Professor Bruce Ware explores the glory of the eternal Word in John 1.1–5
The Old Testament teaches very clearly that there is only one God.
This was a shocking truth in those times. All the nations around Israel were polytheistic. Israel was unique in holding to monotheism. The people were constantly tempted to follow the ways of the other nations and God always called them back.
But when we move from the Old Testament to the New Testament we do not move from monotheism to tritheism, from one God to three Gods. Rather we move from simple monotheism to complex monotheism. We discover one God who is three. We have Trinitarian monotheism.
This passage at the beginning of John’s Gospel unpacks this for us. It introduces us to the Trinitarian structure of the Godhead. Jesus is the eternal Word, the eternal second person of the Trinity, the eternal Son of the eternal Father who became flesh.
Distinction and equality
‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning’ (v.1,2). The first truth we find is that the eternal Word is the Word of the Father, who both was ‘with God’ and ‘was God.’
The phrase ‘In the beginning’ of course ties the Word of John 1:1-2 to the God of Genesis 1:1 who exists eternally. The Word was always there, prior to creation and accounts for creation, the existence of the universe.
The fact that ‘the Word was with God’ indicates the Word exists eternally distinct from God (the Father). The Father and the Son are together but discrete. There is a true distinction between the Father, the Son and the Spirit. These are not three names for the same person, like calling me Bruce, Mr Ware and Jodi’s husband. The Father, the Son and the Spirit are unique persons. There is a distinction between them, so the Father is not the Son and the Son is not the Spirit. Otherwise Trinitarianism collapses into Unitarianism.
But then that ‘the Word was God’ declares directly and explicitly the eternal deity of the Word. This is a second pillar on which the truth of the Trinity is founded. We have seen ‘the distinction pillar’ and now we have ‘the equality pillar.’ The Son possesses the very same nature as the Father. The nature of the Father is identically that of the Son (and that of the Spirit). Hence they are one God. The Father, the Son and the Spirit are three perfect expressions of that same nature.
So, two necessary elements to the doctrine of the Trinity are distinction (the Word was ‘with God’) and identity (the Word ‘was God’). As Word of the Father, the Son is fully equal to the Father in essence, yet distinct from the Father in personhood and role. His role as the ‘Word’ and ‘Son’ of the Father is always to carry out the work of the Father. This is true in eternity past (John 8.42). It was true in his earthly ministry (John 8.28, 29). It is true in eternity future (1 Corinthians 15.27, 28). Moreover, though equally God, the Father functions in the way which befits fatherhood – with authority – and the Son as a son happily yields to his Father, always obeying him. This structure is inviolable.
The Father’s agent
‘Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made’ (v3). Here we find that the eternal Word is the agent of the Father in creating all that is created. As we have seen, the ‘in the beginning’ phrase ties the Word to God the creator of Genesis 1.1. And indeed that John at the start of his Gospel speaks of the Son as ‘the Word’ indicates that he is thinking about how creation took place. All through Genesis 1 we read ‘And God said… and there was…’ It was through his word that God created. This is the manner of creation.
This is confirmed in other Bible passages. Psalm 33.6 explains that ‘By the word of the LORD were the heavens made.’ Hebrews 1.2 tells us that ‘in these last days God has spoken to us by his Son…through whom he made the universe.’ As an aside we know that the Holy Spirit was obviously involved in creation (Genesis 1.2) and we may think in terms of creation being designed by the Father, brought into existence through the Son, with the Holy Spirit assisting the Son in bringing to life those parts of creation which needed to be living.
But let’s keep to the point. The fact that ‘through him all things were made’ confirms the Word as the exclusive creator of all that is created. And since he created all that is created, that eliminates the Son from being one of those things that was created. This is confirmed by the declaration that ‘without him nothing was made that has been made.’ The Jehovah’s Witnesses and others Arian cults are wrong.
Now, as creator of all, the Son has intrinsic ownership of and authority over all. It is his by right.
Light and life in himself
John continues: ‘In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.’
So the eternal Word is the self-existent source of life and light. The phrase ‘in him was life’ indicates that he has his own existence of himself – no one has brought him into existence, nor was life given to him, but he has life in himself by virtue of who he is as the eternal Word. As Calvin has said, the Son is autotheos, ‘God of himself.’
We are then told that the life was ‘the light of men’. What does this mean? The life that was ‘the light of men’ is, then, his own life given so others may live. This is true regardless of whether the light is received or not. People may refuse the Son (John 3.19), but it is still him who gives them life. This light alone is true life for it alone comes from the one who is the exclusive source of life and light. There is no other light but this one. All else is darkness. But we are told that the darkness has not understood or, better, does not overcome it. Isn’t that heartening in these days! Just as when you go into a room and flip the light switch the darkness flees, so the light of Jesus must prevail.
Three applications
Seeing John’s beautiful picture of Christ, God’s Son, the eternal Word, we should respond in a number of ways.
First, we must see that Jesus, the Son, deserves our worship and adoration. We owe him the deepest awe and wonder. The Son is to be the direct object of the Church’s worship. He is to be the central figure in worship and yet this always redounds to the glory of the Father who is one with the Son and sent the Son. Thus we need to know Jesus better! And perhaps that’s why God gave us four Gospels. The Father is saying: ‘I want you to see my Son! See him here, and from another angle, and here!’ Through seeing the glory of Jesus we are transformed to be like him (2 Corinthians 3.18).
Second, recognise that the Son has absolute rights over everything. To create is to own. To own is to have rightful rule over. He has created all, including us. Add to that the fact that as Christians he has purchased us, ransoming us with his own blood from what our sins deserved. By creation and redemption we see that we are twice-owned people. Let us take that to heart. Our first thought each morning ought to be: ‘I am not my own, I am bought with a price. My purpose this day is to serve my Saviour and Lord.’ Jesus lived to do his Father’s will and he calls us to the same devotion to him.
Third, we should have hearts which long to serve him as he served the Father. Just as he humbled himself (Philippians 2), so should we. And counter-intuitively we find that his service, not our autonomy, is perfect freedom in which we flourish as human beings (John 10.10).
