9. lighteth every man, c.—rather, "which, coming into the world, enlighteneth every man" or, is "the Light of the world" ( :-). "Coming into the world" is a superfluous and quite unusual description of "every man"; but it is of all descriptions of Christ amongst the most familiar, especially in the writings of this Evangelist (John 12:46; John 16:28; John 18:37; 1 John 4:9; 1 Timothy 1:15, &c.). read more
10-13. He was in the world, c.—The language here is nearly as wonderful as the thought. Observe its compact simplicity, its sonorousness—"the world" resounding in each of its three members—and the enigmatic form in which it is couched, startling the reader and setting his ingenuity a-working to solve the stupendous enigma of Christ ignored in His own world. "The world," in the first two clauses, plainly means the created world, into which He came, says John 1:9 "in it He was," says this verse.... read more
I. PROLOGUE 1:1-18Each of the four Gospels begins with an introduction to Jesus that places Him in the historical setting of His earthly ministry. Matthew connected Him with David and Abraham. Mark associated Him directly with John the Baptist. Luke recorded the predictions of His birth. John, however, declared Him to be the eternal Son of God. Many writers have referred to John’s prologue as a theological prologue because this evangelist stressed Jesus’ connection with the eternal God.As with... read more
There are two possible interpretations of this verse. One is that the true Light enlightens every person who comes into the world (Gr. masculine participle erchomenon, AV, and NASB and NIV margins). The other is that the true Light comes into the world and enlightens everyone (Gr. neuter participle erchomenon, NASB and NIV). The second option seems preferable since the Incarnation is so much in view in the context. The point is that Jesus as the Light affects everyone. Everyone lives under the... read more
C. The appearance of the Light 1:9-13The first section of the prologue (John 1:1-5) presents the preincarnate Word. The second section (John 1:6-8) identifies the forerunner of the Word’s earthly ministry. This third section introduces the ministry of the Incarnate Word."Two points receive special emphasis: one is the astonishing fact that the Word of God, true God as he is, took upon him human nature, and the other is the even more astonishing fact that when he did this, people would have... read more
Jesus entered the world that He had created in the Incarnation. Yet the world did not recognize Him for who He was because people’s minds had become darkened by the Fall and sin (John 12:37). Even the Light of the World was incomprehensible to them (cf. Matthew 13:55). The Light shines on everyone even though most people do not see it because they are spiritually blind. He shines even on those who have never heard of Him in that when He came He brought revelation of God that is now available to... read more
1:9 lightens (f-11) Or 'is light to every man.' Not 'enlightens,' but 'sheds its light upon.' read more
The Divinity and Incarnation of the Word. Witness of John. The First Disciples1-18. Preface, declaring (1) that the Word was God, (2) that He was made man, (3) that He revealed the Father.This sublime preface is intended to commend ’the truth as it is in Jesus,’ both to Jewish and Gentile minds. It describes our Lord’s person and office by a term familiar to both, that of the Logos or Word of God. ’Logos’ has two meanings in Greek: (1) reason or intelligence, as it exists inwardly in the mind,... read more
(9) That was the true Light.—The right rendering of this verse is uncertain. It would, probably, give a better sense to translate it, The true Light which lighteth every man was coming into the world, i.e., was manifesting itself at the time when John was bearing witness and men were mistaking the lamp for the light. (Comp. John 5:35, Note.)The true Light was not “true” as opposed to “false,” but “true” as answering to the perfect ideal, and as opposed to all more or less imperfect... read more
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Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - John 1:10
John 1:10. He was in the world, &c.— The Word and Son of God came down to earth; and though the world was made by him, all the inhabitants thereof being the work of his hands, yet that very world, that is, those inhabitants of it, did not know and acknowledge him as their Creator, and as the Word sent to reveal the will of God to them. This is in opposition to the doctrine of Cerinthus, (article 5.) See the Inferences and Reflections on this chapter. read more