John 1:9 True Light - For The Glory of Jesus

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True Light

Jesus is the true Light. John is telling us how to believe in this true light—Jesus. Are you sitting in a chair waiting for an answer? This should help you.

This is a Bible Study. Have your own Bible handy to look up the references mentioned.

If you do not have a Bible, I invite you to go to BibleGateway.com or another online Bible.

John 1:9-18

9. Jesus is the true Light.

“Through God’s sovereign power, every person has enough light to be responsible. God has planted His knowledge in man through general revelation in creation and conscience.” (MacArthur, John, The MacArthur Bible Commentary. Nashville, Thomas Nelson Inc., 2005], 1345)

“The result of general revelation, however, does not produce salvation but either leads to the complete light of Jesus Christ or produces condemnation in those who reject such ‘light’” (Romans 1:19-20; 2:12-16). (MacArthur, 1345)

“Jesus is the ‘True Light’—the original of which every other light is a copy—but the Jews were content with the copies.” (Wiersbe, Warren W, The Bible Exposition Commentary New Testament Volume 1 Matthew-Galatians. [Colorado Springs: David C Cook, 2004], 286)

10. “That was the tragedy—the world was in darkness, spiritual darkness, and did not know Him.” (McGee, J. Vernon, Thru the Bible: Volume IV: [Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1983], 373)

11. “He came into His own universe but His own people did not receive Him.” (McGee, 373)

Receive Jesus Christ

12-13. These two verses give “us the marvelous promise of God that anyone who receives Christ will be born again and enter the family of God! John says more about this new birth in John 3, but he points out here that it is a spiritual birth from God, not a physical birth that depends on human nature.” (Wiersbe, 286)

“You must believe into, in, or upon Jesus Christ. Let me illustrate with a chair and I believe it will hold me up, but it is not holding me up. Why? Because I have only a head knowledge. I just say, ‘Yes, it will hold me up.’ Now suppose I believe into the chair by sitting in it. See what I mean? I am committing my entire weight to it and it is holding me up…

Is Christ holding you up? Is He your Savior? It is not a question of standing to the side and saying, ‘Oh, yes, I believe Jesus is the Son of God.’ The question is have you trusted Him, have you believed into Him, are you resting in Him? This chair is holding me up completely. And at this moment Christ is my complete Savior. I am depending on Him; I am resting in Him.” (McGee, 373)

Heart of Gospel

“Early in his book, John established the heart of the gospel, still two chapters away from the famous John 3:16. From the announcement of regeneration followed by apathy the apostle introduces the acceptance of regeneration.” [Max Anders and Kenneth O. Gangel (2012). HNTC Vol. 04: John. B&H Publishing Group. Retrieved from https://read.lifeway.com]

“Like most things in life, there is a right way and a wrong way to respond to God. The right way (and the only meaningful way) is to believe the gospel, receive the Savior and accept new birth as a result. The wrong way somehow links a relationship to God with human qualities such as physical birth, self-determination, or the choice of another person.” [Max Anders and Kenneth O. Gangel (2012). HNTC Vol. 04: John. B&H Publishing Group. Retrieved from https://read.lifeway.com]

Word Made Flesh

14. “The word became emphasizes Christ’s taking on humanity (cf. Hebrews 1:1-3; 2:14-18).” (MacArthur, 1436)

“Out of eternity, the Word became flesh.” (McGee, 370)

Dwelt [NKJV] Meaning ‘to pitch a tabernacle,’ or ‘live in a tent,’ the term recalls to mind the OT tabernacle where God met with Israel before the temple was constructed (Exodus 25:8).” (MacArthur, 1346)

We beheld His glory [NKJV] “The reference to Christ’s glory, however, was not only visible but also spiritual. They saw Him display the attributes of characteristics of God (grace, goodness, mercy, wisdom, truth, etc.; cf. Exodus 33:18-23).” (MacArthur, 1346)

The glory as of…Father [NKJV] “Jesus as God displayed the same essential glory as the Father. They are one in essential nature (cf. 5:17-30; 8:19; 10:30).” (MacArthur 1346)

Only begotten [NKJV] “It has the idea of singular uniqueness, of being beloved like no other. By this word, John emphasized the exclusive character of the relationship between the Father and the Son in the Godhead (cf. 3:16, 18; 1 John 4:9).” (MacArthur, 1346)

Full of grace and truth. [NKJV] “The word ‘full’ means that you just could not have any more. He brought all the deity with Him, and He was full of grace and full of truth when He came down here.” (McGee, 370)

John the Baptist

15. “John summarized what John the Baptist had to say about Jesus Christ (John 1:15-18). First, He is eternal (John 1:15)…Jesus existed before John the Baptist was ever conceived.” (Wiersbe, 286)

16. “Grace is God’s favor and kindness bestowed on those who do not deserve it and cannot earn it. If God dealt with us only according to truth, none of us would survive, but He deals with us on the basis of grace and truth.” (Wiersbe, 286)

17. “The Law, given by Moses, was not a display of God’s grace but God’s demand for holiness. God designed the Law as a means to demonstrate the unrighteousness of man in order to show the need for a Savior, Jesus Christ (Romans 3:19-20; Galatians 3:10-14, 21-26).” (MacArthur, 1347)

“John hinted that a whole new order had come in, replacing the Mosaic system.” (Wiersbe, 286)

18. “Jesus Christ explains God to us and interprets Him for us. We simply cannot understand God apart from knowing His Son, Jesus Christ.” (Wiersbe, 287)

References

In this article Scripture quotations taken from KJV.

Max Anders and Kenneth O. Gangel (2012). HNTC Vol. 04: John. B&H Publishing Group. Retrieved from https://read.lifeway.com
McGee, J. Vernon, Thru the Bible: Volume IV: Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1983
MacArthur, John, The MacArthur Bible Commentary. Nashville, Thomas Nelson Inc., 2005
Wiersbe, Warren W, The Bible Exposition Commentary New Testament Volume 1 Matthew-Galatians. Colorado Springs: David C Cook, 2004

Word John the Baptist

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