Expository Thoughts on the Gospel of John

A Commentary

J. C. Ryle

• Publisher: Aneko Press
• Year: 2019
• Print ISBN: 9781622456277
• eBook ISBN: 9781622456284
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Biblical Studies

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. – John 1: 1Wisdom, encouragement, and exhortation is contained in these pages. Not because of the author's brilliance, but because of the words of truth contained in the gospel of John. And just as the Apostle John didn't draw any attention to himself, so also J. C. Ryle clearly and wonderfully directs his words and our thoughts towards the inspired words of scripture. If we truly love God, we will love His word; and the more study His word, the more we will love God.

John Chapter 1

John 1:1-5

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with the God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with the God. All things were made by him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness apprehended it not.

The Gospel of John, which begins with these verses, is in many respects very unlike the other three Gospels. It contains many things, which they omit. It omits many things, which they contain. Good reason might easily be shown for this unlikeness. But it is enough to remember that Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John wrote under the direct inspiration of God. In the general plan of their respective Gospels and in the particular details – in everything that they record and in everything that they do not record – they were all four equally and entirely guided by the Holy Spirit.

About the matters, which John was specially inspired to relate in his Gospel, one general remark will suffice. The things which are peculiar to his Gospel are among the most precious possessions of the Church of Christ. No one of the four Gospel writers has given us such full statements about the divinity of Christ, about justification by faith, about the offices of Christ, about the work of the Holy Spirit, and about the privileges of believers as we read in the pages of John. On none of these great subjects, undoubtedly, have Matthew, Mark, and Luke been silent. But in John’s Gospel, they stand out prominently on the surface, unmistakable in meaning.

The five verses now before us contain a statement of matchless sublimity concerning the divine nature of our Lord Jesus Christ. He it is, beyond all question, whom John means when he speaks of “the Word.” No doubt there are heights and depths in that statement which are far beyond man’s understanding. And yet there are plain lessons in it, which every Christian would do well to treasure up in his mind.

We learn, firstly, that our Lord Jesus Christ is eternal. John tells us that “in the beginning was the Word.” He did not begin to exist when the heavens and the earth were made. Much less did He begin to exist when the Gospel was brought into the world. He had glory with the Father “before the world was” (John 17:5). He was existing when matter was first created and before time began. He was “before all things” (Colossians 1:17). He was from all eternity.

We learn, secondly, that our Lord Jesus Christ is a Person distinct from God the Father, and yet one with Him. John tells us that “the Word was with God.”1 The Father and the Word, though two persons, are joined by an ineffable union. Where God the Father was from all eternity, there also was the Word, even God the Son – their glory equal, their majesty co-eternal, and yet their Godhead one. This is a great mystery! Happy is he who can receive it as a little child without attempting to explain it.

We learn, thirdly, that the Lord Jesus Christ is very God. John tells us that “the Word was God.” He is not merely a created angel, or a being inferior to God the Father, and invested by Him with power to redeem sinners. He is nothing less than perfect God – equal to the Father as touching His Godhead – God of the substance of the Father, begotten before the worlds.

We learn, fourthly, that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Creator of all things. John tells us that “by Him were all things made, and without Him was not any thing made that was made.” So far from being a creature of God, as some heretics have falsely asserted, He is the Being who made the worlds and all that they contain. “He commanded and they were created” (Psalm 148:5).

We learn, lastly, that the Lord Jesus Christ is the source of all spiritual life and light. John tells us that “in Him was life, and the life was the light of men.” He is the eternal fountain from which alone the sons of men have ever derived life. Whatever spiritual life and light Adam and Eve possessed before the fall was from Christ. Whatever deliverance from sin and spiritual death any child of Adam has ever enjoyed since the fall, whatever light of conscience or understanding any one has obtained – all has flowed from Christ. The vast majority of mankind in every age have refused to know Him, have forgotten the fall and their own need of a Savior. The light has been constantly shining “in darkness.” Most have “not comprehended the light.” But if any men and women out of the countless millions of mankind have ever had spiritual life and light, they have owed all to Christ.

Such is a brief summary of the leading lessons, which these wonderful verses appear to contain. There is much in them without controversy, which is above our reason, but there is nothing contrary to it. There is much that we cannot explain and must be content humbly to believe. Let us however never forget that there are plain practical consequences flowing from the passage, which we can never grasp too firmly or know too well.

Would we know, for one thing, the exceeding sinfulness of sin? Let us often read these first five verses of John’s Gospel. Let us mark what kind of Being the Redeemer of mankind must needs be, in order to provide eternal redemption for sinners. If no one less than the Eternal God, the Creator and Preserver of all things, could take away the sin of the world, sin must be a far more abominable thing in the sight of God than most men suppose. The right measure of sin’s sinfulness is the dignity of Him who came into the world to save sinners. If Christ is so great, then sin must indeed be sinful!

Would we know, for another thing, the strength of a true Christian’s foundation for hope? Let us often read these first five verses of John’s Gospel. Let us mark that the Savior in whom the believer is bid to trust is nothing less than the Eternal God, One able to save to the uttermost all that come to the Father by Him. He that was “with God” and “was God” is also “Emmanuel, God with us.” Let us thank God that our help is laid on One that is mighty (Psalm 89:19). In ourselves we are great sinners. But in Jesus Christ we have a great Savior. He is a strong foundation stone, able to bear the weight of a world’s sin. He that believes on Him shall not be confounded (1 Peter 2:6).

John 1:6-13

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not the Light, but was sent to bear witness of the Light. That Word was the true Light, which lightens every man that comes into this world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become sons of God, even to them that believe on his name, who are not born of blood, nor of the will of flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

John, after beginning his gospel with a statement of our Lord’s nature as God, proceeds to speak of His forerunner, John the Baptist.2 The contrast between the language used about the Savior and that used about His forerunner ought not to be overlooked. Of Christ we are told that He was the eternal God – the Creator of all things – the source of life and light. Of John the Baptist we are told simply that “there was a man sent from God, whose name was John.”

We see, firstly, in these verses, the true nature of a Christian minister’s office. We have it in the description of John the Baptist – “He came for a witness to bear witness of the light that all men through him might believe.”

Christian ministers are not priests, nor mediators between God and man. They are not agents into whose hands men may commit their souls and carry on their religion by deputy. They are witnesses. They are intended to bear testimony to God’s truth and especially to the great truth that Christ is the only Savior and light of the world. This was Peter’s ministry on the day of Pentecost. “With many other words did he testify” (Acts 2:40). This was the whole tenor of Paul’s ministry. “He testified both to the Jews and Greeks repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:21). Unless a Christian minister bears a full testimony to Christ, he is not faithful to his office. So long as he does testify of Christ, he has done his part and will receive his reward, although his hearers may not believe his testimony. Until a minister’s hearers believe on that Christ, of whom they are told, they receive no benefit from the ministry. They may be pleased and interested; but they are not profited until they believe. The great end of a minister’s testimony is “that through him, men may believe.”

We see, secondly, in these verses, one principal position, which our Lord Jesus Christ occupies towards mankind. We have it in the words, “He was the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.”

Christ is to the souls of men what the sun is to the world. He is the center and source of all spiritual light, warmth, life, health, growth, beauty, and fertility. Like the sun, He shines for the common benefit of all mankind – for high and for low, for rich and for poor, for Jew and for Greek. Like the sun, He is free to all. All may look at Him and drink health out of His light. If millions of mankind were mad enough to dwell in caves underground or to bandage their eyes, their darkness would be their own fault and not the fault of the sun. So, likewise, if millions of men and women love spiritual “darkness rather than light,” the blame must be laid on their blind hearts and not on Christ (John 3:19). “Their foolish hearts are darkened” (Romans 1:21). But whether men will see or not, Christ is the true sun and the light of the world. There is no light for sinners except in the Lord Jesus.

We see, thirdly, in these verses, the desperate wickedness of man’s natural heart. We have it in the words – Christ “was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own, and His own received Him not.”

Christ was in the world invisibly, long before He was born of the Virgin Mary. He was there from the very beginning – ruling, ordering, and governing the whole creation. By Him all things are held together (Colossians 1:17). He gave to all life and breath, rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons. By Him kings reigned, and nations were increased or diminished. Yet men knew Him not and honored Him not. They “worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator” (Romans 1:25). Well may the natural heart be called “wicked!”

But Christ came visibly into the world when He was born at Bethlehem and fared no better. He came to the very people whom He had brought out from Egypt and purchased for His own. He came to the Jews, whom He had separated from other nations and to whom He had revealed Himself by the prophets. He came to those very Jews who had read of Him in the Old Testament Scriptures – seen Him under types and figures in their temple services – and professed to be waiting for His coming. And yet, when He came, those very Jews received Him not. They even rejected Him, despised Him, and slew Him. Well may the natural heart be called “desperately wicked!”

We see, lastly, in these verses, the vast privileges of all who receive Christ and believe on Him. We are told t...

Table of contents

• Contents
• Preface
• Introduction
• John 1:1-5
• John 2:1-11
• John 3:1-8
• John 4:1-6
• John 5:1-15
• John 6:1-14
• John 7:1-13
• John 8:1-11
• John 9:1-12
• John 10:1-9
• John 11:1-6
• John 12:1-11
• John 13:1-5
• John 14:1-3
• John 15:1-6
• John 16:1-7
• John 17:1-8
• John 18:1-11
• John 19:1-16
• John 20:1-10
• John 21:1-14
• J. C. Ryle – A Brief Biography
• Other Similar Titles