John 1:1-18

Monday 30^th May to Sunday 5^th June, 2011

The first eighteen verses of John's Gospel are often known as the Prologue, the introduction, and for a good reason. This section introduces most of the major themes that are to be found in the body of the book.

Read John 1:1-18

Question.1. How do we know that John is really speaking of a Person when he speaks of the 'Word'? (See especially v. 3 & v. 14)

Question 2. What does John 17:5 have in common with this passage?

Question 3. What is it that the Word has done according to this section and how is that supported by Genesis 1?

Question 4. How does Psalm 107:20 support the claim that Jesus is the Word?

Question 5. How do v3 & 10 refute the claims made by the so-called Jehovah's Witnesses that Jesus was God's first creation?

Question 6. Read Genesis 2:7. How was life given to mankind?

The Hebrew word for 'breath' is the word Ruach. It can also mean wind or spirit. While animals received life directly through the Word, Man was given Spiritual life through the Spirit as he became a 'living being', or, as the AV has it, a living soul.

Question 7. Read Genesis 2:16-17 and Genesis 3:1-10.

a) What was the punishment if Adam disobeyed God?

b) Did Adam and Eve die immediately when they disobeyed?

c) What do verses 7 & 8 reveal about man's relationship with God after the fall?

Question 8. Read John 3:1-8. According to Jesus, man must be 'born again'. What kind of birth is Jesus speaking of here? (v. 6-8)

Question 9. How is Jesus the 'Light of men''? (John 1:4 & John 8:12)

Question 10. What does John mean when he says that “The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood (or overcome) it?

Question 11. How did the world react to the Word coming into the world? (v.10)

Question 12. How did His own people react? (v. 11)

Question 13. Who were His own people?

Question 14. Does that mean that everyone rejected Him? (v. 12)

Question 15. How can people receive Him? (v. 12)

Question 16. Does that mean then that our salvation is all the result of our decision? (v. 13)

Question 17. How then can anyone come to know God? (v. 18)

John, like Paul, also stresses the fact that our salvation is first and foremost a gift of grace. When we were in the world we could not recognise Him, but He Himself has given us new life, spiritual life. Now we know what God is really like because Jesus has revealed Him to us.

Knowing this is great, but it does leave us with an important question:

Question 18. How should the fact that we are now 'Children of God', (v. 12) and 'Children of the light' (John 12:36) affect the way we live? (John 3:21 & 1 John 1:5-7)