J. Deering, AncientPath.net

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN
Chapter 1:1-3
The Word was God

Establishing The Word as a Person of God, John 1:1-3
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it."

John 1:1-2
Humans have some difficulty with the term, “in the beginning,” when with God – there was no beginning. Our finite intellect seeks to establish a moment in time that we can identify and give it the label “the beginning.” The Holy Spirit gives John these words to focus us upon the fact that the Person of the Word of God has always been. He was always in total alignment with The One God, because He is God. The Greek term pros ton qeon (was with God [Jn 1:1]) presents this wonderful image to my mind of The Son of God standing “nose-to-nose” with His Father. Each gazing into the other’s mind and eyes. The Pre-incarnate Christ Jesus “nose-to-nose with His Father.

1:1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Cross References:

Genesis 1:1-4
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. {2} And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness <was> upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. {3} And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. {4} And God saw the light, that <it was> good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

Colossians 1:12-20
Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: {13} Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated <us> into the kingdom of his dear Son: {14} In whom we have redemption through his blood, <even> the forgiveness of sins: {15} Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: {16} For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether <they be> thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: {17} And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. {18} And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all <things> he might have the preeminence. {19} For it pleased <the Father> that in him should all fulness dwell; {20} And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, <I say>, whether <they be> things in earth, or things in heaven.

1 John 1:1-4
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; {2} (For the life was manifested, and we have seen <it>, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) {3} That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship <is> with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. {4} And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

Revelation 19:11-13
And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him <was> called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. {12} His eyes <were> as a flame of fire, and on his head <were> many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. {13} And he <was> clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

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.

Philippians 2:6
Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

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.

John 1:2
He was in the beginning with God.

John 1:3
All things came into being through Him; and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.

Note on John 1:3
It seems to be lost on most Christians that the Pre-incarnate Christ is The God of Creation. John is explicit, “All things came into being through Him.” When we go back to Genesis 1:1 we need to remind ourselves that “In the beginning" – The Pre-incarnate Word of God, The Christ, who we know to be Jesus, created the Heavens and the Earth. He’s the one who both created and sustains all that is in our physical universe.

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References:

1 Corinthians 8:6
But to us <there is but> one God, the Father, of whom <are> all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom <are> all things, and we by him.

John 1:10-14
He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. {11} He came unto his own, and his own received him not. {12} But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, <even> to them that believe on his name: {13} Which 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 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.

Hebrews 1:1-12
God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, {2} Hath in these last days spoken unto us by <his> Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; {3} Who being the brightness of <his> glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; {4} Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. {5} For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? {6} And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. {7} And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. {8} But unto the Son <he saith>, Thy throne, O God, <is> for ever and ever: a scepter of righteousness <is> the scepter of thy kingdom. {9} Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, <even> thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. {10} And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: {11} They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; {12} And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.

Psalms 8
To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of David. O LORD our Lord, how excellent <is> thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens. {2} Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. {3} When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; {4} What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? {5} For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. {6} Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all <things> under his feet: {7} All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; {8} The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, <and whatsoever> passeth through the paths of the seas. {9} O LORD our Lord, how excellent <is> thy name in all the earth!

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Various Translations, Versions, and Paraphrases

King James Version
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. {2} The same was in the beginning with God. {3} All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

Rough Translation from the Greek Interlinear
In (the) beginning was the idea, and the idea was with God, and God was the idea.  This one was in (the) beginning with God.  All things through Him became, and without Him became not one thing which has become.

New International Translation
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was with God in the beginning.  Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.

The New English Bible, Version
When all things began, the Word already was.  The Word dwelt with God, and what God was, the Word was.  The Word, then, was with God at the beginning, and through him all things came to be; no single thing was created without Him.

Beck Paraphrase
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  Everything was made by Him, and not one thing that was made was made without Him.

Williams Paraphrase
In the beginning the Word existed; and the Word was face to face with God; yea, the Word was God Himself.  He is the One who was face to face with God in the beginning.  It was through Him that everything came into existence, and apart from Him not a single thing came into existence.

Montgomery Translation
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was face to face with God, and the Word was God.  He was face to face with God in the beginning.  All things came into being through him, and apart from him nothing that exists came into being.

Philips Paraphrase
At the beginning God expressed himself.  That personal expression, that word, was with God, and was God, and he existed with God from the beginning.  All creation took place through him, and none took place without him.

Wuest Expanded Translation (built upon Greek tenses)
In the beginning the Word was existing.  And the Word was in fellowship with God the Father.  And the Word was as to His essence absolute deity.  This Word was in the beginning in fellowship with God the Father.  All things through His intermediate agency came into being, and without Him there came into being not even one thing which has come into existence.

New American Standard Version
In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things came into being through Him and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. (NASB)

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Brief Outlines

Henrietta Mears
1.             What INDIVIDUALS thought about Christ - John 1-5
2.             What CHRIST said about Himself - John 6-10
3.             What CROWDS thought of Christ - John 11-21

Carl Henry
The Revelation of the Word in Eternity 1:1-2
The Revelation of the Word in Creation 1:3-4, :9
The Revelation of the Word in Redemption 1:5-21:25

W. W. Rough
Forward (Chapter 1:1-18)
I.              The Son coming forth from the Father (Chapter 1:19-2:11)
II.            The Son coming into the world (Chapter 2:12-12:50)
III.           The Son leaving the world (Chapter 13-17)
IV.           The Son going to the Father (Chapter 18-20)
Afterward (Chapter 21)  The Word of the Glorified Lord

The Visualized Text
John 1:1-3

In "The Beginning" was
the WORD (and)
the WORD was WITH GOD (and)
the WORD was GOD

HE was in "The Beginning" with GOD

ALL THINGS
came into being THROUGH HIM (and)
APART FROM HIM
NOTHING  came into being
that has come into being.

N  O  T  E  S

Looking for God the Father ? - God the Father is unknowable !
Looking for The Father in Creation ? - He didn't make it !
Only Find and Know God THROUGH Jesus Christ

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John 1:1
To teach us that He (Jesus Christ) is Eternal God.
Early Christians understood as "The Divine Christ and His Message."
"The Evangelist asserts that we do not forsake the One, eternal God, when we believe in Christ (Calvin)
Logos:    Word, Definition, Reason, Calculation, Speech (Spoken), Idea, meaning
Calvin Idea:  "God revealed Himself, through the Son in Creation.  God had Christ hidden within Himself..."
Pros Ton Theos:  Only way to be WITH GOD in the beginning was to be God Himself.
God and Christ before Creation - Existing but unknowable
Not just no one to Know Him, but truly unknowable.  With Creation He becomes openly knowable by the effects of His POWER, bringing into being everything there is ... from NOTHING.

Logos: Word, speech, matter, reason, account cause, communicaiton, doctrine, intent, mouth, preaching, question, thing, rumour, saying, talk, tidings, treatise, utterance, work.

John 1:3
No exceptions - Even Satan is a Created being
CONCLUSION :
The PURPOSE of Creation is TO REVEAL THE FATHER THROUGH THE SON
"ALL THINGS"
"Why Don't I see God ?" - We don't see what we don't look for.
"Aim at nothing and you'll hit it every time (Mason)."

Margin References

JOHN 1:1

Genesis 1:1-4
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. {2} And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness <was> upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. {3} And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. {4} And God saw the light, that <it was> good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

Colossians 1:12-20
Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: {13} Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated <us> into the kingdom of his dear Son: {14} In whom we have redemption through his blood, <even> the forgiveness of sins: {15} Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: {16} For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether <they be> thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: {17} And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. {18} And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all <things> he might have the preeminence. {19} For it pleased <the Father> that in him should all fullness dwell; {20} And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, <I say>, whether <they be> things in earth, or things in heaven.

1 John 1:1-4
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; {2} (For the life was manifested, and we have seen <it>, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) {3} That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship <is> with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. {4} And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

Revelation 19:11-13
And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him <was> called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. {12} His eyes <were> as a flame of fire, and on his head <were> many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. {13} And he <was> clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

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.

Philippians 2:6
Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

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.

JOHN 1:3

1 Corinthians 8:6
But to us <there is but> one God, the Father, of whom <are> all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom <are> all things, and we by him.

John 1:10-14
He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. {11} He came unto his own, and his own received him not. {12} But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, <even> to them that believe on his name: {13} Which 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 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.

Hebrews 1:1-12
God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, {2} Hath in these last days spoken unto us by <his> Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; {3} Who being the brightness of <his> glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; {4} Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. {5} For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? {6} And again, when he bringeth in the first begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. {7} And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. {8} But unto the Son <he saith>, Thy throne, O God, <is> for ever and ever: a scepter of righteousness <is> the scepter of thy kingdom. {9} Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, <even> thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. {10} And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: {11} They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; {12} And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.

Other Refs:

Proverbs 8:12-36
1 John 5:11-21
Ephesians 3:9

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