v. 1:1 - What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life
— “And the life was manifested” is the center part of these first three verses. “The eternal life was manifested…” The Word of Life was from the beginning.
| What we have: heard/seen/handled - Word of Life We have: seen/bear witness/proclaim manifested (2x) What we have: seen/heard - We proclaim First hand account – not hearsay |
v. 1:2 - and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us
— "Manifested" – made known. See John 1:1 – In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
(See the following definition: to make manifest or visible or known what has been hidden or unknown, to manifest, whether by words, or deeds, or in any other way
a) make actual and visible, realized
b) to make known by teaching
c) to become manifest, be made known
d) of a person expose to view, make manifest, to show one's self, appear
e) to become known, to be plainly recognized, thoroughly understood)
“What was…”, “What we have…”, all of these point to the Word of Life. John has heard the Word of Life speak. John has seen the Word of Life work. John has “beheld” – (How is that different from seeing, or hearing - definition of 'to behold' = look upon, view attentively, contemplate (often used of public shows) a) of important persons that are looked on with admiration; 2) to view, take a view of a) in the sense of visiting, meeting with a person 3) to learn by looking, to see with the eyes, to perceive).
John has touched, handled the Word of Life. Hear, see, touch, all experiencing the phenomenon personally with the senses. John uses the “we” rather than “I”. Not sure that is being humble. Think that John is including all of the apostles and disciples – all the witnesses.
v. 1:3 - what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.
And he is speaking up as a witness. “Proclaim”. (To make known openly, to bring a report, to tell) All that has been experienced by John and all the other witnesses – is being told to the reader. It is told for one reason – that you may believe and have fellowship. And why is fellowship so important? What is meant by fellowship. (To share - the share which one has in anything, a gift jointly contributed, a collection, a contribution, as exhibiting an embodiment and proof of fellowship, intimacy). To be intimate with God, the Lord. God will share all that He has. What can I provide to produce as a contribution to the fellowship? “So that…” – Everything John has done is to bring us into fellowship with God, and Jesus, and other believers.
| So that – fellowship - with us - with faithful, - with the Father (God) - with His Son. |
Vss 4-5 – This is the message
v. 1:4 - These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete
First John proclaims, then he writes. Another “so that” statement. “we write” joined to “completed joy”. Whether it is “our joy” or “your joy” (depending manuscripts used). John’s joy is complete, made full – because the believers to whom he is writing are saved. The believer’s joy is complete because they are saved. The “these things” are the things John has witnessed. Also, the things John writes about are to follow – the truth that God is light, etc.
Vs. 1:5 - This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.
“And this is the message” – John is proclaiming what he has witnessed, what he heard. John is not making this up – it is not John’s message, it is God’s. John is the conduit. He heard it. He is announcing it. It is one of “these things” he is writing about. God is light.
This is also a “transition” verse. Moving from proclaiming and writing to “darkness” and “light”. John moves to hypocrisy – that’s not what he calls it, but the message is you can’t say one thing, do another, and call yourself a light bearer.
The theme of "God is light” is a major one in OT and NT. God made light and pushed back the darkness. God lead Israel from Egypt with a pillar of fire. God’s words are a light for my feet and path. Those who sin do not want the light to reveal their actions (John 3:19). Without God, we are like a blind man stumbling on a rocky trail. (see Isa. 59:10) Even at noonday – at the brightest time of the day – we are as though blind. We are in darkness. James 1:17 echoes this theme. God provides light to guide me. He does not leave me to stumble along my path. He provides a light. See also Col. 1:13 – he has delivered out of the domain of darkness …Also Acts 26:18
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