John Gill Commentary John 1:7

"The same came for witness, that he might bear witness of the light, that all might believe through him." — John 1:7 (ASV)

The same came for a witness
The end of his being sent, and the design of his coming were,

to bear witness of the light :
by which is meant, not the light of nature, or reason; nor the light of the Gospel: but Christ himself, the author of light, natural, spiritual, and eternal. This was one of the names of the Messiah with the Jews; of whom they say ^F21 , (wmv aryhn) , "light is his name"; as it is said in (Daniel 2:22) and the light dwelleth with him; on which they have ^F23 elsewhere this gloss, this is the King Messiah; and so they interpret (Psalms 43:3) of him ^F24 . Philo the Jew often speaks of the Logos, or word, as light, and calls him the intelligible light; the universal light, the most perfect light; represents him as full of divine light; and says, he is called the sun ^F25 .

Now John came to bear a testimony to him, as he did; of which an account is given in this chapter, very largely, and elsewhere; as that he testified of his existence before his incarnation; of his being with the Father, and in his bosom: of his deity and divine sonship; of his being the Messiah; of the fulness of grace that was in him; of his incarnation and satisfaction; of his descent from heaven; and of his relation to his church, as in (John 1:15John 1:16John 1:18John 1:23John 1:27John 1:29John 1:30John 1:34John 1:36) (John 3:29John 3:31)

the end of which witness was, that all men through him might believe ;
that is, that the Jews, to whom he preached, might, through his testimony, believe that Jesus was the light, and true Messiah;

for these words are to be taken in a limited sense, and not to be extended, to every individual of mankind; since millions were dead before John began his testimony, and multitudes then in being, and since, whom it never reached: nor can it design more than the Jews, to whom alone he bore witness of Christ; and the faith which he taught, and required by his testimony, was an assent to him as the Messiah;

though the preaching of the Gospel is a means of true spiritual faith in Christ; and doubtless it was so to many, as preached by John: it points out the object of faith, and encourages souls to believe in Christ; and hence, Gospel ministers are instruments by whom others believe; and faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God; and then a considerable end of the Gospel ministry is achieved.

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FOOTNOTES:

• F21: Echa Rabbati, fol. 50. 2.
• F23: Bereshit Rabba, fol. 1. 3.
• F24: Jarchi in ib.
• F25: De Maudi Opificio, p. 6. De Allegor. l. 2. p. 80. & de Somniis, p. 576, 578.