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. 7 He 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.’”)
Comment: At the opposite end of the scale to Mark, who began his record of Jesus with Jesus entering the adult world at 30 years old, John starts before the world began! Both Jewish and Greek readers had a very high understanding of this usage of the word ‘Word’! Wikipedia says, ‘That for both (Jews and Greeks) reading the gospel of John it was a concept signifying the divine reason, order, and communication from God that became incarnated in Jesus Christ’. It included the concept of Creator but John goes on to express, very emphatically, the involvement of Jesus in creation. John excludes any concept of creation by blind evolutionary chance! The sentence ‘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.‘ is power-packed! It states that He (Jesus) is not only the Creator of the geographic world, but that all life is of His doing and springs from Him! I guess that only John or the Holy Spirit can tell exactly how to expand the phrase ‘the life was the light of men‘ to allow us to get the full meaning. But it certainly goes way beyond making it mean that it is possible for us to see the beauty of the world! For me ‘light’ is probably ‘understanding’! Jesus makes life understandable, worthwhile and tells us clearly (although not all will accept it) what God means life to be about! John, the author, talks about John, the forerunner, and then gives a summary of what Jesus achieved and is able to do for us! The final verse is all about what Christmas is about! – 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.
Not a proverb but very relevant! – John 1: 12-13 – But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
Prayer: I stand amazed in Your Presence, Lord Jesus, Creator of the Universe and the Essence of Life!
As I read it! 