John 1:1–18: The Identity of Jesus
Introduction
The prologue to the Gospel of John (John 1:1–18) accomplishes two critical goals that shape the way that we will read the rest of this book. First, this introductory section frames how we ought to understand what John is trying to teach us about Jesus Christ, Son of God, the Word made flesh. Marianne Meye Thompson helpfully compares the format of John’s Gospel to a modern “docudrama” that “makes use of historical data and material, but presents it in such a way as to engage the viewer’s attention and interest, while presenting the director’s unique interpretation of the events recorded.”[1] Rather than developing our understanding of Jesus slowly and organically, John opens his Gospel with a clear, profound meditation on the nature(s), mission, and identity of Jesus Christ. As Leon Morris writes, “Where Mark begins with the gospel message and Matthew and Luke have their birth stories, John takes us back in his opening to the eternal purpose of God.”
Ultimately, John writes his Gospel so that we will believe (John 20:31), and John’s initial method of accomplishing that goal is to state his conclusions in the very beginning of his book. Through the rest of the book, he will then prove those conclusions through Jesus’ words and deeds.The prologue to the Gospel of John (John 1:1–18) accomplishes two critical goals that shape the way that we will read the rest of this book. First, this introductory section frames how we ought to understand what John is trying to teach us about Jesus Christ, Son of God, the Word made flesh. Marianne Meye Thompson helpfully compares the format of John’s Gospel to a modern “docudrama” that “makes use of historical data and material, but presents it in such a way as to engage the viewer’s attention and interest, while presenting the director’s unique interpretation of the events recorded.” Rather than developing our understanding of Jesus slowly and organically, John opens his Gospel with a clear, profound meditation on the nature(s), mission, and identity of Jesus Christ. As Leon Morris writes, “Where Mark begins with the gospel message and Matthew and Luke have their birth stories, John takes us back in his opening to the eternal purpose of God.” Ultimately, John writes his Gospel so that we will believe (John 20:31), and John’s initial method of accomplishing that goal is to state his conclusions in the very beginning of his book. Through the rest of the book, he will then prove those conclusions through Jesus’ words and deeds.
Second, John does not give a flat, single-dimensional statement about Jesus Christ, but the Evangelist introduces us here to the multiple themes that he will develop over the rest of the book, so that the prologue functions as “a foyer to the rest of the Fourth Gospel, simultaneously drawing the reader in and introducing the major themes.” It is as though John holds up the precious diamond of Jesus Christ for all to see, and then he turns it quickly about, allowing every facet to sparkle briefly here at the beginning before returning later to examine each of those facets in more detail over the rest of his Gospel. These themes include Christ’s pre-existence as God, his relationship as Son to the Father, his incarnation as a human being, his work as re-creator, his function as light and life for the world, and his profound misunderstanding by “his own” people who should have recognized him immediately. In this way, the “prologue and the gospel story form an intrinsic unity and have been ‘attuned’ to each other”[4] like an overture to an opera by whetting “the appetite of the hearers, preparing them for the work to be presented, and bringing together themes developed in it.”
In this prologue, John develops three main themes, with a multitude of other facets that support and clarify these three main themes. First, John identifies Jesus of Nazareth as God, the Creator of heaven and earth. Second, John identifies Jesus of Nazareth as the Redeemer of the world. Third, John identifies Jesus of Nazareth as the Mediator between God the Father and God’s people.
