What is the meaning of 1 John 1:1? That which was from the beginning - John invites us to look back before Bethlehem, even before Genesis 1:1, to the eternal pre-existence of the Son (see John 1:1-3; Colossians 1:16-17). - “From the beginning” assures us that the message of Jesus is no late invention; it flows from God’s timeless purpose. - Because the Lord existed before creation, He stands outside every cultural shift and remains the unchanging anchor for faith (Hebrews 13:8). Which we have heard - The apostles did not pass along legends; they personally heard Christ’s teaching—Sermon on the Mount, parables, private explanations (Matthew 5–7; Mark 4:34). - Hearing establishes historical credibility and fulfills the promise that “faith comes by hearing” (Romans 10:17). - Their testimony urges us to lean in and listen to the same life-giving words recorded in the Gospels (John 6:68). Which we have seen with our own eyes - Sight moves the claim from audible testimony to visible evidence: they watched Him calm storms (Mark 4:39), raise the dead (Luke 7:14-15), and shine in glory (Matthew 17:2). - Peter later echoes, “We were eyewitnesses of His majesty” (2 Peter 1:16). - Because these events were public and observable, our faith rests on verifiable history, not private revelation. Which we have gazed upon and touched with our own hands - “Gazed upon” suggests prolonged, thoughtful observation—miracles, meals, and moments like watching Him pray (Luke 11:1). - “Touched” points to tangible contact: John leaned on Jesus at supper (John 13:25), the women clasped His feet after the resurrection (Matthew 28:9), and Thomas placed his fingers in the wounds (John 20:27). - Acts 10:41 recalls the risen Lord eating and drinking with chosen witnesses, proving His bodily reality. - These details silence claims that Jesus was a mere apparition; He was—and is—truly human and truly God. This is the Word of life - John gathers every sensory proof into one declaration: the eternal Son became the living, breathing “Word” who imparts life (John 1:4; 14:6). - By calling Him “the Word,” John links back to creation, where God spoke life into being, and forward to salvation, where Christ speaks new life into hearts (Acts 5:20; Philippians 2:16). - Receiving Him means moving from death to life, from darkness to light (John 5:24; 8:12). summary 1 John 1:1 piles up firsthand evidence to show that Jesus—eternal, audible, visible, tangible—is the life-giving Word. The apostles relay not opinions but experiences, inviting us to trust their testimony and embrace the same life that flowed from the beginning straight into our world and into anyone who believes today. |
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