John 1:1-13 | What's Happening (and who's involved)?

John 1:1-13 is an incredible narrative that highlights a significant amount of depth concerning the person that is Christ. The narrative reads very similarly to the beginnings of your bible as it begins the same way that Genesis does. "In the beginning..." In like fashion, the same characters that are introduced in Genesis 1 are those that are introduced in John 1, which is kind of the point.

If you look at Genesis 1, you will see the introduction of the main figure of the Bible. "In the beginning God..." This is not all too different from John 1's, "In the beginning was the Word..." What John is highlighting is the incredible nature of the Word being that which/Who created all things. Everything was made through the Word. God spoke and then there was.

Analyzing the characters we have in this section of Scripture proves to be an interesting study in it of itself as you have the two distinct characters of the Word and God, but also those two being one in the same. It is one of the greatest passages we have for understanding (in some capacity) the nature of the Triunity of the Godhead. The Word was, was with God and was God. Where God was in the beginning, so also, in the same capacity, was the Word. This Word also is identified as the Light, the true Light. Testifying of this Light is the one known as John the Baptist (v.6). He is identified as a witness to the true Light, perhaps in a similar way to the lesser light serving as a witness of the greater light in Genesis 1. In the same way that the moon declares the light of the Sun, so John declared the light of the Word.

Three other major characters are also introduced to this. You have those that are "His own" which were those that did not receive Him. There are those which the true Light came to give light to which is every man in the world. And then there are those that received the Word which are then children of God.

Those that did not receive Him that were identified as His own are the people of Israel. It is well documented in the Gospels that Jesus was not well received by many of Israel. In fact, even into the book of Acts you see the apostles being thrown out of synagogues and challenged by the Pharisees and Sadducees. Even though the Messiah was sent for the lost people of Israel, like many times throughout the Old Testament, they rejected the Lord.

The unique thing here is that the true Light extends to more than just Israel. The true Light is given for all mankind, giving the opportunity for any and all to receive Him. For those that did receive Him, they were given the right to become children of God. These are those that are born of God. They are not of those who rejected Him, such as the rest of the world or those of Israel who did not receive Him. So then, you who believe on His name, are included in this passage. For He has given you the right to become a child of God.

What do you see taking place in this passage?
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