Bible Study John 1:4-17. 08/20/2021

The Greatness of Christ’s Love (vv. 4–13)

The greatness of Christ’s love is apparent from the opening line of John where he is mystically identified as “the Word.” Though much can be said about this term because of its rich history in Greek literature, its main significance here is that Christ has always sought to reveal himself. An interpretative paraphrase could well read, “In the beginning was the Communication.” Ever since man’s creation, Christ has sought to communicate with him in love. That Christ was always “the Word” should remind us that he has always loved us, for the nature of love is to express itself, to find an object.

In verses 4–13 the metaphor of Christ as light stresses the revelation, rejection, and reception of his love as it came to the world.

In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. (emphasis added)

Light Revealed

In clearest terms, Christ is described as light: “In him was life; and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness” (vv. 4–5). There is ample Scriptural evidence that Christ is light in a physical sense, for he appears as such in his glory (see Matthew 17:2; Mark 9:2–3; cf. John 17:5). But the emphasis here is on his being spiritual, life-giving light to a dark world. Verse 9 reveals that all humanity benefits from his light: “The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.” Romans 1:19–20 explains that this happens through nature and conscience.

The thought of our Lord being spiritual light gives us a heartening insight into his loving attempt to reach the world. Where light goes, darkness is dispelled, revealing the true nature of life. No place with the slightest crack can withhold its presence. “The light shines in the darkness.” Literally, this means it shines continually in the darkness, meaning that Christ is continually bombarding every corner of our hearts of darkness through the work of his Holy Spirit in nature, conscience, and the Scriptures.

Whether you are with or without Christ, meditate upon Christ being light, and you will better understand how much he loves you.

But how was our Lord’s loving light received?

Light Rejected

Sadly, the majority of mankind rejected the light. Verse 5 concludes, “… but the darkness has not understood it.” Or as some translations more accurately read, the darkness did not “overpower” it. The light met with tremendous resistance. Verses 10–11 round out the description in terms that are tragically absurd as we bear in mind the immense description of Christ that has gone before: “He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.” Think of it! The One who said, “Let there be light,” the One whose love constrained him to shine his saving light through creation and conscience, the One who mercifully sheathed his light in a human body so that he might bring light to men, the One who set aside a special people for himself to be a light to the nations, was rejected! Yet today he is still light and continues to seek to pry his way into hostile hearts. Amazing love!

And though many reject him, some respond.

Light Received

Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. (vv. 12–13)

Those who receive the light become children of God. This is a stupendous truth. Apparently John never got over it because when he was an old man he wrote, “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1). This ought to be the refrain of our lives if we have believed in him.

Furthermore, the future holds out to us the bright prospect of becoming like the risen Christ himself. John followed his statement of wonder with a statement of even greater wonder: “Dear children, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2). C. S. Lewis, in his great sermon “The Weight of Glory,” preached at St. Mary’s, Oxford, elaborated on the implications of being children of God.

It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare. All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or other of these destinations. It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities, it is with the awe and the circumspection proper to them, that we should conduct all our dealings with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics. There are no ordinary people.

A dizzy joy at our future as God’s children should pervade all our ways.

Coming into this marvelous life is a matter of incredible simplicity. Becoming one of God’s own comes by receiving Jesus, which verse 12 explains by saying, “all who received him … those who believed in his name,” which means believing on who Jesus is and receiving him as our own. In the language of John 1, the cosmic Christ, the eternal Creator who became one of us, took our sins upon himself and paid for them, was resurrected, and now sits at the Father’s right hand. Do you truly believe in his name, in him? That is the question. There is nothing to join, nothing to sign. Simply believe.

Oh, the greatness of Christ and his love. Receive it now if you have not done so before.

 Hughes, R. K. (1999). John: that you may believe (pp. 18–21). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.