John 1:1-18

I. PROLOGUE 1:1-18

Each 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 many introductions, this one contains several key terms that recur throughout the remainder of the book. These terms include life and light (John 1:4), darkness (John 1:5), witness (John 1:7), true (i.e., genuine or ultimate) and world (John 1:9), as well as Son, Father, glory, and truth (John 1:14). The Word (as a Christological title, John 1:1) and grace (John 1:14) are also important theological terms, but they occur only in the prologue.

"But supremely, the Prologue summarizes how the ’Word’ which was with God in the very beginning came into the sphere of time, history, tangibility-in other words, how the Son of God was sent into the world to become the Jesus of history, so that the glory and grace of God might be uniquely and perfectly disclosed. The rest of the book is nothing other than an expansion of this theme." [Note: Carson, p. 111.]

Some writers have identified a chiastic structure in the prologue. R. Alan Culpepper’s is essentially as follows. [Note: R. Alan Culpepper, "The Pivot of John’s Prologue," New Testament Studies 27 (1981):1-31.]

A The eternal Word with God John 1:1-2

B What came through the Word: creation John 1:3

C What we have received from the Word: life John 1:4-5

D John’s purpose: to testify John 1:6-8

E The Incarnation and the world’s response John 1:9-10

F The Word and His own (Israel) John 1:11

G Those who accepted the Word John 1:12 a

H He gave them authority to become God’s children John 1:12 b

G’ Those who believed in the Word John 1:12 c

F’ The Word and His own (Christians) John 1:13

E’ The Incarnation and the church’s response John 1:14

D’ John’s testimony John 1:15

C’ What we have received from the Word: grace John 1:16

B’ What came through the Word: grace and truth John 1:17

A’ The eternal Word from God John 1:18

Jeff Staley also saw a chiasm in these verses, though his perception of the parts is slightly different from Culpepper’s. [Note: Jeff Staley, "The Structure of John’s Prologue: Its Implications for the Gospel’s Narrative Structure," Catholic Biblical Quarterly 48:2 (April 1986):241-63.]

A The relationship of the Logos to God, creation, and humanity John 1:1-5

B The witness of John (negative) John 1:6-8

C The journey of the Light/Logos (negative) John 1:9-11

D The gift of empowerment (positive) John 1:12-13

C’ The journey of the Logos (positive) John 1:14

B’ The witness of John (positive) John 1:15

A’ The relationship of the Logos to humankind, re-creation, and God John 1:16-18

These structural analyses point out that all that John wrote in this prologue centers on God’s gift of eternal life that comes to people through the Word (John 1:12). This emphasis on salvation through Jesus continues to be central throughout the Gospel (cf. John 20:30-31).