He may have been praying about this. Jesus knows this although he has not spoken to Nathanael. Then Nathanael understands. He then declares that Jesus is the Son of God, and the king of *Israel. Nathanael can now understand. Nathanael believes because Jesus knows all about him. In the *Old Testament is the story of Jacobs dream. Jacob saw a ladder of gold resting on the earth. It reached into *heaven. The *angels of God were going up and down on it (Genesis 28:12). Jesus refers to this dream. Nathanael believes because of what Jesus knows about him. The truth, says Jesus, is that you will know more about me than that. Jesus tells Nathanael that he will see the *angels giving *glory to the Son of God (see Daniel 7:13-14). Jesus himself is the meeting place between *heaven and earth. He is the Word who has become a Man. He is the way to *heaven.