John 1:1-13 | What is a lesson for the original audience?

The larger lesson for the original audience is found towards the end of our section, but is the point of everything stated before. That is to believe in Him, the Word, Jesus Christ.

12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
-John 1:12-13

Looking at the surrounding context, we can see that John is really making a point of who this Jesus is. As a matter of fact, the whole intention of the book is written that we may know that Jesus is the Son of God.

31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.
-John 20:31

Belief in Jesus as the Son of God, interacting in this sort of divine relationship in the trinity, is a core message throughout the entire book of John and is continuously emphasized. You will find many stories throughout John that you will not find in any of the synoptic Gospels. Consider the fullness of the theme that John is laying out in John 1:1-13.

First, he begins with highlighting a major component of Jesus. He, the Word, was before all things. Through Him, all things were made that were made. He is the source of life and the source of light. Darkness opposed Him but did not overcome Him. A man named John, that many of the readers of that day would have known as a prophet, was sent to bear witness of this very light that also is life. The Light again was opposed by darkness. The world rejected Him and His own did not receive Him. But, those who believe in Him, they are given spiritual life and spiritual light.

Did you catch it? The darkness did oppose the light but did not overcome it. Similarly, the Light remains opposed but not overcome. The Light overcomes the darkness every time. The point that John is giving here is to draw near to that Light and believe on Him that they too would be born of God, being given the right to be His children.

What lessons do you see?