Page 14 - The Gospel of John - Student textbook

I adamantly agree with D. A. Carson when he writes in the Pillar New Testament Commentary, in John's gospel is
repeatedly the case that the light shines on all and forces a distinction (3:19 – 20; 8:12; 9:39 – 41). This light
shines up on every man whether he sees it or not (Psalm 19:1 – 6; Romans 2:14 – 16).

Believers: Testimony Believed

12 But to all who did receive Him, He gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe
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in His name, who were born, not of blood, or of the will of the flesh, or of the will of man, but of God.

The word received could be translated "take hold of, obtain, or grasp." To receive Christ involves more than
mere intellectual acknowledgment of his claims. The three negative statements stressing the fact salvation is not
obtainable through any racial or ethnic heritage (blood), personal desire (flash), or man-made system (man).

These verses directly contradict the doctrine of the universal fatherhood of God and brotherhood of mankind.
Universalist believe that we are all God’s children by creation. They will point to second Peter 3:9 and declare
that God does not want to condemn anyone, therefore, all will be saved. But yet this passage clearly teaches us
that the Word empowers men to become God's children. But if we are all God's children already how is it that
we become his children? Yes, we are all God’s children by creation, but a proper interpretation of scriptures
cannot ignore the fall. This passage clearly teaches us that some will become children of God and some won't.
The Calvinist will look at this passage and emphasize the point that "He gave" the right to become the children
of God. Therefore, sonship is based on divine begetting not upon any kind of human effort. Or as John puts it in
6:37, all that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
Notice the “him that cometh to me” is based on the free will of man to respond to the call of the Father.

The Glory of the Incarnate Word
John 1:14 – 18

The Nature of the Incarnation

14 The Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We observed His glory, the glory as the One and
Only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Jesus became flesh and tabernacle among us

That He actually became flesh affirms Jesus' full humanity. The word became does not mean that Christ ceased
being the eternal Word when he became a man. Though God is immutable, pure eternal being and not
becoming as all his creatures are, in the incarnation the unchangeable (Hebrews 13:8) God did become fully man
yet remained fully God. He entered the realm of those who are time and space creatures and experienced life as
it is for those He created.

William F. Cook makes the following comment in his commentary on John. The fact that the Word “dwelt among
us” means that He did not remain aloof or separated from those He created, but instead He lived among them.
Even more importantly, the word translated “dwelt” is used in the LXX (a translation of the Hebrew Bible into
Greek) in relationship to the tabernacle, and literally can mean “to pitch the tent”. The tabernacle was a place
where God manifested His glory to His people in the days before the building of the temple (Exodus 25:8 – 9;
33:7). John is stating that God’s glory is now manifested in the person of the Word. He writes that because the
Word dwelt among them and they were able to see God’s glory (John 1:14b).

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