Life in John 1

[Struggling]

In the first chapter of the Gospel of John…the most sublime thing ever written…we read:

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 made nothing 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 did not comprehend it.

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 This man came for a witness, to give testimony of the light, that all men might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but was to give testimony of the light. 9 That was the true light, which enlighteneth every man that cometh into this world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, he gave them power to be made the sons of God, to them that believe in his name. 13 Who are born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we saw his glory, the glory as it were of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

The Word here is clearly the Son, as also “the light” seems to be, though “the light” is a more vague symbol than the Word and could also be taken at points as applying to God in general, or to Grace in the soul. And there are references to God as Father and the Word being with God (the Father) as well as being God Himself.

But is it possible to find any reference to the Holy Spirit in this passage? Might it make more sense to capitalize Life and see it as referring the Holy Spirit, “the Lord, the giver of life”??? Of course, in certain places that makes “light” more ambiguous. But it doesnt say here that the Word was the life personally, but rather that the Life was “in Him” which sounds to me like it could be describing the procession and circumincession of the Holy Ghost who then, by the light of grace, leads men to the Word Incarnate, the true light of the world, who in turn shows men the glory of the Father.

Because this would give the passage a complete Trinitarian spin, as well as Incarnational.

 

[Struggling]

Alternately, or perhaps complimentary, we know the Holy Spirit is sometimes called the Spirit of Power, and Aquinas gives “Gift” as a proper name of the Holy Ghost. So perhaps this is also a reference:

But as many as received him, he gave them power to be made the sons of God, to them that believe in his name.

Perhaps Power is the Holy Spirit, which is given to men to make them sons of God.

“But as many as received him, he gave them Power to be made the sons of God, to them that believe in his name.”

 

[NotWorthy]

Think of John’s Prologue as an “Overture” of the rest of his Gospel, where he introduces you to the themes he’s going to cover in the rest of the book. Jesus is introduced as the “Light”.

John will expand on this in chapter 8: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Here’s something I worked up for our adult class at church:

We’re going to go to chapter 8, and show further how Jesus fulfills the Feast of the Tabernacles. In verse 12, Jesus says, "I am the light of the world. No follower of mine shall ever walk in darkness; no, he shall possess the light of life". Now, none of us will understand completely what Jesus is saying if we don’t understand the Jewish background behind this festival. On the evening of the last great day of this feast, the priests would go to the “court of the women” and there were these big staircases of steps that climbed a tower. The priests would light these candles, which were more like torches, as they were filled with oil. These candles were 75 feet tall!

According to Jewish history, there wasn’t a courtyard in all of Jerusalem that didn’t reflect the light from these candles. It was said to “turn the night into day”. Now, as you can imagine, there’s some history behind this ceremony. The readings that are recited during this ritual come from Zechariah. They describe the day of Israel’s deliverance, saying (Zech 14:7-9), “There shall be one continuous day, known to the Lord, not day and night, for in the evening time there shall be light. On that day, living waters shall flow from Jerusalem, half to the eastern sea, and half to the western sea… The Lord shall be king over the whole earth…”. And Zechariah later says that all this will occur during the Feast of the Tabernacles.

Does anyone know of an event in the Gospels that reinforces this? During the Transfiguration, which occurs during the Feast of Tabnernacles, Jesus’ face “shines like the sun, and his clothes became dazzlingly white”. So Jesus is telling the Jews that He is the light that will turn night into day, and He gives, the apostles and us, the reader a glimpse of this during the Transfiguration.

Is there anywhere else in John’s Gospel that describes Jesus as the “Light that overcomes the darkness”? Of course, the Prologue - the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it***. ***So Jesus is saying, “I am the light of day. I am the light that pierces the darkness. If you want to be freed from bondage, you just need to walk in the light and follow me.” And again, He describes the Holy Spirit pouring out God’s love for everyone in the form of water.

 

[thistle]

Haydock commentary in the DR Bible:

Ver. 1. In the beginning was the word:[1] or rather, the word was in the beginning. The eternal word, the increated wisdom, the second Person of the blessed Trinity, the only begotten Son of the Father, as he is here called (ver. 14.) of the same nature and substance, and the same God, with the Father and Holy Ghost. This word was always; so that it was never true to say, he was not, as the Arians blasphemed. This word was in the beginning. Some, by the beginning, expound the Father himself, in whom he was always. Others give this plain and obvious sense, that the word, or the Son of God, was, when all other things began to have a being; he never began, but was from all eternity. — And the word was with God; i.e. was with the Father; and as it is said, (ver. 18) in the bosom of the Father; which implies, that he is indeed a distinct person, but the same in nature and substance with the Father and the Holy Ghost. This is repeated again in the second verse, as repetitions are very frequent in St. John. — And the word was God. This without question is the construction; where, according to the letter we read, and God was the word. (Witham) — The Greek for the word is Greek: Logos, which signifies not only the exterior word, but also the interior word, or thought; and in this latter sense it is taken here. (Bible de Vence) — Philo Judæus, in the apostolic age, uses the word Greek: Logos, p. 823, to personify the wisdom and the power of God. Greek: Logos estin eikon Theou di ou sumpas o Kosmos edemiourgeito. By a similar metonymy, Jesus Christ is called the way, the truth, the life, the resurrection. — And the word was God. Here the eternity and the divinity of the second Person are incontrovertibly established; or, we must say that language has no longer a fixed meaning, and that it is impossible to establish any point whatever from the words of Scripture. (Haydock)

 

[Seamus_Sully]

In the first chapter of the Gospel of John…the most sublime thing ever written…we read:

The Word here is clearly the Son, as also “the light” seems to be, though “the light” is a more vague symbol than the Word and could also be taken at points as applying to God in general, or to Grace in the soul. And there are references to God as Father and the Word being with God (the Father) as well as being God Himself.

But is it possible to find any reference to the Holy Spirit in this passage? Might it make more sense to capitalize Life and see it as referring the Holy Spirit, “the Lord, the giver of life”??? Of course, in certain places that makes “light” more ambiguous. But it doesnt say here that the Word was the life personally, but rather that the Life was “in Him” which sounds to me like it could be describing the procession and circumincession of the Holy Ghost who then, by the light of grace, leads men to the Word Incarnate, the true light of the world, who in turn shows men the glory of the Father.

Because this would give the passage a complete Trinitarian spin, as well as Incarnational.

I can hear the first chapters of Genesis.

Let there be Light.

Augustine saw these as connected, that is, the first chapter of St. John and the first chapters of Genesis.

The Tree of Life is certanly an idea that comes to mind when one thinks of Life.

The Word is the beginning and end. I believe that St. John’s Gospel and the Book of Revelation yell that Jesus completes creation and salvation histroy.

 

[Nita]

As I understand your post, you are looking for a title for the Holy Spirit in John’s prologue. I am not aware that any of the titles are meant to refer to the Holy Spirit. However, I haven’t researched it. The best way to check further might be to do some reading on the Holy Spirit where Scripture references are given (eg. Catechism of the Catholic Church).

Jesus refers to Himself as the Life:
John 6 (eg. 6:51 “the life of the world is My flesh”
John 11:25 “I am the Resurrection and the Life…”
John 14:6 “I am the way, the truth, and the life…”

How about I let you do the word searches on “Power” I think the results could be interesting. Hope you’ll post the results.
Here are some bible websites in case you don’t have any software to use for searches.

Bible: Douay Rheims: www.drbo.org and www.catholicfirst.com (search)
Bible: New American: vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_INDEX.HTM
Bible: RSV: www.hti.umich.edu/r/rsv/about.html (search)
Bible: Geo. Haydock: haydock1859.tripod.com (this site has great Catholic commentary)

Nita

 

[lak611]

In regards to the Holy Spirit, John Wesley says this in his commentary:

Joh 1:13 - Who were born - Who became the sons of God, not of blood - Not by descent from Abraham, nor by the will of the flesh - By natural generation, nor by the will of man - Adopting them, but of God - By his Spirit.