John 1:5-8

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - John 1:5

Verse 5 5.And the light shineth in darkness. It might be objected, that the passages of Scripture in which men are called blind are so numerous and that the blindness for which they are condemned is but too well known. For in all their reasoning faculties they miserably fail. How comes it that there are so many labyrinths of errors in the world, but because men, by their own guidance, are led only to vanity and lies? But if no light appears in men, that testimony of the divinity of Christ,... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - John 1:6

Verse 6 6.There was a man. The Evangelist now begins to discourse about the manner in which the Son of God was manifested in flesh; and that none may doubt that Christ is the eternal Son of God, he relates that Christ was announced by John the Baptist, as his herald. For not only did Christ exhibit himself to be seen by men, but he chose also to be made known by the testimony and doctrine of John; or rather, God the Father sent this witness before his Christ, that they might more willingly... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - John 1:1-18

1. The hypothesis framed by the evangelist to account for the series of facts which he is about to narrate is seen especially in John 1:14 ; but before asserting this great fact that the Word was made flesh, he proceeds to show read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - John 1:1-51

The phrase, "according to," has been thought by some to suggest a type of doctrine or teaching with which the document might be supposed to harmonize, and therefore to set aside the idea of personal authenticity by its very form. This interpretation, seeing it applies to Mark and Luke as well as to John and Matthew, would lose its meaning; for Mark and Luke, by numerous traditionary notices, have been continuously credited, not with having personally set any special type of doctrine before... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - John 1:3-5

Jesus Christ in relation to creation. The apostle next shows the relation between the finite and the infinite, the Divine and the human. I. THE WORD MADE FLESH . "All things were made by him." Therefore he must be God. "He that built all things is God" ( Hebrews 3:4 ). This creation has a double aspect. 1 . He made the worlds, tie made matter. 2 . He made man, who is the crown of creation; for "in him was life." II. THE WORD IS THE LIFE OF THE WORLD... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - John 1:5

(3) The antagonism between light and darkness. The highest manifestation and proof of the following statement will be found in that great entrance of the Eternal Logos into human life which will shed the most complete ray of Divine light upon men; but before that great event, during its occurrence, and ever since, i.e. throughout all times and nations, the light shineth in the darkness. Many expositors, like Godet, after long wavering and pondering, resolve this expression into a... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - John 1:6

There was a man, sent from ( παρά θεοῦ ) God, whose name was John. Observe the contrast between the ἐγένετο of John's appearance and the ἦν of the Logos, between the "man" John sent from God and the ( λογοσ σαρξ εγενετο ) "Word became flesh" of verse 14. At this point the evangelist touches on the temporal mission and effulgence of the true Light in the Incarnation; yet this paragraph deals with far more general characteristics and wider ranges of thought than the earthly... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - John 1:6-8

(a) The prophetic dispensation. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - John 1:6-8

The witness of the Baptist to the true Light. We now come to the historic manifestation of the Word. I. THE PERSONALITY OF THE BAPTIST . "There was a man sent from God, whose name was John." 1 . He was the offspring of pious parents, and his birth was due to miraculous Divine interference. 2 . He was a Nazarite in the ascetic aspect of his life. 3 . He was the last prophet of the Old Testament dispensation—the link between the prophets of the old and the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - John 1:6-13

(4) The general manifestation of the revealing Logos. read more

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