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NASB | 1 John 1:1 What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life-- |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | 1 John 1:1 [I am writing about] what existed from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life [the One who existed even before the beginning of the world, Christ]-- |
Subject: The Word of Life! |
Bible Note: The Word of Life! ************************* The Word of Life is the message concerning the Life, which is Jesus Christ the Son of God! The Gospel of John begins in this way, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1:1) Before time began, Christ was already in existence with God (Heb. 13:8). The Greek word for 'Word' is logos, which means "word, thought, concept, and the expressions thereof." Here it is applied to Jesus, who is all that God is and the expression of Him (John 1:1, 14). The Word, Christ, is said to be in communion with and yet distinct from God, even though Christ was God: identical in essence with God. John made a careful examination of the Word of Life. In 1 John 1:1, this Word of Life is spoken of as a Revelation- what was from the beginning. 'Was' is a verb that means "was already in existence," not "came into existence." 'What we have heard' (John is speaking here as an eyewitness [John 21:24]), 'what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands' (Luke 24:39). John testifies that the one who has existed from eternity "became flesh" (John 1:14)- a flesh and blood human being. He was truly God and truly man. So at the outset, John contradicts the heresy of the Gnostics. The memory of Jesus Christ still vividly burned in the mind of John as he reflected on the three and a half years that he and the other disciples were with the Lord. Now he wanted to be sure that the churches under his care enjoyed fellowship with the resurrected Lord by knowing His true identity as the Son of God, being fully God Himself! - Nolan |