How does 1 John 1:1 affirm Jesus' eternal existence and divinity? From the Beginning—Eternal Existence • “That which was from the beginning” (1 John 1:1) points past Bethlehem, past Genesis 1:1, to a timeless existence. • John intentionally echoes Genesis 1:1 and John 1:1—“In the beginning was the Word”—placing Jesus outside the limits of created time. • Colossians 1:17: “He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” • Hebrews 13:8: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” • Only God Himself exists before creation; therefore, affirming Jesus’ presence “from the beginning” declares His eternal nature. The Word of Life—Divine Identity • John calls Jesus “the Word of life,” merging two ideas: – “Word” (Logos) = the self-expression of God (John 1:1). – “Life” = the source and sustainer of all living (John 14:6). • By assigning both titles to Christ, the apostle tells us Jesus is not merely a messenger of life; He is Life itself, a role only God can fill. • John 5:26 supports this: “For as the Father has life in Himself, so also He has granted the Son to have life in Himself.” Eyewitness Confirmation—Incarnate Yet Eternal • “What we have heard… seen… looked at and touched with our hands” (1 John 1:1) underlines that the eternal Word truly entered history. • The physical senses testify: divinity took on flesh (John 1:14). • This union of eternity and humanity highlights that Jesus’ divinity was not diminished by His incarnation. Complementary Scriptures That Seal the Truth • Micah 5:2—Messiah’s “origins are from of old, from ancient days.” • Hebrews 1:2–3—The Son “through whom He made the universe… the radiance of God’s glory.” • Revelation 1:17—Jesus: “I am the First and the Last.” • Isaiah 9:6—Child born… called “Mighty God, Everlasting Father.” Takeaway 1 John 1:1 unmistakably ties Jesus to eternity past and identifies Him as the divine Word who embodies life itself. The verse, buttressed by the whole of Scripture, affirms that the Christ we meet in the Gospels is no created being but the eternal, life-giving God made flesh. |
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