John 1:5 NIV

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - John 1:4-5

John 1:4-5. In him Or, through him, as Beza understands it; was life He was the living and powerful Word, which was the source of life to every living creature, as well as of being to all that exists. And the life was the light of men He, who is essential life, and the author of life to all that live, was also the fountain of wisdom, holiness, and happiness to man in his original state. And the light shineth in darkness Namely, in the darkness, or amid the ignorance and folly,... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - John 1:1-18

JESUS BEGINS HIS MINISTRY14. The eternal Word (John 1:1-18)To Israelites of Old Testament times, God’s word was more than something merely written down or spoken out. It was something active, so that when God expressed his will, that will was carried out. God spoke, and it was done (Genesis 1:3; Psalms 33:9; Isaiah 55:10-11). By his active word, God created the universe (Genesis 1:6,Genesis 1:9,Genesis 1:14; Psalms 33:6). God’s word had such life and power that people thought of it almost as if... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - John 1:5

shineth . Greek. phaino. App-106 . darkness = the darkness. Pre supposing the Fall. Genesis 3:18 . comprehended it . This is direct from the Vulgate. The Greek kata is so rendered only here. It means, overcame or overpowered Him not. See 1 Thessalonians 5:4 (overtake). Mark 9:18 . Mark 8:3 , Mark 8:4 (take); John 12:35 (come upon hostilely). it. Referring grammatically to phos, the light (neuter); but logically to the Word. Quoted by Tatian (AD 150-170), Greek t. ad Graecos, xiii. Note... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - John 1:5

And the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness apprehended it not.The dramatic shift to the present tense shows that John was not here dealing merely with a past phenomenon, but with a present reality. In the very nature of that ineffable light in Christ Jesus, it is at once past, present, and future, ever shining in the gloom of mortal darkness; and in the remarkable truth of this Gospel, that light was viewed as a blazing sun illuminating the night of human sin and rebellion against... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - John 1:5

John 1:5. And the light shineth in darkness;— We have observed in the former verse, that Christ is the fountain of all spiritual light, so that nothing can be spiritually discerned but by his Spirit. This light shone in the heathen world, and under the dispensation of Moses, and still shineth in darkness, even upon the minds of the most ignorant and wicked part of mankind; darkness being not only used for a state of ignorance, whether wilful or natural, but likewise for a state of obstinate... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - John 1:5

5. shineth in darkness, &c.—in this dark, fallen world, or in mankind "sitting in darkness and the shadow of death," with no ability to find the way either of truth or of holiness. In this thick darkness, and consequent intellectual and moral obliquity, "the light of the Word" shineth—by all the rays whether of natural or revealed teaching which men (apart from the Incarnation of the Word) are favored with. the darkness comprehended it not—did not take it in, a brief summary of the effect... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - John 1:1-5

A. The preincarnate Word 1:1-5John began his Gospel by locating Jesus before the beginning of His ministry, before His virgin birth, and even before Creation. He identified Jesus as co-existent with God the Father and the Father’s agent in providing creation and salvation. read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - John 1:1-18

I. PROLOGUE 1:1-18Each of the four Gospels begins with an introduction to Jesus that places Him in the historical setting of His earthly ministry. Matthew connected Him with David and Abraham. Mark associated Him directly with John the Baptist. Luke recorded the predictions of His birth. John, however, declared Him to be the eternal Son of God. Many writers have referred to John’s prologue as a theological prologue because this evangelist stressed Jesus’ connection with the eternal God.As with... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - John 1:5

As light shines (present tense for the first time) in the darkness, so Jesus brought the revelation and salvation of God to humanity in its fallen and lost condition. He did this in the Incarnation. As the word of God brought light to the chaos before Creation, so Jesus brought light to fallen humankind when He became a man.Furthermore the light that Jesus brought was superior to the darkness that existed both physically and spiritually. The darkness did not overcome (Gr. katelaben, "lay hold... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - John 1:1-51

The Divinity and Incarnation of the Word. Witness of John. The First Disciples1-18. Preface, declaring (1) that the Word was God, (2) that He was made man, (3) that He revealed the Father.This sublime preface is intended to commend ’the truth as it is in Jesus,’ both to Jewish and Gentile minds. It describes our Lord’s person and office by a term familiar to both, that of the Logos or Word of God. ’Logos’ has two meanings in Greek: (1) reason or intelligence, as it exists inwardly in the mind,... read more

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - John 1:4-5

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - John 1:1-18

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - John 1:5

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - John 1:5

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - John 1:5

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - John 1:5

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - John 1:1-5

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - John 1:1-18

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - John 1:5

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - John 1:1-51

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