Saturday, January 26, 2019

The Orthodox Study Bible: John 1: 1-3


The Orthodox Study Bible, New Testament and Psalms, (1993) Saint Athanasius Orthodox Academy,Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee.

Purchased from my employer, the Canadian Bible Society @ Cafe Logos, Vancouver.

John 1: 1-5 (Including verses 4-5 for context)

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 [a]He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. 5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not [b]comprehend it.

John 1: 1-5

King James Version (KJV)

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
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The Orthodox Study Bible comments that the Trinity is explicitly mentioned within the Gospel of John. (205). God the Son, has the same nature as God the Father (1: 1, 10:30). God the Son also declares himself 'I am' in John 8: 58. (205). This is a declaration of the eternal nature of God the Son, therefore making himself equal with God (my add).

John 1: 1, in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. (209).
Was the word means God the Son had no beginning, was eternal and is therefore God. (209).

The Word was with God, shows the Trinitarian distinction between God the Son, the Word and God the Father. (209).  John 1: 2, yet in communion within the Godhead. (209).

The Word was God shows the co-eternity of God the Son and God the Father. God the Holy Spirit is also introduced in the Gospel of John. John 14-16, as example. The Paraclete as God the Holy Spirit, the Helper. One that takes the place, in a sense, of the resurrected Jesus Christ, within the Christian Church.

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Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος, καὶ ὁ λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν θεόν, καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος. 
οὗτος ἦν ἐν ἀρχῇ πρὸς τὸν θεόν. 

In beginning (originally) was the word, and the word (saying) was toward the God, and God was the word (saying).

This was in beginning (originally) toward the God.
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Verses 3 demonstrates that God the Son, co-creates with God the Father. (209).