In the study of the prologue of the Gospel of John (John 1:1-18), we have come to the place where it says of the Word: “All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being” (John 1:3). While it is true that the Word, together with the Father (cp. Colossians 1:16) is the Creator of all that exists (John 1:3), the text isn’t speaking of the physical creation, as is normally understood by Biblical scholars. As I mentioned in my previous three studies, I believe the writer of the Gospel of John has covenants in mind, specifically the Old Covenant, at John 1:1-2, for the Old Covenant was his creation according to Hebrews 9:11, and together, both the Word and the God, have taken responsibility for that covenant or creation. In this context, then, the all things that have come into being (or were created; cp. John 1:3) refer to the things of the Old Covenant.
At this point we might ask: “what things were included in the words: all things?” Well, according to 2Peter 3:4, the scoffers or mockers of the New Covenant dated the Old Covenant (the creation in the text) further back than Moses to the time of the fathers, vis-à-vis Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Therefore, the Lord’s covenant with Abraham in Genesis 15:9-18 would be part of the Old Covenant. After all, Moses recorded that the children of Israel were in Egypt for four-hundred and thirty years and left on the anniversary of their arrival (Exodus 12:40-41). Moreover, Paul argued that the Law which came 430 years afterward, couldn’t nullify the Lord’s unconditional covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Galatians 3:17). In this context, then, the all things the Word made (John 1:3), or said and did, included his promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, as well as all he said and did through Moses, and afterward through the judges, kings and prophets. In fact, Jacob prophesied what would occur in the last days of the Lord’s covenant with Israel (Genesis 49:1), and Jesus claimed that the smallest part of the all things he made (John 1:3), which were included in that covenant, would remain valid, until those same all things were fulfilled (Matthew 5:17-18).
Consider that John 1:4 tells us that in the Word was life and that life was the light of men! Once again, this isn’t speaking of man’s awareness in his physical life (cp. 1Corinthians 2:11a). Rather, it is speaking of man’s spiritual awareness (cp. 1Corinthians 2:11b). The problem is that mankind had lost his spiritual awareness (spiritual life) in Eden, when Adam rebelled. Therefore, the Lord’s covenant with the fathers (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and later with Moses) couldn’t return man’s spiritual life to him. In fact, we are told that death reigned from Adam to Moses even over such people like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Moses (Romans 5:14). They had no spiritual awareness, which remained true, until the Lord took hold of them and placed his Spirit in them (cp. 1Peter 1:11). Mankind’s spiritual awareness died in Eden, hence, the need for the Lord to physically speak and appear to them. There wasn’t one righteous person under the Old Covenant who had any spiritual awareness, prior to being given the Spirit of God or Spirit of Christ (cp. 1Peter 1:11). All were dead to any real fellowship with God, which Adam enjoyed prior to his rebellion (cp. Ephesians 2:1-6), and any spiritual awareness anyone had afterward was given them by the Spirit of Christ, which was in them (1Peter 1:11).
The light (spiritual life) shines in the darkness (spiritual death), and those under spiritual death were unable to comprehend, obtain or in any way seize (G2638) the light or the spiritual life required for intimate fellowship with the Lord. It is only the New Covenant that restores mankind’s spiritual awareness or spiritual life. For example, concerning the new Jerusalem, the writer of the Apocalypse records:
“And the city had no need of the sun, nor of the moon, that they might shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it, and its lamp is the Lamb” (Revelation 21:23)
The Lamb or the Word is light, and he illuminates new Jerusalem, vis-à-vis believers under the New Covenant. Only in and through him (the Word) does man have spiritual life (John 1:4-5; Galatians 2:20). The darkness, in which all of the righteous and unrighteous folks under the Old Covenant dwelt, was unable to comprehend, possess, perceive etc. the light or life possessed by the Word (John 1:4-5; cp. 1Timothy 6:15-16). All things had to be revealed physically, and only then were the righteous (viz. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob etc.) able to understand. The difference between the righteous who had the Spirit of God under the Old Covenant and the righteous who had the Spirit of God under the New Covenant, is that the New Covenant believers could look at the life of Jesus, as experienced by those who saw and heard him, or by those who believed the preaching of the witnesses or read a copy of one of the Gospel narratives. Without Christ new knowledge could not be understood (cp. 1Peter 1:11), and still can’t (cp. Deuteronomy 29:29).
Knowing Jesus, permitted the Spirit of God to recall to the believer’s mind what Jesus said or did (John 16:13-15), and this was done to unveil the truth that is found only in Jesus (cp. John 14:6; 2Corinthians 4:6). Unless one is able to see/know Jesus, the Spirit is unable to reveal anything new (Matthew 11:26; John 1:18). All truth is found in Christ. So, one doesn’t find out truth, simply because he has the Spirit of God. Rather, spiritual understanding comes through knowing Jesus and deducing matters, as those things pertain to him. In other words, the truth about God is understood logically in Christ, just as we are able to use the spirit of man to figure out and understand our world etc. Only by looking at and considering our world through our human spirits, are we are able to perceive matters pertaining to our world and grow thereby. Likewise, only by using our resurrected spirits, the Holy Spirit in the first century AD, and looking at and considering Christ, vis-à-vis his words, deeds and the Old Covenant text as it speaks of him, are we able to logically deduce spiritual matters pertaining to God and be changed (grow) thereby (cp. 2Corinthians 3:18).
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