A.T. Robertson Commentary John 1

In the beginning (εν αρχη). Αρχη is definite, though anarthrous like our at home, in town, and the similar Hebrew be reshith in Ge 1:1. But Westcott notes that here John carries our thoughts beyond the beginning of creation in time to eternity. There is no argument here to prove the existence of God any more than in Genesis. It is simply assumed. Either God exists and is the Creator of the universe as scientists like Eddington and Jeans assume or matter is eternal or it has come out of nothing.

Was (ην). Three times in this sentence John uses this imperfect of ειμ to be which conveys no idea of origin for God or for the Logos, simply continuous existence. Quite a different verb (εγενετο, became) appears in verse 14 for the beginning of the Incarnation of the Logos. See the distinction sharply drawn in 8:58 "before Abraham came (γενεσθα) I am" (ειμ, timeless existence).

The Word (ο λογος). Λογος is from λεγω, old word in Homer to lay by, to collect, to put words side by side, to speak, to express an opinion. Λογος is common for reason as well as speech. Heraclitus used it for the principle which controls the universe. The Stoics employed it for the soul of the world (ανιμα μυνδ) and Marcus Aurelius used σπερματικος λογος for the generative principle in nature. The Hebrew memra was used in the Targums for the manifestation of God like the Angel of Jehovah and the Wisdom of God in Pr 8:23. Dr. J. Rendel Harris thinks that there was a lost wisdom book that combined phrases in Proverbs and in the Wisdom of Solomon which John used for his Prologue (The Origin of the Prologue to St. John, p. 43) which he has undertaken to reproduce. At any rate John's standpoint is that of the Old Testament and not that of the Stoics nor even of Philo who uses the term Λογος, but not John's conception of personal pre-existence. The term Λογος is applied to Christ only in Joh 1:1,14; Revelation 19:13; 1 John 1:1 "concerning the Word of life" (an incidental argument for identity of authorship). There is a possible personification of "the Word of God" in Heb 4:12. But the personal pre-existence of Christ is taught by Paul (2 Corinthians 8:9; Php 2:6f.; Colossians 1:17) and in Heb 1:2f. and in Joh 17:5. This term suits John's purpose better than σοφια (wisdom) and is his answer to the Gnostics who either denied the actual humanity of Christ (Docetic Gnostics) or who separated the αεον Christ from the man Jesus (Cerinthian Gnostics). The pre-existent Logos "became flesh" (σαρξ εγενετο, verse 14) and by this phrase John answered both heresies at once.

With God (προς τον θεον). Though existing eternally with God the Logos was in perfect fellowship with God. Προς with the accusative presents a plane of equality and intimacy, face to face with each other. In 1 John 2:1 we have a like use of προς: "We have a Paraclete with the Father" (παρακλητον εχομεν προς τον πατερα). See προσωπον προς προσωπον (face to face, 1 Corinthians 13:12), a triple use of προς. There is a papyrus example of προς in this sense το γνωστον της προς αλληλους συνηθειας, "the knowledge of our intimacy with one another" (M.& M., Vocabulary) which answers the claim of Rendel Harris, Origin of Prologue, p. 8) that the use of προς here and in Mr 6:3 is a mere Aramaism. It is not a classic idiom, but this is Koine, not old Attic. In Joh 17:5 John has παρα σο the more common idiom.

And the Word was God (κα θεος ην ο λογος). By exact and careful language John denied Sabellianism by not saying ο θεος ην ο λογος. That would mean that all of God was expressed in ο λογος and the terms would be interchangeable, each having the article. The subject is made plain by the article (ο λογος) and the predicate without it (θεος) just as in Joh 4:24 πνευμα ο θεος can only mean "God is spirit," not "spirit is God." So in 1 John 4:16 ο θεος αγαπη εστιν can only mean "God is love," not "love is God" as a so-called Christian scientist would confusedly say. For the article with the predicate see Robertson, Grammar, pp. 767f. So in Joh 1:14 ο Λογος σαρξ εγενετο, "the Word became flesh," not "the flesh became Word." Luther argues that here John disposes of Arianism also because the Logos was eternally God, fellowship of Father and Son, what Origen called the Eternal Generation of the Son (each necessary to the other). Thus in the Trinity we see personal fellowship on an equality.

The same (ουτος). "This one," the Logos of verse 1, repeated for clarity, characteristic of John's style. He links together into one phrase two of the ideas already stated separately, "in the beginning he was with God," "afterwards in time he came to be with man" (Marcus Dods). Thus John clearly states of the Logos Pre-existence before Incarnation, Personality, Deity.

All things (παντα). The philosophical phrase was τα παντα (the all things) as we have it in 1 Corinthians 8:6; Romans 11:36; Colossians 1:16. In verse 10 John uses ο κοσμος (the orderly universe) for the whole.

Were made (egeneto). Second aorist middle indicative of γινομα, the constative aorist covering the creative activity looked at as one event in contrast with the continuous existence of ην in verses 1,2. All things "came into being." Creation is thus presented as a becoming (γινομα) in contrast with being (ειμ).

By him (δι' αυτου). By means of him as the intermediate agent in the work of creation. The Logos is John's explanation of the creation of the universe. The author of Hebrews (Hebrews 1:2) names God's Son as the one "through whom he made the ages." Paul pointedly asserts that "the all things were created in him" (Christ) and "the all things stand created through him and unto him" (Colossians 1:16). Hence it is not a peculiar doctrine that John here enunciates. In 1 Corinthians 8:6, Paul distinguishes between the Father as the primary source (εξ ου) of the all things and the Son as the intermediate agent as here (δι' ου).

Without him (χωρις αυτου). Old adverbial preposition with the ablative as in Php 2:14, "apart from." John adds the negative statement for completion, another note of his style as in Joh 1:20; 1 John 1:5. Thus John excludes two heresies (Bernard) that matter is eternal and that angels or aeons had a share in creation.

Not anything (ουδε εν). "Not even one thing." Bernard thinks the entire Prologue is a hymn and divides it into strophes. That is by no means certain. It is doubtful also whether the relative clause "that hath been made" (ο γεγονεν) is a part of this sentence or begins a new one as Westcott and Hort print it. The verb is second perfect active indicative of γινομα. Westcott observes that the ancient scholars before Chrysostom all began a new sentence with ο γεγονεν. The early uncials had no punctuation.

In him was life (εν αυτω ζωη ην). That which has come into being (verse 3) in the Logos was life. The power that creates and sustains life in the universe is the Logos. This is what Paul means by the perfect passive verb εκτιστα (stands created) in Col 1:16. This is also the claim of Jesus to Martha (John 11:25). This is the idea in Heb 1:3 "bearing (upholding) the all things by the word of his power." Once this language might have been termed unscientific, but not so now after the spiritual interpretation of the physical world by Eddington and Jeans. Usually in John ζωη means spiritual life, but here the term is unlimited and includes all life; only it is not βιος (manner of life), but the very principle or essence of life. That is spiritual behind the physical and to this great scientists today agree. It is also personal intelligence and power. Some of the western documents have εστιν here instead of ην to bring out clearly the timelessness of this phrase of the work of the Λογος.

And the life was the light of men (κα η ζωη ην το φως των ανθρωπων). Here the article with both ζωη and φως makes them interchangeable. "The light was the life of men" is also true. That statement is curiously like the view of some physicists who find in electricity (both light and power) the nearest equivalent to life in its ultimate physical form. Later Jesus will call himself the light of the world (John 8:12). John is fond of these words life and light in Gospel, Epistles, Revelation. He here combines them to picture his conception of the Preincarnate Logos in his relation to the race. He was and is the Life of men (των ανθρωπον, generic use of the article) and the Light of men. John asserts this relation of the Logos to the race of men in particular before the Incarnation.

Shineth (φαινε). Linear present active indicative of φαινω, old verb from φαω, to shine (φαοσ, φως). "The light keeps on giving light."

In the darkness (εν τη σκοτια). Late word for the common σκοτος (kin to σκια, shadow). An evident allusion to the darkness brought on by sin. In 2 Peter 2:17 we have ο ζοφος του σκοτου (the blackness of darkness). The Logos, the only real moral light, keeps on shining both in the Pre-incarnate state and after the Incarnation. John is fond of σκοτια (σκοτος) for moral darkness from sin and φως (φωτιζω, φαινω) for the light that is in Christ alone. In 1 John 2:8 he proclaims that "the darkness is passing by and the true light is already shining." The Gnostics often employed these words and John takes them and puts them in the proper place.

Apprehended it not (αυτο ου κατελαβεν). Second aorist active indicative of καταλαμβανω, old verb to lay hold of, to seize. This very phrase occurs in Joh 12:35 (ινα μη σκοτια υμας καταλαβη) "that darkness overtake you not," the metaphor of night following day and in 1 Thessalonians 5:4 the same idiom (ινα καταλαβη) is used of day overtaking one as a thief. This is the view of Origen and appears also in 2Macc. 8:18. The same word appears in Aleph D in Joh 6:17 κατελαβε δε αυτους η σκοτια ("but darkness overtook them," came down on them). Hence, in spite of the Vulgate comprehenderunt, "overtook" or "overcame" seems to be the idea here. The light kept on shining in spite of the darkness that was worse than a London fog as the Old Testament and archaeological discoveries in Egypt, Assyria, Babylonia, Persia, Crete, Asia Minor show.