The Gospel of John Lesson 2 (9-23-2012)

The Gospel of John

Lesson 2 – John 1:6-13

V. 6-8 refers to John the Baptist. It says here that this John was sent to prepare the people for Christ’s coming. It is important for John to be mention here in the beginning of his argument as an expert witness to the Apostle John’s testimony because it was prophesied that one would come before the coming Messiah fitting John’s description, preparing the way for the Messiah’ arrival. We find in Isaiah 40:3-5 and Malachi 3:1 reference to one fitting John’s description. By making this statement here the Apostle John is again saying that this is the Messiah, the prophesied One that he is testifying of. 

It is also interesting to note that here in the first eight verses that the Apostle John uses two major descriptive words to describe God. These are the words ‘Word’ and ‘Light’. Here in v. 7 he describes the coming One as ‘the Light’ much like he began his account using the word ‘Word’ to describe God. I love these one word names or descriptions of God. For me, somehow they help me to relate to God. The names of God that you will find in the Bible can be termed as full color snapshots of Him and His Personality. We have already discussed John’s use of the word ‘Word’ in v. 1, but his use of the word ‘Light’ here in the beginning of John is also very significant.

Several verses in the O. T. talk about the Light that would be given to the nation Israel as well as to the world. These verses would have been familiar to the nation Israel in particular so John’s usage here would be important. Two of these verses are Is. 9:2 and 49:6. Isaiah 9:2 makes reference to people that are moving as if they were alive, but they are moving in ‘darkness’ and the verse goes on to say that they are living on the edge or shadow of death. We know that Is. 9:2 relates to this Light that the Apostle John is talking about because Matthew makes reference to this O. T. verse when Jesus begins His public ministry recorded in Mt. 4:14-7 (Read). As a side note, Isaiah also makes reference to a child coming in the future that would bear the Name of God found in Is. 9:6.

Isaiah goes on to say in Is. 49:6 that this same light would also be a Light to the nations! He continues by saying that this Light will be God’s salvation that will extend past the borders of Israel unto the end of the earth. It is interesting that John also testifies that this Light is salvation saying that the purpose of His coming to the darkness was that through Him all men might believe, the Light dispelling the darkness in man (Jn. 1:4-5) and is the same message John would later state in Jn. 3:16.

He finalizes his thoughts in v. 9 of John concerning the Light saying that the One that he has been talking about and describing in these first 9 verses is the ‘One and Only’ God. He again gives this One that he is talking about in these beginning verses the credit for ‘all’ human life.

Verses 10 and 11 are probably two of the saddest verses in the Bible. John speaking from recollection looking back says in v. 10 that when this One that he is describing, the Light, showed up on the scene of His creation that He was rejected by them. The Apostle Paul says in essence in I Cor. 2:7-8 that when God spoke the Wisdom of His Light that the princes of this age or the princes of darkness did not understand it. If they had, they would not have crucified the ‘Light’ of the world, i.e. the Lord of Glory.

In v. 11 he even makes it more personal. He says that when God showed Himself even to His own kinsmen, His nationality, even they rejected Him and did not embrace Him or take Him in.

But, all is not lost. John goes on just when it looked like all was lost by giving an ‘open invitation’ saying ‘whosoever’ will may come. He makes a very strong statement here in v. 13 that God does the work of salvation, waking those in darkness, those who are dead in essence saying that we do not find salvation by being born into it or even because of the will of man or man’s self efforts. He says here that it is God who wills it and we respond to His prompting by believing in Him and His message. John will explain this further to us when he shares with us Nicodemus’s encounter with Christ where Jesus explains the work of the Spirit in the new birth. We will take a closer look at that when we get to chapter 3. (May also want to reference Jn. 15:16)

(Note: The above are notes of the actual classes that are taught and studied at Seacoast Community Church during Sunday Morning. Some lessons may be shorter or longer concerning material covered due to discussions that may come up during the actual class.)