Matthew Henry Commentary John 1
Matthew Henry Commentary
John 1
Matthew Henry Commentary
John 1
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him; and without him was not anything made that hath been made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness apprehended it not." — John 1:1-5 (ASV)
The clearest reason why the Son of God is called the Word seems to be that as our words explain our minds to others, so the Son of God was sent in order to reveal His Father's mind to the world. What the evangelist says of Christ proves that He is God.
He asserts, His existence in the beginning; His coexistence with the Father. The Word was with God. All things were made by Him, and not as an instrument. Without Him nothing was made that has been made, from the highest angel to the lowliest worm.
This shows how well qualified He was for the work of our redemption and salvation. The light of reason, as well as the life of sense, is derived from Him, and depends upon Him. This eternal Word, this true Light shines, but the darkness comprehends it not.
Let us pray without ceasing, that our eyes may be opened to behold this Light, that we may walk in it; and thus be made wise unto salvation, by faith in Jesus Christ.
"There came a man, sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for witness, that he might bear witness of the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but [came] that he might bear witness of the light. There was the true light, [even the light] which lighteth every man, coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and they that were his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he the right to become children of God, [even] to them that believe on his name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth." — John 1:6-14 (ASV)
John the Baptist came to bear witness concerning Jesus. Nothing more fully shows the darkness of human minds than the fact that when the Light had appeared, a witness was needed to call attention to it. Christ was the true Light; that great Light which deserves to be called so. By his Spirit and grace he enlightens all who are enlightened to salvation; and those who are not enlightened by him, perish in darkness. Christ was in the world when he took our nature upon him, and dwelt among us.
The Son of the Highest was here in this lower world. He was in the world, but not of it. He came to save a lost world, because it was a world of his own making. Yet the world did not know him. When he comes as a Judge, the world shall know him. Many say that they are Christ's own, yet do not receive him, because they will not part with their sins, nor have him reign over them.
All the children of God are born again. This new birth is through the word of God as the means (1 Peter 1:23), and by the Spirit of God as the Author. By his Divine presence Christ always was in the world. But now that the fullness of time had come, he was, in another manner, God manifested in the flesh. But observe the beams of his Divine glory, which darted through this veil of flesh.
People discover their weaknesses to those most familiar with them, but it was not so with Christ; those most intimate with him saw most of his glory. Although he was in the form of a servant, regarding outward circumstances, yet, regarding graces, his form was like the Son of God. His Divine glory appeared in the holiness of his doctrine, and in his miracles. He was full of grace, fully acceptable to his Father, therefore qualified to plead for us; and full of truth, fully aware of the things he was to reveal.
"John beareth witness of him, and crieth, saying, This was he of whom I said, He that cometh after me is become before me: for he was before me. For of his fulness we all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared [him]." — John 1:15-18 (ASV)
As to the order of time and entrance on His work, Christ came after John, but in every other way He was before him. This expression clearly shows that Jesus had existence before He appeared on earth as man. All fullness dwells in Him, from whom alone fallen sinners have received, and will receive, by faith, all that renders them wise, strong, holy, useful, and happy.
What we receive from Christ is all summed up in this one word, grace; we have received even grace, a gift so great, so rich, so invaluable: the goodwill of God toward us, and the good work of God in us. The law of God is holy, just, and good; and we should make the proper use of it.
But we cannot derive pardon, righteousness, or strength from it. It teaches us to adorn the doctrine of God our Savior, but it cannot supply the place of that doctrine. Since no mercy comes from God to sinners except through Jesus Christ, no one can come to the Father except by Him; no one can know God, except as He is made known in the only-begotten and beloved Son.
"And this is the witness of John, when the Jews sent unto him from Jerusalem priests and Levites to ask him, Who art thou? And he confessed, and denied not; and he confessed, I am not the Christ. And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elijah? And he saith, I am not. Art thou the prophet? And he answered, No. They said therefore unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said Isaiah the prophet. And they had been sent from the Pharisees. And they asked him, and said unto him, Why then baptizest thou, if thou art not the Christ, neither Elijah, neither the prophet? John answered them, saying, I baptize in water: in the midst of you standeth one whom ye know not, [even] he that cometh after me, the latchet of whose shoe I am not worthy to unloose. These things were done in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing." — John 1:19-28 (ASV)
John denies being the Christ, who was then expected and waited for. He came in the spirit and power of Elias, but he was not the person of Elias. John was not that Prophet whom Moses said the Lord would raise up for them from among their brothers, like him. He was not the kind of prophet they expected, one who would rescue them from the Romans.
The account John gave of himself was such as to stir and awaken them to listen to him. He baptized the people with water as a profession of repentance and as an outward sign of the spiritual blessings to be conferred on them by the Messiah—who was in their midst, though they did not know him, and for whom John considered himself unworthy to perform even the most humble service.
"On the morrow he seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold, the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man who is become before me: for he was before me. And I knew him not; but that he should be made manifest to Israel, for this cause came I baptizing in water. And John bare witness, saying, I have beheld the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven; and it abode upon him. And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize in water, he said unto me, Upon whomsoever thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and abiding upon him, the same is he that baptizeth in the Holy Spirit. And I have seen, and have borne witness that this is the Son of God. Again on the morrow John was standing, and two of his disciples; and he looked upon Jesus as he walked, and saith, Behold, the Lamb of God!" — John 1:29-36 (ASV)
John saw Jesus coming to him and pointed him out as the Lamb of God. The paschal lamb, in the shedding and sprinkling of its blood, the roasting and eating of its flesh, and all the other circumstances of the ordinance, represented the salvation of sinners by faith in Christ. And the lambs sacrificed every morning and evening, can only refer to Christ, slain as a sacrifice to redeem us to God by his blood. John came as a preacher of repentance, yet he told his followers that they were to look for the pardon of their sins to Jesus only, and to his death.
It agrees with God's glory to pardon all who depend on the atoning sacrifice of Christ. He takes away the sin of the world; purchases pardon for all that repent and believe the gospel. This encourages our faith; if Christ takes away the sin of the world, then why not my sin? He bore sin for us, and so bears it from us. God could have taken away sin by taking away the sinner, as he took away the sin of the old world; but here is a way of taking away sin, yet sparing the sinner, by making his Son sin for us, that is, a sin-offering for us.
See Jesus taking away sin, and let that cause hatred of sin, and resolutions against it. Let us not hold that fast, which the Lamb of God came to take away. To confirm his testimony concerning Christ, John declares the appearance at his baptism, in which God himself bore witness to him. He saw and bare record that he is the Son of God.
This is the end and object of John's testimony: that Jesus was the promised Messiah. John took every opportunity that offered to lead people to Christ.
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