1Na počátku bylo Slovo a to Slovo bylo u Boha a to Slovo bylo Bůh. 2To bylo na počátku u Boha. 3Všechno vzniklo skrze ně a bez něho nevzniklo vůbec nic, co je. 4V něm byl život a ten život byl světlo lidí. 5A to světlo ve tmě svítí a tma je nepohltila. 6Objevil se člověk poslaný od Boha, jehož jméno bylo Jan. 7Ten přišel jako svědek, aby o tom světle vydal svědectví, aby skrze něho všichni uvěřili. 8On sám nebyl to světlo, ale přišel, aby o tom světle vydal svědectví. 9Bylo tu pravé světlo, které osvěcuje každého člověka, to přicházelo na svět. 10Na světě byl, svět skrze něj vznikl, a svět ho nepoznal. 11Přišel do svého vlastního, a jeho vlastní ho nepřijali. 12Těm však, kteří ho přijali, dal pravomoc stát se Božími dětmi, těm, kteří věří v jeho jméno. 13Ti se nenarodili z krve ani z vůle těla ani z vůle muže, nýbrž z Boha. 14A Slovo se stalo tělem a přebývalo mezi námi. Spatřili jsme jeho slávu, slávu, jakou má od Otce jediný Syn, plný milosti a pravdy. 15Jan o něm vydával svědectví. Volal: „To je ten, o němž jsem řekl: ‚Ten, který přichází za mnou, je přede mnou, neboť byl dříve než já.‘“ — 16Z jeho plnosti jsme my všichni vzali, milost za milostí. 17Neboť Zákon byl dán skrze Mojžíše, milost a pravda se stala skrze Ježíše Krista. 18Boha nikdo nikdy neviděl; jedinečný Bůh, který je v lůnu Otcově, ten nám o něm pověděl. 19Toto je svědectví Janovo, když k němu Židé z Jeruzaléma poslali kněze a Levity, aby se ho zeptali: „Kdo jsi ty?“ 20I vyznal a nezapřel; vyznal: „Já nejsem Mesiáš. “ 21Zeptali se ho: „Co tedy? Jsi Eliáš?“ Řekl: „Nejsem.“ „Jsi ten Prorok?“ Odpověděl: „Ne.“ 22Řekli mu tedy: „Kdo jsi? Ať můžeme dát odpověď těm, kteří nás poslali. Co říkáš sám o sobě?“ 23Řekl: „Já jsem hlas volajícího v pustině: ‚Vyrovnejte Pánovu cestu‘, jak řekl prorok Izaiáš.“ 24Ti poslaní byli z farizeů. 25I zeptali se ho: „Proč tedy křtíš, když nejsi Mesiáš ani Eliáš ani ten Prorok?“ 26Jan jim odpověděl: „Já křtím ve vodě, ale uprostřed vás stojí ten, koho vy neznáte: 27To je ten, který přichází za mnou, který byl přede mnou; jemu nejsem hoden rozvázat řemínek jeho sandálu.“ 28Tyto věci se udály v Betanii za Jordánem, kde Jan křtil. 29Druhého dne Jan uviděl Ježíše, jak k němu přichází, a řekl: „Hle, Beránek Boží, který snímá hřích světa. 30Toto je ten, o němž jsem řekl: ‚Za mnou přichází muž, který je přede mnou, neboť byl dříve než já.‘ 31Ani já jsem ho neznal, ale proto jsem přišel a křtil ve vodě, aby byl zjeven Izraeli.“ 32A Jan vydal svědectví: „ Viděl jsem, jak Duch sestupoval jako holubice z nebe a zůstal na něm. 33Ani já jsem ho neznal, ale ten, kdo mne poslal křtít ve vodě, mi řekl: ‚Na koho uvidíš sestupovat Ducha a zůstávat na něm, to je ten, který křtí v Duchu Svatém.‘ 34A já jsem to viděl a dosvědčuji, že toto je Boží Syn.“ 35Druhého dne tam Jan opět stál se dvěma ze svých učedníků. 36Pohlédl na Ježíše, jak jde kolem, a řekl: „Hle, Beránek Boží!“ 37Ti dva učedníci slyšeli, co říká, a šli za Ježíšem. 38Ježíš se otočil, a když uviděl, že jdou za ním, řekl jim: „Co hledáte?“ A oni mu řekli: „Rabbi“, což se překládá ‚Učiteli‘, „kde bydlíš? “ 39Řekl jim: „Pojďte a uvidíte. “ Šli tedy, viděli, kde bydlí, a zůstali ten den u něho. Bylo kolem čtvrté hodiny odpoledne. 40Jeden z těch dvou, kteří to uslyšeli od Jana a připojili se k němu, byl Ondřej, bratr Šimona Petra. 41Ten nalezl nejprve svého bratra Šimona a řekl mu: „ Nalezli jsme Mesiáše“ (což je v překladu: Kristus). 42Přivedl ho k Ježíšovi. Ježíš na něho pohlédl a řekl: „Ty jsi Šimon, syn Jonášův; budeš se jmenovat Kéfas“ (což se překládá Petr). 43Druhého dne se Ježíš rozhodl odejít do Galileje. Nalezl Filipa a řekl mu: „Následuj mne.“ 44Filip byl z Betsaidy, města Ondřejova a Petrova. 45Filip nalezl Natanaela a řekl mu: „ Nalezli jsme toho, o němž psal Mojžíš v Zákoně a proroci, Ježíše, syna Josefova z Nazareta.“ 46Natanael mu řekl: „Může být z Nazareta něco dobrého?“ Filip mu řekl: „Pojď a podívej se.“ 47Ježíš uviděl Natanaela, jak k němu přichází, a řekl o něm: „Hle, to je opravdu Izraelita, ve kterém není lsti.“ 48Natanael mu řekl: „Odkud mne znáš?“ Ježíš mu odpověděl: „Viděl jsem tě dříve, než tě Filip zavolal, když jsi byl pod tím fíkovníkem.“ 49Natanael mu odpověděl: „Rabbi, ty jsi Syn Boží, ty jsi král Izraele.“ 50Ježíš mu odpověděl: „Věříš proto, že jsem ti řekl: ‚Viděl jsem tě pod fíkovníkem‘? Uvidíš větší věci než toto.“ 51A řekl mu: „ Amen, amen, pravím vám, od nynějška uvidíte nebe otevřené a Boží anděly vystupovat a sestupovat na Syna člověka.“
Matthew Henry - Concise Commentary 1 The plainest reason why the Son of God is called the Word, seems to be, that as our words explain our minds to others, so was the Son of God sent in order to reveal his Father's mind to the world. What the evangelist says of Christ proves that he is God. He asserts, His existence in the beginning; His coexistence with the Father. The Word was with God. All things were made by him, and not as an instrument. Without him was not any thing made that was made, from the highest angel to the meanest worm. This shows how well qualified he was for the work of our redemption and salvation. The light of reason, as well as the life of sense, is derived from him, and depends upon him. This eternal Word, this true Light shines, but the darkness comprehends it not. Let us pray without ceasing, that our eyes may be opened to behold this Light, that we may walk in it; and thus be made wise unto salvation, by faith in Jesus Christ.
6 John the Baptist came to bear witness concerning Jesus. Nothing more fully shows the darkness of men's minds, than that when the Light had appeared, there needed a witness to call attention to it. Christ was the true Light; that great Light which deserves to be called so. By his Spirit and grace he enlightens all that are enlightened to salvation; and those that are not enlightened by him, perish in darkness. Christ was in the world when he took our nature upon him, and dwelt among us. The Son of the Highest was here in this lower world. He was in the world, but not of it. He came to save a lost world, because it was a world of his own making. Yet the world knew him not. When he comes as a Judge, the world shall know him. Many say that they are Christ's own, yet do not receive him, because they will not part with their sins, nor have him to reign over them. All the children of God are born again. This new birth is through the word of God as the means,
1Pet 1:23, and by the Spirit of God as the Author. By his Divine presence Christ always was in the world. But now that the fulness of time was come, he was, after another manner, God manifested in the flesh. But observe the beams of his Divine glory, which darted through this veil of flesh. Men discover their weaknesses to those most familiar with them, but it was not so with Christ; those most intimate with him saw most of his glory. Although he was in the form of a servant, as to outward circumstances, yet, in respect of graces, his form was like the Son of God His Divine glory appeared in the holiness of his doctrine, and in his miracles. He was full of grace, fully acceptable to his Father, therefore qualified to plead for us; and full of truth, fully aware of the things he was to reveal.
15 As to the order of time and entrance on his work, Christ came after John, but in every other way he was before him. The expression clearly shows that Jesus had existence before he appeared on earth as man. All fulness dwells in him, from which alone fallen sinners have, and shall receive, by faith, all that renders them wise, strong, holy, useful, and happy. Our receivings by Christ are all summed up in this one word, grace; we have received even grace, a gift so great, so rich, so invaluable; the good will of God towards us, and the good work of God in us. The law of God is holy, just, and good; and we should make the proper use of it. But we cannot derive from it pardon, righteousness, or strength. It teaches us to adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour, but it cannot supply the place of that doctrine. As no mercy comes from God to sinners but through Jesus Christ, no man can come to the Father but by him; no man can know God, except as he is made known in the only begotten and beloved Son.
19 John disowns himself to be the Christ, who was now expected and waited for. He came in the spirit and power of Elias, but he was not the person of Elias. John was not that Prophet whom Moses said the Lord would raise up to them of their brethren, like unto him. He was not such a prophet as they expected, who would rescue them from the Romans. He gave such an account of himself, as might excite and awaken them to hearken to him. He baptized the people with water as a profession of repentance, and as an outward sign of the spiritual blessings to be conferred on them by the Messiah, who was in the midst of them, though they knew him not, and to whom he was unworthy to render the meanest service.
29 John saw Jesus coming to him, and pointed him out as the Lamb of God. The paschal lamb, in the shedding and sprinkling of its blood, the roasting and eating of its flesh, and all the other circumstances of the ordinance, represented the salvation of sinners by faith in Christ. And the lambs sacrificed every morning and evening, can only refer to Christ slain as a sacrifice to redeem us to God by his blood. John came as a preacher of repentance, yet he told his followers that they were to look for the pardon of their sins to Jesus only, and to his death. It agrees with God's glory to pardon all who depend on the atoning sacrifice of Christ. He takes away the sin of the world; purchases pardon for all that repent and believe the gospel. This encourages our faith; if Christ takes away the sin of the world, then why not my sin? He bore sin for us, and so bears it from us. God could have taken away sin, by taking away the sinner, as he took away the sin of the old world; but here is a way of doing away sin, yet sparing the sinner, by making his Son sin, that is, a sin-offering, for us. See Jesus taking away sin, and let that cause hatred of sin, and resolutions against it. Let us not hold that fast, which the Lamb of God came to take away. To confirm his testimony concerning Christ, John declares the appearance at his baptism, in which God himself bore witness to him. He saw and bare record that he is the Son of God. This is the end and object of John's testimony, that Jesus was the promised Messiah. John took every opportunity that offered to lead people to Christ.
37 The strongest and most prevailing argument with an awakened soul to follow Christ, is, that it is he only who takes away sin. Whatever communion there is between our souls and Christ, it is he who begins the discourse. He asked, What seek ye? The question Jesus put to them, we should all put to ourselves when we begin to follow Him, What do we design and desire? In following Christ, do we seek the favour of God and eternal life? He invites them to come without delay. Now is the accepted time,
2Cor 6:2. It is good for us to be where Christ is, wherever it be. We ought to labour for the spiritual welfare of those related to us, and seek to bring them to Him. Those who come to Christ, must come with a fixed resolution to be firm and constant to him, like a stone, solid and stedfast; and it is by his grace that they are so.
43 See the nature of true Christianity, it is following Jesus; devoting ourselves to him, and treading in his steps. Observe the objection Nathanael made. All who desire to profit by the word of God, must beware of prejudices against places, or denominations of men. They should examine for themselves, and they will sometimes find good where they looked for none. Many people are kept from the ways of religion by the unreasonable prejudices they conceive. The best way to remove false notions of religion, is to make trial of it. In Nathanael there was no guile. His profession was not hypocritical. He was not a dissembler, nor dishonest; he was a sound character, a really upright, godly man. Christ knows what men are indeed. Does He know us? Let us desire to know him. Let us seek and pray to be Israelites indeed, in whom is no guile; truly Christians, approved of Christ himself. Some things weak, imperfect, and sinful, are found in all, but hypocrisy belongs not to a believer's character. Jesus witnessed what passed when Nathanael was under the fig-tree. Probably he was then in fervent prayer, seeking direction as to the Hope and Consolation of Israel, where no human eye observed him. This showed him that our Lord knew the secrets of his heart. Through Christ we commune with, and benefit by the holy angels; and things in heaven and things on earth are reconciled and united together.
