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John 1

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

The same was in the beginning with God.

All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.

He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

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:

Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

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 bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.

And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.

For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?

And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.

And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.

Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?

He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.

And they which were sent were of the Pharisees.

And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?

John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not;

He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose.

These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.

The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.

And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.

And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.

And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.

And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.

Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples;

And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!

And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.

Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?

He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour.

One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.

He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.

And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.

The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me.

Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.

Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.

And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.

Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!

Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.

Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.

Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.

And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

What does John 1:5 mean?

Explanation

The verse John 1:5 speaks metaphorically about the nature of light and darkness, representing good and evil or knowledge and ignorance, respectively.

In the context of the Gospel of John, the "light" is widely understood to refer to Jesus Christ, bringing spiritual enlightenment and life-giving power to the world.

"Shineth in darkness" suggests that this divine illumination enters a world that is obscured by sin and unbelief.

"And the darkness comprehended it not" implies that the darkness, or those who live in spiritual blindness, did not understand or accept the light that was brought to them.

This failure of comprehension can also be interpreted as an inability to overcome or extinguish the light - the darkness simply cannot prevail against the light of Christ.

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Historical Context

The Gospel of John is thought to have been written towards the end of the first century AD, a time when Christianity was not yet fully established and faced opposition both from the Roman authorities and within Jewish communities. The author is traditionally believed to be John the Apostle.

The verse in question sets the stage for the introduction of Jesus' ministry and hints at the rejection he would face.

Its poetic contrasts between light and darkness would have resonated with a Hellenistic audience familiar with dualistic motifs, as well as with Jewish readers versed in Old Testament themes of light as a symbol of God's presence and guidance.

Theological Insights

From a theological standpoint, different Christian denominations interpret John 1:5 through their doctrinal lenses.

For mainstream Christianity, the verse strongly supports the divinity of Jesus Christ and His unique role in salvation.

It also illustrates the concept of original sin, suggesting that the world is inherently in a state of darkness that requires divine intervention.

Some non-trinitarian perspectives, however, may view the "light" more as God's wisdom or truth than a direct reference to Jesus’ divine nature.

Regardless of the specific interpretation, the prevailing consensus is that this verse speaks to the transformative power of the Gospel and the kingdom of God breaking into a fallen world.

Practical Applications

In everyday life, John 1:5 can remind individuals to seek truth and righteousness, opening their hearts and minds to the teachings of Christ.

As followers of Jesus, believers are encouraged to be beacons of light, for instance, by practicing forgiveness, compassion, and integrity, to shine amid moral ambiguity and to guide others out of their metaphorical darkness.

The verse also encourages steadfastness when confronting misunderstanding or rejection from the world.

Cross-References

John 8:12 - "Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."
John 3:19 - "And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil."
Psalm 119:105 - "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."
Isaiah 9:2 - "The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined."
2 Corinthians 4:6 - "For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."

Language Study

In the original Greek text, key terms in John 1:5 include:

"Light" (φῶς, phōs): A common metaphor in the Bible for purity, truth, knowledge, and divine presence.
"Shineth" (φαίνει, phainei): Present tense, indicating an ongoing action; the light continuously shines.
"Darkness" (σκοτίᾳ, skotia): This signifies moral darkness, ignorance, or sinfulness.
"Comprehended" (κατέλαβεν, katelaben): This word can mean "to seize, lay hold of," or "to understand, perceive." The ambiguity suggests both a failure to grasp the significance of the light and an inability to overcome it.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Ancient myths often depict the struggle between light and darkness, such as the Egyptian story of Ra and Apophis, or the Zoroastrian concept of the eternal battle between Ahura Mazda (light) and Angra Mainyu (darkness).

In these myths, light often symbolizes order, truth, and life, while darkness represents chaos, deceit, and death.

The Biblical narrative shares this symbolism of light overcoming darkness, but it uniquely centers this battle around the person of Jesus Christ and His salvific work.

Scientific Perspectives

Scientifically, light and darkness are understood as physical phenomena, with light being the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that is visible to the human eye, while darkness is the absence of light.

While the verse uses light and darkness metaphorically, modern scientific recognition of light as a fundamental aspect of life (enabling sight, photosynthesis, etc.) mirrors spiritual themes of light as essential for spiritual growth and understanding.

Commentaries

Scholars and theologians offer varied commentaries on John 1:5.

For instance, Matthew Henry's Commentary emphasizes the power of Christ's divine light to guide and save souls from the darkness of sin.

The Expositor's Greek Testament appreciates the poetic structure and the use of present tense to describe the eternal struggle between light and darkness.

Another example is the MacArthur Study Bible, which interprets the verse as describing the permanence of Christ's light and the pervasive nature of spiritual darkness that fails to recognize God's truth.

Each of these commentaries speaks to the depth and complexity of interpreting this single verse within its broader theological and historical context.

John 1

John 1

What does John 1:5 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does John 1:5 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?