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NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Joh_1:14-18
14And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15John testified about Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.'" 16For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. 17For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. 18No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.
Joh_1:14 "the Word became flesh" John is attacking the false doctrine of the Gnostics, who were attempting to merge Christianity with Greek pagan thought. Jesus was truly human and truly God (cf. 1Jn_4:1-3) in fulfillment of the promise of Immanuel (cf. Isa_7:14). God took up residence as a man among fallen mankind (literally, "pitched His tent"). The term "flesh" in John never refers to the sin nature as in Paul's writings.
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▣ "dwelt among us" Literally, this is "took up residence." It had a Jewish background from the wilderness wandering period and the Tabernacle (cf. Rev_7:15; Rev_21:3). The Jews later called this wilderness experience the "honeymoon period" between YHWH and Israel. God was never closer to Israel than during this period. The Jewish term for the special divine cloud that guided Israel during this period was "the Shekinah," the Hebrew term "to dwell with."
▣ "we saw His glory" The OT kabod (glory) has now been personified, incarnated. This refers to (1) something in Jesus' life such as the transfiguration or the ascension (i.e., apostolic testimony, cf. 2Pe_1:16-17) is or (2) the concept that the invisible YHWH is now visible and fully known. This is the same emphasis as 1Jn_1:1-4, which is also an emphasis on the humanity of Jesus in opposition to the false Gnostic emphasis on the antagonistic relationship between spirit and matter.
In the OT the most common Hebrew word for "glory" (kabod, BDB 458 ) was originally a commercial term (which referred to a pair of scales), literally, "to be heavy." That which was heavy was valuable or had intrinsic worth. Often the concept of brightness was added to the word to express God's majesty (i.e., first on Mr. Sinai, the Shekinah cloud of glory, eschatological light, cf. Exo_13:21-22; Exo_24:17; Isa_4:5; Isa_60:1-2). He alone is worthy and honorable. He is too brilliant for fallen mankind to behold (cf. Exo_33:17-23; Isa_6:5). God can only be truly known through Christ (cf. Joh_1:14; Joh_1:18; Col_1:15; Heb_1:3).
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NASB, NKJV "glory as of the only begotten from the Father"
NRSV "the glory as of a father's only son"
TEV "The glory which he received as the Father's only Son"
NJB "the glory that is his as the only Son of the Father"
This term "only" (monogençs) means "unique," "one of a kind" (cf. Joh_3:16; Joh_3:18; 1Jn_4:9, see F. F. Bruce, Answers to Questions, pp. 24-25). The Vulgate translated it "only begotten" and, unfortunately, the older English translations followed this (cf. Luk_7:12; Luk_8:42; Luk_9:38; Heb_11:17). The focus is on singularity and uniqueness, not sexual generation.
▣ "Father" The OT introduces the intimate familial metaphor of God as Father.
1. the nation of Israel is often described as YHWH's "son" (cf. Hos_11:1; Mal_3:17)
2. even earlier in Deuteronomy the analogy of God as father is used (Deu_1:31)
3. in Deuteronomy 32 Israel is called "his children" and God called "your Father"
4. this analogy is stated in Psa_103:13 and developed in Psa_68:5 (the father of orphans)
5. it was common in the prophets (cf. Isa_1:2; Isa_63:8; Israel as son, God as Father, Isa_63:16; Isa_64:8; Jer_3:4; Jer_3:19; Jer_31:9).
Jesus takes this analogy and deepens it into full family fellowship, especially in Joh_1:14; Joh_1:18; Joh_2:16; Joh_3:35; Joh_4:21; Joh_4:23; Joh_5:17-23; Joh_5:26; Joh_5:36-37; Joh_5:43; Joh_5:45; Joh_6:27; Joh_6:32; Joh_6:37; Joh_6:44-46; Joh_6:57; Joh_8:16; Joh_8:19; Joh_8:27-28; Joh_8:38; Joh_8:42; Joh_8:49; Joh_8:54; Joh_11:41; Joh_12:26-28; Joh_12:49-50; Joh_13:1; Joh_14:2; Joh_14:6-13; Joh_14:16; Joh_14:20-21; Joh_14:23-24; Joh_14:26; Joh_14:28; Joh_14:31; Joh_15:1; Joh_15:8-10; Joh_15:15-16; Joh_15:23-24; Joh_15:26; Joh_16:3; Joh_16:10; Joh_16:15; Joh_16:17; Joh_16:23; Joh_16:25-28; Joh_16:32; Joh_17:1; Joh_17:5; Joh_17:11; Joh_17:21; Joh_17:24-25; Joh_18:11; Joh_20:17; Joh_20:21!
▣ "full of grace and truth" This coupling follows the OT terms hesed (covenant love and loyalty) and emeth (trustworthiness) which are used and expanded in Exo_34:6; Neh_9:17; Psa_103:8, both words occur together in Pro_16:6. This describes Jesus' character (cf. Joh_1:17) in OT covenantal terms. See Special Topic on Truth at Joh_6:55; Joh_17:3.
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Joh_1:15 "for He existed before me" This is John the Baptist's doctrine of strong affirmation of Jesus' pre-existence (cf. Joh_1:1; Joh_8:56-59; Joh_16:28; Joh_17:5; 2Co_8:9; Php_2:6-7; Col_1:17; Heb_1:3; Heb_10:5-8). The doctrines of pre-existence and predictive prophecy affirm that there is a God above and beyond history, yet who works within history. It is an integral part of a Christian/biblical world view.
▣ This verse is awkward and many scribal changes were made in an attempt to clarify and simplify the text. See Bruce M. Metzger, A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament, pp. 197-198.
It is also a good example on how the Greek verb tenses cannot be standardized. This is a past act recorded in the PRESENT tense. See Appendix One.
Joh_1:16-18 One of the characteristics of John's Gospel is how the author breaks into the historical event, dialogue, or teaching session with his own comments. Often it is impossible to differentiate between Jesus', other persons', and John's words. Most scholars assert that Joh_1:16-19 are John the author's comments (cf. Joh_3:14-21).
Joh_1:16 "fullness" This is the Greek term pleroma. The Gnostic false teachers used it to describe the angelic aeons between the high god and lesser spiritual beings. Jesus is the only mediator (i.e., the true and only fullness) between God and man (cf. Col_1:19; Col_2:9; Eph_1:23; Eph_4:13). Here again it seems John the Apostle is attacking an early Gnostic view of reality.
NASB, NRSV "and grace upon grace"
NKJV "and grace for grace"
TEV "giving us one blessing after another"
NJB "one gift replacing another"
The interpretive question is how to understand "grace." Is it
1. God's mercy in Christ unto salvation
2. God's mercy for the Christian life
3. God's mercy in the new covenant through Christ?
The key thought is "grace"; God's grace has been wondrously given in the incarnation of Jesus. Jesus is God's "yes" to fallen mankind (cf. 2Co_1:20).
Joh_1:17 "the Law" The Mosaic Law was not bad, but was preparatory and incomplete as far as providing a complete salvation (cf. Joh_5:39-47; Gal_3:23-29; Romans 4). Hebrews also contrasts and compares the work/revelation/covenants of Moses and Jesus.
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▣ "grace" This refers to God's undeserved, unmerited love for fallen mankind (cf. Eph_2:8). This term grace (charis), so important in Paul's writings, is used only in this paragraph in John's Gospel (cf. Joh_1:14; Joh_1:16-17). New Testament writers, under inspiration, were free to use their own vocabularies, analogies, and metaphors.
Jesus brought into reality the "new covenant" of Jer_31:31-34; Eze_36:22-38.
▣ "truth" This is used in the sense of (1) faithfulness or (2) truth vs. falsehood (cf. Joh_1:14; Joh_8:32; Joh_14:6). Notice both grace and truth came through Jesus (cf. Joh_1:14). See Special Topic at Joh_17:3.
▣ "Jesus" This is the first use of the human name of Mary's son in the Prologue. The pre-existent Son now becomes the Incarnate Son!
Joh_1:18 "No one has seen God at any time" Some say that this contradicts Exo_33:20-23. However, the Hebrew term in the Exodus passage refers to "afterglow," not the physical sight of God Himself. The thrust of this passage is that only Jesus fully reveals God (cf. Joh_14:8 ff). No sinful human has seen God (cf. Joh_6:46; 1Ti_6:16; 1Jn_4:12; 1Jn_4:20).
This verse emphasizes the unique revelation of God in Jesus of Nazareth. He is the full and only divine self-disclosure. To know Jesus is to know God. Jesus is the Father's ultimate revelation of Himself. There is no clear understanding of deity apart from Him (cf. Col_1:15-19; Heb_1:2-3). Jesus "sees" the Father and believers "see" the Father through Him (His life, words, and acts). He is the full and complete revelation of the invisible God (cf. Col_1:15; Heb_1:3).
NASB "the only begotten God"
NKJV "the only begotten Son"
NRSV "It is God's only Son"
TEV "The only Son"
NJB "It is the only Son"
See note on monogenēs at Joh_1:14. Jesus is fully God and man. See full notes at Joh_1:1.
There is a Greek manuscript variation here. Theos/God is in the early Greek manuscripts P66, P75, B, and C, while "Son" is substituted for "God" only in MSS A and C3. The UBS4 gives "God" a "B" rating (almost certain). The term "Son" possibly comes from scribes remembering "only begotten Son" in Joh_3:16; Joh_3:18 and in 1Jn_4:9 (cf. Bruce M. Metzger's A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament p. 198). This is a strong affirmation of the full and complete deity of Jesus! It is possible that this verse has three titles for Jesus: (1) only begotten, (2) God, and (3) who is in the bosom of the Father.
There is an interesting discussion of the possibility of a purposeful alteration of this text by orthodox scribes in Bart D. Ehrmans' The Orthodox Corruption of Scripture, p. 78-82.
▣ "who is in the bosom of the Father" This is very similar in meaning to the phrase "with God" in Joh_1:1-2. It speaks of intimate fellowship. It could refer to (1) His pre-existent fellowship or (2) His restored fellowship (i.e., the Ascension).
NASB "He has explained Him"
NKJV "He has declared Him"
NRSV, NJB "who has made him known"
TEV "he has made him known"
We get the English term "exegesis" (lit. "to lead out," aorist middle [deponent] indicative) from this Greek word used in Joh_1:18, which implies a full and complete revelation. One of Jesus' main tasks was to reveal the Father (cf. Joh_14:7-10; Heb_1:2-3). To see and know Jesus is to see and know the Father (loving sinners, helping the weak, accepting the outcast, receiving children and women)!
The term in Greek was used of those who explain or interpret a message, dream, or document. Here again John may be using a word that had specific meaning to both Jews and Gentiles (like Logos of Joh_1:1). John is attempting to relate to both Jew and Greek with his prologue. The word could mean
1. to the Jews one who explains or interprets the Law
2. to the Greeks one who explains or interprets the gods.
In Jesus, and Jesus alone, humans fully see and understand the Father!
CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS TO Joh_1:19-51
A. This passage concerning John the Baptist deals with two early church misunderstandings:
1. that which developed around the person of John the Baptist and is disputed in Joh_1:6-9; Joh_1:20-21; Joh_1:25; and Joh_3:22-36;
2. that which involved the person of Christ and is dealt with in Joh_1:32-34. This same heresy of Gnosticism is similarly attacked in 1 John 1. 1 John may have been the cover letter to the Gospel of John.
B. The Gospel of John is silent about the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist. The ordinances of the church, baptism and the Eucharist, are noticeably absent in John's account of the life of Christ. There are at least two possible reasons for this omission:
1. the rise of sacramentalism in the early church caused John to de-emphasize this aspect of Christianity. His Gospel focuses on relationship, not ritual. He does not discuss or record the two sacraments of baptism and the Lord's Supper at all. The absence of something so expected would draw attention to it.
2. John, writing later than the other Gospel writers, used his account of the life of Christ to supplement the others. Since all of the Synoptics cover these ordinances, John only supplied additional information about the surrounding events. An example would be the dialog and events which occurred in the upper room (chapters 13-17) but not the actual supper itself.
C. The emphasis of this account is on John the Baptist's testimony concerning the person of Jesus. John makes the following Christological statement:
1. Jesus is the Lamb of God, (Joh_1:29) a title for Jesus used only here and in Revelation
2. Jesus is pre-existent (Joh_1:30)
3. Jesus is the receiver and giver of the Holy Spirit (Joh_1:33)
4. Jesus is the Son of God (Joh_1:34)
D. The truths about the person and work of Jesus are developed by the personal testimony of
1. John the Baptist
2. Andrew and Simon
3. Philip and Nathanael
This becomes a common literary technique throughout the Gospel. It contains twenty-seven of these dialogues or testimonies about Jesus or with Jesus.