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John 1:1-18
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1In the beginning was the
Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2He was with God in the
beginning.
3Through him all things were
made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
4In him was life, and that
life was the light of all mankind.
5The light shines in the
darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
6There was a man sent from
God whose name was John.
7He came as a witness to
testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe.
8He himself was not the
light; he came only as a witness to the light.
9The true light that gives
light to everyone was coming into the world.
10He was in the world, and
though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.
11He came to that which was
his own, but his own did not receive him.
12Yet to all who did receive
him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of
God—
13children born not of
natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
14The Word became flesh and
made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and
only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and
truth.
15(John testified concerning
him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who
comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”)
16Out of his fullness we have
all received grace in place of grace already given.
17For the law was given
through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
18No one has ever seen God,
but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship
with the Father, has made him known.
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1)
What does the
beginning mean?
o It means the infinite eternity past.
2)
According to
verse 1 who was there in the infinite eternity past?
o The Word was there.
3)
Does the Word
really have a beginning and why?
o No, because the Word was there in the infinite
eternity past.
4)
Is the Word
eternal and why?
o Yes, because the Word was there in the infinite
eternity past.
5)
According to
verse 1 was the Word there alone in the infinite eternity past and why?
o No, because the Word was with God in the infinite
eternity past.
6)
How do we depict
the fact that the Word has existed with God eternally?
o The Word is co-eternal with God.
7)
According to
verse 1 what was the identity of the Word?
o The Word was God.
8)
According to
verses 1 and 2 how is the fact that the Word was with God in the infinite
eternity past emphasized?
o It is stated twice.
9)
According to
verse 3 what is the Word’s role in creation?
o The Word is
§
The creator of all
things.
§
And the only creator.
10)
According to
verse 4 what was in the Word?
o In the Word was life.
11)
According to
verse 4 what was that life that was in the Word?
o That life was the light of all mankind.
12)
According to
verse 5 what has been the interaction between the light and the darkness?
o The light shines in the darkness.
o And the darkness has not overcome or better translated
as understood it.
o Because
o It is a known fact that where light shines, darkness
is no more, never the other way around.
o That would also be consistent with what is said next.
o That
o John came as a witness to testify concerning that
light.
o So that
o Through his help all might understand the light and believe.
13)
In summary what
do we know about the Word?
o The Word was there in the infinite eternity past.
o The Word has no beginning.
o The Word is eternal.
o The Word was with God in the infinite eternity past.
o The Word is co-eternal with God.
o The Word is God.
o The Word is
§
The creator of all
things.
§
And the only creator.
o In the Word was life that was the light of all mankind.
14)
According to
verse 6 who was sent from God?
o John was sent from God.
15)
Who was John?
o John the Baptist.
16)
What is the
implication for John to be sent from God rather than sent by God?
o John being sent from God carries the connotation.
o That
o He was with God.
o John being sent by God does not carry that connotation.
17)
How would John be
with God when he was sent, given 2 Kings 2:11, Malachi 4:5 and Matthew 11:13-14?
o Per 2 Kings 2:11 Elijah did not die.
o Because
o He went up to heaven in a whirlwind.
o Per Malachi 4:5 God would send the prophet Elijah.
o So the prophet Elijah would be sent from God.
o When
o He was sent.
o Per Matthew 11:13-14 John was the Elijah who was to
come.
o So John was sent
§
From God.
§
And not just by God.
· The facilitator asks a specific participant to read
out loud 2 Kings 2:11 that says,
+++++++++++++++++++++
11As they were walking along
and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared
and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.
+++++++++++++++++++++
· The facilitator asks a specific participant to read
out loud Malachi 4:5 that says,
+++++++++++++++++++++
5“See, I will send the prophet
Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes.
+++++++++++++++++++++
· The facilitator asks a specific participant to read
out loud Matthew 11:13-14 that says,
+++++++++++++++++++++
13For all the Prophets and
the Law prophesied until John.
14And if you are willing to
accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come.
+++++++++++++++++++++
18)
What do being sent from God and being sent by God indicate
concerning the relationship between God and the person being sent?
o Being sent from God indicates a closeness of
relationship of the person being sent as being with God.
o Being sent by God has no connotation of the degree of
closeness of relationship between God and the person being sent.
19)
What does John being
sent from God tell us about his relationship with the Word, given that the Word is himself God?
o John was with the
Word.
20)
According to
verse 7 what did John come as a witness to testify to?
o He came as a witness to testify concerning the light.
21)
Whom did John
ultimately testify to when he came as a witness to testify concerning the light,
given that the light is the manifestation of the Word?
o He ultimately testified to the Word.
22)
What qualified John
to testify as a witness concerning the light?
o His being with the
Word qualified him.
23)
According to
verse 7 what was the intended consequence of John‘s
testimony?
o He testified.
o So that
o Through him all might believe the light.
24)
According to
verse 8 what had been people’s confusion between John and the light?
o John had been mistaken to be the light.
25)
According to
verse 8 what was the proper distinction between John and the light?
o John was not the light.
o He came only as a witness to the light.
26)
According to
verse 9 what is the nature of the light?
o The light is the true light.
27)
According to
verse 9 what is the function of the true light?
o The true light gives light to everyone in the world.
28)
According to
verse 9 where was the true light coming
into?
o The true light was coming into the world.
29)
According to
verse 10 where was the true light at one point?
o The true light was in the world.
30)
According to verses
10 and 11 what was the relationship between the light and the world?
o The world
§
Was made through
the light.
§
And thus belonged to him.
31)
According to
verses 10 and 11 what was the response of the world to the light?
o The world
§
Nether recognized
the light.
§
Nor received him.
32)
What is radical
about the light coming into the world?
o The creator of the world actually
came into the world that is his creation.
33)
What is radical
about the world neither recognizing the light nor receiving him when he came into
the world, given that he is the creator of the world?
o The creator of the world allows himself to be rejected
by his creation.
34)
According to
verse 12 what right would the light give to those who did receive him and
believe in his name?
o They would be given the right to become children of
God.
35)
According to
verse 13 how did children of God come into being?
o Children of God were
§
Born not of
natural descent.
§
Nor of human
decision.
§
Or a husband’s
will.
§
But born of God.
36)
In accordance
with verse 13 who initiates birth by natural descent?
o Humans do.
37)
In accordance
with verses 12 and 13 who authorizes that a person be born of God?
o The light does.
38)
According to
verses 12 and 13 under what condition does the light authorize that a person be
born of God?
o The light authorizes that a person be born of God.
o When
o The person
§
Receives him.
§
And believes in
his name.
39)
What is radical
about the light authorizing that a person be born of God when the person receives
him and believes in his name?
o The creator of the world actually adopts
one of his creatures to be God’s child.
40)
In accordance
with verses 10 to 12 what was the overall response of the world to the light?
o Most
§
Nether recognized
the light.
§
Nor received him.
o Others
§
Did receive the
light.
§
And believed in
his name.
41)
What is the
reason that some actually received the light and believed
in his name when it is stated in verses 10 and 11 that the world nether recognized
the light nor received him, given verses 6 and 7?
o It is because of John’s
witness.
42)
According to
verse 14 what did the Word as God become?
o The Word as God became flesh.
43)
What does the Word
as God becoming flesh mean?
o The Word as God became a human being.
44)
According to
verse 14 whom did the Word incarnate dwell among?
o The Word incarnate dwelled among people.
45)
What is radical
about the Word as God becoming a human being and dwelling among people?
o The creator of the world actually
§
Became like his creatures.
§
And dwelled among
them.
46)
According to
verse 14 where did the one and only Son come from?
o The one and only Son came from the Father.
47)
Why did the one
and only Son come from the Father?
o It is because the one and only Son as the Word incarnate
was with God the Father.
48)
According to
verse 14 what is the identity of the Word incarnate?
o The Word incarnate is the one and only Son who came
from the Father.
49)
According to
verse 14 what is the one and only Son full of?
o The one and only Son is full of
§
Grace.
§
And truth.
50)
According to
verse 14 what is the glory of the Word incarnate?
o The glory of the Word incarnate is the glory of the
one and only Son.
51)
According to
verse 14 who has seen the glory of the Word incarnate?
o The disciples have.
52)
According to
verse 15 what was John’s testimony concerning the Word incarnate?
o He cried out, saying,
§
“This is the one
I spoke about.
§
When
§
I said, ‘He who
comes after me has surpassed me.
§
Because
§
He was before
me.’”
53)
According to
verses 14 to 17 what is the name of the Word incarnate who came after John?
o Jesus Christ.
54)
What does it mean
for Jesus Christ the Word incarnate to come after John, given Luke 1:11-36?
o It means that Jesus Christ the Word incarnate appeared
after John
§
Chronologically.
§
And as his
younger relative.
· The facilitator asks a specific participant to read
out loud Luke 1:11-36 that says,
+++++++++++++++++++++
11Then an angel of the Lord
appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.
12When Zechariah saw him, he
was startled and was gripped with fear.
13But the angel said to him:
“Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth
will bear you a son, and you are to call him John.
...
30But the angel said to her,
“Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God.
31You will conceive and give
birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.
32He will be great and will
be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will
give him the throne of his father David,
33and he will reign over
Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”
34“How will this be,” Mary
asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
35The angel answered, “The
Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High
will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will
be called the Son of God.
36Even Elizabeth your
relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be
unable to conceive is in her sixth month.
+++++++++++++++++++++
55)
Why was Jesus John’s
younger relative?
o Jesus and John were relatives.
o Because
o The mother of Jesus and the mother of John were relatives.
o And Jesus was conceived several months.
o After
o John was.
56)
What does it mean
for the Word to be before John?
o It means that the Word was there in the infinite eternity
past.
57)
What was the
nature of the Word that John was testifying to when he said the Word was before him?
o He was testifying to the eternal nature of the Word.
58)
Under what
condition was John as a human being able to point to the Word and to testify to
his fellow human beings concerning the Word that was there in the infinite
eternity past?
o The Word must
§
Make his dwelling
among human beings.
§
And become the Word
incarnate.
o For John to testify to his fellow human beings
concerning him.
59)
In accordance
with verse 15 how did John make an effort to avoid
giving the false impression that the one who came after him was inferior to him?
o He made it clear that the one who came after him had surpassed
him because of his eternal nature.
60)
Why did John make an effort to avoid giving the false impression that the
one who came after him was inferior to him, given that the one who came after him
was his younger relative Jesus?
o He did not want the earthly relationship between him
and his younger relative Jesus to cause misunderstanding of the superior and
eternal nature of Jesus.
61)
According to
verse 16 what benefit have the disciples received from the Word incarnate?
o Out of his fullness the disciples have all received
grace upon grace already given.
62)
According to
verses 17 and 18 who is the one and only Son of the Father?
o Jesus Christ is the one and only Son of the Father.
63)
According to
verse 18 what is the identity of the one and only Son?
o The one and only Son is himself God.
64)
What is the
identity of Jesus Christ, given that Jesus Christ is the one and only Son and the
one and only Son is himself God?
o Jesus Christ is God.
65)
In summary what
do we know about Jesus Christ?
o Jesus Christ is the one and only Son of the Father.
o Jesus Christ is God.
o Jesus Christ is the Word incarnate.
o Jesus Christ is the light.
66)
According to
verse 17 what is the contrast between Moses and Jesus Christ?
o The law was given through Moses.
o Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
67)
What is the
contrast between the law of Moses and the grace of Jesus Christ in terms of the
means of justification before God, given Leviticus 18:5 and Ephesians 2:6-9?
o Per Leviticus 18:5 the law of Moses is the embodiment
of justification by work before God.
o Per Ephesians 2:6-9 the grace of Jesus Christ is the
embodiment of justification by faith before God apart from works.
· The facilitator asks a specific participant to read
out loud Leviticus 18:5 that says,
+++++++++++++++++++++
5Keep my decrees and laws,
for the person who obeys them will live by them. I am the Lord.
+++++++++++++++++++++
· The facilitator asks a specific participant to read
out loud Ephesians 2:6-9 that says,
+++++++++++++++++++++
6And God raised us up with
Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,
7in order that in the coming
ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his
kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
8For it is by grace you have
been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of
God—
9not by works, so that no one
can boast.
+++++++++++++++++++++
68)
How do we get to know
the truth, given John 14:6 and that truth comes through Jesus Christ?
o We get to know the truth.
o When
o We get to know Jesus who is the truth.
· The facilitator asks a specific participant to read
out loud John 14:6 that says,
+++++++++++++++++++++
6Jesus answered, “I am the
way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father
except through me.”
+++++++++++++++++++++
69)
According to
verse 18 how is the relationship between the one and only Son and the Father?
o The one and only Son is in closest relationship with
the Father.
70)
According to
verse 18 who has ever seen God?
o No one.
71)
According to
verse 18 how has the Father been made known?
o The one and only Son has made the Father
known.
72)
How has the one
and only Son made the Father known, given Hebrews 1:3?
o The one and only Son has made the Father
known by coming into the world as a human
being.
· The facilitator asks a specific participant to read
out loud Hebrews 1:3 that says,
+++++++++++++++++++++
3The Son is the radiance of
God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by
his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at
the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
+++++++++++++++++++++
73)
How do we get to
know the Father?
o We get to know the Father by
knowing the one and only Son.
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John 1:1-18
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