Reformation Study Bible
Chapter 1
1:1–18 This “prologue” to the gospel is a preface to the narrative beginning at v. 19. It introduces the gospel’s central character (the divine Creator who “became flesh”) and many of its themes (life, light vs. darkness, witness, rejection vs. reception, birth from God, truth).
1:1 In the beginning. John links his gospel to the original creation by echoing the opening words of the first book of Moses (and of the Bible; Gen. 1:1). Matthew’s reference to “book of the genealogy” (Greek: “generation”) likewise echoes Genesis (2:4), signaling that Christ’s appearance in history initiates a new creation.
the Word. The term “Word” (Greek: logos) designates God the Son with respect to His deity; “Jesus” and “Christ” refer to His incarnation and saving work. During the first three centuries, doctrines of the person of Christ focused intensely on His identity as the Logos. In Greek philosophy, the Logos was “reason” or “logic” as an abstract force that brought order and harmony to the universe. But in John’s writings, such qualities of the Logos are gathered in the person of Christ. In Neo-platonic philosophy and the Gnostic heresy (second and third centuries a.d.), the Logos was seen as one of many intermediate powers between God and the world. Such notions are far removed from the simplicity of John’s gospel.[1]
ESV Bible
Chapter 1 1: 1-18
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through 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. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. 9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’ ”) 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.
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Study notes quoted are from the Reformation Study Bible (R.C. Sproul, ed.) and are used under fair use for commentary and teaching, limited to 250 words per post.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV and used in accordance with its permissions.
[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2025), Jn 1:1–18.
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