BIBLE STUDY

Living Gospel • Chapter 1: Reading the Word of God (John 1:1-18)

What Do I Need to Know about This Passage?

The Big Picture
The Gospel of John begins with one of the most elegant sections of Scripture found in the
The Big Picture
New Testament. In a poetic fashion, John places each line of Scripture into place with a
distinct purpose. These first eighteen verses of John’s Gospel provide a table of contents, so The Bible is a direct
to speak, for the themes throughout the Gospel of John. For our purposes, we are going to path to hear God’s
examine how these verses relate to our study of God’s Word. Let’s breakdown some main Word.
aspects of these opening lines.

In the beginning… (John 1:1-5)

John begins with the line “In the beginning was the Word.” John’s original Jewish audience
would immediately think of creation and the Book of Genesis that begins with “In the
beginning.” The Gospels of Matthew and Luke begin with Jesus’ birth, but here John goes
back to the very beginning to reveal even more about Jesus’ true identity. During creation, it
is God’s spoken Word that causes our world to come into being (Genesis 1:3; Psalms 33:6).
When God’s Word goes forth, there is a direct cause of action.

The concept of the Word was significant in the Old Testament. Writers link the Word of God
with the Wisdom of God which was with God from eternity and which created everything
with God (Proverbs 8:23; Wisdom 7:22). Now this Word which was before time and which is
found in the Old Testament “is not simply audible; not only does it have a voice, now the
Word has a face, one which we can see: that of Jesus of Nazareth.” 1 Application
to Jesus
In these first five verses, John reveals more about the identity of Jesus. He notes that Jesus: John tells us who
 is God (v. 1)
Jesus is—none oth-
 created everything with God (v. 2)
er than God Himself
 is the life of men (v. 4)
manifested in the
 is the light to men in darkness (vv. 4-5)
flesh.
John the Baptist (John 1:6-8)
John breaks off his poetic stanza to speak about John the Baptist. Like a lawyer in a court
room, John will use witnesses throughout his Gospel to help support the evidence for Jesus.
John the Baptist is used as a key witness for John’s case for Jesus. There might have been
some confusion among the Gospel’s initial audience about whether to follow John the Baptist
or to follow Jesus (for example, see Acts 19:1-7). John tries to make it clear that John the
Baptist was a messenger who testified to Jesus, not the Messiah himself. John the Baptist’s
purpose was to testify that Jesus was the true light and that all should believe in Him. Our
1 Pope Benedict XVI, Apostolic Exhortation on the Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church,

Verbum Domini (October 30, 2010), no. 12. Application

Continued on page 2
 Bible Study Living Gospel • Chapter 1 2
role as Christians is similar to John the Baptist’s. We must testify to Jesus Christ and the light
that He shed on humanity’s search for meaning and purpose.
Application
Children of God (John 1:9-13) to Our Lives
John exposes the irony of Jesus’ coming—Jesus created the world, and yet the world did not We can encounter
recognize Him (vv. 10-11). This reveals the scandal of Jesus’ rejection by those who should God through His
have accepted Him. However, if one does accept Jesus and believe in his name one becomes a living Word that is
child of God (v. 12). It’s easy to get used to this concept, but hopefully it will always be in some able to speak into
ways shocking. God, the Maker of the universe, chooses to make us His own children. May this our lives.
always cause awe and thanksgiving in our hearts.

The Word Became Flesh (John 1:14-18)

The previous lines have set up verse 14—“God’s Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” The
Greek word for “dwelt” literally means “tabernacled” or “pitched his tent.” Because we are so
used to the message that God loves us and is here with us, we lose sight of how radical this is.
The Psalmist is in awe that God would even think of man (Psalm 8:4). Rather than being distant
like so many of the ancient gods, Jesus shows that God is willing to be one of us and be among
us to show us truth and to give us grace.

John is not just an abstract storyteller; he saw and experienced Jesus’ glory first hand (see also
1 John 1:1-4). We are not reading hearsay or stories passed down through generations but the
up-close eyewitness account of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.

The Power of God’s Word

Unlike the author or John the Baptist, we are not direct eyewitnesses to Jesus’ ministry here on
earth. But, through the Word of God, we can have a living encounter with God. Hebrews 4:12
says, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to
the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions
of the heart.” It is easy to see Scripture as either lessons in morality or fairy tale-like stories,
but God’s Word is so much more. It is alive.

God’s Word has the ability to shed light into our lives. To give testimonies as do John the
Baptist or the author John, we need to be in a place where God is continually transforming us.
We can then always have something to share with others about what God is doing. Below is
one way to pray with Scripture.

How to Pray with Scripture

To close, the Church has a deep tradition and value for the study of Scripture. The tradition of
lectio divina in the Church has been a fruitful practice of praying and reading Scripture for
centuries. It involves first reading through a passage of Scripture, for instance, a story from the
Gospels, and then going through a progression of steps while you read the passage.
Lectio—What does the biblical text say in itself?
Meditatio—What does the biblical text say to us?
Oratio—What do we say to the Lord in response to His Word?
Contemplatio—What conversion of mind, heart and life is the Lord asking of us?
Actio—Making a resolution to make his our lives a gift for others in charity. 2

2 Pope Benedict XVI, Apostolic Exhortation on the Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church,
Verbum Domini (October 30, 2010), no. 87. Application
Continued on page 3
 Bible Study Living Gospel • Chapter 1 3

DISCUSSION GUIDE
Opener
If you had one question you could ask God, what would you ask Him?

Backdrop
The Gospel of John begins with one of the most elegant sections of Scripture found in the New Testament. In a poetic
fashion, John places each line of Scripture into place with a distinct purpose. These first eighteen verses of John’s
Gospel provide a table of contents, so to speak, for the themes throughout the Gospel of John. For our purposes, we
are going to examine how these verses relate to our study of God’s Word. Let’s breakdown some main aspects of these
poetic lines.

Passage
Read John 1:1-18.

Exploration
1. Both Matthew and Luke’s Gospels begin by 10. How can we build a more powerful testimony to
describing Jesus’ birth. How does John start off his share with others?
Gospel in verse 1?
11. In vv. 10-11, the world does not accept Jesus. What
2. Why do you think it is so crucial for John to focus on is ironic about this situation?
this beginning and the beginning of Jesus’ earthly life?
12. In light of what we have learned about God’s
3. What else does John reveal about Jesus in verses 1- Word, why is it significant that this Word takes flesh in
5? verse 14?

4. Why is this so radical to our world today? 13. The word “dwelt” in Greek means “tabernacled” or
“pitched his tent.” Traditionally, this concept has been
5. Read Genesis 1:3 and 1:6. What does the called the Incarnation, when God takes on our very
relationship between God’s Word and what is created, flesh. How can this change our view of God?
say about God’s word?
14. Read Hebrews 4:14-16. What does Jesus’
6. Who is John the Baptist? What did he do? Incarnation allow us to do?

7. Why do you think John uses John the Baptist’s 15. Read Hebrews 4:12. How is reading God’s Word
testimony? different from reading any other book?

8. How does the testimony of others have an effect on

us?

9. Read 1 John 1:1-5. (Note: Be sure to read from

John’s letter and not his Gospel). What does this tell us
about the testimony of John, the author of this
Gospel? How does this change how we view his
Gospel?

Continued on page 4
 Bible Study Living Gospel • Chapter 1 4

Answers
1. John starts by not focusing on Jesus’ human birth but 10. See “The Power of God’s Word” in “What’s This
by showing how Jesus was there at the beginning of Passage All About?”
time.
11. The irony is that Jesus made the world and yet
2. John wants to reveal more about Jesus’ true identity. the world did not recognize its creator.
Jesus is God and was with God during creation.
12. The Word created the universe and is God
3. John notes that Jesus: Himself. This Word humbles Himself to become a
is the Word (v.1) mere man and dwell among us.
is the life of men (v. 4)
is the light to men in darkness (vv. 4-5) 13. God doesn’t seem so far away but someone
who is truly with us.
4. It is easy to accept that Jesus was a great moral
teacher. If Jesus is God, His moral teaching takes on a 14. We realize that God relates to all of the
much greater gravity. The acceptance of Him entirely is difficulties we have in life and He allows us to draw
necessary. near to Him to receive His grace.

5. The relationship between God’s Word and what is 15. God’s Word is “living and active.” Just like the
created shows the direct connection between the two. It power of God’s Word in creation, God’s Word has
reveals how powerful God’s Word is. This is the same the power to change our lives.
Word that we find in the Bible.

6. John the Baptist was a prophet who testified to the

coming of Jesus as the Messiah, the new Jewish king
who would “take away the sins of the world” (for more,
see John 1:19-34).

7. John’s audience most likely would have known John

the Baptist and respected him as a true prophet.

8. A testimony demonstrates the power of how a person

has been changed. It is a tangible witness to the effect
that can occur to whatever you give testimony to.
Testimonies are hard to argue with because they reflect
a personal experience.

9. John tells us that he witnessed Jesus’ glory. We can

trust that his Gospel is not just made up of fables or
legends but comes from someone who saw Jesus
himself.

End

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