The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1898-12-29

Il .Ht ffsaii
ARRANGED from Psioubet's select Notes.l
GOLDEN TExT.-ln Him was NE: and
the life wNs the light Of men.-John Ia
THE SECTION includes the whole pro-
logue. John 1:1-14
EXPLANATORY NOTES.
l. His Eternal Existence with God
and az God Before He Came into This
World.-Vs. 1, 2. 1. I'm the beginning
was the Word:" With evident allusion
to the first word of Genesis, the primal
beginning of things. But the Word
then already was. He was also the ef-
Acient principle, the beginning Of the
beginning.-Prof.M M. r. Vincent. "And
the Word was with Gods" The Greek
proposition here translated with origi-
nally denotes motion towards, and
hence with az the result Of the motion.
Not merely as being beside, but as
living union and communion; implying
| the active notion of intercourse. "And
| the Word was God:" This statement
annihilates two errors that might arise:
~ That the Word, being with God,
might be inferior. No; He was God,
none greater than he. (2) That II equal
to God, there might be two Gods. No;
he is not one of two Gods. He is God
himself, the One Eternal God.
II. His Previous Works.-v. 8. "All
things were made by Him:" Through
Him. Creation was His work, His de-
partment. In Genesis, in describing the
creation. the expression "And God Said"
is used eight times. sand without
Hint" Apart from Him. WAS not
anything:" No. not one mot even
one): stronger than nothing" "Tha,
was made:" Came into being. All
| creation was q revelation of God.
III. The Nature Of His Work-to
Give Life and Light.-Vs. 4. 5. 4. "In
| Him was Efe:" He was the well-spring
from which every form Of life--physic-
al, intellectual, moral, spiritual, eternal
-hows.-Cambridge Bible. sand the
life was the light of men:" Life comes
first. then light. According to Scrip
ture and according to the fastest sci
ence, some energy. some living force
first set the paticles of matter into mo-
ton, and the first result was light.
Nv. The Herald Of His Coming.-Vs.
60. 6. "A man sent from Gods" As an
envoy with a special commission.
Hence He was a prophet.
z. 1.-THE same came for a witness"
rather, q witnessing. for testimony "to
bear" in order that he might bear "wit.
ness Of the Light" because. the light
being spiritual, and mems eyes closed.
or intent on seeing worldly things, they
would not notice the light which shone
in the humble Jesus. "That all men
through Him might believe" in the
light, first by His witness. and then by
seeing for themselves.
v. Purpose Of His Work. To Make
Men the Children and Heirs of God.-
vs.. 1918. 10. "He." the Word, the
Light. "Was in the world" In all the
past ages, in every manifestation of
God, in the history of the chosen ma
ton, but especially when He appeared
as the man in Christ Jesus, the Saviour
of the world. This is one reason why
the world ought to receive Him, for He
was among men teaching. inviting and
helping them. "And the world was
made by Him:" This is q second rea-
son, for the world of people were His
creatures, made in his image. made to
be like Him in character and destiny,
and under the deepest obligations to
Him. "And (yet) the world knew Him
not:" Did not recognize Him as their
Creator, Saviour and King.
IL. "He came unto His owns" His
own possessions, His inheritance, His
peculiar people, the Jews, whom He
had created, whom He had chosen from
the rest of the world, whom He had
trained and cared for as His peculiar
people, and who were His brethren ac-
cording to the flesh. "His own (even
these) received Him not:" The Greek
word, according to De Wette, means
Ito receive into the house"
10. "But AZ many as received HIM"
Accepted Him a. their Saviour and
King, acknowledged His claims, and
yielded obedience to His teachings.
ITO them gave He power (R. ", the
right):" The original word combines
the two ideas. both the right and the
power. ITO become the sons DIETER,
with R. ", children) of Gods" God
adopts US as children (Rom. s:1e. ~,
and makes us children by imparting
TO US His own life John 3:3, s.. Even
to them that believe on His name:"
This shows how everyone may become
child Of God, and guards against Q
mistaken security, as Of those who
might wrongly imagine that because
they were children of Abraham, there
fore they were children of God.
vi. His Coming Into the World. The
Incarnation.-V. IL. "And the Word:"
With all the powers and qualifications
described above. "Was made:" Be-
came. See Luke 1868; Matt. 1:1s-25.
"Flesh:" Human nature in and accord
ing to its corporal manifestation. "And
dwelt among U.S." ''Tabernacled"
among us, dwelt as in a tent, as the
Divine Presence dwelt in the tabernacle
in the wilderness. "And we beheld:"
We, John and many other people.
Those who were most intimate with