Page 9 - The Gospel of John - Student textbook

significance among philosophers of John's days. John essentially co-opted the concept, saying in effect, "The
concept pagan philosophers have theorized about actually exist; He is God, and Jesus Christ is He."

He is God, and Jesus Christ is He

The Creative Power of the Word

John 1:3 All things were created through Him, and apart from Him not one thing was created that has been
created.

Once again John expressed a profound truth in clear language. Jesus Christ, the eternal Word, created
everything that came into being. John underscored that truth by repeating it negatively; apart from him nothing
(literally, not even one thing) came into being that has come into being. That Jesus Christ created everything
(Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1:2) offers two further proofs of his deity. First, the creator of all things must Himself
be uncreated, and only the eternal God is uncreated. God is portrayed throughout the Bible as the creator
(Genesis 1:1; Psalm 102:25; Isaiah 40:28; 42:5; 45:18; Mark 13:19; Romans 1:25; Ephesians 3:9; Revelation 4:11).
Jesus Christ was the father's agent in creating everything. In the ancient mind – Hebrew and Gentile – everything
that exist can be placed into one of two distinct categories: Anything "not created" – that is, anything that was
not brought into being – is deity. For the Hebrew in particular, only God was "not created." Therefore, anything
said to be "not created" is by definition, God. However, Arius, a third – century false teacher, was fond of saying,
"There was a time when He was not." However, John points to the moment of creation to say that before
anything existed, Christ, who is the creator, called "all things" into being.

The Self-Existence of the Word

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John 1:4 Life was in Him, and that life was the light of men. That light shines in the darkness, yet the

darkness did not overcomeit. (NIV / Comprehend it?)

He derives his life within himself, depending on nothing for his life. There was a point when the universe did not
exist. There was never a point when God did not exist. He is self-existence, life, "I am who I am" (Exodus 3:14).
He is from everlasting to everlasting. Acts 17:28 rightly says: "In Him we live and move and exist.” We cannot live
or move or be without his life. But He has always lived and moved and been.

While it is appropriate to make some distinction between life and light, the statement the life was the light halts
any disconnect between the two. In reality, John is writing that life and light cannot be separated. They are
essentially the same, with the idea of light emphasizing the manifestation of the divine life. The life was the light
is the same construction as "the word was God." As God is not separate from the word, but the same in essence,
so life and light share the same essential properties.

The light combines with life in a metaphor for the purpose of clarity and contrast. God’s life is true and holy.
Light is that truth and holiness manifested against the darkness of lies and sin. Light and life are linked in the
same way in John 8:12, in which Jesus says: "I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in the
darkness but will have the light of life." The connection between light and life is also clearly made in the Old
Testament. Psalm 36:9 says: "For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light."

Some symbols are so universal, so common to human experience, they have the power to cross cultural and
even linguistic barriers. Students of art and literature know the symbols as archetypes. Green, for example,
symbolizes growth or new life. Winter alludes to death or hardship. In the Bible and other ancient literature,

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