Session 1 John 1:1-14

WAS THE WORD (JOHN 1:1-5)

scan Genesis 1:1-5
and share any similarities they notice between the two passages.

Jewish readers commonly referred to books of the Bible by their first few words,
thus calling Genesis, “In the beginning.”

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
2 He was with God in the beginning.

3 All things were created through him,
and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created.
4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men.
5 That light shines in the darkness,
and yet the darkness did not overcome it.

DISCUSS:

focus on verses 1-2.
Point out that John used “the Word” to describe Jesus.

• Where do you see evidence of Jesus’s deity in these verses?

ASK:

• Why was it important for John to emphasize that Jesus existed before time? (p. 15)
• Emphasize that Jesus, God’s Son, is equal to the other members of the Trinity and was active during creation.

SUMMARIZE:

John did not identify Jesus directly
until verse 14, and even then he did not do so by name.

Emphasize the power of God’s Word.
Briefly explain the Greek use of logos (Greek for “word”) as abstract and impersonal.
Offer copies of Pack Item 13 (Handout: John’s Use of Logos)
for an will yone who would like to study this term on their own.

DISCUSS:

Direct the group to read verses 3-5 silently.

• What indications do you see of Jesus’s divinity in these verses?
• What was the significance of pointing out Jesus’s role in creation? (p. 15)

GUIDE:

Direct a volunteer to read verses 4-5 aloud.
Lead the group to recognize Jesus as the Source of both physical light and life
and spiritual light and life.

Emphasize that Jesus’s light overcame spiritual darkness
and the darkness of death.

TRANSITION:

Jesus’s deity is an ongoing theme in John’s Gospel.
It’s a key piece to his argument that Jesus is the Messiah.
Another vital element is what others said about Him.