1 Westcott.
ST. JOHN I. I 9
thoughts beyond the beginning and dwells on that which " was " when time, and with time finite being, began its course. Already when " God created the heaven and the earth," " the Word was." The " being " of the Word is thus necessarily carried beyond the limits of time, though the pre-existence of the Word is not definitely stated. The simple affirmation of existence in this connection suggests a loftier conception than that of pre-existence ; which is embarrassed by the idea of time.
f 2. The Lord Himself had spoken of His life with the Father * before the world was " (xvii. 5, 24) : so the Evangelist must trace it back as far as creation. But his actual phrase recalls the Jewish
, description of Wisdom created " in the beginning " (Prov. viii. 22) ; and the words are thrown in the forefront of the sentence that they may recall the opening words of the Book of Genesis : " In the beginning God made the heaven and the earth." The life
I which he is going to describe affects all creation.
3. The " beginning " described by St. John in the Prologue to his Gospel is manifestly the absolute beginning, the origination of all" being or existence in the universe in which we find ourselves. It is a logical rather than a chronological conception ; the " all things " included in it, in their successive " becomings," may have had no actual beginning at all in time; we cannot conceive of them as without beginning in thought, or without causal begin- ning. In whatever sense "being" is eternal, it is not without principium, without some " principle " of being. The *' beginning " is causative and constitutive, and not merely initiative.
ii. His Personality.
"And the Word was with God."
1. The Word, already said to have been " in the beginning," is now stated to have been " with God." That is, not " with," in the sense of together with, or besides ; but " with " in the sense of abiding with, as when we say, " I have it with me," or " He is abiding with us "— " with God," so as to be in that place (if we may so speak) where God especially was present ; so as to be at home with Him and inseparable from Him. Our Evangelist else- where expresses this in other words: "The only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father": in His closest counsels,
lo THE WORD
delighting in Him, and in being the acting expression of His most holy will.
2. To this has ever been referred by the Church that sublime description in the Book of Proverbs, chap, viii., where Wisdom says, " The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. When there were no depths, I was brought forth ; when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth : while as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world. When he prepared the heavens, I was there : when he set a compass upon the face of the depth : when he established the clouds above : when he strengthened the fountains of the deep : when he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his com- mandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth. Then I was by him as one brought up with him ; and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him; rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth ; and my delights were with the sons of men."
3. Clearly, no interpretation of these words fathoms their depth, or makes worthy sense, which does not recognize that the Word is a person. If there had been no distinct personality the Apostle might still have said, " The Word was God," but he could not have said, " The Word was with God." " The Word was God," says Dr. Owen, "in the unity of the Divine essence, and the Word was with God in the distinct personal subsistence." Jesus did not claim to be the Father, but He did claim to be one with the Father — "I and my Father are one" (John x. 30). We are encouraged to pray to the Father in the name of the Son (John XV. 16), but there could be no reason for this if there were no distinction of personality between the Father and the Son.
4. The expression, "The Word was with God," has been rendered, " The Word was towards God." This is a very suggestive rendering. It is significant of delight in God. The Being of the Son was attracted by the Being of the Father, as some flowers are attracted by the sun. Thus it is with those who are in Christ.
ST. JOHN I. I II
Sin separates men from God, but Christ brings them back to Him. In Christ they are reconciled to God (2 Cor. v. 18), and those who are reconciled enjoy the privilege of fellowship with God (1 John i. 3). The passage has also been rendered, " The Word was at home with God." "No restraint," says Jones, "no reserve, no shyness, but open, free, confidential fellowship for ever" (see Prov. viii. 22-31). How different it was with Adam when he sinned ! He was afraid of the presence of God, and sought to get away from it (Gen. iii. 10).