Joh 1:1, 14 | Clarke | e4.org | THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JOHN. -Usherian years of the World, 3999-4033. -Alexandrian years of the World, 5497-5531. -Antiochian years of the World, 5487-5621. -Constantinopolitan AEra of the World, 5503-5537. -Rabbinical years of the World, 3754-3788. -Years of the Julian Period, 4708-4742. -AEra of the Seleucide, 307-341. -From B.C. 5, to A.D. 29. -From An. Olymp. CXCIII. 3, to CCII. 1. -Years of the building of Rome, 748-782. -Years of the Julian AEra, 41-75. -Years of the Caesarean AEra of Antioch, 44-78. -Years of the Spanish AEra, 34-68. -Years of the Paschal Cycle, or Dionysian Period, 529-31. -Years of the Christian Lunar Cycle, or Golden Number, 15-11. -Years of the Rabbinical Lunar Cycle, 12-8. -Years of the Solar Cycle, 4-10. -From the 25th year of the reign of the Emperor Augustus to the 18th of that of Tiberius. N. B. As it was impossible to ascertain the precise dates of several transactions recorded in this Gospel, I have constructed the above Chronology in all the AEras which it includes, so as to comprehend the whole of our Lord's life on earth, from his conception to his ascension , which is generally allowed to comprise the space of 34 years, Therefore, 34, added to the first date in any of the above AEras, gives the second date; e.g. Usherian year of the world , 3099+34=4033, and so of the rest. CHAPTER I. The eternity of the Divine Logos, or Word of God, the dispenser of light and life , 1-5. The mission of John the Baptist , 6-13. The incarnation of the Logos or Word of God , 14. John's testimony concerning the Logos , 15-18. The priests and Levites question him concerning his mission and his baptism , 19-22. His answer , 23-28. His farther testimony on seeing Christ , 29-34. He points him out to two of his disciples, who thereupon follow Jesus , 35-37. Christ's address to them , 38, 39. Andrew invites his brother, Simon Peter; Christ's address to him , 40-42. Christ calls Philip, and Philip invites Nathanael , 43-46. Christ's character of Nathanael , 47. A remarkable conversation between him and this disciple , 48-61. NOTES ON CHAP. I. John's introduction is from . Some harmonists suppose it to end with . but, from the connection of the whole, appears to be its natural close, at it contains a reason why the Logos or Word was made flesh . refers to , and in these passages John's testimony is anticipated in order of time, and is very fitly mentioned to illustrate Christ's pre-eminence. have a plain reference to . See Bp. Newcome. Verse 1. In the beginning ] That is, before any thing was formed-ere God began the great work of creation. This is the meaning of the word in , to which the evangelist evidently alludes. This phrase fully proves, in the mouth of an inspired writer, that Jesus Christ was no part of the creation , as he existed when no part of that existed; and that consequently he is no creature, as all created nature was formed by him: for without him was nothing made that is made , . Now, as what was before creation must be eternal , and as what gave being to all things, could not have borrowed or derived its being from any thing , therefore Jesus, who was before all things and who made all things, must necessarily be the ETERNAL God. Was the Word ] Or, existed the Logos . This term should be left untranslated, for the very same reason why the names Jesus and Christ are left untranslated. The first I consider as proper an apellative of the Saviour of the world as I do either of the two last. And as it would be highly improper to say, the Deliverer, the Anointed , instead of Jesus Christ , so I deem it improper to say, the Word , instead of the Logos . But as every appellative of the Saviour of the world was descriptive of some excellence in his person, nature , or work , so the epithet λογος, Logos , which signifies a word spoken, speech, eloquence, doctrine, reason , or the faculty of reasoning , is very properly applied to him, who is the true light which lighteth every man who cometh into the world , ; who is the fountain of all wisdom ; who giveth being, life, light, knowledge , and reason , to all men; who is the grand Source of revelation , who has declared God unto mankind; who spake by the prophets, for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy , ; who has illustrated life and immortality by his Gospel, ; and who has fully made manifest the deep mysteries which lay hidden in the bosom of the invisible God from all eternity, . The apostle does not borrow this mode of speech from the writings of Plato , as some have imagined: he took it from the Scriptures of the Old Testament, and from the subsequent style of the ancient Jews. It is true the Platonists make mention of the Logos in this way:-καθοναειονταταγενομεναεγενετο- by whom, eternally existing, all things were made . But as Plato, Pythagoras, Zeno , and others, travelled among the Jews, and conversed with them, it is reasonable to suppose that they borrowed this, with many others of their most important notions and doctrines, from them. And the Word was God. ] Or, God was the Logos : therefore no subordinate being, no second to the Most High, but the supreme eternal Jehovah.

‏ John 1:1

THE GOSPEL

ACCORDING TO

ST. JOHN.

-Usherian years of the World, 3999-4033.

-Alexandrian years of the World, 5497-5531.

-Antiochian years of the World, 5487-5621.

-Constantinopolitan AEra of the World, 5503-5537.

-Rabbinical years of the World, 3754-3788.

-Years of the Julian Period, 4708-4742.

-AEra of the Seleucide, 307-341.

-From B.C. 5, to A.D. 29.

-From An. Olymp. CXCIII. 3, to CCII. 1.

-Years of the building of Rome, 748-782.

-Years of the Julian AEra, 41-75.

-Years of the Caesarean AEra of Antioch, 44-78.

-Years of the Spanish AEra, 34-68.

-Years of the Paschal Cycle, or Dionysian Period, 529-31.

-Years of the Christian Lunar Cycle, or Golden Number, 15-11.

-Years of the Rabbinical Lunar Cycle, 12-8.

-Years of the Solar Cycle, 4-10.

-From the 25th year of the reign of the Emperor Augustus to the

18th of that of Tiberius.

N. B. As it was impossible to ascertain the precise dates of

several transactions recorded in this Gospel, I have constructed

the above Chronology in all the AEras which it includes, so as

to comprehend the whole of our Lord's life on earth, from his

conception to his ascension, which is generally allowed to

comprise the space of 34 years, Therefore, 34, added to the

first date in any of the above AEras, gives the second date;

e.g. Usherian year of the world, 3099+34=4033, and so of the

rest.

CHAPTER I.

The eternity of the Divine Logos, or Word of God, the dispenser of light and life, 1-5.

The mission of John the Baptist, 6-13.

The incarnation of the Logos or Word of God, 14.

John's testimony concerning the Logos, 15-18.

The priests and Levites question him concerning his mission and his baptism, 19-22.

His answer, 23-28.

His farther testimony on seeing Christ, 29-34.

He points him out to two of his disciples, who thereupon follow Jesus, 35-37.

Christ's address to them, 38, 39.

Andrew invites his brother, Simon Peter; Christ's address to him, 40-42.

Christ calls Philip, and Philip invites Nathanael, 43-46.

Christ's character of Nathanael, 47.

A remarkable conversation between him and this disciple, 48-61.

NOTES ON CHAP. I.

John's introduction is from Joh 1:1-18. Some harmonists suppose it to end with Joh 1:14. but, from the connection of the whole, Joh 1:18 appears to be its natural close, at it contains a reason why the Logos or Word was made flesh. Joh 1:15 refers to Joh 1:6-8, and in these passages John's testimony is anticipated in order of time, and is very fitly mentioned to illustrate Christ's pre-eminence. Joh 1:16, 17 have a plain reference to Joh 1:14. See Bp. Newcome.

Verse 1. In the beginning] That is, before any thing was formed-ere God began the great work of creation. This is the meaning of the word in Ge 1:1, to which the evangelist evidently alludes. This phrase fully proves, in the mouth of an inspired writer, that Jesus Christ was no part of the creation, as he existed when no part of that existed; and that consequently he is no creature, as all created nature was formed by him: for without him was nothing made that is made, Joh 1:3. Now, as what was before creation must be eternal, and as what gave being to all things, could not have borrowed or derived its being from any thing, therefore Jesus, who was before all things and who made all things, must necessarily be the ETERNAL God.

Was the Word] Or, existed the Logos. This term should be left untranslated, for the very same reason why the names Jesus and Christ are left untranslated. The first I consider as proper an apellative of the Saviour of the world as I do either of the two last. And as it would be highly improper to say, the Deliverer, the Anointed, instead of Jesus Christ, so I deem it improper to say, the Word, instead of the Logos. But as every appellative of the Saviour of the world was descriptive of some excellence in his person, nature, or work, so the epithet λογος, Logos, which signifies a word spoken, speech, eloquence, doctrine, reason, or the faculty of reasoning, is very properly applied to him, who is the true light which lighteth every man who cometh into the world, Joh 1:9; who is the fountain of all wisdom; who giveth being, life, light, knowledge, and reason, to all men; who is the grand Source of revelation, who has declared God unto mankind; who spake by the prophets, for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy, Re 19:10; who has illustrated life and immortality by his Gospel, 2Ti 1:10; and who has fully made manifest the deep mysteries which lay hidden in the bosom of the invisible God from all eternity, Joh 1:18.

The apostle does not borrow this mode of speech from the writings of Plato, as some have imagined: he took it from the Scriptures of the Old Testament, and from the subsequent style of the ancient Jews. It is true the Platonists make mention of the Logos in this way:-καθοναειονταταγενομεναεγενετο-by whom, eternally existing, all things were made. But as Plato, Pythagoras, Zeno, and others, travelled among the Jews, and conversed with them, it is reasonable to suppose that they borrowed this, with many others of their most important notions and doctrines, from them.

And the Word was God.] Or, God was the Logos: therefore no subordinate being, no second to the Most High, but the supreme eternal Jehovah.

‏ John 1:14

Verse 14. And the Word was made flesh] That very person who was in the beginning-who was with God-and who was God, Joh 1:1, in the fulness of time became flesh-became incarnated by the power of the Holy Ghost, in the womb of the virgin. Allowing this apostle to have written by Divine inspiration, is not this verse, taken in connection with Joh 1:1, an absolute and incontestable proof of the proper and eternal Godhead of Christ Jesus?

And dwelt among us] καιεσκηνωσενενημιν, And tabernacled among us: the human nature which he took of the virgin, being as the shrine, house, or temple, in which his immaculate Deity condescended to dwell. The word is probably an allusion to the Divine Shechinah in the Jewish temple; and as God has represented the whole Gospel dispensation by the types and ceremonies of the old covenant, so the Shechinah in the tabernacle and temple pointed out this manifestation of God in the flesh. The word is thus used by the Jewish writers: it signifies with them a manifestation of the Divine Shechinah.

The original word, σκηνοω, from σκια, a shadow, signifies: 1. To build a booth, tent, or temporary hut, for present shelter or convenience; and does not properly signify a lasting habitation or dwelling place; and is therefore fitly applied to the human nature of Christ, which, like the tabernacle of old, was to be here only for a temporary residence for the eternal Divinity. 2. It signifies to erect such a building as was used on festival occasions, when a man invited and enjoyed the company of his friends. To this meaning of the word, which is a common one in the best Greek writers, the evangelist might allude, to point out Christ's associating his disciples with himself; living, conversing, eating, and drinking with them: so that, while they had the fullest proof of his Divinity by the miracles which he wrought, they had the clearest evidence of his humanity, by his tabernacling among, eating, drinking, and conversing with them. Concerning the various acceptations of the verb σκηνοω see Raphelius on this verse.

The doctrine of vicarious sacrifice and the incarnation of the Deity have prevailed among the most ancient nations in the world, and even among those which were not favoured with the letter of Divine revelation. The Hindoos believe that their god has already become incarnate, not less than nine times, to save the wretched race of man.

On this subject, Creeshna, an incarnation of the supreme God, according to the Hindoo theology, is represented in the Bhagvat Geeta, as thus addressing one of his disciples: "Although I am not in my nature subject to birth or decay, and am the Lord of all created beings, yet, having command over my own nature, I am made evident by my own power; and, as often as there is a decline of virtue and an insurrection of vice and injustice in the world, I make myself evident; and thus I appear from age to age, for the preservation of the just, the destruction of the wicked, and the establishment of virtue." Geeta, pp. 51, 52.

The following piece, already mentioned, Lu 1:68, translated from the Sanscreet, found on a stone, in a cave near the ancient city of Gya in the East Indies, is the most astonishing and important of any thing found out of the compass of the Sacred Writings, and a proper illustration of this text.

"The Deity, who is the Lord, the possessor of all, APPEARED in this ocean of natural beings, at the beginning of the Kalee Yoog (the age of contention and baseness.) He who is omnipresent, and everlastingly to be contemplated, the Supreme Being, the eternal ONE, the Divinity worthy to be adored-APPEARED here, with a PORTION of his DIVINE NATURE. Reverence be unto thee in the form of (a) Bood-dha! Reverence be unto the Lord of the earth! Reverence be unto thee, an INCARNATION of the Deity, and the Eternal ONE! Reverence be unto thee, O GOD! in the form of the God of mercy! the dispeller of PAIN and TROUBLE, the Lord of ALL things, the Deity who overcometh the sins of the Kalee Yoog, the guardian of the universe, the emblem of mercy towards those who serve thee! (b) O'M! the possessor of all things, in VITAL FORM! Thou art (c) Brahma, (d) Veeshnoo, and (e) Mahesa! Thou art Lord of the universe! Thou art under the form of all things, movable and immovable, the possessor of the whole! And thus I adore thee! Reverence be unto the BESTOWER of SALVATION, and the ruler of the faculties! Reverence be unto thee, the DESTROYER of the EVIL SPIRIT! O Damordara, (f) show me favour! I adore thee who art celebrated by a thousand names, and under various forms, in the shape of Bood-dha, the God of mercy! Be propitious, O most high God!" Asiatic Researches, vol. i. p. 284, 285.

We beheld his glory] This refers to the transfiguration, at which John was present, in company with Peter and James.

The glory as of the only begotten] That is, such a glory as became, or was proper to, the Son of God; for thus the particle ως should be here understood. There is also here an allusion to the manifestations of God above the ark in the tabernacle: see Ex 25:22; Nu 7:89; and this connects itself with the first clause, he tabernacled, or fixed his tent among us. While God dwelt in the tabernacle, among the Jews, the priests saw his glory; and while Jesus dwelt among men his glory was manifested in his gracious words and miraculous acts.

The only begotten of the Father] That is, the only person born of a woman, whose human nature never came by the ordinary way of generation; it being a mere creation in the womb of the virgin, by the energy of the Holy Ghost.

Full of grace and truth.] Full of favour, kindness, and mercy to men; teaching the way to the kingdom of God, with all the simplicity, plainness, dignity, and energy of truth.

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(a) Bood-dha. The name of the Deity, as author of happiness.

(b) O'M. A mystic emblem of the Deity, forbidden to be pronounced but in silence. It is a syllable formed of the Sanscreet letters a, o o, which in composition coalesce, and make o, and the nasal consonant m. The first letter stands for the Creator, the second for the Preserver, and the third for the Destroyer. It is the same among the Hindoos as Yehovah is among the Hebrews.

(d) Veeshnoo. He who filleth all space: the Deity in his preserving quality.

(c) Mahesa. The Deity in his destroying quality. This is properly the Hindoo Trinity: for these three names belong to the same God. See the notes to the Bhagvat Geeta.

(f) Damordara, or Darmadeve, the Indian god of virtue.