Welcome to “Let’s Study the Bible”! This is a series of blog posts that are aimed at encouraging you to study the Bible with me. This bible study is an extension of a sermon series at our church and if you would like to watch this message then click here for the sermon “The Genesis of All Things Is Jesus”. Your comments, questions, and answers are welcome here. I hope this series will be a devotional help to you.
-Pastor Aaron
1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness.
Genesis 1:1-4 ESV
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
John 1:1-5 ESV
6 Similarities to Observe in these passages…
“In the beginning”
“God created”
“All things”
“the Word”
“light”
“seperation of light and dark”
In The Beginning…
The starting point for the telling of John’s Gospel is obviously different than the other three, usually called the synoptic Gospels. Why is that? Is John trying to reintroduce Jesus in a new way? No. The emphasis is different, but not the content. The synoptic Gospels unanimously declare alongside John’s Gospel that Jesus is divine. Yet, only in John will you find the starting point for the greatest story ever told wrapped up in the creation story.
“Matthew says, ‘The Book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the Son of David’; and Luke too relates to us in the beginning of his Gospel the events relating to Mary; and in like manner Mark dwells on the same narratives, from that point detailing to us the history of the Baptist;) why, when they began with these matters, did John briefly and in a later place hint at them, saying, ‘the Word was made flesh’ (ver. 14.); and, passing by everything else, His conception, His birth, His bringing up, His growth, at once discourse to us concerning His Eternal Generation”1
John Chrysostom
John’s goal in writing the Gospel is clear, “these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” What are we meant to understand and believe about Jesus? We are meant to understand that Jesus is the Christ and He is the Son of God. As Christ, He is the human king promised by God to be born from the lineage of David and rule forever (2 Sam 7:12-13). As the Son of God, Jesus is the exact representation of God, but in human form (Heb 1:3). These two truths are foundational to the Christian faith. So then, we see why John began telling Jesus’ story where He did. While the synoptic Gospels teach Jesus’ divinity with beautiful subtlety over their entirety, true to form as a “son of thunder,” John’s opening lines are bold and powerful.
Jesus’ story began before time, and this is John’s emphasis. He uses the term “beginning” to denote the existence of God with Himself before the creation of all things. The Word’s identity is better known to us as Jesus, and He was with God and was God in this “beginning.” As we harmonize Genesis 1 and John 1, we see that Jesus is Eternal and described as God because He is God. Jesus did not become God and had no beginning, but He has simply always existed.
For the intellect, having ascended to “the beginning,” enquires what “beginning”; and then finding the “was” always outstripping its imagination, has no point at which to stay its thought; but looking intently onwards, and being unable to cease at any point, it becomes wearied out, and turns back to things below. For this “was in the beginning,” is nothing else than expressive of ever being and being infinitely.2
John Chrysostom
God (the Word) Created…
Who is God in Genesis 1 according to John?
Why isn’t John contradicting Genesis 1?
Are there more passages in Genesis that help support our understanding of John 1?
Can you write a summary of this theme, “God (the Word) Created”?
The Heaven and Earth (All Things)…
When you think of “Heaven and Earth” in Genesis 1:1, have you tended to imagine these terms as being purely materialistic? Why or why not?
What other passages come to mind that discuss this theme of “Heaven and Earth” or “All things”?
Why is Creation an important starting point for Christians beliefs about Jesus’ identity?
Can you write a summary of this theme, “The Heaven and Earth (All Things)”?
The Word (And God said)…
What is the relationship between God’s speaking in Genesis 1 and the being identified as “the Word”?
Are there other passages that come to mind as you consider this topic?
And the earth was…darkness (the Word is the light)…
Is Genesis and John using these terms “darkness and light” in exactly the same way? Why or why not?
What other passages of “light” and “darkness” come to mind as you read Genesis 1 and John 1?
God divided the light from the darkness (and the darkness has not overcome it)
Why do you suppose John emphasizes the inability of the darkness to defeat the light?
Aaron Irlbacher 