John Bengel Commentary - John 1:14 - 1:14

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John Bengel Commentary - John 1:14 - 1:14


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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:

Joh 1:14.[19]) Σάρξ, flesh) Flesh (besides that it denotes as to us our corrupt nature, estranged from the Spirit of God, Joh 1:13), denotes the human body, or, as in this place, the man himself, denominated from his visible part. Comp. 1Ti 3:16, “Great is the mystery of godliness, God was manifest in the flesh.”-ἐγένετο, was made) not was, as Artemonius maintains, p. 332, 387, etc., 472. [It is not said here; there was made another man, sent by God, whose name was Jesus, comp. Joh 1:6; but The Word was made flesh. John Baptist, before that he was born of Elizabeth, had no existence: but the Word was, before that His mother Mary-before that Abraham-before that the world at all was brought into being: and in His own time the Word was made flesh: i.e. assumed a human nature, in such a way, however, that there were not two Messiahs, but one; not two sons of God, but one.-V. g.] Nowhere in the whole range of literature will any passage be found under the sun, wherein the difference of the words εἰμί and γίνομαι is more studiously observed than John 1. Read from the beginning the whole context, from Joh 1:1-30, and you will agree with this assertion. Since Artemonius, p. 464, acknowledges that the tenses of the verbs are set down by John with great accuracy [discrimination], why not also the verbs themselves?-καὶ ἐσκήνωσεν, and dwelt) From this point to the end of the verse there are four sentences; to the first of which the fourth has reference, by χιασμός: to the second, the third has reference; in very apposite order.

[19] ὁ λὀγος, the Word) John in this place repeats the former denomination in this sense: That same Being, who was previously the Word, who was the Life, who was the Light, the same was now made Flesh. What He had been before, that He did not cease to be; but He was now made what He had not been before.-V. g.

1) And dwelt among us;

2) and we saw His glory,

3) the glory as of the Only-begotten of the Father:

4) full of grace and truth

Σκηνή, a tabernacle [tent]; whence σκηνόω [I tabernacle]: He dwelt as in a tabernacle [tent] with as; truly, but not long, giving us a view of [the opportunity of seeing] Himself. The verbs are akin; ἐσκήνωσεν and ἐθεασάμεθα, as a stage-scene [σκηνή] and a theatre. The Dweller was ὁ λόγος, the Word: the flesh was His tabernacle and temple: Heb 9:11 [Christ being come, an high-priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say not of this building]; Joh 2:21 [“The temple of His body” destroyed, and then in three days raised up again by Him]. The same letters are in שכינה and σκηνή.-ἡμῖν, us) men who are flesh.-ἐθεασάμεθα, we beheld) we, the apostles, especially Peter, James, and John, Luk 9:32. [These three, at the transfiguration, “saw His glory.”] The apostles, in speaking of that which they had seen, are wont to speak in the plural number: a usage which tends to the greater confirmation [of the things which they attest]. 1Jn 1:1, “That which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled.” 2Pe 1:16, “We have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye-witnesses of His majesty.” Paul uses the singular number, 1Co 9:2, “Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord?” and John the Baptist, Joh 1:32, “I saw the Spirit descending, etc., and it abode upon Him.”-τὴν δόξαν) His glory, His Godhead, ch. Joh 2:11, “Jesus manifested forth His glory.”-ὡς, as) This particle does not compare, but declares. For He, the λόγος, the Word, is Himself the Only-begotten.-μονογενοῦς, the only begotten) There is hereby intimated the reality and unity of the Divine generation. There is reference chiefly to the baptism of Jesus Christ; Joh 1:34, “I saw and bare record that this is the Son of God;” Mat 3:17, “Lo a voice from heaven saying, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased;” although the history itself of Jesus’ baptism, as being fully described by the other Evangelists, John fittingly omits. Comp. Mat 3:14, “John forbade Him, saying, I have need to be baptised of Thee, and comest Thou to me?”-παρὰ, by [or of]) Construe with μονογενοῦς, the Only-begotten: alone, not only-begotten by the Father, but even sent [by Him]: ch. Joh 6:46, “He which is of God;” ch. Joh 7:29, “I am not come of Myself, but He that sent Me.”-πλήρης, full) not πεπληρωμένος, filled, which, however, in another point of view, is said of Jesus, Luk 2:40.[20] [We ought to construe the passage thus, The Word dwelt with us full of grace and truth: inasmuch as this was properly the very point intended to be indicated in this verse: for the fact of His being made flesh is repeated from the previous verses.-V. g.]-χάριτος καὶ ἀληθείας, grace and truth) The whole of this is repeated, Joh 1:17 : Grace alone is named, Joh 1:16, [of which if destitute we could not have endured His glory.-V. g.] Truth is grace clad with a promise, and put forth in exercise. Heb. ואמת חסד, Exo 34:6. Thence Psa 25:5, etc., “Lead me in Thy truth, and teach me, for Thou art the God of my salvation;” Psa 25:10, “All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth;” Psa 26:3, “I have walked in Thy truth;” Psa 33:4-5, “All His works are done in truth: He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord;” Psa 36:6, “Thy righteousness is like the great mountains;” Psa 85:11, “Truth shall spring out of the earth: and righteousness shall look down from heaven:” Psa 89:2-3, “Mercy shall be built up for ever: Thy faithfulness shalt Thou establish in the very heavens. I have made a covenant with My chosen, I have sworn unto David My servant;” Psa 89:5; Psa 89:8, “Thy faithfulness;” Psa 89:14, “Justice and judgment are the habitation of Thy throne; mercy and truth shall go before Thy face;” Psa 89:24, “My faithfulness and mercy shall be with Him;” Psa 89:33, “My loving-kindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer My faithfulness to fail;” Psa 89:49, “Lord, where are Thy former loving-kindnesses, which Thou swarest unto David in Thy truth?” Psa 92:2, “To show forth Thy loving-kindness every morning, and Thy faithfulness every night;” Psa 98:3, “He hath remembered His mercy and truth toward the house of Israel;” Psa 100:5, “The Lord is good: His mercy is everlasting: and His truth endureth for ever;” Psa 115:1, “Not unto us, O Lord, but unto Thy name give glory, for Thy mercy and for Thy truth’s sake;” Psa 117:2, “His merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever.” Add Rom 15:8-9, “Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers: and that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy;” Col 1:5-6, “the word of the truth of the Gospel,-which bringeth forth fruit-in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth.” This grace and truth is by nature unknown to the sons of wrath, and to the untruthful: but it falls to us [is bestowed on us] in the well-beloved Son, in whom the Father is well pleased, Mat 3:17. It is called the grace [of God] in truth, Col 1:6; 2Jn 1:3, “Grace be with you, mercy and peace from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of the Father, in truth and love;” the true grace [of God], 1Pe 5:12.

[20] “The child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom:” where His perfect humanity is exhibited.-E. and T.