Another semester, another Greek class. I am already enjoying the homework in particular for this one. This semester, my classmates and I each have to translate the first chapter of John's Gospel, verse by verse. We even get to examine verbs and diagram some of the sentences! That aside, after he diagrammed the first verse in class, my teacher paused for a minute to elaborate on how the sentence structure revealed the emphasis of John's thinking as expressed in his writing. Since then, as I have been translating the rest of my Greek assignment, I have constantly been writing down my thoughts and commentaries on these verses. Below is my translation of these first nine verses, and my exegetical teaching on the first verse:
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through Him all things were made, and without Him not even one thing was made. What came into being 4 by him was life, and the life was the light of men; 5 and the light shone in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.
6 There came a man, having been sent from God; his name was John. 7 He came as a witness in order that he might bear witness about the light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came in order that he might witness about the light. 9 The true light which enlightens all men was coming into the world. (John 1:1-9, personal translation from the Greek)
Verse 1: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." Something I noticed here is how John treats the concept of 'the Word' (the pre-incarnate Jesus): "In the beginning was the Word." John is saying that the Word existed at the beginning of time and creation itself. Obviously, if "the Word" existed before creation, then it must have not been created, and John must be using it as a figure of speech for God, right? Well, yes and no. Yes, because logic dictates that the Word must be God, and the fact that it existed before creation illustrates that it possessed the divine attributes of eternal existence and timelessness. No, because John goes on to say that "...and the Word was with God..." ...What? If the Word existed before creation, then it must not have been created by God. If it was not created by God, then it must have been God, since God created all things. So why is John saying that the Word was with God, instead of saying that the Word was God?
Well, we need to look at the bigger picture: John immediately goes on to say that "...and the Word was God." So this resolves the question, right? No; it only compounds it! After all, John just said that the Word was with God, meaning it was somehow co-eternal with God and yet somehow distinct! But John then says that the Word was God, indicating that even though the Word was distinct from God, it was still God! How can the reader reconcile this seemingly opposite statements? First, realize that John was saying this: that although the Word was a separate person from God, it (or rather He) still possessed the characteristics and nature of God. So the pre-incarnate Christ possessed the divine attribute of eternality and timelessness, and so existed in the beginning, and yet could be with God (the person, in the form of the Father) while still being God, or rather, having the nature of God.
Additionally, the Word (Jesus) is not only equated with and distincted from God, but John also repeats the language of Genesis 1:1 ("In the beginning...") to evoke a better understanding to his readers, especially his Jewish audience. Also of interest to his Jewish readers, John uses the term "the Word was..." three times; saying something three times in Hebrew thought was to give it the utmost importance, similar to how in Isaiah 6, the seraphs proclaimed "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty; the whole earth is full of His glory." This shows how the concept of the Word's divinity and personhood was the center of John's focus and thinking here, establishing the premise of his entire Gospel, almost like a thesis statement for a paper.
It's strange to think of it as such, but imagine it like this: John 1:1 is distillation of John's entire teaching about and defense of Jesus: Jesus Christ is God! All of the rest of John's entire Gospel is about proving and supporting this sole statement. This includes the ministry of Jesus, the miraculous signs and wonders he enacted, and the incredible sacrifice that He ultimately made to satisfy His own divine wrath and love. Truely, this is a powerful verse to begin the Good News about Christ--and think about the consequences if this doctrine--Jesus is God--was forgotten, ignored, or just plain rejected in the church! After all, if Jesus were not considered God, then "we are of all people most to be pitied." (1 Cor. 15:18-20, NIV) Upon this truth all of Christianity--the salvation of the elect--hinges, and it is truely this--Jesus is God!
P.S. --Something else that struck me in this verse was how "the word was" is a bit similar to Jesus' statements of "I am." While I don't know if the two have any relation to each other (especially considering the emphasis of Jesus' divinity in the Gospel of John), it still made me think about the matter.
