John 1 Commentary

John begins the prologue to his Gospel with a sublime statement about Jesus’s divine identity. It reflects fundamental principles from the Genesis account of creation expressed in terms taken from the Arché Principle of Greek philosophy. 

Jesus eternally dwells in fellowship with the Father.

Jesus is the ultimate source of all creation.

Jesus is the divine Source of all life, and His light reveals the truth that draws us close to God.

Jesus is the unstoppable Light that overcomes all darkness.

He was the prophetic voice tasked with heralding the Messiah’s imminent arrival.

John’s ministry was essential in pointing others to Jesus, the true and eternal Light who brings hope and redemption to the world.

John 1:8 teaches that John was not the final revelation of God’s truth but that he prepared people’s hearts to receive Jesus, the true Light.

Jesus is the genuine Light who reveals truth to all people.

God came near, yet humanity remained distant.

He offered Himself as the long-awaited Messiah, yet they refused to recognize the fullness of who He was.

We become part of God’s family through believing in Jesus.

This verse reveals that spiritual birth is an act of God rather than a result of human or physical descent.

Jesus, the eternal Word, became truly human and displayed God’s glory firsthand to all who encountered Him.

Jesus’s eternal preexistence remains central to understanding who He is.

We partake in the fullness of Christ’s abundant grace.

Jesus is the perfect embodiment of God’s grace and truth.

God the Father is made known to humanity uniquely through Jesus, the only begotten Son.

John 1:19 records how the religious leaders from Jerusalem questioned John the Baptist, setting his testimony as the crucial introduction to Jesus’s public ministry.)

John the Baptist publicly denies that he is the Redeemer and thereby sets the stage for Jesus’s arrival and His redemptive work.

John the Baptist responds with humility to these lofty expectations: he is not the central figure but the one sent before Christ.

The religious leaders demand John’s identity, and he affirms he is only a voice preparing for Christ’s arrival.

John boldly prepared the way for Jesus, reminding us that opening our hearts in repentance precedes fully encountering the Lord.

They came, they saw, they questioned, yet seldom did they fully embrace the answer.

John 1:25 underscores the spiritual blindness of those who questioned John’s authority and heralds the approaching revelation of Jesus as God’s Messiah.

John’s answer reminds us of the constant necessity for humility and expectancy before God.

John humbly points to Jesus as the exalted Messiah.

John 1:28, in short, describes the setting where John the Baptist prepared the hearts of Israel for Jesus, demonstrating that repentance and the promise of redemption can flourish even beyond traditional religious centers.

Jesus comes as the sacrificial Lamb, offering salvation for all.

Jesus, who existed before John the Baptist, came to fulfill God’s eternal plan of redemption.

John’s testimony draws attention to the truth that only through divine insight can anyone truly see who Jesus is.

John 1:32 demonstrates the Holy Spirit’s descent upon Jesus as a clear witness that He is the anointed Messiah.

Jesus is the Spirit-baptizing Messiah who brings transformation from within.

John the Baptist confidently testifies that Jesus is divine and far greater than any prophet or teacher.

John the Baptist’s posture of pointing others toward Jesus foreshadows the new era unfolding for those who seek the Lamb of God.

John identifies Jesus as the ultimate sacrificial Lamb, calling on all who hear to recognize Him as the true deliverer from sin.

They embraced Jesus because He is the One John promised would come with power and salvation.

John 1:38 shows that genuine discipleship begins when we actively draw near to Jesus and seek His wisdom and guidance.

Jesus offers an authentic relationship to all who seek Him.

Andrew responded to the call to follow Jesus and introduced others to Him, laying the foundation for evangelism in the early church.

This verse signals the beginning of a new chapter in both Andrew’s and Simon’s lives: they had met the One anointed by God to save and transform the world.

Jesus renames Simon to Cephas (“Peter”), revealing His authority to transform a humble fisherman into a foundational leader of His people.

This verse shows how Jesus deliberately goes to find those who will join His mission, offering simple yet life-changing words: “Follow Me.”

Philip’s roots in Bethsaida demonstrate how Jesus drew a group of ordinary fishermen to become extraordinary witnesses to the world.

This verse shows us that Jesus stands at the heart of God’s plan, connecting Scripture’s promises with God’s deliverance for humanity.

This verse invites us to set aside prejudice and investigate the goodness of Jesus Christ for ourselves.

This verse underscores Jesus’s intimate knowledge of every heart, reminding all believers that faith, honesty, and a receptive spirit draw them closer to the Messiah.

Jesus reveals His divine knowledge and invites honest seekers to trust Him.

Nathanael’s bold declaration conveys that Jesus is the Divinely appointed Messiah for all who will receive Him.

This verse underscores the invitation to believe in Christ’s divine identity and expect even greater demonstrations of His glory.

Jesus is the link between heaven and earth, calling humanity to witness God’s presence directly through Him.