Salvation Pictures in John Chapter 1

Salvation Pictures in John

Chapter 1

For the introduction to this go here.

Chapter 1 is a little different than other chapters in John because the first 34 verses are about Jesus, but not him speaking to people. It is not until v 35 that we find Jesus interacting with people.

1-18 This gospel begins with John setting forth some amazing things about Jesus: 

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

9 He was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

He also speaks of the different responses to him, 10-13:
He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

19-34 the witness of John
John the baptizer has been featured since v 6, There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He was sent to prepare the people and point out Christ. This is his witness:

29  The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

Look at these powerful visuals: Word of God, true light, born of God, Lamb of God!

Then in 35-51 Jesus begins to gather disciples, including Andrew, Simon Peter, Philip, and Nathanael. How did they come to follow him?

Andrew says to Simon his brother, 41 We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.
42 And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.
43 The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me.

45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth.

Nathanael wasn’t easily impressed. He answered Philip,
46 Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.
47  Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!
48  Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.
49  Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.
50  Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou?

This is a very straightforward chapter: Jesus is called the Word of God, the true light, the Lamb of God, the Messiah. These disciples believed on him, that he was the Christ, the Son of God; and his invitation to them was follow me, which for them was quite literal - they left what they were doing and began to literally follow Jesus, going with him everywhere he went. They became disciples.

And Jesus was very straightforward with them. They were already prepared for the coming of Christ, so he begins with follow me. I would think the question for me is, Since I can’t literally accompany him everywhere as the disciples did, how can I follow him?

I began this wondering if born again was a regular or common visual for salvation. I find it interesting that it occurs in the very first chapter! But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. Jesus didn’t say it here, but it is clearly an important part of coming to Christ – receive him, believe on his name, born of God.