I use Youversion.com to read my Bible. It is a mobile Bible. It offers many reading plans on various topics of a Biblical nature as well as plans to help readers read through the Bible in a specific amount of time (3 months, 1 year, etc.) I am currently blogging about a plan called “The Essential Jesus.” It is my intention to simply create an understanding of Jesus on a basic level (for myself and anyone who wants to join with me in reading through this plan). It is also my intention to blog daily or at least several times per week.
Please feel free to comment (agree, disagree, whatever you wish). I only ask that you be respectful in your comments and avoid rudeness and vulgarity. An opinion can be shared without abuse. Also know that if a comment or opinion is given, it is given with the understanding that another person can share a comment or opinion about it.
A note about the format: I will post, in the King James translation, the daily verse, verse by verse. Afterwards, via the label “In Layman’s Terms,” I will address line by line a different way to read the verse, kind of spelling it out for understanding. I will also add some commentary on each verse as it comes to me. I will try to put it in a different color or font. If I have skipped a verse in the “In Layman’s Terms” section, I likely felt that verse was self-explanatory or needed no further explanation or simplifying.
I’m very excited about doing a Bible study online for friends and friends I’ve not met yet! God bless you all! I hope you enjoy!
The Essential Jesus-Day 1
Note: SD means Strongs Dictionary; SC means Strongs Concordance.
John 1:1-18 KJV
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
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.
15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.
16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
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.
In Layman’s Terms…
1. The "Word" refers to Jesus. "In the beginning was Jesus, and Jesus was with God, and Jesus was God."
2. The phrase “the same” refers, again, to Jesus. “Jesus was in the beginning with God.”
3. “All things were made by Jesus; and without Jesus was not any thing made that was made.” Everything, because Jesus is also God and was here from the beginning, was made by Him. Nothing that was made was created without Jesus.
4. “In Jesus was life; and the life was the light of men.” Jesus gives mankind life. That life is our light (see John 10:10).
5. And the light shines in the darkness and the darkness does not comprehend it. “Comprehend” here means “to take eagerly, i.e. seize, possess, apprehend, attain, come upon, find, obtain, perceive, overtake (SD G2638).” “And the light shines in the darkness and the darkness does not overtake it.” Scientifically speaking, light cannot be consumed by darkness. This is why our light comes from Jesus. Darkness cannot overtake the light of Jesus within us.
7. Light is capitalized here, meaning it refers to Jesus. “The same came for a witness, to bear witness of Jesus, that all men through John might believe.” John was sent as a messenger to share about the coming of Jesus so that they would believe before Jesus performed His miracles, kind of like a preview.
8. This verse makes it clear that John was not the Light, not Jesus, but was sent to bear witness, “give evidence or testimony (SD G3140)” of Jesus. “John was not Jesus, but was sent to bear witness of Jesus.”
9. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. Jesus came to “enlighten, illuminate, make to see (SD G5461).”
10. This verse reiterates that the world did not know Jesus, hence the need for illumination or enlightenment.
11. Jesus came to His own people, the Jews. He was born into and lived as a Jew. But His own people did not receive Him.
12. “But to all those that received Jesus’ illumination, to all those, He gave power to become a “child, daughter, son (SD G5043)” of God, including those believe in the power of His name:”
13. Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. “Which were delivered (SD G1080), not of blood (meaning kinship or lineage [SD G129]), nor by active choice or determination (SD G2307), nor by physical strength or prowess of a human person, but of God.” Based on the context of verses 12 and 13, as well as the passages prior, the meaning is that to all those that received Jesus’ illumination, God has given them the power to become a child of God; and this does not occur by birthright/lineage, by a choice on a human’s part, or even by human strength, but by God’s power alone.
14. “And Jesus was made flesh, and lived among us, (and we “looked closely at, perceived, saw (SD G2300)” Jesus’ “dignity, honour, praise, worship (SD G1391),” the glory as of the only “born (SD G3439)” of the Father,) full of “favour, especially the divine influence upon the heart, gift, pleasure, joy (SD G5485) and truth.
15. A paraphrasing: “John said, ‘This is who I was talking about. I’m letting you know beforehand but he is the one; he was here before me.’ ”
16. And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. “And of his “completion, fulfilling, supplement (SD G4138)” have we all received (those who believe, that is) and grace for grace (see v. 14).”
17. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. Moses was given the Ten Commandments (Exodus 34:28) on Mount Sinai. The Israelites’ behavior was such that they were disobedient to God, sacrificing to and worshiping other gods. The commandments were given so that the Israelites would have boundaries within which to operate. Disobeying God meant death to the Israelites. Most of the time it was immediate. Jesus came that we might have life more abundant (John 10:10). But Jesus came to take away that burden by putting it on Himself (grace) without removing the necessity for holiness (adherence to the law). See John, chapter 3.
18. “No one has seen God’s face or person. Jesus declares “tells of (SD G1834)” God.” We see God through Jesus. We come to God through Jesus. There is no other way. To approach God as we are would mean instant termination. He is that holy. We are not at all holy. UNLESS we have Jesus’ illumination and have received his gift, his grace. See John 14.6.
