John 1

Chap. I. ver. 1. In the beginning was the Word, &c.] In the beginning of the world before all time, before any thing was created, the Son of God had a subsistence, and that subsistence with the Father, of whom He was begotten from all eternity, and was Himself eternal God, being by His Father in His eternal purpose designed to be the Messiah, who was known among the Jews by the title of the Word of God. Dr. Hammond.

In contemplating the character of man’s Redeemer, it is hard to say, whether our admiration be most excited by the natural dignity or the voluntary abasement of His person. To form suitable ideas of either, it is expedient to take a view of both; and they appear to the utmost advantage in this opening of St. John’s Gospel, where he sets himself to publish, first, the divinity, and then the incarnation of his most adorable and beloved Master. He mentions, in due order and in regular gradation, the glory which the Word had with the Father before man, or the world which he inhabits, had a being, ver. 1; His glory with respect to the creatures, the works of His hands, ver. 3; His glory as the sole Author of life and immortality, ver. 4; His glory, with respect to man in general, as fallen into a state of ignorance and sensuality, ver. 5; His glory, with respect to the Jews, to whom He first manifested Himself, ver. 11; His glory, with respect to Christians, to whom He gave “power to become the sons of God,” ver. 12; in order to effect which, He Himself became the Son of man, “the Word was made flesh,” ver. 14. Bp. Horne.

“In the beginning” is here used in the same sense as at Gen. i. 1. For the Evangelist proposes to himself to shew, that, by “the Word,” by whom the creation was perfected, the redemption of mankind was also perfected; that the Second Person in the Holy Trinity became, in the fulness of time, our Redeemer, as, in the beginning of time, He had been our Maker. Dr. Lightfoot. In the language of the Jews, this phrase “in the beginning” frequently signifies eternity. Thus in Habakkuk i. 12, “Art Thou not from everlasting, O Lord?” the Hebrew is literally, Art Thou not from the beginning? And thus, in Prov. viii. 23, “I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.” Thus also, Micah v. 2, “Whose goings forth have been from of old, (Heb. from the beginning,) from everlasting.” Thus, its being here said, that the Son or the Word of God was “in the beginning,” plainly leads to this meaning, that He was from eternity. Dr. Clagett.

Nothing can be more clearly written to prove the eternal existence and the divinity of our Saviour than this passage of St. John, (ver. 1—3,) which seems purposely designed with a singular brevity to take off all objections to that important truth. As St. John’s purpose was to teach that our Lord made the world, and as His title of Jesus was given Him at His circumcision, and the title of Christ belonged to His office, which He had not exercised many years; therefore He produces a new name of His, as yet unknown to the world, or not much noticed, though in frequent use among the Jews, which belonged to Him before He was made man. Under that title, “the Word,” he shews that He had a being “in the beginning:” when all things were to be created, and consequently were not yet, then “in the beginning

—the Word] Or, the Logos, the Son of God, the Second Person in the Blessed Trinity. This title is given to the Son of God from the Scriptures of the Old Testament, and from the subsequent style of the ancient Jews, in conformity thereto. The Divine Person, who has accomplished the salvation of mankind, is called the Word, and the Word of God, not only because God at first created, and still governs all things by Him; but because, as men discover their sentiments and designs to one another by the intervention of words, speech or discourse, so God by His Son discovers His gracious designs to men in the fullest and clearest manner: all the various manifestations, which He makes of Himself, whether in the works of creation, providence, or redemption, all the revelations He has been pleased to give of His will, are conveyed to us through Him; and therefore He is, by way of eminence, styled “the Word of God.” Bp. Tomlins.

Although St. John only of the writers of the New Testament mentions this title of our Lord, yet it was not new; since, by the Chaldee paraphrases, written before our Saviour’s birth, it abundantly appears, that, in many places of the Old Testament, which mention the Word of God, the Jews did thereby understand a Divine Person, and that Person by whom the promised redemption was to be wrought. So that St. John, declaring the eternal pre-existence of the Son of God, “In the beginning was the Word,” did not declare a point to which the Jews had been wholly strangers before the revelation of the Gospel. Dr. Clagett.

—was God.] That is, although the Word was a distinct Person from the Father, yet He had not a distinct nature from Him, but was truly God. Dr. Clagett.

— his own] All the nations of the world were His own by creation and absolute dominion; but the Jews were peculiarly His, as being selected by God from amidst all other nations, to be the depositaries of His sacred oracles, and the preservers of His true worship; and from the eternal Son of God condescending to derive His humanity from their stock. Dr. South.

—and we beheld his glory.] We have seen the glory, or the Divinity of the Word, conspicuous in the miracles wrought by Him, such as none but “the only begotten Son” of God could perform. Dr. Whitby.

—full of grace and truth.] Full of “grace” to procure that pardon of sin, and that justification which the law could not give; and of “truth” in opposition to those types and shadows of spiritual blessings and good things to come, of which Christ exhibited the substance and the truth. Dr. Whitby.

As “the Word” dwelt among us full of grace and truth, so by Him only grace and truth came into the world. By Him we may obtain grace to repent truly of our sins, be absolved from all our past offences, be reconciled to our heavenly Father, and accounted righteous in His sight. By Him we may be continually enlightened, influenced, assisted in our whole duty through His Holy Spirit. By Him we may be preserved from all evil during our present life, and when we die, by Him may go to heaven, and there live for ever with Him and His holy angels. Bp. Beveridge.

— the King of Israel.] The expected Messiah, the King and Saviour of God’s people. Dr. S. Clarke.

John 1:2

2. The same was in the beginning with God.] This, though the sense of it was before expressed in that clause, “the Word was with God,” is by no means a vain tautology, but a strong and emphatical repetition. He is said to be Himself God, and is again said to be “with God,” to shew His real Godhead, and yet His distinct personality from the Father. Dr. Trapp.

John 1:3

3. All things] Not only the visible world, which Moses particularly mentions, but the invisible world also, not expressly mentioned by Moses, was made by Him. See Colos. i. 15, &c. Dr. Clagett.

All things were made by him.] We read in Gen. i. that God created every thing by His Word. Now, that

The mission of John. The incarnation of the Word.

John 1:4

4. In him was life;] In Him was eternal life, as He first brought it to light through the Gospel, 2 Tim. i. 10; promised it to those who believe in Him, John vi. 40; purchased it by His death, Rom. v. 21; and as He will be the dispenser of it. Dr. Whitby.

The Evangelist proceeds from the creation, by “the Word,” to the redemption of the world by the same Word. He had declared at ver. 3, that He had given to all creatures their first being; he now shews that He restored “life” to man when he lay dead in trespasses and sins. Dr. Lightfoot.

— and the life was the light of men.] And the doctrine of that life which He taught was the means designed by God to enlighten all mankind and instruct them in their duty. Dr. Hammond.

John 1:5

5. — the light shineth in darkness; &c.] The light is communicated to an ignorant and wicked world; but their minds are so darkened with prejudice and passion, that they refuse it, and are not benefited by it. Dean Stanhope.

John 1:7

7. The same came for a witness.] He was sent by God on purpose to bear witness that Christ was the Messiah, the true teacher sent from heaven, that so, by means of this testimony, all men might believe on Him. Dr. Hammond.

John 1:9

9. That was the true Light.] That person to whom John bare witness “was the true Light,” &c. was the real author and fountain of all true wisdom, the original discoverer of all the Divine knowledge, which men in former ages ever had, or shall have in those which are to come. Dr. S. Clarke.

The light of the Law shone only upon the Jews; but this Light spreads itself wider, even over all the world. Dr. Lightfoot.

John 1:10

10. — knew him not.] Owned Him not either as their Maker or Redeemer. Dr. Whitby.

John 1:11

11. He came unto his own.] To the Jewish nation, to whom He was promised, and to whom only He was personally sent, being therefore styled, Rom. xv. 8, “a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God;” “and they received Him not,” that is, they would not generally own Him as their Messiah and their Saviour. Dr. Whitby.

That the eternal Son of God should condescend to visit, in human form, His people, as their Saviour and Redeemer, is an event which may well be allowed to excite our admiration. But how greatly does our astonishment rise, when we are informed that His

world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

John 1:12

12. — them gave he power] He gave them the privilege, the liberty, the dignity, “to become” &c. Dr. Lightfoot.

— to become the sons of God.] Sons of God, not by a natural, but a spiritual birth; not as the Jews, who claimed the special favour of God, by being descended from Abraham, John viii 33; but in consequence of their taking on themselves the Gospel covenant, which is called, in this verse, believing on the name of Christ. Bp. Mann.

Christ was not rejected by all; for many have believed, and do believe, His promises, and obey His laws; and on these, of what nation soever they be, He hath conferred the high privilege of being the children of God, and of adoption to an everlasting inheritance. For the children of God are the children of the resurrection, who will rise to life and happiness, and die no more. Dr. Clagett.

John 1:13

13. Which were born, not of blood, &c.] Our Lord describes the Christian birth negatively, saying, that it was not of blood, as the birth of nature, nor did it proceed from human appointment as adopted sonships do, but that it was from God. Dr. Twelle.

John 1:14

14. And the Word was made flesh, &c.] To the end that mortal man might attain everlasting life, this eternal Word was born in human flesh, assumed our nature, and in this flesh of ours, as in a tabernacle, appeared amongst us most gloriously, in such a manner as was not possible for any, but the one true eternal Son of God. Dr. Hammond.

He “was made flesh” by taking upon Him the likeness, the fashion, the form and nature of man: He became man as well as God, having now the Divine nature as well as the human, not blending or confounding the two, but so uniting them in Himself as to form one person. Bp. Beveridge.

Flesh, which is a part of our nature, stands here for the whole. Our High Priest was incarnate, that He might have something to offer more valuable than the blood of bulls and calves. The nature that sinned was, according to the rules of justice, to suffer for sin; and the Word was made flesh for the same reason that, when so made, He was baptized by John; namely, “to fulfil all righteousness.” Bp. Horne.

— dwelt among us.] The word in the original pro- Christ’s superior dignity. John’s record of himself Anno DOMINI 26. only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

John 1:15

15. —He that cometh after me &c.] He that follows me, whose forerunner I am, has been, and must always be, infinitely preferred before me: for, though He appears after me among you in respect of His birth and of His entering on His office, yet He had a being long before me, for He existed before the creation of the world, ver. 2, 3; Col. i. 17. Dr. Hammond.

John 1:16

16. And of his fulness have all we &c.] He, being full of graces, excellencies, perfections, hath communicated them to us in that degree which is necessary for us, and in proportion to His abundant charity and goodness towards us. Dr. Hammond.

—grace for grace.] The grace of God in the new covenant, instead of the grace of God in the old. Beza. For grace conferred, new grace superadded; that is, Christianity for Judaism. Bengelius. Or the meaning may be, “grace upon grace;” that is, most copious and abundant grace. Dathius.

John 1:17

17. —grace and truth] The “grace” of the Gospel, as opposed to the rigour and severity of the Law; and

John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?

Anno DOMINI 30.

John 1:18

18. No man hath seen God &c.] Such an ample manifestation of Himself as this, God never made to mankind before. These things were reserved to be discovered by Him, who alone, being in the bosom of His Father, knew before all ages the secret counsels of God, concerning the redemption and salvation of man. And whatever is yet known concerning them, is only by this revelation of the only-begotten Son of God. Dr. S. Clarke.

John 1:19

19. And this is the record &c.] That which is now to be related seems to have happened after Jesus had been baptized by John, and had been forty days in the wilderness. See ver. 29, 35, 43, and Matt. iii. 7. Bp. Pearce.

The Evangelist, after what has been premised, proceeds to speak of three particular testimonies which John the Baptist gave respecting Jesus, on three successive days. See ver. 29, 35, and 43. Dr. Clagett.

—the Jews] The Sanhedrim or publick council of the Jews. Dr. Whitby.

John 1:20

20. —confessed, and denied not.] A mode of expression not uncommon, which strengthens the affirmation. See similar expressions at 2 Kings xviii. 36; Issi. xxxviii. 1.

John 1:21

21. —Art thou Elias?] Art thou Elias, whom we expect to appear again in the world, before the coming of Christ, or another of the Prophets restored to life? Bp. Mann. See note at Matt. xvii. 10.

—that prophet?] Meaning perhaps Jeremiah, of whose return to life there was great expectation among the Jews, Matt. xvi. 14. Grotius. Or generally, Art thou one of the Prophets raised from the dead, which some of us think will be done before Christ comes? Dr. Clagett.

John 1:23

23. —I am the voice &c.] I am the person whom Isaiah thus describes, “The voice,” &c. Abp. Newcome. Though I am not Elias in person, yet I have the very same office, as it is described by Isaiah, chap. xl. 3. Bp. Mann.

to the messengers of the Jews. His public testimony of Christ.

John 1:24

24.—were of the Pharisees.] The greater part of the Sanhedrim were of this sect. Deeming themselves most exact in the observation of all religious rules and rites, they doubted concerning this new rite of baptism by way of preparation for the Messiah, respecting which their traditions were wholly silent. Dr. Whidby.

John 1:26

26.—I baptize with water: &c.] I baptize, not to establish my own authority, but to make disciples for the Messiah, who will very soon appear, and who is infinitely superior to me, more so than the greatest among human beings is to the meanest person in his family. Bp. Mann.

In this passage John the Baptist hath set us an excellent example of true humility. The testimony which he bears to our blessed Lord is conceived in terms so respectful and magnificent, that no one could be encouraged to draw the least comparison between Jesus and him. What was strictly due to himself, he very sparingly and modestly delivers; but that which declares the preference due to that eminent Person, whose forerunner he was, bespeaks a reverence as profound, a distance as great, as any words can possibly express. Dean Stanhope.

St. John’s reply shews his own humility, and at the same time bears testimony to the dignity of Jesus. “I indeed baptize with water;” my baptism, like my preaching, is preparatory only, leading to another baptism of the Spirit, which shall cleanse the souls of penitents from every thing that defileth, through faith in the Messiah and His heavenly doctrine. And this Messiah is not far off, as ye imagine Him to be: “there standeth One among you, whom ye know not;” He appears like other men, lowly, unattended, undistinguished; He doth not as yet think proper to manifest His power and glory; but hereafter ye will find Him to be far other than He seems. As to myself, of whom some are pleased to entertain an high opinion, I am nothing; He who cometh after me is preferred before me, as much as the greatest master is preferred before the meanest of his servants, who is deemed unworthy to perform the least office about his person. This testimony did St. John give to the Saviour of the world, in the presence of the priests, Levites, and people. Intent upon humbling himself, that his great Lord and Master might be exalted, he declared himself a messenger only, sent to prepare His ways; and every thing in him, and about him, spake the same language. Bp. Horne.

John 1:28

28.—in Bethabara beyond Jordan.] The word Bethabara means ‘a place of passage,’ and it is supposed that this village was situated on Jordan, over against Jericho, at the place where the Israelites under Joshua passed that river, Josh. iii. 16. Dr. Wells.

John 1:29

29. The next day] The day after the return of the Pharisees. Dr. Hammond.

—Behold the Lamb of God, &c.] Behold the Person sent from God, as a lamb prepared for slaughter, (in whom are fulfilled all the Mosaical ordinances respecting the paschal and other sacrifices,) who shall thereby obtain pardon from God for the sins of the world, provided they reform and repent at His coming. Dr. Hammond.

He thus points out Jesus as the expiatory sacrifice, as the grand atonement for the sins of mankind foretold by the Prophet Isaiah, chap. liii; as applied by our Lord to Himself, Luke xxii. 37; and by the Holy Spirit, Acts viii. 32—35: for He was the true paschal lamb, typified in the mysterious institution of the passover, who was to be “slain from the foundation of the world.” Dr. Hales.

Behold here, says the Baptist, Him of whom I spake to you, the Lamb without spot or blemish, the perfect emblem of innocence and patience; “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world;” the Lamb typified by all the legal sacrifices, and especially that of the Passover. Yes, behold the Lamb of God, a Lamb not of an earthly but Divine extraction, the Lamb of God’s own choosing and appointment, the Lamb offered up by God Himself unto Himself; the Lamb that taketh away sin, not some particular sin, but sin in general, the strength as well as the guilt of sin, our inclinations to it, as well as our obligations to punishment for it; the sin not only of some particular persons, but of the whole world, the sin not only of Abraham’s, but of Adam’s posterity, the sin of the Gentiles as well as of the Jews: for “He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world,” 1 John ii. 2. Bp. Beveridge.

—of the world.] Not of one nation only, like the legal sacrifices, but of the whole world. Abp. Newcome.

John 1:31

31. And I knew him not:] Though I knew that the Messiah was about to appear, yet I had not a perfect knowledge that Jesus was He, until, ver. 33, it was revealed to me that He should be declared by the descent of the Spirit. See Matt. iii. 24. Bp. Mann.

John 1:33

33.—baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.] See Acts ii. 4. Aero DOMINI 30. The calling of Andrew, Peter, Philip and Nathanael. Answ DOMINI 36.

John 1:35

35. — and two of his disciples:] One of the two was Andrew, ver. 40. The other is thought to have been St. John the Evangelist himself, who usually conceals his name. Dr. Whitby.

John 1:36

36. — Behold the Lamb of God!] Behold that blessed Person predigured in the Law and foretold by the Prophets; one that is all meekness and innocence, patience and resignation, without offence in His mouth, without guile or malice in His heart, without spot or blemish in soul or body; the Lamb, which Abraham told his son Isaac, that God would in time provide; the Lamb, by the sprinkling of whose blood, true Israelites are preserved from the destroyer; the sacrifice on which are laid the iniquities of us all; the Saviour, who, by expiating, taketh away the sin of the world, and conferreth righteousness on them that will believe in Him, and accept it from Him, being conformed to His example of lowliness and meekness. Bp. Horne.

John 1:39

39. — about the tenth hour.] About two hours before sunset, according to the Jewish reckoning.

John 1:41

41. — We have found the Messias.] This expression implies, that their minds had long been filled with an expectation and desire of the coming of the Messiah. Dr. Clagett.

— the Messias, which &c.] The promised Messiah, or, as He is in Greek called, “the Christ,” that is, God’s anointed, sent by Him with a special commission from heaven, whom we have long expected as the Redeemer of Israel. Dr. Hammond.

— the Christ.] As the title Jesus marks the person of our Lord, so does that of Christ denote His office. It is applied to Him to shew, that as formerly by the ceremony of anointing, God consecrated those whom He called to some certain offices, so was this Jesus to be separated, though not by a visible unction, yet by the invisible power and grace of the Holy Spirit, for all those offices to which men were anointed by God’s spe-

thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, || A stone.

John 1:42

42. — A stone.] Or a rock, upon whose preaching the foundation of My church shall be laid. Dr. Whitby. See note at Matt. xvi. 18.

John 1:44

44. Now Philip was &c.] The Evangelist here gives the reason of the readiness of Philip to become the disciple of Jesus; namely, that he and Andrew and Peter, being all neighbours of the same city, had often conversed together about the Messiah, and kindled in one another earnest desires of His appearance. Dr. Clagett.

John 1:45

45. — findeth Nathanael.] It is thought by many that this Nathanael was the same as Bartholomew; and, therefore, one of our Lord’s Apostles. Dr. Clagett.

John 1:46

46. — Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?] Nathanael, knowing from the prophecies that Christ was to be born at Bethlehem, and being moreover prejudiced with an opinion that Nazareth, where he concluded that Jesus was born, was a wicked place, replied, Is it possible that any great Prophet should arise out of Nazareth; how much less the Messiah? Dr. S. Clarke.

John 1:47

47. — Behold an Israelite indeed.] Of that simplicity and integrity which is much valued by God, of the temper described in Jacob, Gen. xxv. 27. Dr. Hammond.

John 1:48

48. — when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.] He had probably there sequestered himself from the view of men, for prayer, meditation, or some religious performance. Dr. Lightfoot.

John 1:49

49. Nathanael answered &c.] The proof of a Divine Spirit, just displayed by Jesus, so perfectly overruled Nathanael’s objections, that he at once acknowledged Him to be the Son of God and the King of Israel. Dr. Clagett.

Answ DOMINI 36. Or, Peter. Gen. 49.10. Deut. 10. 10. in Iasi. 4. 2. Christ turneth water into wine. Anno DOMINI 36. unto him, Rahbl, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.

John 1:50

50. — thou shalt see greater things] Thou shalt have stronger and more convincing proofs than these, to confirm thy faith in Me, as the Messiah. Dr. Whitby.

John 1:51

51. — Hereafter ye shall see &c.] Christ seems to allude to the vision of Jacob, Gen. xxviii. 12, 13; and His meaning is, that the miracles which His disciples would see performed by Him, would declare the Divine Majesty present with Him, and giving Him those commands which He was to execute by His prophetic office, no less clearly than if they had seen the angels of God ascending and descending on Him. Dr. Whitby.

Chap. II. ver. 1. And the third day] Perhaps the third day from Simon’s coming to Christ, chap. i. 42. Dr. Whitby.

— Cana of Galilee.] Called “of Galilee” to distinguish it from another town of the same name, mentioned at Josh. xix. 28; it lay in the tribe of Zebulon, not far from Nazareth. Dr. Wells.