the point

John 1

The structure of John 1 seems a bit strange. As well as the complicated language, it seems to jump around all over the place. A bit about the word, a bit about John the baptist, a bit about light, more about John the baptist, back to the word again. If I had been John's editor I would have wanted all the bits about John put together, all the bits about the word in the beginning together etc.

The structure of this section actually uses symmetry of ideas to bring the focus onto the central section (v12-13). structure.... In v12-13 we see the gospel, the point of all of this stuff. That if I receive Jesus - recognise my own sin and the fact that I desperately need Him - and believe in His name - take Him as He said He is, how He has revealed Himself, not just how I want Him to be. Then I can become a child of God. That doesn't happen by blood - I am not born into Christianity - or by the flesh or human will - I don't make myself a Christian by moral behaviour - but it is all of God - it is all by His grace