Then the Word took extraordinary measures to unite people in sinful darkness to His divine light: John the Baptist was sent, and finally the Word itself became flesh.

"There was a man sent from God; his name is John" — "was" in Greek it is said "egeneto" ("became"), and not "in", as it is said about the Word; that is, John "came into being," was born in time, and did not exist eternally as the Word. "He was not a light, but was sent to bear witness to the Light." That is, the Prophet John the Baptist was not an original light, but shone only with the reflected light of that one True Light, which by Itself "enlightens every man who comes into the world."

The world did not know the Word, although it owes its existence to Him. "He came to his own," that is, to his chosen people Israel, "and his own did not receive him"—not all, of course.

"And to those who received Him" by faith and love, He "gave them the power to become children of God," that is, He gave them the beginning of a new spiritual life, which, like the carnal, also begins through birth, but not from carnal lust, but from God, by power from above.

"And the Word was made flesh." The flesh here does not mean one human body, but the whole, complete man, in the sense in which the word "flesh" is often used in Scripture (e.g., Matt. 24:22). That is, the Word became a complete and perfect man, but without ceasing to be God. "And it dwelt among us, full of grace and truth." By grace we must understand both the goodness of God and the gifts of God's goodness, which open people access to a new spiritual life, i.e. the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The Word, dwelling among us, was also filled with Truth, the perfect knowledge of everything that concerns the spiritual world and spiritual life.

"And we saw His glory, the glory as the only begotten of the Father." The Apostles did indeed see His glory in His transfiguration, resurrection, and ascension into heaven; glory in His teachings, miracles, works of love and voluntary self-abasement. He is "the only-begotten of the Father," for He alone is the Son of God in essence, in His divine nature. These words indicate His immeasurable superiority over the sons and children of God by grace, believing people, of which it was said above. (Note by Protopresbyter Michael Pomazansky).

The attention of every Christian who is familiar with the Bible is attracted by the parallel between the beginning of the Old Testament book of Genesis and the beginning of the Gospel of John from their very first word. We will also focus on this parallel.

"En archi" — "In the beginning" — are the first words of both sacred creations. Greek. "archi" has three main meanings: a) the beginning of an event or deed, in the ordinary, simple sense of the word; b) rulership, dominion, or power: c) both in the sense of the old time, the past, the ancient, and in the religious sense – unlimited in time, eternal.

In the original language of the book of Fr. Moses uses this word in the ordinary, first sense: God, before all His actions outside of Himself, created the heavens and the earth. The same word is the first in the Gospel of John, but the Holy Apostle exalts the meaning of the Greek word "archi": "In the beginning was the Word" — the Word, as a personal Divine being, "was in the beginning" — before all other being, moreover: beyond all time, in boundless eternity. In the same Gospel this word is used again, in the same meaning; Here is this verse. When the Jews asked the Lord: "Who are You?" – "Jesus said to them: "From the beginning, as He told you" – Tin arhin, oti ke lalo imin. Thus, the first books of the two Testaments, the Old and the New, begin with one and the same expressive word; but it has a higher meaning in the book of the New Testament than in the book of Genesis.

In the further text of both books, especially in the first five verses of each, we notice this inner connection, even if not deliberately drawn by the Evangelist, since it is not drawn in an exact sequence, but as a connection that follows by itself from the essence of these two subjects of speech. Here the greatness of the New Testament events for us is clearly defined when we compare them with the Old Testament. Let us draw this parallel, putting the Book of Genesis in the first place and the Gospel in the second place for clarity.

Kn. Being:

1. "In the beginning God created..." 1. "And God said, Let it be..."

Gospel: