The Sweep of the Prologue James Wallace, D.D., LL.D. of Macalester College, St. Paul
o BOOK of the Bible has so profound an introduction as the fourth Gospel. The sweep of its truth is so vast it is difficult for the mind to grasp it. It calls for much meditation, careful study of the sequence of the thought and observation pf the characteristics of John's style. The following simple analysis and study has been helpful to me. Maybe it will prove helpful to others. THE WORD [LOGOS]. In Relation: 1 To TIME : "Was in the beginning." Vs. 3 shows that this beginning was prior to creation; therefore prior to time; therefore that the Logos was pre-existent. This, his first characteristic. 2 To GOD : "Was with God," in the presence of God, ready for service. Aye more, "was God," one with God. These two affirmations side by side are explicable only in the light of the doctrine of the trinity. These two ideas (vss. 1 and 2) are so important John must needs repeat them: "HE (I repeat) was in the beginning with God." ' " 3; To CREATION: " A l l things came into being through Him." : '•• The rendering "made" in both versions is too mechanical for egeneto. "By," too, is not the correct rendering for dia with the genitive. John is very fond of-stating a truth both positively and negatively. Hence for emphasis he adds: "And apart from Him not even one thing came into being (egeneto) that has come into being." The verse teaches that the Logos is the mediate (dia) agent in creation whereas God the Father is the immediate agent (hupo with gen.). This taught also in other passages in the N. T. 4. To LIFE : " In Him was life." This logically follows creation. But it is not creative life or energy alone that is intended but especially spiritual life—the highest kind of life. Hence John continues: "And His Life was the Light of men." By the use of the article "the" in the predicate John signifies that his Life was par excellence the Light of men. _ £ , ., But the prologue is to epitomize the whole Gospel. Hence John sweeps the eye over the ministry of the Word and adds: "And The Light shineth in the darkness and-yet the darkness apprehendeth it not." John, as often, prefers the abstract, "darkness" for the concrete men in moral darkness." (New Paragraph.) . 5 To His FORERUNNER : "There arose (egeneto) a man, commissioned from God whose name was John. HE (emphatic) came for witness, that (more spe- cifically) he might bear witness of the Light that all might believe through him" (John). , So great did John the Baptist's fame become that some wondered whether he were not the Messiah (vss. 20, 21). Perhaps even when this Gospel was written some still so believed. Hence John adds both negatively and affirm- atively: "He (elceinos, emphatic) was not the Light, but came that he might bear witness to the Light." And to contrast further the mission of the Word with that of John the Baptist the apostle adds: "It (antecedent phos) was the Light, the true (Light) that lighteth every man that cometh into the world." Just as the sun lighteth all men everywhere. 6 To THE WORLD (kosmos, the world, comprehensively including all mankind). "HE was in the world and (more) the world came into being through Him and-yet the world knew Him not." (More particularly.) . ,,,, , .. 7 TO His OWN PEOPLE (The Jews): HE came to his own (idia, neuter=home, land, institutions) and-yet His own (masculine=servants, people) received Him not." The word parelabon, "received"="received to one's home, "welcome."
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