John 1:1

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

In {G1722} the beginning {G746} was {G2258} the Word {G3056}, and {G2532} the Word {G3056} was {G2258} with {G4314} God {G2316}, and {G2532} the Word {G3056} was {G2258} God {G2316}.

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

and the Word was God.

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

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

John 1:1 is one of the most profound and theologically significant verses in the Bible, serving as the foundational statement for John's Gospel. It introduces the central figure, the "Word," establishing His eternal nature and relationship with God.

Context

The Gospel of John opens not with a genealogy or a birth narrative like Matthew or Luke, but with a cosmic and eternal perspective. John intends to present Jesus Christ as the divine Son of God, the eternal Word who existed before creation and through whom all things were made. This prologue (John 1:1-18) sets the stage for understanding Jesus' identity and mission throughout the book, culminating in its stated purpose: that readers might believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and have life through His name (John 20:31).

Key Themes

  • The Pre-existence of the Word: The phrase "In the beginning" echoes Genesis 1:1, emphasizing that the Word was already present before creation began. This speaks to the Word's eternal nature.
  • Relationship with God: "the Word was with God" highlights a distinct relationship between the Word and God, suggesting communion and co-existence from eternity. This points towards the relational aspect within the Godhead.
  • The Deity of the Word: "and the Word was God" is a direct and powerful declaration of the Word's divine nature. It asserts that the Word is not merely *like* God, but *is* God.

Linguistic Insights

The key Greek word here is Logos, translated as "Word." In Greek philosophy, Logos could refer to reason, the principle of cosmic order, or divine intelligence. John uses this term, familiar in the Hellenistic world, but infuses it with profound biblical meaning, identifying the Logos specifically with Jesus Christ (John 1:14). The structure "and the Word was God" (Greek: kai theos ēn ho logos) places emphasis on "God" (theos) at the beginning of the clause, reinforcing the divine identity of the Logos while the absence of the definite article before theos distinguishes the Word's person from God the Father, without denying shared divine essence. The phrase "was with God" (Greek: pros ton theon) implies not just being alongside but facing towards God, suggesting intimate relationship and distinct personhood.

Reflection and Application

John 1:1 provides the bedrock for Christian understanding of Jesus' identity. It teaches that Jesus is not a created being, but the eternal, divine Word who shares the very nature of God. This truth is fundamental to the doctrines of the Trinity and the incarnation. Understanding that Jesus is the eternal God who became flesh (John 1:14) gives immense weight to His words, actions, and sacrifice. It assures believers that the one they worship and follow is indeed God Himself, the source of life and light (John 1:4).

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Genesis 1:1

    ¶ In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

  • John 17:5

    And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

  • Revelation 19:13

    And he [was] clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

  • Colossians 1:17

    And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

  • John 1:14

    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.

  • 1 John 1:1

    ¶ That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;

  • 1 John 1:2

    (For the life was manifested, and we have seen [it], and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)
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