The Word of Life
Verses
1-4: As an apostolic eyewitness to Jesus’ ministry, including His
death and resurrection, and as one of the three most intimate
associates of the Lord John, Peter, James, John affirms the physical
reality of Jesus Christ’s having come in the flesh (4:2-3). In this
way, John accentuated the gravity of the false teaching by
immediately focusing on a strongly positive affirmation of the
historic reality of Jesus’ humanity and the certainty of the
gospel. Although the false teachers claimed to believe in Christ,
their denial of the true nature of Christ i.e. His humanity demonstrated their lack of genuine salvation (2:22-23). The
affirmation of a proper view of Christ constitutes the first test of
genuine fellowship.
1
John 1:1 “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard,
which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our
hands have handled, of the Word of life;”
That
which was...
That glorious and wonderful person, Jesus Christ the Lord (1Jhn. 1:1,
1:3-4).
That
which
(ὃ)
It
is disputed whether John uses this in a personal sense as equivalent
to he,
whom,
or in its strictly neuter sense as meaning something
relating
to
the person and revelation of Christ. On the whole, the περί,
concerning (A. V., of),
seems to be against the personal sense. The successive clauses, that
which
was
from
the
beginning,
etc., express, not the Eternal
Word
Himself, but something relating
to
or
predicated
concerning
περί
Him. The indefinite that
which,
is approximately defined by these clauses; that about the Word of Life, which was from the beginning, that which appealed to sight, to
hearing is, to touch. Strictly, it is true, the περί
is
appropriate only with we
have
heard,
but it is used with the other clauses in a wide and loose sense
(compare John
16:8).
The subject is not merely a message, but all that had been made clear
through manifold experience concerning
it (Westcott).
Was
(ἦν)
Not
ἐγένετο
came
into
being.
See on John 1:3; see on John 8:34; see on John 8:58. It was
already existing when the succession of life began.
from
the beginning.
Ten
things concerning Jesus Christ:
1.
From the beginning (1Jhn. 1:1; John 1:1-2); from everlasting (Mic.
5:1-2; Heb. 1:8)
2.
We have heard Him with our ears (1Jhn. 1:1).
3.
We have seen Him with our eyes (1Jhn. 1:1).
4.
Our hands have handled Him (1Jhn. 1:1).
5.
He is the Word of Life (1Jhn. 1:1; John 14:6).
6.
We bear witness of this Life (1Jhn. 1:2).
7.
He is that eternal Life (1Jhn. 1:2).
8.
He is not the Father but was with Him from all eternity (1Jhn. 1:2;
John 1:1-2).
9.
He was manifested to us (1Jhn. 1:2).
10.
We declare Him to you for two reasons:
(1)
That you may have fellowship with us, with the Father, and with His
Son Jesus Christ (1Jhn. 1:3)
(2)
That your joy may be full (1Jhn. 1:4)
This
phrase refers to the proclamation of the gospel that centers in
Christ’s person, words, and works as contained in apostolic
testimony. “From the beginning”. Although John’s gospel uses a
similar phrase meaning eternity past (John 1:1, “in the
beginning”), the phrase here (in the context of verses 1-4), refers
to the beginning of gospel preaching when the readers first heard
about Jesus (2:7, 24).
The
phrase also emphasizes the stability of the gospel message. Its
contents do not change but remain stable from the very beginning; it
is not subject to change due to current worldly fads or philosophical
thinking.
we
have heard.
We
have absolute certainty of the reality of what we proclaim. We have
actually heard, seen, and touched Him, not transiently, but
frequently. We lived with Him daily for years. We heard His teaching
and saw His divine works (1Jhn. 1:1-3; 2Pet. 1:16; Acts. 5:31; 1Cor.
15:1-8).
Have
heard - have seen
(ἀκηκόαμεν
-
ἑωράκαμεν)
Both
in the perfect tense, denoting the still abiding effects of the
hearing and seeing.
With
our eyes
Emphasizing
the direct, personal experience in a marvelous matter.
The
words used here point to the vivid recollection of the person of
Jesus that John still had even in his old age. For John, even 60
years later, those memories were permanently etched on his mind as if
the events had just happened.
From
the beginning
(ἀπ'
ἀρχῆς)
The
phrase occurs twice in the Gospel (John 8:44; 15:27); nine times in
the First Epistle, and twice in the Second. It is used both
absolutely
(John 3:8; 2:13, 2:14), and relatively
(John 15:27; 1Jhn. 2:24). It is here contrasted with in
the beginning (John 1:1). The difference is that by the words in
the beginning,
the writer places himself at the initial point of creation, and,
looking back into eternity, describes that which was already in
existence when creation began. The Word was
in
the beginning. In the words from
the
beginning, the writer looks back to the initial point of time and describes what has been in existence from that point onward. Thus, in
the beginning characterizes the absolute divine Word as He was before
the foundation of the world and at
the foundation of the world. From
the beginning characterizes His development in time. Note the absence
of the article both here and in John 1:1. Not the
beginning
as a definite, concrete fact, but as apprehended by man; that to
which we look as beginning.
looked
upon.
Greek:
theaomai,
gazing with a purpose; see with desire; regard with admiration.
Related to theoreo,
to gaze at, as a spectacle. It is used of physical sight and the
actual presence of the object on which the gaze is fixed. It means a
prolonged and continued gaze. All total, the words are used 81 times.
Have
looked upon
(ἐθεασάμεθα)
Rev.,
correctly, beheld.
The tense is the aorist, marking not the abiding effect of the vision
upon the beholder, but the historical manifestation to special
witnesses. On the difference between this verb and ἑωράκαμεν
we
have
seen,
see on John 1:14, 1:18.
Have
handled
(ἐψηλάησαν)
The
aorist tenses. Rev. handled.
For the peculiar force of the verb see on Luke 24:39. The reference
is, probably, to handle
me
(Luke
24:39), and to John 20:27. This is the more noticeable from the fact
that John does not mention the fact of the Resurrection in the Epistles and does not use the word in his own narrative of the
Resurrection. The phrase therefore falls in with the numerous
instances in which John assumes the knowledge of certain historic
facts on the part of his readers.
Word
of life.
The
Word was made flesh and dwelled among men so that they would have as
much proof of His personal existence, as they had of any other person
in their midst (John 1:1-2, 1:14; 1Tim. 3:16).
John
here and below alludes to his eyewitness status. That of which he
speaks, he has witnessed personally. His witness pertains to the Word
of Life, which is the proclamation concerning the One in whom was
life (John 1:4).
John
was there from the beginning. His knowledge is first-hand. John is
not writing from something someone else has told him, He is stating
things he knows to be fact. John is aware that Jesus is the Word,
which created all things.
Compare
John 1:1, 1:9, 1:14. The construction of the first three verses is
somewhat involved. It will be simplified by throwing it into three
parts, represented respectively by 1Jhn. 1:1, 1:2, 1:3. The first
part, that which
was
from
the
beginning
- Word
of
Life,
forms a suspended clause, the verb being omitted for the time, and
the course of the sentence being broken by 1Jhn. 1:2, which forms a
parenthesis: and
the
Life
- manifested
unto
us.
1Jhn. 1:3, in order to resume the broken sentence of 1Jhn. 1:1,
repeats in a condensed form two of the clauses in that verse, that
which
we
have
seen
and
heard,
and furnishes the governing verb, we
declare.
Thus the simple sentence, divested of parenthesis and resumptive
words would be, We
declare
unto
you
that
which
was
from
the
beginning,
that
which
we
have
seen
with
our
eyes,
that
which
we
beheld,
and
our
hands
handled
concerning
the
Word
of
Life.
Of
the Word
(περὶ
τοῦ λογοῦ)
Better,
as Rev., concerning
the
Word.
Of
life
(τῆς
ζωῆς)
Lit.,
the
life. See on John
1:4. The phrase ὁ
λόγος τῆς ζωῆς,
the
Word
of
the
Life,
occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. The nearest approach to it
is Phlp. 2:16; but there neither word has the article. In the phrase
words
of
eternal
life
(John
6:68), and in Acts 5:20, all
the
words
of
this
life,
ῥήματα
is
used. The question is whether λόγος
is
used here of the
Personal
Word,
as John 1:1, or of the divine message
or revelation.
In the four passages of the Gospel where λόγος
is
used in a personal
sense (John 1:1, 1:14), it is used absolutely,
the
Word
compare
Rev. 19:13. On the other hand, it is often used relatively
in the New Testament; as
word
of
the
kingdom
(Mat. 8:19); word
of
this
salvation
(Acts 8:26); word
of
His
grace
(Acts
20:32); word
of
truth
(Jas. 1:18). By John ζωῆς
of
life,
is often used in order to characterize the word which accompanies it.
Thus, crown
of
life
(Rev. 2:10); water
of
life
(Rev. 21:6); book
of
life
(Rev.
3:5); bread
of
life
(John
6:35); i.e.,
the water which is living and communicates life; the book; which
contains the revelation of life; the bread which imparts life. In the
same sense, John 6:68; Acts 5:20. Compare Tit. 1:2, 1:3.
Though
the phrase, the
Word
of
the
Life,
does not elsewhere occur in a personal sense, I incline to regard its
primary
reference as personal, from the obvious connection of the thought
with John 1:1, 1:4. In the beginning was the Word, - in Him was life.
As John does not purpose to say that he announces Christ as an
abstract single idea,
but that he declares his own concrete historical experiences
concerning
Christ,
- so now he continues, not the
Logos (Word), but concerning
the Word, we make annunciation to you (Ebrard). At the same time, I
agree with Canon Westcott that it is most probable that the two
interpretations are not to be sharply separated. The revelation
proclaims that which it includes it has, announces, gives life. In
Christ life as the subject,
and life as the character
of the revelation, were absolutely united.
John
1:1-4 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.” “The same was in the beginning with God.”
“All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” “In him was life; and the life was the light
of men.”
John
was there when Jesus spoke to evil spirits, and they came out of
people. John saw the miracles of those being raised from the dead,
and the sick healed. John was there when Jesus gave the Sermon on the
Mount. John was there when Jesus walked on the water.
He
uses terms that strongly affirm the physical reality of Jesus, for a
spirit cannot be heard, gazed at for long periods looked at, or
touched as Jesus was by John during His earthly ministry and even
after His resurrection. One in whom was life: This refers not only to
Jesus Christ but the proclamation of His gospel.
It
is a gross understatement to say that he touched Jesus. John lay with
his head on the chest of Jesus. John was called the apostle of love,
because of his great love for Jesus. John understood Jesus being the
Lamb of God. John knew that Life itself was contained in Jesus.
John
knew that Jesus was the source of all Light and Life, as we see in
the following Scripture.
John
1:4 “In him was life; and the life was the light of men.” The
only life we have is in Jesus, all else brings death.
Prologue
Again,
the first four verses of the epistle constitute its prologue. Here
the writer affirmed the tangible reality of the Incarnation of Christ
and announced that the goals of his letter were fellowship and joy.
The
apostle declared his subject to be that
which was from the beginning.
Many have thought that he referred here to an absolute beginning,
such as described in Gen. 1:1 and John 1:1. This is possible, but in
view of the epistle’s concern with the original message about Jesus
Christ, it seems more likely that John referred to the beginning of
the gospel proclamation. If so, the usage is similar to that found in
1Jhn. 2:7, 2:24; and 1Jhn. 3:11. The writer was then asserting that
what he proclaimed was the truth about God’s Son that was
originally witnessed by the apostles who had direct contact with Him.
Numbering himself among these apostolic eyewitnesses, the author
described this proclamation as one which
we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked
at and our hands have touched.
With
these introductory words, the apostle directed his first shafts at
the heresy with which he was concerned. The antichrists brought new
ideas, not those which were from the beginning of the gospel era.
Moreover, their denial of the reality of the incarnate life of Christ
could be countered by the experiences of the eyewitnesses whose
testimony was founded on actual hearing, seeing, and touching (cf.
look and touch in Luke 24:39). John’s message is solidly based on a
historical reality.
The
exact meaning of the expression concerning
the Word of life
has been variously explained. By capitalizing the term Word, the NIV
interprets this as a title for the Lord like that found in John 1:1,
1:14. But there this title has no qualifying phrase such as the
expression of life, which is used here. It seems more natural to
understand the phrase in the sense of the message about life for
which Phlp. 2:16 furnishes a parallel see also Acts 5:20. Indeed, as
1Jhn. 1:2 shows, life, not word, is personified. Thus John was saying
that his subject matter in this epistle deals with the original and
well-attested verities that concern the message about Life - that is,
about God’s Son, who is Life (cf. 1Jhn. 5:20).
