02900
02901
 \\In the beginning\\ (\\en archi\\). \\Arch\\ is definite, though
 anarthrous like our at home, in town, and the similar Hebrew _be
 reshith_ in
 # Ge 1:1
 But Westcott notes that here John carries our thoughts beyond the
 beginning of creation in time to eternity. There is no argument
 here to prove the existence of God any more than in Genesis. It
 is simply assumed. Either God exists and is the Creator of the
 universe as scientists like Eddington and Jeans assume or matter
 is eternal or it has come out of nothing. \\Was\\ (\\n\\). Three times
 in this sentence John uses this imperfect of \\eimi\\ to be which
 conveys no idea of origin for God or for the Logos, simply
 continuous existence. Quite a different verb (\\egeneto\\, became)
 appears in verse
 # 14
 for the beginning of the Incarnation of the Logos. See the
 distinction sharply drawn in
 # 8:58
 "before Abraham came (\\genesthai\\) I am" (\\eimi\\, timeless
 existence). \\The Word\\ (\\ho logos\\). \\Logos\\ is from \\leg\\, old word
 in Homer to lay by, to collect, to put words side by side, to
 speak, to express an opinion. \\Logos\\ is common for reason as well
 as speech. Heraclitus used it for the principle which controls
 the universe. The Stoics employed it for the soul of the world
 (\\anima mundi\\) and Marcus Aurelius used \\spermatikos logos\\ for the
 generative principle in nature. The Hebrew _memra_ was used in
 the Targums for the manifestation of God like the Angel of
 Jehovah and the Wisdom of God in
 # Pr 8:23
 Dr. J. Rendel Harris thinks that there was a lost wisdom book
 that combined phrases in Proverbs and in the Wisdom of Solomon
 which John used for his Prologue (_The Origin of the _Prologue to
 St. John_, p. 43) which he has undertaken to reproduce. At any
 rate John's standpoint is that of the Old Testament and not that
 of the Stoics nor even of Philo who uses the term \\Logos\\, but not
 John's conception of personal pre-existence. The term \\Logos\\ is
 applied to Christ only in
 # Joh 1:1,14; Re 19:13; 1Jo 1:1
 "concerning the Word of life" (an incidental argument for
 identity of authorship). There is a possible personification of
 "the Word of God" in
 # Heb 4:12
 But the personal pre-existence of Christ is taught by Paul
 # 2Co 8:9; Php 2:6; Col 1:17
 and in
 # Heb 1:2
 and in
 # Joh 17:5
 This term suits John's purpose better than \\sophia\\ (wisdom) and is
 his answer to the Gnostics who either denied the actual humanity
 of Christ (Docetic Gnostics) or who separated the \\aeon\\ Christ
 from the man Jesus (Cerinthian Gnostics). The pre-existent Logos
 "became flesh" (\\sarx egeneto\\, verse
 # 14
 and by this phrase John answered both heresies at once. \\With God\\
 (\\pros ton theon\\). Though existing eternally with God the Logos
 was in perfect fellowship with God. \\Pros\\ with the accusative
 presents a plane of equality and intimacy, face to face with each
 other. In
 # 1Jo 2:1
 we have a like use of \\pros\\: "We have a Paraclete with the Father"
 (\\paraklton echomen pros ton patera\\). See \\prospon pros prospon\\
 (face to face,
 # 1Co 13:12
 a triple use of \\pros\\. There is a papyrus example of \\pros\\ in this
 sense \\to gnston ts pros alllous suntheias\\, "the knowledge of
 our intimacy with one another" (M.&M., _Vocabulary_) which
 answers the claim of Rendel Harris, _Origin of Prologue_, p. 8)
 that the use of \\pros\\ here and in
 # Mr 6:3
 is a mere Aramaism. It is not a classic idiom, but this is
 _Koin_, not old Attic. In
 # Joh 17:5
 John has \\para soi\\ the more common idiom. \\And the Word was God\\
 (\\kai theos n ho logos\\). By exact and careful language John
 denied Sabellianism by not saying \\ho theos n ho logos\\. That
 would mean that all of God was expressed in \\ho logos\\ and the
 terms would be interchangeable, each having the article. The
 subject is made plain by the article (\\ho logos\\) and the predicate
 without it (\\theos\\) just as in
 # Joh 4:24
 \\pneuma ho theos\\ can only mean "God is spirit," not "spirit is
 God." So in
 # 1Jo 4:16
 \\ho theos agap estin\\ can only mean "God is love," not "love is
 God" as a so-called Christian scientist would confusedly say. For
 the article with the predicate see Robertson, _Grammar_, pp.
 767f. So in
 # Joh 1:14
 \\ho Logos sarx egeneto\\, "the Word became flesh," not "the flesh
 became Word." Luther argues that here John disposes of Arianism
 also because the Logos was eternally God, fellowship of Father
 and Son, what Origen called the Eternal Generation of the Son
 (each necessary to the other). Thus in the Trinity we see
 personal fellowship on an equality.

02902
 \\The same\\ (\\houtos\\). "This one," the Logos of verse
 # 1
 repeated for clarity, characteristic of John's style. He links
 together into one phrase two of the ideas already stated
 separately, "in the beginning he was with God," "afterwards in
 time he came to be with man" (Marcus Dods). Thus John clearly
 states of the Logos Pre-existence before Incarnation,
 Personality, Deity.

02903
 \\All things\\ (\\panta\\). The philosophical phrase was \\ta panta\\ (the
 all things) as we have it in
 # 1Co 8:6; Ro 11:36; Col 1:16
 In verse
 # 10
 John uses \\ho kosmos\\ (the orderly universe) for the whole. \\Were\\
 \\made\\ (egeneto). Second aorist middle indicative of \\ginomai\\, the
 constative aorist covering the creative activity looked at as one
 event in contrast with the continuous existence of \\n\\ in verses
 # 1,2
 All things "came into being." Creation is thus presented as a
 becoming (\\ginomai\\) in contrast with being (\\eimi\\). \\By him\\ (\\di'\\
 \\autou\\). By means of him as the intermediate agent in the work of
 creation. The Logos is John's explanation of the creation of the
 universe. The author of Hebrews
 # Heb 1:2
 names God's Son as the one "through whom he made the ages." Paul
 pointedly asserts that "the all things were created in him"
 (Christ) and "the all things stand created through him and unto
 him"
 # Col 1:16
 Hence it is not a peculiar doctrine that John here enunciates. In
 # 1Co 8:6
 Paul distinguishes between the Father as the primary source (\\ex\\
 \\hou\\) of the all things and the Son as the intermediate agent as
 here (\\di' hou\\). \\Without him\\ (\\chris autou\\). Old adverbial
 preposition with the ablative as in
 # Php 2:14
 "apart from." John adds the negative statement for completion,
 another note of his style as in
 # Joh 1:20; 1Jo 1:5
 Thus John excludes two heresies (Bernard) that matter is eternal
 and that angels or aeons had a share in creation. \\Not anything\\
 (\\oude hen\\). "Not even one thing." Bernard thinks the entire
 Prologue is a hymn and divides it into strophes. That is by no
 means certain. It is doubtful also whether the relative clause
 "that hath been made" (\\ho gegonen\\) is a part of this sentence or
 begins a new one as Westcott and Hort print it. The verb is
 second perfect active indicative of \\ginomai\\. Westcott observes
 that the ancient scholars before Chrysostom all began a new
 sentence with \\ho gegonen\\. The early uncials had no punctuation.

02904
 \\In him was life\\ (\\en auti z n\\). That which has come into being
 (verse
 # 3
 in the Logos was life. The power that creates and sustains life
 in the universe is the Logos. This is what Paul means by the
 perfect passive verb \\ektistai\\ (stands created) in
 # Col 1:16
 This is also the claim of Jesus to Martha
 # Joh 11:25
 This is the idea in
 # Heb 1:3
 "bearing (upholding) the all things by the word of his power."
 Once this language might have been termed unscientific, but not
 so now after the spiritual interpretation of the physical world
 by Eddington and Jeans. Usually in John \\z\\ means spiritual life,
 but here the term is unlimited and includes all life; only it is
 not \\bios\\ (manner of life), but the very principle or essence of
 life. That is spiritual behind the physical and to this great
 scientists today agree. It is also personal intelligence and
 power. Some of the western documents have \\estin\\ here instead of
 \\n\\ to bring out clearly the timelessness of this phrase of the
 work of the \\Logos\\. \\And the life was the light of men\\ (\\kai h z\\
 \\n to phs tn anthrpn\\). Here the article with both \\z\\ and
 \\phs\\ makes them interchangeable. "The light was the life of men"
 is also true. That statement is curiously like the view of some
 physicists who find in electricity (both light and power) the
 nearest equivalent to life in its ultimate physical form. Later
 Jesus will call himself the light of the world
 # Joh 8:12
 John is fond of these words life and light in Gospel, Epistles,
 Revelation. He here combines them to picture his conception of
 the Pre-incarnate Logos in his relation to the race. He was and
 is the Life of men (\\tn anthrpon\\, generic use of the article)
 and the Light of men. John asserts this relation of the Logos to
 the race of men in particular before the Incarnation.

02905
 \\Shineth\\ (\\phainei\\). Linear present active indicative of \\phain\\,
 old verb from \\pha\\, to shine (\\phaos, phs\\). "The light keeps on
 giving light." \\In the darkness\\ (\\en ti skotii\\). Late word for
 the common \\skotos\\ (kin to \\skia\\, shadow). An evident allusion to
 the darkness brought on by sin. In
 # 2Pe 2:17
 we have \\ho zophos tou skotou\\ (the blackness of darkness). The
 Logos, the only real moral light, keeps on shining both in the
 Pre-incarnate state and after the Incarnation. John is fond of
 \\skotia\\ (\\skotos\\) for moral darkness from sin and \\phs\\
 (\\phtiz, phain\\) for the light that is in Christ alone. In
 # 1Jo 2:8
 he proclaims that "the darkness is passing by and the true light
 is already shining." The Gnostics often employed these words and
 John takes them and puts them in the proper place. \\Apprehended it\\
 \\not\\ (\\auto ou katelaben\\). Second aorist active indicative of
 \\katalamban\\, old verb to lay hold of, to seize. This very phrase
 occurs in
 # Joh 12:35
 (\\hina m skotia humas katalabi\\) "that darkness overtake you
 not," the metaphor of night following day and in
 # 1Th 5:4
 the same idiom (\\hina katalabi\\) is used of day overtaking one as
 a thief. This is the view of Origen and appears also in 2Macc.
 8:18. The same word appears in Aleph D in
 # Joh 6:17
 \\katelabe de autous h skotia\\ ("but darkness overtook them," came
 down on them). Hence, in spite of the Vulgate _comprehenderunt_,
 "overtook" or "overcame" seems to be the idea here. The light
 kept on shining in spite of the darkness that was worse than a
 London fog as the Old Testament and archaeological discoveries in
 Egypt, Assyria, Babylonia, Persia, Crete, Asia Minor show.

02906
 \\There came a man\\ (\\egeneto anthrpos\\). Definite event in the long
 darkness, same verb in verse
 # 3
 \\Sent\\ (\\apestalmenos\\). Perfect passive participle of \\apostell\\, to
 send. \\From God\\ (\\para theou\\). From the side of (\\para\\) God
 (ablative case \\theou\\). \\Whose name\\ (\\onoma auti\\). "Name to him,"
 nominative parenthetic and dative (Robertson, _Grammar_, p. 460).
 \\John\\ (\\Ians\\). One \\n\\ in Westcott and Hort. In the giving of the
 name see
 # Lu 1:59-63
 Hellenized form of Jonathan, Joanan (Gift of God), used always of
 the Baptist in this Gospel which never mentions the name of John
 son of Zebedee (the sons of Zebedee once,
 # 21:2

02907
 \\For witness\\ (\\eis marturian\\). Old word from \\marture\\ (from
 \\martus\\), both more common in John's writings than the rest of the
 N.T. This the purpose of the Baptist's ministry. \\That he might\\
 \\bear witness\\ (\\hina martursi\\). Final clause with \\hina\\ and aorist
 active subjunctive of \\marture\\ to make clearer \\eis marturian\\. \\Of\\
 \\the light\\ (\\peri tou phtos\\). "Concerning the light." The light
 was shining and men with blinded eyes were not seeing the light
 # Joh 1:26
 blinded by the god of this world still
 # 2Co 4:4
 John had his own eyes opened so that he saw and told what he saw.
 That is the mission of every preacher of Christ. But he must
 first have his own eyes opened. \\That all might believe\\ (\\hina\\
 \\pisteussin\\). Final clause with \\hina\\ and first aorist active
 subjunctive of \\pisteu\\, ingressive aorist "come to believe." This
 is one of John's great words (about 100 times), "with nine times
 the frequency with which it is used by the Synoptists" (Bernard).
 And yet \\pistis\\, so common in Paul, John uses only in
 # 1Jo 5:4
 and four times in the Apocalypse where \\pisteu\\ does not occur at
 all. Here it is used absolutely as in
 # Joh 1:50
 etc. \\Through him\\ (\\di' autou\\). As the intermediate agent in
 winning men to believe in Christ (the Logos) as the Light and the
 Life of men. This is likewise the purpose of the author of this
 book
 # 21:31
 The preacher is merely the herald to point men to Christ.

02908
 \\He\\ (\\ekeinos\\). "That one," i.e. John. He was a light
 # Joh 5:35
 as all believers are
 # Mt 5:14
 but not "the light" (\\to phs\\). \\But came\\ (\\all'\\). No verb in the
 Greek, to be supplied by repeating \\lthen\\ of verse
 # 7
 See similar ellipses in
 # 9:3; 13:18; 15:25
 In Johannine fashion we have the final \\hina\\ clause of verse
 # 7
 repeated.

02909
 \\There was\\ (\\n\\). Imperfect indicative. Emphatic position at the
 beginning of the sentence and so probably not periphrastic
 conjugation with \\erchomenon\\ (coming) near the end, though that is
 possible. \\The true light\\ (\\to phs to althinon\\). "The light the
 genuine," not a false light of wreckers of ships, but the
 dependable light that guides to the harbor of safety. This true
 light had been on hand all the time in the darkness (\\n\\
 imperfect, linear action) before John came. \\Even the light\\ (not
 in the Greek). Added in the English to make plain this
 interpretation. \\Lighteth every man\\ (\\phtizei panta anthrpon\\).
 Old verb (from \\phs\\) to give light as in
 # Re 22:5; Lu 11:35
 The Quakers appeal to this phrase for their belief that to every
 man there is given an inner light that is a sufficient guide, the
 Quaker's text it is called. But it may only mean that all the
 real light that men receive comes from Christ, not necessarily
 that each one receives a special revelation. \\Coming\\ (\\erchomenon\\).
 This present middle participle of \\erchomai\\ can be taken with
 \\anthrpon\\ just before (accusative masculine singular), "every man
 as he comes into the world." It can also be construed with \\phs\\
 (nominative neuter singular). This idea occurs in
 # Joh 3:19; 11:27; 12:46
 In the two last passages the phrase is used of the Messiah which
 makes it probable here. But even so the light presented in
 # 11:27; 12:46
 is that of the Incarnate Messiah, not the Pre-incarnate Logos.
 Here \\kosmos\\ rather than \\panta\\ occurs in the sense of the orderly
 universe as often in this Gospel. See
 # Eph 1:4

02910
 \\He was in the world\\ (\\en ti kosmi n\\). Imperfect tense of
 continuous existence in the universe before the Incarnation as in
 verses
 # 1,2
 \\Was made by him\\ (\\di' autou egeneto\\). "Through him." Same
 statement here of "the world" (\\ho kosmos\\) as that made in verse
 # 3
 of \\panta\\. \\Knew him not\\ (\\auton ouk egn\\). Second aorist active
 indicative of common verb \\ginosk\\, what Gildersleeve called a
 negative aorist, refused or failed to recognize him, his world
 that he had created and that was held together by him
 # Col 1:16
 Not only did the world fail to know the Pre-incarnate Logos, but
 it failed to recognize him when he became Incarnate
 # Joh 1:26
 Two examples in this sentence of John's fondness for \\kai\\ as in
 verses
 # 1,4,5,14
 the paratactic rather than the hypotactic construction, like the
 common Hebrew use of _wav_.

02911
 \\Unto his own\\ (\\eis ta idia\\). Neuter plural, "unto his own things,"
 the very idiom used in
 # 19:27
 when the Beloved Disciple took the mother of Jesus "to his own
 home." The world was "the own home" of the Logos who had made it.
 See also
 # 16:32; Ac 21:6
 \\They that were his own\\ (\\hoi idioi\\). In the narrower sense, "his
 intimates," "his own family," "his own friends" as in
 # 13:1
 Jesus later said that a prophet is not without honour save in his
 own country
 # Mr 6:4; Joh 4:44
 and the town of Nazareth where he lived rejected him
 # Lu 4:28; Mt 13:58
 Probably here \\hoi idioi\\ means the Jewish people, the chosen
 people to whom Christ was sent first
 # Mt 15:24
 but in a wider sense the whole world is included in \\hoi idioi\\.
 Conder's _The Hebrew Tragedy_ emphasizes the pathos of the
 situation that the house of Israel refused to welcome the Messiah
 when he did come, like a larger and sadder Enoch Arden
 experience. \\Received him not\\ (\\auton ou parelabon\\). Second aorist
 active indicative of \\paralamban\\, old verb to take to one's side,
 common verb to welcome, the very verb used by Jesus in
 # 14:3
 of the welcome to his Father's house. Cf. \\katelaben\\ in verse
 # 5
 Israel slew the Heir
 # Heb 1:2
 when he came, like the wicked husbandmen
 # Lu 20:14

02912
 \\As many as received him\\ (\\hosoi elabon auton\\). Effective aorist
 active indicative of \\lamban\\ "as many as did receive him," in
 contrast with \\hoi idioi\\ just before, exceptional action on the
 part of the disciples and other believers. \\To them\\ (\\autois\\).
 Dative case explanatory of the relative clause preceding, an
 anacoluthon common in John 27 times as against 21 in the
 Synoptists. This is a common Aramaic idiom and is urged by Burney
 (_Aramaic Origin_, etc., p. 64) for his theory of an Aramaic
 original of the Fourth Gospel. \\The right\\ (\\exousian\\). In
 # 5:27
 \\edken\\ (first aorist active indicative of \\didmi\\) \\exousian\\
 means authority but includes power (\\dunamis\\). Here it is more the
 notion of privilege or right. \\To become\\ (\\genesthai\\). Second
 aorist middle of \\ginomai\\, to become what they were not before.
 \\Children of God\\ (\\tekna theou\\). In the full spiritual sense, not
 as mere offspring of God true of all men
 # Ac 17:28
 Paul's phrase \\huioi theou\\
 # Gal 3:26
 for believers, used also by Jesus of the pure in heart
 # Mt 5:9
 does not occur in John's Gospel (but in
 # Re 21:7
 It is possible that John prefers \\ta tekna tou theou\\ for the
 spiritual children of God whether Jew or Gentile
 # Joh 11:52
 because of the community of nature (\\teknon\\ from root \\tek-\\, to
 beget). But one cannot follow Westcott in insisting on "adoption"
 as Paul's reason for the use of \\huioi\\ since Jesus uses \\huioi\\
 \\theou\\ in
 # Mt 5:9
 Clearly the idea of regeneration is involved here as in
 # Joh 3:3
 \\Even to them that believe\\ (\\tois pisteuousin\\). No "even" in the
 Greek, merely explanatory apposition with \\autois\\, dative case of
 the articular present active participle of \\pisteu\\. \\On his name\\
 (\\eis to onoma\\). Bernard notes \\pisteu eis\\ 35 times in John, to
 put trust in or on. See also
 # 2:23; 3:38
 for \\pisteu eis to onoma autou\\. This common use of \\onoma\\ for the
 person is an Aramaism, but it occurs also in the vernacular
 papyri and \\eis to onoma\\ is particularly common in the payment of
 debts (Moulton and Milligan's _Vocabulary_). See
 # Ac 1:15
 for \\onomata\\ for persons.

02913
 \\Which were born\\ (\\hoi egennthsan\\). First aorist passive
 indicative of \\genna\\, to beget, "who were begotten." By spiritual
 generation (of God, \\ek theou\\), not by physical (\\ex haimatn\\,
 plural as common in classics and O.T., though why it is not clear
 unless blood of both father and mother; \\ek thelmatos sarkos\\,
 from sexual desire; \\ek thelmatos andros\\, from the will of the
 male). But _b_ of the old Latin reads _qui natus est_ and makes
 it refer to Christ and so expressly teach the Virgin Birth of
 Jesus. Likewise Irenaeus reads _qui natus est_ as does Tertullian
 who argues that _qui nati sunt_ (\\hoi egennthsan\\) is an
 invention of the Valentinian Gnostics. Blass (_Philology of the
 Gospels_, p. 234) opposes this reading, but all the old Greek
 uncials read \\hoi egennthsan\\ and it must be accepted. The Virgin
 Birth is doubtless implied in verse
 # 14
 but it is not stated in verse
 # 13

02914
 \\And the Word became flesh\\ (\\kai ho logos sarx egeneto\\). See verse
 # 3
 for this verb and note its use for the historic event of the
 Incarnation rather than \\n\\ of verse
 # 1
 Note also the absence of the article with the predicate
 substantive \\sarx\\, so that it cannot mean "the flesh became the
 Word." The Pre-existence of the Logos has already been plainly
 stated and argued. John does not here say that the Logos entered
 into a man or dwelt in a man or filled a man. One is at liberty
 to see an allusion to the birth narratives in
 # Mt 1:16-25; Lu 1:28-38
 if he wishes, since John clearly had the Synoptics before him and
 chiefly supplemented them in his narrative. In fact, one is also
 at liberty to ask what intelligent meaning can one give to John's
 language here apart from the Virgin Birth? What ordinary mother
 or father ever speaks of a child "becoming flesh"? For the
 Incarnation see also
 # 2Co 8:9; Ga 4:4; Ro 1:3; 8:3; Php 2:7; 1Ti 3:16; Heb 2:14
 "To explain the exact significance of \\egeneto\\ in this sentence is
 beyond the powers of any interpreter" (Bernard). Unless, indeed,
 as seems plain, John is referring to the Virgin Birth as recorded
 in Matthew and Luke. "The Logos of philosophy is, John declares,
 the Jesus of history" (Bernard). Thus John asserts the deity and
 the real humanity of Christ. He answers the Docetic Gnostics who
 denied his humanity. \\Dwelt among us\\ (\\esknsen en hmin\\). First
 aorist ingressive aorist active indicative of \\skno\\, old verb,
 to pitch one's tent or tabernacle (\\sknos\\ or \\skn\\), in N.T. only
 here and
 # Re 7-15; 12:12; 13:6; 21:3
 In Revelation it is used of God tabernacling with men and here of
 the Logos tabernacling, God's Shekinah glory here among us in the
 person of his Son. \\We beheld his glory\\ (\\etheasametha tn doxan\\
 \\autou\\). First aorist middle indicative of \\theaomai\\ (from \\thea\\,
 spectacle). The personal experience of John and of others who did
 recognize Jesus as the Shekinah glory (\\doxa\\) of God as James, the
 brother of Jesus, so describes him
 # Jas 2:1
 John employs \\theaomai\\ again in
 # 1:32
 (the Baptist beholding the Spirit coming down as a dove) and
 # 1:38
 of the Baptist gazing in rapture at Jesus. So also
 # 4:35; 11:45; 1Jo 1:1; 4:12,14
 By this word John insists that in the human Jesus he beheld the
 Shekinah glory of God who was and is the Logos who existed before
 with God. By this plural John speaks for himself and all those
 who saw in Jesus what he did. \\As of the only begotten from the\\
 \\Father\\ (\\hs monogenous para patros\\). Strictly, "as of an only
 born from a father," since there is no article with \\monogenous\\ or
 with \\patros\\. In
 # Joh 3:16; 1Jo 4:9
 we have \\ton monogen\\ referring to Christ. This is the first use
 in the Gospel of \\patr\\ of God in relation to the Logos.
 \\Monogens\\ (only born rather than only begotten) here refers to
 the eternal relationship of the Logos (as in
 # 1:18
 rather than to the Incarnation. It distinguishes thus between the
 Logos and the believers as children (\\tekna\\) of God. The word is
 used of human relationships as in
 # Lu 7:12; 8:42; 9:38
 It occurs also in the LXX and
 # Heb 11:17
 but elsewhere in N.T. only in John's writings. It is an old word
 in Greek literature. It is not clear whether the words \\para\\
 \\patros\\ (from the Father) are to be connected with \\monogenous\\ (cf.
 # 6:46; 7:29
 etc.) or with \\doxan\\ (cf.
 # 5:41,44
 John clearly means to say that "the manifested glory of the Word
 was as it were the glory of the Eternal Father shared with His
 only Son" (Bernard). Cf.
 # 8:54; 14:9; 17:5
 \\Full\\ (\\plrs\\). Probably indeclinable accusative adjective
 agreeing with \\doxan\\ (or genitive with \\monogenous\\) of which we
 have papyri examples (Robertson, _Grammar_, p. 275). As
 nominative \\plrs\\ can agree with the subject of \\esknsen\\. \\Of\\
 \\grace and truth\\ (\\charitos kai altheias\\). Curiously this great
 word \\charis\\ (grace), so common with Paul, does not occur in
 John's Gospel save in
 # 1:14,16,17
 though \\altheia\\ (truth) is one of the keywords in the Fourth
 Gospel and in 1John, occurring 25 times in the Gospel and 20 in
 the Johannine Epistles, 7 times in the Synoptics and not at all
 in Revelation (Bernard). In
 # 1:17
 these two words picture the Gospel in Christ in contrast with the
 law of Moses. See Epistles of Paul for origin and use of both
 words.

02915
 \\Beareth witness\\ (\\marturei\\). Historical (dramatic) present
 indicative of this characteristic word in John (cf.
 # 1:17
 See
 # 1:32,34
 for historical examples of John's witness to Christ. This
 sentence is a parenthesis in Westcott and Hort's text, though the
 Revised Version makes a parenthesis of most of verse
 # 14
 The witness of John is adduced in proof of the glory full of
 grace and truth already claimed for the Incarnate Logos. \\Crieth\\
 (\\kekragen\\). Second perfect active indicative of \\kraz\\, old verb
 for loud crying, repeated in dramatic form again for emphasis
 recalling the wonderful Voice in the wilderness which the Beloved
 Disciple can still hear echoing through the years. \\This was\\
 (\\houtos n\\). Imperfect indicative where John throws the tense
 back in past time when he looked forward to the coming of the
 Messiah as in
 # Ac 3:10
 where we should prefer "is" (\\estin\\). Gildersleeve (_Syntax_, p.
 96) calls this the "imperfect of sudden appreciation of the real
 state of things." \\Of whom I said\\ (\\hon eipon\\). But B C and a
 corrector of Aleph (Westcott and Hort) have \\ho eipn\\ "the one who
 said," a parenthetical explanation about the Baptist, not the
 words of the Baptist about Christ. \\After me\\ (\\opis mou\\). See also
 # 1:27
 Later in time John means. He described "the Coming One" (\\ho\\
 \\erchomenos\\) before he saw Jesus. The language of John here is
 precisely that in
 # Mt 3:11
 \\ho opis mou erchomenos\\ (cf.
 # Mr 1:7
 The Beloved Disciple had heard the Baptist say these very words,
 but he also had the Synoptic Gospels. \\Is become\\ (\\gegonen\\). Second
 perfect active indicative of \\ginomai\\. It is already an actual
 fact when the Baptist is speaking. \\Before me\\ (\\emprosthen mou\\). In
 rank and dignity, the Baptist means, \\ho ischuroteros mou\\ "the one
 mightier than I"
 # Mr 1:7
 and \\ischuroteros mou\\ "mightier than I"
 # Mt 3:11
 In
 # Joh 3:28
 \\emprosthen ekeinou\\ (before him, the Christ) does mean priority in
 time, but not here. This superior dignity of the Messiah John
 proudly recognizes always
 # Joh 3:25-30
 \\For he was before me\\ (\\hoti prtos mou n\\). Paradox, but clear. He
 had always been (\\n imperfect\\) before John in his Pre-incarnate
 state, but "after" John in time of the Incarnation, but always
 ahead of John in rank immediately on his Incarnation. \\Prtos mou\\
 (superlative with ablative) occurs here when only two are
 compared as is common in the vernacular _Koin_. So the Beloved
 Disciple came first (\\prtos\\) to the tomb, ahead of Peter
 # 20:4
 So also \\prton humn\\ in
 # 15:18
 means "before you" as if it were \\proteron humn\\. Verse
 # 30
 repeats these words almost exactly.

02916
 \\For\\ (\\hoti\\). Correct text (Aleph B C D L) and not \\kai\\ (and) of the
 Textus Receptus. Explanatory reason for verse
 # 14
 \\Of his fulness\\ (\\ek tou plrmatos\\). The only instance of \\plrma\\
 in John's writings, though five times of Christ in Paul's
 Epistles
 # Col 1:19; 2:9; Eph 1:23; 3:19; 4:13
 See
 # Col 1:19
 for discussion of these terms of the Gnostics that Paul employs
 for all the attributes of God summed up in Christ
 # Col 2:9
 and so used here by John of the Incarnate Logos. \\We all\\ (\\hmeis\\
 \\pantes\\). John is facing the same Gnostic depreciation of Christ
 of which Paul writes in Colossians. So here John appeals to all
 his own contemporaries as participants with him in the fulness of
 the Logos. \\Received\\ (\\elabomen\\). Second aorist active indicative
 of \\lamban\\, a wider experience than beholding (\\etheasametha\\,
 verse
 # 14
 and one that all believers may have. \\Grace for grace\\ (\\charin anti\\
 \\charitos\\). The point is in \\anti\\, a preposition disappearing in
 the _Koin_ and here only in John. It is in the locative case of
 \\anta\\ (end), "at the end," and was used of exchange in sale. See
 # Lu 11:11
 \\anti ichthuos ophin\\, "a serpent for a fish,"
 # Heb 12:2
 where "joy" and "cross" are balanced against each other. Here the
 picture is "grace" taking the place of "grace" like the manna
 fresh each morning, new grace for the new day and the new
 service.

02917
 \\Was given\\ (\\edoth\\). First aorist passive indicative of \\didmi\\. \\By\\
 \\Moses\\ (\\dia Muses\\). "Through Moses" as the intermediate agent of
 God. \\Came\\ (\\egeneto\\). The historical event, the beginning of
 Christianity. \\By Jesus Christ\\ (\\dia Isou Christou\\). "Through
 Jesus Christ," the intermediate agent of God the Father. Here in
 plain terms John identifies the Pre-incarnate Logos with Jesus of
 Nazareth, the Messiah. The full historical name "Jesus Christ" is
 here for the first time in John. See also
 # 17:3
 and four times in 1John and five times in Revelation. Without
 Christ there would have been no Christianity. John's theology is
 here pictured by the words "grace and truth" (\\h charis kai h\\
 \\altheia\\), each with the article and each supplementary to the
 other. It is grace in contrast with law as Paul sets forth in
 Galatians and Romans. Paul had made grace "a Christian
 commonplace" (Bernard) before John wrote. It is truth as opposed
 to Gnostic and all other heresy as Paul shows in Colossians and
 Ephesians. The two words aptly describe two aspects of the Logos
 and John drops the use of \\Logos\\ and \\charis\\, but clings to
 \\altheia\\ (see
 # 8:32
 for the freedom brought by truth), though the ideas in these
 three words run all through his Gospel.

02918
 \\No man hath seen God at any time\\ (\\theon oudeis heraken ppote\\).
 "God no one has ever seen." Perfect active indicative of \\hora\\.
 Seen with the human physical eye, John means. God is invisible
 # Ex 33:20; De 4:12
 Paul calls God \\aoratos\\
 # Col 1:15; 1Ti 1:17
 John repeats the idea in
 # Joh 5:37; 6:46
 And yet in
 # 14:7
 Jesus claims that the one who sees him has seen the Father as
 here. \\The only begotten Son\\ (\\ho monogens huios\\). This is the
 reading of the Textus Receptus and is intelligible after \\hs\\
 \\monogenous para patros\\ in verse
 # 14
 But the best old Greek manuscripts (Aleph B C L) read \\monogens\\
 \\theos\\ (God only begotten) which is undoubtedly the true text.
 Probably some scribe changed it to \\ho monogens huios\\ to obviate
 the blunt statement of the deity of Christ and to make it like
 # 3:16
 But there is an inner harmony in the reading of the old uncials.
 The Logos is plainly called \\theos\\ in verse
 # 1
 The Incarnation is stated in verse
 # 14
 where he is also termed \\monogens\\. He was that before the
 Incarnation. So he is "God only begotten," "the Eternal
 Generation of the Son" of Origen's phrase. \\Which is in the bosom\\
 \\of the Father\\ (\\ho n eis ton kolpon tou patros\\). The eternal
 relation of the Son with the Father like \\pros ton theon\\ in verse
 # 1
 In
 # 3:13
 there is some evidence for \\ho n en ti ourani\\ used by Christ of
 himself while still on earth. The mystic sense here is that the
 Son is qualified to reveal the Father as Logos (both the Father
 in Idea and Expression) by reason of the continual fellowship
 with the Father. \\He\\ (\\ekinos\\). Emphatic pronoun referring to the
 Son. \\Hath declared him\\ (\\exgsato\\). First aorist (effective)
 middle indicative of \\exgeomai\\, old verb to lead out, to draw out
 in narrative, to recount. Here only in John, though once in
 Luke's Gospel
 # 24:35
 and four times in
 # Ac (10:8; 15:12,14; 21:19
 This word fitly closes the Prologue in which the Logos is
 pictured in marvellous fashion as the Word of God in human flesh,
 the Son of God with the Glory of God in him, showing men who God
 is and what he is.

02919
 \\And this is the witness of John\\ (\\kai haut estin h marturia tou\\
 \\Ianou\\). He had twice already alluded to it (verses
 # 7, 15
 and now he proceeds to give it as the most important item to add
 after the Prologue. Just as the author assumes the birth
 narratives of Matthew and Luke, so he assumes the Synoptic
 accounts of the baptism of Jesus by John, but adds various
 details of great interest and value between the baptism and the
 Galilean ministry, filling out thus our knowledge of this first
 year of the Lord's ministry in various parts of Palestine. The
 story in John proceeds along the same lines as in the Synoptics.
 There is increasing unfolding of Christ to the disciples with
 increasing hostility on the part of the Jews till the final
 consummation in Jerusalem. \\When the Jews sent unto him\\ (\\hote\\
 \\apesteilan pros auton hoi Ioudaioi\\). John, writing in Ephesus
 near the close of the first century long after the destruction of
 Jerusalem, constantly uses the phrase "the Jews" as descriptive
 of the people as distinct from the Gentile world and from the
 followers of Christ (at first Jews also). Often he uses it of the
 Jewish leaders and rulers in particular who soon took a hostile
 attitude toward both John and Jesus. Here it is the Jews from
 Jerusalem who sent (\\apesteilan\\, first aorist active indicative of
 \\apostell\\). \\Priests and Levites\\ (\\hiereis kai Leueitas\\). Sadducees
 these were. Down below in verse
 # 24
 the author explains that it was the Pharisees who sent the
 Sadducees. The Synoptics throw a flood of light on this
 circumstance, for in
 # Mt 3:7
 we are told that the Baptist called the Pharisees and Sadducees
 "offspring of vipers"
 # Lu 3:7
 Popular interest in John grew till people were wondering "in
 their hearts concerning John whether haply he were the Christ"
 # Lu 3:15
 So the Sanhedrin finally sent a committee to John to get his own
 view of himself, but the Pharisees saw to it that Sadducees were
 sent. \\To ask him\\ (\\hina ertssin auton\\). Final \\hina\\ and the
 first aorist active subjunctive of \\erta\\, old verb to ask a
 question as here and often in the _Koin_ to ask for something
 # Joh 14:16
 like \\aite\\. \\Who art thou?\\ (\\su tis ei;\\). Direct question preserved
 and note proleptic position of \\su\\, "Thou, who art thou?" The
 committee from the Sanhedrin put the question sharply up to John
 to define his claims concerning the Messiah.

02920
 \\And he confessed\\ (\\kai hmologsen\\). The continued paratactic use
 of \\kai\\ (and) and the first aorist active indicative of \\homologe\\,
 old verb from \\homologos\\ (\\homon, leg\\, to say the same thing), to
 confess, in the Synoptics
 # Mt 10:32
 as here. \\And denied not\\ (\\kai ouk rnsato\\). Negative statement of
 same thing in Johannine fashion, first aorist middle indicative
 of \\arneomai\\, another Synoptic and Pauline word
 # Mt 10:33; 2Ti 2:12
 He did not contradict or refuse to say who he was. \\And he\\
 \\confessed\\ (\\kai hmologsen\\). Thoroughly Johannine again in the
 paratactic repetition. \\I am not the Christ\\ (\\Eg ouk eimi ho\\
 \\Christos\\). Direct quotation again with recitative \\hoti\\ before it
 like our modern quotation marks. "I am not the Messiah," he means
 by \\ho Christos\\ (the Anointed One). Evidently it was not a new
 question as Luke had already shown
 # Lu 3:15

02921
 \\And they asked him\\ (\\kai rtsan auton\\). Here the paratactic \\kai\\
 is like the transitional \\oun\\ (then). \\What then?\\ (\\Ti oun;\\).
 Argumentative \\oun\\ like Paul's \\ti oun\\ in
 # Ro 6:15
 _Quid ergo?_ \\Art thou Elijah?\\ (\\Su Elias ei;\\). The next inevitable
 question since Elijah had been understood to be the forerunner of
 the Messiah from
 # Mal 4:5
 In
 # Mr 9:11
 Jesus will identify John with the Elijah of Malachi's prophecy.
 Why then does John here flatly deny it? Because the expectation
 was that Elijah would return in person. This John denies. Jesus
 only asserts that John was Elijah in spirit. Elijah in person
 they had just seen on the Mount of Transfiguration. \\He saith\\
 (\\legei\\). Vivid dramatic present. \\I am not\\ (\\ouk eimi\\). Short and
 blunt denial. \\Art thou the prophet?\\ (\\ho prophts ei su;\\). "The
 prophet art thou?" This question followed naturally the previous
 denials. Moses
 # De 18:15
 had spoken of a prophet like unto himself. Christians interpreted
 this prophet to be the Messiah
 # Ac 3:22; 7:37
 but the Jews thought him another forerunner of the Messiah
 # Joh 7:40
 It is not clear in
 # Joh 6:15
 whether the people identified the expected prophet with the
 Messiah, though apparently so. Even the Baptist later became
 puzzled in prison whether Jesus himself was the true Messiah or
 just one of the forerunners
 # Lu 7:19
 People wondered about Jesus himself whether he was the Messiah or
 just one of the looked for prophets
 # Mr 8:28; Mt 16:14
 \\And he answered\\ (\\kai apekrith\\). First aorist passive (deponent
 passive, sense of voice gone) indicative of \\apokrinomai\\, to give
 a decision from myself, to reply. \\No\\ (\\Ou\\). Shortest possible
 denial.

02922
 \\They said therefore\\ (\\eipan oun\\). Second aorist active indicative
 of defective verb \\eipon\\ with \\a\\ instead of usual \\o\\. Note \\oun\\,
 inferential here as in verse
 # 21
 though often merely transitional in John. \\Who art thou?\\ (\\Tis\\
 \\ei;\\). Same question as at first (verse
 # 19
 but briefer. \\That we give answer\\ (\\hina apokrisin dmen\\). Final
 use of \\hina\\ with second aorist active subjunctive of \\didmi\\ with
 \\apokrisin\\ from \\apokrinomai\\, above, old substantive as in
 # Lu 2:47
 \\To those that sent\\ (\\tois pempsasin\\). Dative case plural of the
 articular participle first aorist active of \\pemp\\. \\What sayest\\
 \\thou of thyself?\\ (\\Ti legeis peri seautou;\\). This time they opened
 wide the door without giving any hint at all.

02923
 \\He said\\ (\\eph\\). Common imperfect active (or second aorist active)
 of \\phmi\\, to say, old defective verb. \\I am the voice of one\\
 \\crying in the wilderness\\ (\\Eg phn bontos en ti ermi\\). For
 his answer John quotes
 # Isa 40:3
 The Synoptics
 # Mr 1:3; Mt 3:3; Lu 3:4
 quote this language from Isaiah as descriptive of John, but do
 not say that he also applied it to himself. There is no reason to
 think that he did not do so. John also refers to Isaiah as the
 author of the words and also of the message, "\\Make straight the\\
 \\way of the Lord\\" (\\Euthunate tn hodon tou kuriou\\). By this
 language (\\euthun\\ in N.T. only here and
 # Jas 3:4
 first aorist active imperative here) John identifies himself to
 the committee as the forerunner of the Messiah. The early writers
 note the differences between the use of \\Logos\\ (Word) for the
 Messiah and \\phn\\ (Voice) for John.

02924
 \\They had been sent\\ (\\apestalmenoi san\\). Periphrastic past perfect
 passive of \\apostell\\. \\From the Pharisees\\ (\\ek tn Pharisain\\). As
 the source (\\ek\\) of the committee of Sadducees (verse
 # 19

02925
 \\Why then baptizest thou?\\ (\\Ti oun baptizeis;\\). In view of his
 repeated denials (three here mentioned). \\If thou art not\\ (\\ei su\\
 \\ouk ei\\). Condition of first class. They did not interpret his
 claim to be "the voice" to be important enough to justify the
 ordinance of baptism. Abrahams (_Studies in Pharisaism and the
 Gospels_) shows that proselyte baptism was probably practised
 before John's time, but its use by John was treating the Jews as
 if they were themselves Gentiles.

02926
 \\In the midst of you standeth\\ (\\mesos humn stkei\\). Adjective as
 in
 # 19:18
 not \\en mesi humn\\. Present active indicative of late verb \\stk\\
 from perfect stem \\hestka\\. John had already baptized Jesus and
 recognized him as the Messiah. \\Whom ye know not\\ (\\hon humeis ouk\\
 \\oidate\\). This was the tragedy of the situation
 # 1:11
 Apparently this startling declaration excited no further inquiry
 from the committee.

02927
 \\Coming after me\\ (\\opis mou erchomenos\\). No article (\\ho\\) in Aleph
 B. John as the forerunner of the Messiah has preceded him in
 time, but not in rank as he instantly adds. \\The latchet of whose\\
 \\shoe I am not worthy to unloose\\ (\\hou ouk eimi axios hina lus\\
 \\autou ton himanta tou hupodmatos\\). Literally, "of whom I am not
 worthy that I unloose the latchet (see
 # Mr 1:7
 for \\himas\\) of his sandal (see
 # Mt 3:11
 for \\hupodma\\, bound under the foot)." Only use of \\axios\\ with
 \\hina\\ in John, though used by Paul in this saying of the Baptist
 # Ac 13:25
 \\hikanos hina\\ in
 # Mt 3:8
 but \\hikanos lusai\\ (aorist active infinitive instead of \\lus\\,
 aorist active subjunctive) in
 # Mr 1:7
 # Lu 3:16
 and \\bastasai\\ in
 # Mt 3:11

02928
 \\In Bethany beyond Jordan\\ (\\en Bthanii peran tou Iordanou\\).
 Undoubtedly the correct text, not "in Bethabara" as Origen
 suggested instead of "in Bethany" of all the known Greek
 manuscripts under the mistaken notion that the only Bethany was
 that near Jerusalem. \\Was baptizing\\ (\\n baptizn\\). Periphrastic
 imperfect, common idiom in John.

02929
 \\On the morrow\\ (\\ti epaurion\\). Locative case with \\hmri\\ (day)
 understood after the adverb \\epaurion\\. "Second day of this
 spiritual diary" (Bernard) from verse
 # 19
 \\Seeth Jesus coming\\ (\\blepei ton Isoun erchomenon\\). Dramatic
 historical present indicative (\\blepei\\) with vivid present middle
 participle (\\erchomenon\\). Graphic picture. \\Behold the Lamb of God\\
 (\\ide ho amnos tou theou\\). Exclamation \\ide\\ like \\idou\\, not verb,
 and so nominative \\amnos\\. Common idiom in John
 # 1:36; 3:26
 etc.). For "the Lamb of God" see
 # 1Co 5:7
 (cf.
 # Joh 19:36
 and
 # 1Pe 1:19
 The passage in
 # Isa 53:6
 is directly applied to Christ by Philip in
 # Ac 8:32
 See also
 # Mt 8:17; 1Pe 2:22; Heb 9:28
 But the Jews did not look for a suffering Messiah
 # Joh 12:34
 nor did the disciples at first
 # Mr 9:32; Lu 24:21
 But was it not possible for John, the Forerunner of the Messiah,
 to have a prophetic insight concerning the Messiah as the Paschal
 Lamb, already in
 # Isa 53
 even if the rabbis did not see it there? Symeon had it dimly
 # Lu 2:35
 but John more clearly. So Westcott rightly. Bernard is unwilling
 to believe that John the Baptist had more insight on this point
 than current Judaism. Then why and how did he recognize Jesus as
 Messiah at all? Certainly the Baptist did not have to be as
 ignorant as the rabbis. \\Which taketh away the sin of the world\\
 (\\ho airn tn hamartian tou kosmou\\). Note singular \\hamartian\\ not
 plural \\hamartias\\
 # 1Jo 3:5
 where same verb \\air\\, to bear away, is used. The future work of
 the Lamb of God here described in present tense as in
 # 1Jo 1:7
 about the blood of Christ. He is the Lamb of God for the world,
 not just for Jews.

02930
 \\Of whom\\ (\\huper hou\\). Not \\peri\\, but \\huper\\. "On behalf of whom."
 John points to Jesus as he speaks: "This is he." There he is. See
 verse
 # 15
 for discussion of these words of John.

02931
 \\And I knew him not\\ (\\kag ouk idein auton\\). Repeated in verse
 # 33
 Second past perfect of \\oida\\ as imperfect. He had predicted the
 Messiah and described him before he met him and baptized him. See
 the Synoptics for that story. Whether John knew Jesus personally
 before the baptism we do not know. \\But that he should be made\\
 \\manifest to Israel\\ (\\all' hina phanerthi ti Isral\\). Final
 clause with \\hina\\ and first aorist passive subjunctive of
 \\phanero\\. The purpose of John's ministry was to manifest to
 Israel with their spiritual privileges
 # 1:49
 the presence of the Messiah. Hence he was baptizing in water
 those who confessed their sins, he means, as in
 # Mr 1:5
 The Synoptic account is presupposed all along here.

02932
 \\Bare witness\\ (\\emartursen\\). First aorist active indicative of
 \\marture\\. Another specimen of John's witness to the Messiah
 # 1:7,15,19,29,35,36
 \\I have beheld\\ (\\tetheamai\\). Perfect middle indicative of \\theaomai\\,
 the realization of the promise of the sign (verse
 # 33
 by which he should recognize the Messiah. As a matter of fact, we
 know that he so recognized Jesus as Messiah when he came for
 baptism before the Holy Spirit came
 # Mt 3:14
 But this sight of the Spirit descending as a dove upon Jesus at
 his baptism
 # Mr 1:10; Mt 3:16; Lu 3:22
 became permanent proof to him. John's allusion assumes the
 Synoptic record. The Semites regarded the dove as a symbol of the
 Spirit.

02933
 \\He said\\ (\\ekeinos eipen\\). Explicit and emphatic pronoun as in
 verse
 # 8
 referring to God as the one who sent John (verse
 # 6
 \\With the Holy Spirit\\ (\\en pneumati hagii\\). "In the Holy Spirit."
 Here again one needs the background of the Synoptics for the
 contrast between John's baptism in water
 # Joh 1:26
 and that of the Messiah in the Holy Spirit
 # Mr 1:8; Mt 3:11; Lu 3:16

02934
 \\I have seen\\ (\\heraka\\). Present perfect active of \\hora\\. John
 repeats the statement of verse
 # 32
 (\\tetheamai\\). \\Have borne witness\\ (\\memarturka\\). Perfect active
 indicative of \\marture\\ for which verb see
 # 32
 \\This is the Son of God\\ (\\ho huios tou theou\\). The Baptist saw the
 Spirit come on Jesus at his baptism and undoubtedly heard the
 Father's voice hail him as "My Beloved Son"
 # Mr 1:11; Mt 3:17; Lu 3:22
 Nathanael uses it as a Messianic title
 # Joh 1:49
 as does Martha
 # 11:27
 The Synoptics use it also of Christ
 # Mr 3:11; Mt 14:33; Lu 22:70
 Caiaphas employs it to Christ as a Messianic title
 # Mt 26:63
 and Jesus confessed under oath that he was (verse
 # Mt 26:64
 thus applying the term to himself as he does in John's Gospel
 # 5:25; 10:36; 11:4
 and by implication (the Father, the Son) in
 # Mt 11:27
 # Lu 10:22
 Hence in the Synoptics also Jesus calls himself the Son of God.
 The phrase means more than just Messiah and expresses the
 peculiar relation of the Son to the Father
 # Joh 3:18; 5:25; 17:5; 19:7; 20:31
 like that of the Logos with God in
 # 1:1

02935
 \\Again on the morrow\\ (\\ti epaurion palin\\). Third day since verse
 # 19
 \\Was standing\\ (\\histkei\\). Past perfect of \\histmi\\, intransitive,
 and used as imperfect in sense. See same form in
 # 7:37
 \\Two\\ (\\duo\\). One was Andrew (verse
 # 40
 the other the Beloved Disciple (the Apostle John), who records
 this incident with happy memories.

02936
 \\He looked\\ (\\emblepsas\\). First aorist active participle of \\emblep\\,
 antecedent action before \\legei\\ (says). \\As he walked\\
 (\\peripatounti\\). Present active participle in dative case after
 \\emblepsas\\ and like \\erchomenon\\ in verse
 # 29
 vividly pictures the rapture of John in this vision of Jesus, so
 far as we know the third and last glimpse of Jesus by John (the
 baptism, verse
 # 29
 and here). \\Saith\\ (\\legei\\). Historical present, change from
 \\histkei\\ before. He repeats part of the tribute in verse
 # 29

02937
 \\Heard him speak\\ (\\kousan autou lalountos\\). First active
 indicative of \\akou\\ and present active participle of \\lale\\ in
 genitive case agreeing with \\autou\\, object of \\akou\\. "Heard him
 speaking" (kind of indirect discourse). John had disciples
 (\\mathtai\\, learners, from \\manthan\\, to learn). \\They followed\\
 \\Jesus\\ (\\kolouthsan ti Isou\\). Associative instrumental case
 after verb (first aorist active indicative, ingressive aorist, of
 \\akolouthe\\). These two disciples of the Baptist (Andrew and John)
 took him at his word and acted on it. John the Baptist had
 predicted and portrayed the Messiah, had baptized him, had
 interpreted him, and now for the second time had identified him.

02938
 \\Turned\\ (\\strapheis\\). Second aorist passive participle of \\streph\\,
 vividly picturing the sudden act of Jesus on hearing their steps
 behind him. \\Beheld\\ (\\theasamenos\\). First aorist middle participle
 of \\theaomai\\ (verse
 # 32
 Both participles here express antecedent action to \\legei\\ (saith).
 \\Following\\ (\\akolothountas\\). Present active participle of
 \\akolouthe\\ (verse
 # 37
 It was Christ's first experience of this kind and the two came
 from the Baptist to Jesus. \\What seek ye?\\ (\\Ti zteite;\\). Not
 "whom" (\\tina\\
 # 18:4; 20:15
 but "what purpose have you." The first words of Jesus preserved
 in this Gospel. See
 # Lu 2:49; Mt 3:15
 for words spoken before this and
 # Mr 1:15
 for Mark's first report in the Galilean ministry. \\Rabbi\\ (\\Rabbei\\).
 Aramaic title for "Teacher" which John here translates by
 \\Didaskale\\ as he is writing late and for general readers. Luke, a
 Greek Christian, does not use it, but John recalls his first use
 of this term to Jesus and explains it. Matthew has it only in the
 greeting of Judas to the Master
 # Mt 26:25,49
 and Mark once by Judas
 # Mr 14:45
 and twice by Peter
 # Mr 9:5; 11:21
 John's Gospel has the disciples at first addressing Jesus by
 Rabbi while others address him by \\Kurie\\ (Lord or Sir) as in
 # 4:11,49; 5:7
 Peter uses \\Kurie\\ in
 # 6:68
 In the end the disciples usually say \\Kurie\\
 # 13:6,25
 etc.), but Mary Magdalene says \\Rabbounei\\
 # 20:16
 \\Being interpreted\\ (\\methermmeuomenon\\). Present passive participle
 of \\methermneu\\, late compound of \\meta\\ and \\hermneu\\, to
 explain
 # Joh 1:42
 old word from \\Hermes\\, the god of speech (hermeneutics). John
 often explains Aramaic words
 # 1:38,41,42; 4:25; 9:7
 etc.). \\Where abidest thou?\\ (\\Pou meneis;\\). They wished a place for
 quiet converse with Jesus.

02939
 \\Come and ye shall see\\ (\\erchesthe kai opsesthe\\). Polite invitation
 and definite promise (future middle indicative \\opsesthe\\ from
 \\hora\\, correct text, not imperative \\idete\\). \\Where he abode\\ (\\pou\\
 \\menei\\). Indirect question preserving the present active
 indicative after secondary tense (\\eidan\\, saw) according to
 regular Greek idiom. Same verb \\men\\ as in
 # 38
 \\With him\\ (\\par' auti\\). "By his side," "beside him." \\That day\\ (\\tn\\
 \\hmeran ekeinn\\). Accusative of extent of time, all during that
 day. \\About the tenth hour\\ (\\hra hs dekat\\). Roman time and so
 ten o'clock in the morning. John in Ephesus at the close of the
 century naturally uses Roman time. See
 # 20:19
 "evening on that day," clearly Roman time. Thus also
 # Joh 19:14
 (sixth hour, morning) and
 # Mr 15:25
 (third hour, nine A.M.) suit. To his latest day John never forgot
 the hour when first he met Jesus.

02940
 \\Andrew\\ (\\Andreas\\). Explained by John as one of the two disciples
 of the Baptist and identified as the brother of the famous Simon
 Peter (cf. also
 # 6:8; 12:22
 The more formal call of Andrew and Simon, James and John, comes
 later
 # Mr 1:16; Mt 4:18; Lu 3:1-11
 \\That heard John speak\\ (\\tn akousantn para Ianou\\). "That heard
 from John," a classical idiom (\\para\\ with ablative after \\akou\\)
 seen also in
 # 6:45; 7:51; 8:26,40; 15:15

02941
 \\He findeth first\\ (\\heuriskei houtos prton\\). "This one finds
 (vivid dramatic present) first" (\\protn\\). \\Protn\\ (adverb
 supported by Aleph A B fam. 13) means that Andrew sought "his own
 brother Simon" (\\ton adelphon ton idion Simna\\) before he did
 anything else. But Aleph L W read \\prtos\\ (nominative adjective)
 which means that Andrew was the first who went after his brother
 implying that John also went after his brother James. Some old
 Latin manuscripts (b, e, r apparently), have \\mane\\ for Greek \\pri\\
 (early in the morning). Bernard thinks that this is the true
 reading as it allows more time for Andrew to bring Simon to
 Jesus. Probably \\prton\\ is correct, but even so John likely
 brought also his brother James after Andrew's example. \\We have\\
 \\found the Messiah\\ (\\Heurkamen ton Messian\\). First aorist active
 indicative of \\heurisk\\. Andrew and John had made the greatest
 discovery of the ages, far beyond gold or diamond mines. The
 Baptist had told about him. "We have seen him." \\Which is\\ (\\ho\\
 \\estin\\). Same explanatory neuter relative as in verse
 # 38
 "which word is." This Aramaic title Messiah is preserved in the
 N.T. only here and
 # 4:25
 elsewhere translated into \\Christos\\, Anointed One, from \\chri\\, to
 anoint.
 See note on "Mt 1:1"
  for discussion.

02942
 \\Looked upon him\\ (\\emblepsas auti\\). See verse
 # 36
 for same word and form of John's eager gaze at Jesus. Luke uses
 this word of Jesus when Peter denied him
 # Lu 22:61
 \\He brought him\\ (\\gagen auton\\). Effective second aorist active
 indicative of \\ago\\ as if Andrew had to overcome some resistance on
 Simon's part. \\Thou shalt be called Cephas\\ (\\su klthsi Kphs\\).
 Apparently before Simon spoke. We do not know whether Jesus had
 seen Simon before or not, but he at once gives him a nickname
 that will characterize him some day, though not yet, when he
 makes the noble confession
 # Mt 16:17
 and Jesus will say, "Thou art Peter." Here the future passive
 indicative of \\kale\\ is only prophecy. The Aramaic \\Cphs\\ (rock)
 is only applied to Simon in John except by Paul
 # 1Co 1:12; Ga 1:18
 etc.). But the Greek \\Petros\\ is used by all. In the ancient Greek
 \\petra\\ was used for the massive ledge of rock like Stone Mountain
 while \\petros\\ was a detached fragment of the ledge, though itself
 large. This distinction may exist in
 # Mt 16:17
 except that Jesus probably used Aramaic which would not have such
 a distinction.

02943
 \\On the morrow\\ (\\ti epaurion\\). The fourth of the days from verse
 # 19
 \\He findeth Philip\\ (\\heuriskei Philippon\\). Vivid dramatic present
 as in
 # 41
 though \\thelsen\\ (was minded, wished) is aorist active
 indicative. Apparently not an accidental finding, possibly due to
 the efforts of Andrew and Peter. Both Andrew and Philip have
 Greek names. \\Follow me\\ (\\akolouthei moi\\). Present active
 imperative, a direct challenge to Philip. Often Jesus uses this
 verb to win disciples
 # Mr 2:14; Mt 8:22; 9:21; 19:21 ; Lu 9:59; Joh 21:19
 Already Jesus had four personal followers (Andrew and Simon, John
 and James). He has begun his work.

02944
 \\From Bethsaida\\ (\\apo Bthsaida\\). Same expression in
 # 12:21
 with the added words "of Galilee," which locates it in Galilee,
 not in Iturea. There were two Bethsaidas, one called Bethsaida
 Julias in Iturea (that in
 # Lu 9:10
 or the Eastern Bethsaida, the other the Western Bethsaida in
 Galilee
 # Mr 6:45
 perhaps somewhere near Capernaum. This is the town of Andrew and
 Peter and Philip. Hence Philip would be inclined to follow the
 example of his townsmen.

02945
 \\Philip findeth\\ (\\heuriskei Philippos\\). Dramatic present again.
 Philip carries on the work. One wins one. If that glorious
 beginning had only kept on! Now it takes a hundred to win one.
 \\Nathaniel\\ (\\ton Nathanal\\). It is a Hebrew name meaning "God has
 given" like the Greek \\Theodore\\ (Gift of God). He was from Cana of
 Galilee
 # Joh 21:2
 not far from Bethsaida and so known to Philip. His name does not
 occur in the Synoptics while Bartholomew (a patronymic, _Bar
 Tholmai_) does not appear in John. They are almost certainly two
 names of the same man. Philip uses \\heurkamen\\ (verse
 # 41
 also to Nathanael and so unites himself with the circle of
 believers, but instead of \\Messian\\ describes him "of whom (\\hon\\
 accusative with \\egrapsen\\) Moses in the law
 # De 18:15
 and the prophets (so the whole O.T. as in
 # Lu 24:27,44
 did write." \\Jesus of Nazareth the son of Joseph\\ (\\Isoun huion tou\\
 \\Isph ton apo Nazaret\\). More exactly, "Jesus, son of Joseph, the
 one from Nazareth." Jesus passed as son (no article in the Greek)
 of Joseph, though John has just described him as "God-only
 Begotten" in verse
 # 18
 but certainly Philip could not know this. Bernard terms this part
 "the irony of St. John" for he is sure that his readers will
 agree with him as to the real deity of Jesus Christ. These
 details were probably meant to interest Nathanael.

02946
 \\Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?\\ (\\Ek Nazaret dunatai ti\\
 \\agathon einai;\\). Literally, "Out of Nazareth can anything good
 be." There is a tinge of scorn in the question as if Nazareth
 (note position at beginning of sentence) had a bad name. Town
 rivalry may account to some extent for it since Cana (home of
 Nathanael) was near Nazareth. Clearly he had never heard of
 Jesus. The best thing in all the world came out of Nazareth, but
 Philip does not argue the point. A saying had arisen that no
 prophet comes out of Galilee
 # Joh 7:52
 untrue like many such sayings. \\Come and see\\ (\\erchou kai ide\\).
 Present middle imperative (come on) and second active imperative
 (and see at once). Philip followed the method of Jesus with
 Andrew and John (verse
 # 39
 probably without knowing it. Wise is the one who knows how to
 deal with the sceptic.

02947
 \\Behold\\ (\\ide\\). Here an exclamation (see
 # 1:29
 as often like \\idou\\. \\An Israelite indeed\\ (\\alths Israleits\\).
 "Truly an Israelite," one living up to the covenant name, Israel
 at its best
 # Ro 2:29
 without the guile (\\dolos\\, deceit, bait for fish, from \\deleaz\\, to
 catch with bait) that Jacob once had of which Isaac complained
 # Ge 27:35
 \\dolos\\, here in LXX). The servant of Jehovah was to be without
 guile
 # Isa 53:9

02948
 \\Whence knowest thou me?\\ (\\Pothen me ginskeis;\\). Nathanael is
 astonished at this tribute, at any knowledge about himself by
 Jesus. He had overheard Christ's comment and longed to know its
 source. \\Before Philip called thee\\ (\\Pro tou se Philippon\\
 \\phnsai\\). Idiomatic Greek, \\pro\\ and the ablative case of the
 articular aorist active infinitive (\\tou phnsai\\, from \\phne\\, to
 call) with \\se\\ as the object and \\Philippon\\, the accusative of
 general reference, "before the calling thee as to Philip." \\When\\
 \\thou wast under the fig tree\\ (\\onta hupo tn sukn\\). "Being under
 the fig tree," accusative present participle agreeing with \\se\\.
 The fig tree was a familiar object in Palestine, probably in leaf
 at this time, the accusative with \\hupo\\ may suggest that Nathanael
 had withdrawn there for prayer. Note genitive with \\hupokat\\ in
 verse
 # 50
 Jesus saw Nathanael's heart as well as his mere presence there.
 He saw him in his worship and so knew him.

02949
 \\Thou art the Son of God\\ (\\su ei ho huios tou theou\\). Whether
 Nathanael had heard the Baptist say this of Jesus
 # 1:34
 we do not know, apparently not, but Nathanael was a student of
 the Old Testament as Philip implied
 # 1:45
 and was quick to put together his knowledge, the statement of
 Philip, and the manifest supernatural knowledge of Jesus as just
 shown. There is no reason for toning down the noble confession of
 Nathanael in the light of Christ's claim in verse
 # 51
 Cf. the confession of Peter in
 # 6:69; Mt 16:16
 and Martha's in
 # Joh 11:27
 Nathanael goes further. \\Thou art King of Israel\\ (\\Basileus ei tou\\
 \\Isral\\). To us this seems an anti-climax, but not so to Nathanael
 for both are Messianic titles in
 # Ps 2
 and Jesus is greeted in the Triumphal Entry as the King of Israel
