THURSDAY
Yesterday I made the assertion that the referent to the life revealed in verse 2 is the incarnate Christ and the meaning of the incarnate Christ—the gospel. Grammatically it can’t just be the incarnate Jesus and the context bears this out. Today I promised that I would support that idea so here we go.
1 John 1:1–4 (HCSB) 1 What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have observed and have touched with our hands, concerning the Word of life— 2 that life was revealed, and we have seen it and we testify and declare to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us — 3 what we have seen and heard we also declare to you, so that you may have fellowship along with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. 4 We are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.
John opens this epistle with a big statement—“What was from the beginning.” This of course begs the question, “Beginning of what?” With the what referring to the gospel it could be the birth of Jesus. It could also be the beginning of the church or the beginning of his readers’ faith. However, I think the most likely explanation is similar to how John begins his gospel.
John 1:1 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John begins both his epistle and his gospel with a reference to Genesis 1:1 and the creation account. Jesus is the second person of the Trinity—the eternally existent Son. There was never a time when he was not. John uses the term Word at the end of verse one, also suggesting this link to the opening of his gospel. The end of verse 2 also suggests that John is referring to the eternal existence of the Son by saying, “the eternal life that was with the Father,” again linking it to John 1:1.
But, remember, the referent is not just to Christ but to the whole gospel. Taking this as the referent, then, Jesus and God’s redemption through the gospel has been the plan from the beginning. The idea is similar to that expressed in other places in the New Testament.
Galatians 4:4–5 4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.
Matthew 13:17 17 For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.
Acts 4:27–28 27 Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. 28 They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen.
Ephesians 1:7–10 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
Hebrews 11:39–40 39 These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, 40 since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.
The idea, therefore, is that the gospel culminating in Jesus—his incarnation, life, death and resurrection and the theological meaning of all this—was from the beginning. It has always been God’s plan to redeem creation through Christ.
This gospel, centered on Jesus, is the Word that is life. We could spend a lot of time on John’s use of the Word but we will save that for another time. Suffice it to say that John uses the Word to refer to God’s gracious self disclosure in Christ and the gospel of Christ. We see the idea that this gospel centered in Christ is the life expressed in John’s gospel as well.
John 11:25 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,
John 14:6 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
In the gospel of Jesus, God has in the fullness of time (the time designated by his perfect will) revealed the life. We were all “dead in our trespasses and sins” but God, who is rich in mercy because of the great love with which he loved us, made us alive together with Christ…” (Eph. 2:1,4) This life, spiritual life, eternal life and fullness of life, is in Jesus and faith in the gospel about Jesus.