Verse by Verse

19 And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?

20 And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.

21 And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.

22 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?

In the other gospels, John the Baptist witnesses to Israel of the coming kingdom. In John, he witnesses to the person of Christ.

The priests and Levites were probably sent by the Sanhedrin — “the Jews”

They wondered if John was the Christ. And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not (Luke 3:15).

John denied being Elijah because he wasn’t literally (showing his humility). Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord (Malachi 4:5).

Jesus said John was Elijah because John ministered in the power and spirit of Elijah. And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things. But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them (Matthew 17:11-12).

Each coming of Christ is preceded by Elijah.

That prophet — The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken (Deuteronomy 18:15).

This was actually a prophecy of Christ Himself. For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; Him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever He shall say unto you (Acts 3:22).

18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him.

Old Testament manifestations of God were the Son.

The Son came to make the invisible visible.

And He said, Thou canst not see My face: for there shall no man see Me, and live (Exodus 33:20).

Not that any man hath seen the Father, save He which is of God, He hath seen the Father (John 6:46).

only begotten Son — Literally “an only one, God”

is (not was) in the bosom — indicates closeness, comfort, companionship

declared Him = explained Him. No man can know God except through Jesus Christ, the expression of God (John 1:1).

In the Old Testament, Moses saw only the back of God — Law. And I will take away Mine hand, and thou shalt see My back parts: but My face shall not be seen (Exodus 33:23).

But we see the face of Christ — Grace. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6).

15 John bare witness of Him, and cried, saying, This was He of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for He was before me.

16 And of His fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.

17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

John — John the Baptist. John, the writer of the book, never mentions himself by name.

bare witness — in Greek, “bearing witness” (present tense). John the Baptist was was dead by the time this was written, but his witness continues.

John the Baptist appeared first, but Christ had greater glory and honor — and existed before John.

fulness —of the Godhead. Literally, plentitude and totality. For it pleased the Father that in Him should all fulness dwell (Colossians 1:19). For in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily (Colossians 2:9).

of His fulness — out of His inexhaustible fullness

grace for grace — inexhaustible new grace in the place of old grace, grace replenishing grace.

came = came into being

law — showed man that he should live a life that reflects God’s nature — and that he couldn’t do so.

Grace does not ignore the law (righteousness/truth). It establishes the law because it reigns through righteousness. It brings righteousness instead of demanding it.

Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law (Romans 3:31).

14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

made — should be “became”

The eternal Word, which is God, became flesh.

He emptied Himself of His outward glory, but not of His Deity. But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men (Philippians 2:7). Two natures, perfect God and perfect man, were united in one Person.

He became flesh, but not sinful flesh. He could not sin. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens (Hebrews 7:26).

Death had no claim on Jesus Christ because He was without sin and without the potential to sin. But He did have a real human body, and so He could die for us.

The Word became flesh — and still is flesh. He will return in the same body.

dwelt = tabernacled. He didn’t tabernacle in His body (that is eternal). But He tabernacled with men.

We beheld His glory — John and his fellow disciples were eye-witnesses. For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For He received from God the Father honor and glory, when there came such a voice to Him from the excellent glory, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased (2 Peter 1:16-17).

only begotton — refers to Jesus Christ’s enternal Sonship. only = unique

Verse 14 is an extension of verse 1. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word was made flesh …

John may have used “flesh” and not “man” to combat Docetism, which claimed that Christ only took on the appearance of man.

full = always. He is always grace and always truth.

grace = loving-kindness, that which brings joy, that which is a free gift

truth = reality, verity. In John, it usually is used in connection with Divine revelation.

He was, and is, the God-man, yet the Divine and human in Him were never confounded. His Deity, though veiled, was never laid aside; His humanity, though sinless, was a real humanity; for as incarnate, He “increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man” (Luke 2:52). As “the Word” then, He is the Son of God; as “flesh,” the Son of man.

This union of the two natures in the Person of Christ was necessary in order to fit Him for the office of Mediator. Three great ends were accomplished by God becoming incarnate, by the Word being made flesh. First, it was now possible for Him to die. Second, He can now be touched with the feeling of our infirmities. Third, He has left us an example, that we should follow His steps.— Pink, page 33.

12 But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name:

13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

Verse 11 is referring to Israel, so verse 12 must be too. It applies to Gentiles by application, but refers to the Jews.

received = accepted

power = right, authority. God, and He alone, can give it.

Paul explains the believers’ sonship, but John only refers to the “children of God.”

Believers become children of God by the action of the Holy Spirit based on faith in Christ — NOT by inheritance (blood) or works (will of the flesh) or the aid of another person such as a priest or the rites of a church (will of man).

children — from “to give birth”

9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

10 He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not.

11 He came unto His own, and His own received Him not.

Christ came to Israel, but He cast light on every man. Romans 9:4-5 — Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.

Verse 9 literally reads, “This was the light, which, coming into the world, lightens every man.”

He was in the world as God, evident through the creation He made. Romans 1:19-22 — Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse. Because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.

His own (first usage) — His own things. His own world that He made. His own country and temple.

His own (second usage) — Israel. Literally, His own subjects. It wasn’t that Israel didn’t recognize Him — they refused to receive Him.

Receive = welcome

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.

8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

Prophecies about John:

The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God (Isaiah 49:3)

Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before Me: and the LORD, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to His temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, He shall come, saith the LORD of hosts (Malachi 3:1).

John is referred to as a light — candle — in John 5:35 — He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.

Light (referring to Christ) = the light, the source of light

through him (verse 7) — John as a witness

Christ cast light on every man to show the contrast between them and Him, and their need for Him.

John = the gift from God, or, God is gracious.

When light is shining, only the blind have to be told.

There is a striking contrast between the ministry of John as recorded by Matthew and the witness he bore of the Light as in John. These two contrasting messages of John can be understood only as it is remembered that he was the forerunner of One Who Himself had a two-fold ministry, (1) to the circumcision (Jews) to confirm the promises made to the fathers and (2) that the Gentiles might glorify God [through Israel] for His mercy (Romans 15:8-9). Space will not permit a detailed comparison of these two messages by John but suffice it to say that in Matthew his message is one of wrath and judgment and a call to bring forth “fruits meet for repentance” (Matthew 3:1-12). This is the message of the law [as is fitting in a book the presents Christ as King of the Jews].

In the Gospel of John it is entirely different; “Of His fulness have we all received, and grace for grace” (v. 16). Here is no call to do; it is a message concerning a gift of the fulness of the Word and grace upon grace. He was not only Himself “full of grace and truth” but of that same “fulness have we all received” not only grace but “grace upon grace.” [as is fitting in a book that presents Christ as the Son of God] — Strombeck, page 20-21.

5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

Darkness and light — parallel with Genesis 1 and the entrance of God’s Word.

comprehended — overcame, apprehended, laid hold of — implies a conscious effort to thwart the light and a lack of understanding of it.

darkness — unregenerate humanity

Ephesians 5:8 — For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light.

2 Corinthians 4:4 — In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

1 John 1:5 — This then is the message which we have heard of Him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all.

3 All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made.

4 In Him was life; and the life was the light of men.

made by Him — this includes the new creation of believers. For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him, and for Him (Colossians 1:16).

life — He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life (1 John 5:12).

life = life of God (zoe) but also all life as distinct from natural life (psuche)

light — to reveal Christ’s identity and expose sin. His life either exposes or illuminates in all cases. Enlightenment is often gradual.

Christ lights all men to make them accountable for their sin. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world (John 1:9).

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2 The same was in the beginning with God.

The first handful of verses in John make seven points:

1. Christ’s eternity of being

2. His distinct personality

3. His true Deity

4. His unchanging relationship with the Father

5. His full glory in creation

6. His life-giving power

7. His incarnation

Christ couldn’t have a beginning because He was the beginning. In the Greek, verse one reads “In beginning … “

Word — Christ is the express image of God as the spoken word is an image of the thought. He reveals the mind and will of God, as in Genesis 1:3 — “God said …”

We cannot know God except through His Word.

John 3:34 — For He whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto Him.

John 5:24 —  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

John 14:10 — Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of Myself: but the Father that dwelleth in Me, He doeth the works.

Hebrews 1:1-2 — God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, whom He hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds.

Psalm 33:6 — By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.

with = personal relationship

was (verse 2) = existed