John 1 …creation lives with us

John 1

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

John used the word “Word” in dual form intentionally, to the Hebrew this meant the same as the Law of Moses “In the beginning YHVH created”; this is further expounded in Colossians 1:15-17 “The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”

This was considered common and completely acceptable for the Hebrew listening/reading.

The rub would then come from the other major society of the era, the Greeks and Romans, the thinkers and philosophers. The word “Word” would be taken by them in their understanding as “Logos” = the rational principle of the universe, gaining knowledge of another human through conversation to exceed over appearance only.

² The same (Yeshua/Jesus) was in the beginning with God.

³ All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.

⁴ In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

Now that John has everyone’s attention John moves to the depth of Jesus’ creation/existence. This sentence delivers the concrete and irrefutable deity of Jesus as an extension of the Spirit of YHVH. This is the only way God can bring His holy perfect presence anywhere close to humanity. The Jews could accept this thinking as they knew Moses was only allowed to look upon his backside and came down off Mt Sinai glowing like he had eaten a nuclear power plant.

To the Gentiles this was still an article to build the case for John’s position, so he continues with …. “There was a man sent from God whose name was John (the Baptist). He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.”

This let the Gentiles know that there had been a divinely appointed messenger [in the same accordance as the angels who were sent in the OT] proclaiming the coming of this person of Jesus.

The part that speaks of deity are the words “In him”, In him was THE light. This explanation is like the sun, in the sun there is the essence of light and unlike the moon it has no dependence upon anything else to produce a light, it continually produces light whether we are looking at it, or under a cloud, or hiding from it. The sun always produces light, and here too, Jesus is always the essence of YHVH. He cannot shut it off.

⁵ And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

Mark 4:11-12 “And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.”

The sad part for these Hebrews, is this, ” he came unto his own and they knew Him not” …. they missed the writers point in Hebrews 1 “In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.”

The EXACT REPRESENTATION OF HIS BEING!!! Jesus is not a separate entity He IS an extension of YHVH so that through Him we can have conversation and understand what it is He wants from us, His children. John captures the beauty of God’s plan to include the ‘Gentiles’ in His Salvation with these words:

“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.”

It was God’s plan to bring all of humanity to salvation through Jesus!]\

⁶ There was a man sent* from God, whose name was John.

*G649 ἀποστέλλω apostello (a-po-stel’-lō) v. to set apart. (by implication) to send out.

⁷ The same came for a witness¹, to bear witness² of the Light, that all men through him might believe.

1. G3141 μαρτυρία marturia (mar-tï-riy’-a) n. evidence given (judicially or genitive case).

2. G3140 μαρτυρέω martureo (mar-tï-re’-ō) v. 1. to be a witness. 2. to testify.

⁸ He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

⁹ That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

¹⁰ 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.

The Hebrews claimed to be the people of YHVH and yet they refused to live in a manner consistent to YHVH’s commands.

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:

*This is a willingness to submit to His authority.

** G1849 ἐξουσία exousia (e-xou-siy’-a) n. authority, privilege, permission, capacity, competency, freedom, the right to do something.

*** G1096 γίνομαι ginomai (ǰiy’-no-mai) v. 1.to cause to be (“gen”-erate). 2. (reflexively) to become (come into being).

**** G5043 τέκνον teknon (tek’-non) n. a child [from the base of G5098 vindication.] Root(s): G5088 = to produce.}

¹³ Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

• These were the creation of God. John is telling us about the Bene-Ha-Elohim. This is following the exact time sequence of Genesis.

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.

¹⁵ 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.

¹⁶ And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.

¹⁷ For the law (Torah) was given by Moses, but* grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

• This word was inserted by the Anglican transcribers. This sentence should read, based on the original text… “Because the Torah was given through Moses, the divine influence upon the heart and the truth of how to live Torah happened through Jesus Christ.”

¹⁸ No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

¹⁹ And this is the record of John, when the Jews (Pharisees) sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?

²⁰ And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.

²¹ And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? (Elijah) And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.

²² Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?

²³ He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.

Isaiah 40:3 “The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”

It was common practice for the people to take extra steps and make preparations for incoming dignitaries even in the first century. Most traveling paths were either dirt or carefully placed cobblestones, in the instance of the cobblestones the weather along with normal wear and tear the road surfaces would become dangerous to wagon/cart travel. Knowing a high-ranking official was on their way to the city they would enlist the help of the citizens to go and repair the roadway so the officiant would have a smooth ride into town. No need in having a grumpy guest.

²⁴ And they which were sent were of the Pharisees.

²⁵ And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?

²⁶ John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not;

²⁷ He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose.

The Egyptian Ankh, this symbol resembles a cross with the closed loop at the top and is pictured below. It is interesting to note here that all the gods of Egypt carried the ‘ankh’ symbol.

Unknown to the world for centuries this symbol has been describe recently in a two-fold manner: first the three lower portions representing the phallus, and then the loop representing the vagina. The Egyptian {and almost all other pagan religions} were very focused on fertility.

Additionally, this symbol was an outright “finger in the face” of YHWH as it appears to be a sandal strap and an affront to this particular scripture verse. Remember, neither God or Lucifer are bound by chronological time.

²⁸ These things were done in Bethabara* beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.

*G962 Βηθαβαρά Bethabara (beeth-a-ɓa-rah’) n/l. 1. ferry-house. [of Hebrew origin (H1004 and H5679) “house of crossing”. The Greek culture focused on the “the ferry man” at the death of a family member and would put coins on their eyes to pay him off. Charon or Kharon (/ˈkɛərɒn, -ən/; Greek Χάρων) is the ferryman of Hades who carries souls of the newly deceased across the rivers Styx and Acheron that divided the world of the living from the world of the dead.

²⁹ 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 the fulfillment of Gods promise to the entire world. [Jeremiah 31:31-33 “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.”

This was the original Passover covenant and we can see from the text that the people broke that command. This is not the replacement theology of the modern-day church. This is an expansion and a moderation of the prior. God himself will expand the promise to all nations and tongues while personally moderating the commuting of sins.

Galatians 3:20 “Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one.”

1 Timothy 2:5 “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus”]

³⁰ This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.

³¹ And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.

³² And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove*, and it abode upon him.

This is a refence to the manner in which the Spirit moved, not the physical appearance  of the Spirit…. It didn’t look like a bird. Want proof…

Romans 1:23 “And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.” Paganism had already done this!

³³ 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.

³⁴ And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.

³⁵ Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples;

³⁶ And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!

³⁷ And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.

³⁸ 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?

³⁹ 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. {dawn +10hrs/about 4pm}

⁴⁰ One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.

⁴¹ He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias,(Messiah) which is, being interpreted, the Christ.

⁴² And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon* the son of Jonah: thou shalt be called Cephas**, which is by interpretation, A stone***.

*G4613 Σίμων Simon (siy’-mōn) n/p. [of Hebrew origin (H8095)] H8095 שִׁמעוֹן Shim`own (shim-one’) n/p. hearing.

** G2786 Κηφᾶς Kephas (kee-fas’) n/p. a piece of rock. [of Chaldee origin H3710] H3710 כֵּף keph (kafe) n-m. a hollow rock.

*** G4074 Πέτρος Petros (pe’-tros) n/p. a large (piece of) rock.}

I am gonna ‘go out on a limb’ here and say he was hard-headed!

⁴³ The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me.

⁴⁴ Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.

⁴⁵ 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.

⁴⁶ And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.

⁴⁷ Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!

G1388 δόλος dolos (d̮o’-los) n. 1. a trick (bait).2. (figuratively) wile.

Why is this important? This man was known by Jesus and He just said Nathanael would not lie to them. Watch what Nathanael does….

⁴⁸ 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.

⁴⁹ Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.

Unlike all other trees, the fig tree has this unique feature about it, that its fruit appears before its leaves. It is as though the clothing of the tree is the aftermath of bearing fruit.

Is the outward appearance of more importance? Is the outward show of religious observance, the ceremonial actions, or the regalia of formal worship of more importance to the church than the habits and actions needed to lead and teach others?

What was our instruction from YHVH?

Matthew 28:19 “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

What does the church teach? Are they making disciples? Is it just inviting your neighbor to church? I believe the making of a disciple (you yourself or helping anyone else) is more than an hour or two each week!

⁵⁰ 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.

⁵¹ 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.

This is a picture of the portal between the realms. We have seen this before….

Genesis 28:11-12 “And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep. And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.”