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Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of John 1:12

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But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on his name:

12. received ] Not the same Greek word as before: this denotes the spontaneous acceptance of the Messiah by individuals, whether Jews or Gentiles. He was not specially offered to any individuals as He was to the Jewish nation.

power ] i.e. right, liberty, authority. We are born with a capacity for becoming sons of God; that we have as men. He gives us a right to become such; that we receive as Christians. Comp. Joh 5:27, Joh 10:18.

to become ] Christ is from all eternity the Son of God; men are empowered to become sons of God. Comp. Mat 5:45.

the sons of God ] Omit ‘the:’ children of God. Both S. John and S. Paul insist on the fundamental fact that the relation of believers to God is a filial one. S. John gives us this fact on the human side; man ‘must be born again’ (Joh 3:3). S. Paul gives us the Divine side; God by ‘adoption’ makes us sons (Rom 8:16-17; Rom 8:21; Rom 8:23; Gal 4:5).

even to them that believe ] Explains who are the sons of God. The test of a child of God is no longer descent from Abraham, but belief in God’s Son.

on his name ] The construction ‘to believe on ’ is characteristic of S. John: it occurs about 35 times in the Gospel and 3 times in the First Epistle; elsewhere in N.T. about 10 times. It expresses the very strongest belief; motion to and repose on the object of belief. ‘His Name’ is a frequent phrase in Jewish literature, both O. and N.T. It is not a mere periphrasis. Names were so often significant, given sometimes by God Himself, that a man’s name told not merely who he was, but what he was: it was an index of character. So ‘the Name of the Lord’ is not a mere periphrasis for ‘the Lord;’ it suggests His attributes and His relations to us as Lord. Perhaps the name of Logos is specially meant here; and the meaning would then be to give one’s entire adhesion to Him as the Incarnate Son, the expression of the Will and Nature of God. Comp. Joh 3:18, Joh 20:31.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

To as many as received him – The great mass; the people; the scribes and Pharisees rejected him. A few in his lifetime received him, and many more after his death. To receive him, here, means to believe on him. This is expressed at the end of the verse.

Gave he power – This is more appropriately rendered in the margin by the word right or privilege. Compare Act 1:7; Act 5:4; Rom 9:21; 1Co 7:37; 1Co 8:9; 1Co 9:4-5.

Sons of God – Children of God by adoption. See the notes at Mat 1:1. Christians are called sons of God:

Because they are adopted by Him, 1Jo 3:1.
Because they are like Him; they resemble Him and have His spirit.
They are united to the Lord Jesus, the Son of God, are regarded by Him as his brethren Mat 25:40, and are therefore regarded as the children of the Most High.

On his name – This is another way of saying believeth in him. The name of a person is often put for the person himself, Joh 2:23; Joh 3:18; 1Jo 5:13. From this verse we learn:

That to be a child of God is a privilege – far more so than to be the child of any human being, though in the highest degree rich, or learned, or honored. Christians are therefore more honored than any other persons.
God gave them this privilege. It is not by their own works or deserts; it is because God chose to impart this blessing to them, Eph 2:8; Joh 15:16.
This favor is given only to those who believe on him. All others are the children of the wicked one, and no one who has not confidence in God can be regarded as his child. No parent would acknowledge one for his child, or approve of him, who had no confidence in him, who doubted or denied all he said, and who despised his character. Yet the sinner constantly does this toward God, and he cannot, therefore, be called his Son.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Joh 1:12-14

As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God

St.

Johns first view of Christ the key to his Gospel

I. These verses DESCRIBE THE SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE OF ST. JOHN. In this point of view the order of time is different from the order of the statements. The several steps are these

1. The apprehension of the glory of Jesus,

2. The receiving Him and believing on His name.

3. The effect of the power to become sons of God.

This agrees with the actual experience of the evangelist.

1. He sees Jesus as pointed out by the Baptist. But where was the glory?

(1) That of the Lamb of God.

(2) The revelation of grace and truth in him. Gods infinite love, holiness, justice: His own self-sacrifice.

2. He goes home with Jesus and gave himself up to His gracious influences, believed on His name.

3. What followed we know. He became a son of God.

II. THIS EXPERIENCE DETERMINED THE STRUCTURE, SUBSTANCE, AND SPIRIT OF THE GOSPEL.

1. It serves to account for the subordinate place which miracles and Christs external life generally hold in it. Johns grand purpose, as marked by his own experience, was to illustrate the self-commending glory of Christ as the Word and only-begotten of the Father, that those who had never seen Him with the eye of sense might come to the blessedness of those who had not seen and yet had believed.

2. It serves to account for the prominent place which the inner life of Christ and the manifestation of His Sonship-glory occupies here. The two grand pivots on which the Gospel turns are Christ the LIGHT, and Christ the LIFE. Christ the Light, revealing the Father and all that concerns the Father; Christ the Life, communicating by the Spirit a new life to men so as to make them Gods sons. Its twofold purpose is to set forth Christ as the Incarnate Word and Only Begotten, full of grace and truth; and also the reception of Christ, the believing on His name as the commencement of the new life of sonship. Thus it is that so much prominence is given to Christs relation to the Father on the one hand, and to the fellowship of Christ with His people on the other.

3. From these considerations we see the groundlessness of the objections against the Johannian authorship of the Gospel. Given Johns conversion, as here shadowed forth, and his warm, fervid nature, his life of Jesus could not well have been any other than it is.

III. THE MORE GENERAL RELATIONS OF THE SUBJECT, as setting forth the essential glory of Christ and the glory communicated to all who, by receiving Him, become sons of God.

1. What is the connection between the two? That there is a connection is seen in the difference between John and his companions and the mass of the Jews. The one perceived His glory, the other saw it not. To the one He appeared a miserable pretender, to the other the Eternal Son. Moreover they recognized in Him the Saviour that taketh away the sins of the world. They received Him, and then the standing and spirit of sonship became theirs.

2. How is it that this view of Christs glory is followed by such effects?

(1) By such means we see our emptiness, guilt, and misery.

(2) But He invites us to Him, tells us of His fulness, pardon, grace, asks us to receive Him and let Him put forth His power.

(3) Must we not welcome Him? The blessed change is wrought in the very act of seeking it. (W. G. Blaikie, D. D.)

Receiving Christ and becoming sons

I. CHRIST WHO HAS COME INTO THE WORLD SEEKS ADMISSION TO THE HEART as a lawful and everlasting tenant. The Christ in the book, in the creed, in the church, effects but little for us. Christ in the heart becomes all our salvation and desire.

II. THE RECEPTION OF CHRIST IN THE HEART IS FOLLOWED BY SENSING.

1. There is a natural sonship pertaining to all men; for we are all His offspring.

2. There is a special, redemptive, restored sonship bestowed on those who receive Christ.

3. All that pertains to this sonship is supernatural. Adam was not a son by blood, nor by the will of the flesh, but by the will of God; and a restored son is as marvellous a creation as Adam.

III. THIS SONSHIP INVOLVES A NEW BIRTH AND ELEVATION TO THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE POSITION. There is nothing higher than being admitted to sonship with God. What we want is not some new spiritual dignity, but the recognition of this exalted condition.

IV. TRUE FAITH IS HERE DESCRIBED AND EVIDENCED.

1. Faith in receiving. Christ comes into the believer. Christ without does not save, but Christ within.

2. Faith is evidenced by the opening of the eyes to see the glory of Christ, and the affiliation to God which follows.

V. GOD HERE RECEIVES ALL THE PRAISE.

1. The power and the will are of God. Ascribe to Him the wisdom and the glory.

2. The Christ whom we receive is Gods unspeakable gift.

3. Faith and its attendant privileges are by power bestowed by God. (S. Martin.)

The connection between receiving Christ and becoming sons

I. These two things are connected IN RESPECT OF GOD; it is the will of God that all should believe in Christ, and He has appointed the mediation of Christ as the channel through which all should receive salvation, and all that is necessary for its attainment.

II. These things are connected IN RESPECT OF CHRIST: for, in consequence of what He has done, all may become the sons of God, and, may be enriched with all the blessings of His grace.

III. They are connected IN RESPECT OF MEN: all who would obtain salvation must receive Jesus Christ as the only Saviour. (C. C.Tittman, D. D.)

That act by which we do effectually apply Christ to our own souls

I. THE NATURE OF THIS RECEIVING OF CHRIST.

1. No man can do this in the darkness of natural ignorance. If we know not His nature and offices we do not take, we mistake Christ. The receiving act of faith, then, is guided by knowledge.

2. This receiving of Christ implies the assent of the understanding to the truths of Christ in the gospel–His Person, offices, incarnation, satisfaction–which assent, although it is not saving faith, is its groundwork. This is more than conjecture or opinion, it is belief.

3. This also implies hearty approbation, liking, and estimation; yea, the very acquiescence of our souls in Christ as the most excellent remedy for wants, sins, and dangers (1Pe 2:7). There are two things in Christ which must gain the approbation of the soul.

(1) That it can find nothing unsuitable to it in Christ as it does find in the best creatures–no weakness, pride, inconstancy, or passion. He is the altogether lovely.

(2) That it can find nothing wanting in Christ necessary or desirable. In Him is the fulness of wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.

4. It consists in the consent and choice of the will; and this is the opening of the heart and stretching forth of the soul to receive Him (see Christs complaint, Joh 5:40, and Eph 1:19).

5. The respect that this act of acceptance has unto the terms upon which Christ is tendered to us in the Gospel. Faith answers the gospel offer, as the impress on the wax does the engraving on the seal (1Co 15:11). There is no receiving Christ but on His own terms.

(1) He is offered sincerely and really, and is received with a faith unfeigned 1Ti 1:5).

(2) He is offered entirely, and is received in all His offices as Christ Jesus the Lord (Act 16:13).

(3) He is offered exclusively, and the soul singly relies on Him (Ac 1Co 3:11), and not partly on His righteousness and our own.

(4) He is offered freely as the gift, not the sale of God (Joh 4:10;Isa 55:1.; Rev 22:17). So the believer comes to Him with an empty hand.

(5) He is offered orderly. First His Person, then His privileges (Rom 8:32), so the believer does not marry His portion first.

II. THIS IS THE JUSTIFYING AND SAVING ACT OF FAITH.

1. The faith which gives the soul right and title to spiritual adoption, with all the privileges and benefits thereof, is true saving faith.

2. That only is saving faith which is in all true believers, in none but true believers, and in all true believers at all times.

III. THE EXCELLENCY OF THIS ACT OF FAITH (2Pe 1:7; JmsJohn 6:29).

1. Considered qualitatively it has the same excellency that all other precious graces have. It is the fruit of the Spirit. It is singled out to receive Christ. As it is Christs glory to be the door of salvation, so it is faiths glory to be the golden key that opens that door.

(1) It is the bond of our union with Christ (Eph 3:17).

(2) It is the instrument of our justification (Rom 5:1).

(3) It is the spring of our spiritual peace and joy (Rom 5:1; 1Pe 1:8-9).

(4) It is the means of our spiritual livelihood and subsistence. Take away faith and all the others die (Gal 2:20).

(5) It is the great scope and drift of the Gospel to get men to believe. The urgent commands aim at this (1Jn 3:23; Mar 1:14-15; Joh 12:36). Hither, also, look the great promises and encouragements (Joh 6:35-37; Mar 16:16). The opposite sin of unbelief is everywhere threatened (Joh 16:8-9; Joh 3:18; Joh 3:35).

IV. APPLICATION:

1. For information: If there be life in receiving Christ, there must be death in rejecting Him.

2. If faith be accepting Christ, then there are fewer believers among professors than were thought to be, and more believers than dare conclude themselves such.

3. Those who have the least degree of saving faith, have cause for ever to admire the bounty of the grace of God to them therein (Eph 1:3).

4. For examination:

(1) The antecedents of faith–illumination (Act 26:18); conviction Mar 1:15); self-despair (Act 2:37); vehement and earnest cries to God for faith.

(2) The concomitants of faith–seriousness (Act 16:29); humiliation Eze 16:63; Luk 8:38); a weary condition (Mat 11:28); a longing condition.

(3) The consequents of faith–evangelical meltings (Zec 12:10); love to Christ, His ways, and His people (Gal 5:6); heart purity Act 15:9); obedience (Rom 16:26).

5. For exhortation:

(1) What is in Christ whom you are to receive?

(2) What is the offer of Christ by the gospel?

(3) What is in the rejecting of that offer? (J. Flavel.)

Reception of Christ our introduction into sonship

I. THE HONOUR. To become sons of God not merely by adoption, but by generation (Rom 8:16; 1Jn 3:1). On our side is sonship, on Gods Fatherhood. Sonship is

1. Higher;

2. Nearer;

3. More blessed;

4. More glorious than–creaturehood. There is sonship in the angels, in unfallen man; but this is beyond these. As

(1) Introducing us into a more intimate intercourse;

(2) Making us partakers of the Divine nature.

II. THE GIVER OF IT. Christ Himself; elsewhere it is the Father. All gifts are in Christs hands–living water and bread of life, Himself, sonship. This right or power of sonship He purchased for us; for those who had no right, or power, or title.

III. THE WAY OF ATTAINMENT.

1. Receiving Him–doing the reverse of what Israel had done; accepting and owning Him for all that God announced Him to be.

2. Believing on His name, i.e, Himself.

IV. THE PERSONAL CHANGE THROUGH WHICH THIS IS REACHED. Born:

1. Not of natural descent.

2. Not by natural generation.

3. Not by human adoption.

4. But of God (Jam 1:18). (H. Bonar, D. D.)

The grace of Christ to those who received Him

The grace appears in

I. HIS PREVAILING WITH MEN TO EMBRACE THE OFFER MADE TO THEM, and in what is implied in that.

1. Christ offers Himself, and we welcome and receive Him. The first acting of true faith is to accept Himself; not merely the special benefit He brings.

2. We exercise implicit confidence in Him. We have a right knowledge of Him; rejoice in His character; accept and hide Him in our hearts.

3. In the form in which Jesus is proclaimed in the Gospel, His saved ones receive and believe in Him. So we preach; so ye believed. There is a correspondence between the Gospel and faith of the same kind as that between the seal and the wax.

(1) Christ is offered sincerely, and He must be accepted with a faith unfeigned.

(2) He is offered exclusively, and must be accepted as the sole basis of our hope.

(3) He is offered as a gift; we must not attempt to merit Him.

4. The actual committing of our all to Christ When we receive Him. What is the saving act of faith?

(1) Not assent, although that must be a part of it.

(2) Not assurance, although that will follow it.

(3) But acceptance of Him and confidence in Him.

II. THE SPECIAL PRIVILEGE WHICH HE BESTOWS ON THOSE WHO RECEIVE HIM.

1. The saved are by nature the children of wrath; but in His person God is reconciled towards them.

2. Having reconciled them, He makes them sons–co-heirs with Himself.

3. Of Him also is the comfort and dignities of sonship.

III. THE CHANGE WROUGHT IN THEM WHO RECEIVE HIM, to which their accepting Him is ascribed.

1. A new form of existence–a new birth; all things have become new.

2. This change is

(1) not by natural inheritance;

(2) nor by the operation of the natural will;

(3) nor the fruit of superior endowment or acquisition;

(4) but of God, by the office and operation of the Spirit. (A. Beith, D. D.)

Mans part in the advent

I. THE RECEPTION. A true reception of Christ for every man alike is of three parts.

1. Belief that He is what He says He is. For any messenger the first condition of acceptance is that He be found to be what He claims to be–much more the Saviour of mankind.

2. Sympathy. A plenipotentiary, an agent, a purely mental operator does not need this. But the moment you include a moral purpose, spiritual influence, there must be common feeling and assimilation. Interests must be felt to be identical. Loyalty must bind the subject to his king. Enthusiasm must mount at the leaders name. If Christs purpose was to fill human hearts with love, we cannot be His without loving Him.

3. Service: not compulsory, but that which love disdains to call service. In the hungry, sick, ignorant, etc., the Lord makes new advent to your heart every week; and Christ will not be received till everybody within our reach is made, somehow, better by our faith in Him.

II. THE BLESSING. Servants and creatures we were before, and, in a sense–but not the full and glorious sense–children of God. Now sons ofGod, a royal line, conquerors, sufferers rejoicing in the midst of temptation. Born now, their immortal seed remained in them.

III. THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN CHRISTS NAME WILL SEEK TO RECEIVE HIM.

1. By giving up the dearest preference that hurts the simplicity and humility of their faith.

2. In the New Testament, Christian instruction, prayer, doing Gods will; and counting faith, not doubt, the glory, and power, and joy of man.

3. In the communion of His body and blood. (Bishop Huntington.)

A new years guest

The text in connection with Mat 25:35. Suggested by the motto on a new years card.

I. A STRANGER TAKEN IN. House-room is a larger gift than refreshment at the dour. We must not be satisfied with benefactions to His representatives. Notice three strange things.

1. That He was in the world and the Maker of it, and yet a stranger.

(1) When born in the Bethlehem of His father David, there was no room for Him in the inn.

(2) Soon there was no room in the village itself, whence He had to flee into Egypt, a stranger in a strange land.

(3) On His return, there was no room among the mass of the people. Jew and Gentile proved how truly He was a stranger. All this a sadly singular thing; and yet we need not wonder, for how should a wicked and selfish world know Jesus or receive Him.

2. That we should be able to receive the Lord Jesus as a stranger. He has gone to glory, but we can yet receive Him.

(1) By owning Him when and where believers are few and despised.

(2) By showing brotherly kindness to a poor saint.

(3) By holding fast His faithful Word when its doctrines are in ill-repute.

(4) By taking up our cross where Christs precepts are disregarded, His day forgotten, and His worship neglected.

(5) By receiving the gift of spiritual life. Profession is abundant, but the secret life is rare.

3. That Christ will deign to dwell in our hearts. This is a miracle of grace, yet the manner is simple enough.

(1) A humble, repenting faith opens the door, and Jesus enters.

(2) Love shuts to the door with the hand of penitence, and holy watchfulness keeps out intruders.

(3) Meditation, prayer, praise, and obedience, keep the house in order.

(4) And then follows the consecration of our whole life as His people.

II. THE STRANGER MAKING STRANGERS INTO SONS. The moment Christ enters the heart, we are no more strangers and foreigners, but of the household of God.

1. He adopts us and puts us among the children.

2. The designation of sons brings with it a birth, with the actual condition of sons.

3. Living, loving, lasting union seals our sonship.

4. This union creates in us a likeness to God. A small window will let in the great sun; much more will Jesus let in the life, light, and love of God into our souls, making us like God.

III. HAVING RECEIVED JESUS AS A STRANGER, WE FEEL A TENDERNESS HENCEFORTH TOWARDS ALL STRANGERS; for we see in their condition some resemblance to our own. When Christ is in us, we search out opportunities of bringing prodigals, strangers, and outcasts to the great Fathers house. (C. H.Spurgeon.)

Receivers and sons

I. BELIEVING IS A RECEIVING OF CHRIST.

1. Under what notion should we receive Christ? As our Mediator. Isa 61:3-4).

(1) Our Prophet, receiving His doctrine as delivered by Himself Heb 1:2; Heb 2:2-3); by His prophets and apostles (Heb 1:1; Mat 10:40); by His ministers (2Co 5:19-20; Heb 4:11-12).

(2) Our Priest (Heb 7:23-26); and so we must believe

(a) His satisfaction for our sins (2Co 5:21; Heb 9:28; 1Jn 2:2), to the justice and law of God Gal 3:13);

(b) His intercession for our souls (Rom 8:34; Heb 9:11-12; Heb 9:24).

(3) Our King (Psa 110:1-2): so we must

(a) acknowledge His sovereignty (Mat 28:18);

(b) obey His laws (Luk 6:46; Joh 14:15);

(c) submit to His penalties (Col 3:24-25).

2. How should we receive Him?

(1) Penitently (Act 2:36).

(2) Willingly (Psa 110:3).

(3) Affectionately (Luk 14:26).

(4) Constantly (Rev 2:26).

(5) Only (Act 4:12).

II. BELIEVERS ARE THE SONS OF GOD.

1. In what sense? Not by generation, but regeneration (Joh 3:31).

(1) Man lost the favour of God (Rom 5:19).

(2) The Son undertakes his redemption

(a) by becoming man;

(b) by dying, whereby He purchases all believers to Himself, to be members of His body (1Co 6:20; Tit 2:14);

(c) and so from Himself the dead conveys His own spirit unto them Tit 3:5-6).

(3) The Spirit regenerates and makes them new creatures (2Co 5:17).

(4) Being new creatures, they are received into the favour of God Rom 8:15), and made His sons (Rom 8:14).

2. With what privileges?

(1) Privative. They are freed from the slavery of sin (Rom 6:14); from., slavish fears (Rom 8:15); from the curse of the law (Galatians In. 13).

(2) Positive.

(a) They have access to God (Gal 4:6).

(b) They are interested in Gods providence (Rom 8:28; 2Co 6:18).

(c) They rejoice in God (Php 4:4).

(d) God rejoices over them (Zep 3:17).

(e) Their glorious inheritance is assured (Col 1:12; Col 1:18).

(f) This inheritance is witnessed to them here (Rom 8:16-17), and sealed (Eph 4:30), whereof they now have the pledge (Eph 1:13-14).

3. How known?

(1) By prayer (Gal 4:6).

(2) Obedience (1Pe 1:14-15).

(3) Parity (2Jn 3:9).

(4) Conformity to the Divine image (Rom 8:29).

(5) Faith (Son 3:26).

USES.

1. See the honour of believers.

2. Live like the sons of God.

(1) By despising the world.

(2) By patiently enduring all chastisements (Heb 12:6-9.

(3) By longing to come to your inheritance in heaven (Psa 42:1-2). (Bishop Beveridge.)

Faith and its attendant privileges

I. FAITH MAKES THE GRANDEST OF DISTINCTIONS AMONG MEN. He came to His own, and His own received Him not–that is one company; but as many as received Him–that is another.

1. There are many distinctions among men–rich and poor, governors and governed, teachers and taught. But these will pass away. The grand distinction, which will out-last all time, is that of faith or the want of faith.

2. This distinguishing faith is

(1) A receptive faith; one which accepts Christ by confiding, trusting, and depending on Him.

(2) Faith in His name, as

(a) The Word: receiving His messages from the Father.

(b) The Life: receiving His vitality in spirit.

(c) The Light: seeing all things in the light of Christ..

3. This distinction is one which obliterates all others. If a chimney-sweep receives Christ, he is a child of God; so is an emperor–but not the one more than the other.

II. FAITH OBTAINS THE GRANDEST OF ALL ENDOWMENTS. Sons of God.

1. There is a distinction here between son and servant. The believer ceases to be a slave, and becomes a child; and yet he becomes a servant. Christ was first His Fathers Son, and then His servant; so we, being sons, have the joy of serving our Father.

2. We are also sons by likeness–miniatures, and sometimes caricatures, yet resemblances.

3. We are sons, in having the privilege of free access to our Father.

III. FAITH IS THE EVIDENCE OF THE GRANDEST EXPERIENCE. Every believer is a regenerate man. It is of no use to attempt to mend the old nature. A man brought his gun to be repaired. The gunsmith told him it wanted a new stock, lock, and barrel. That looked like making a new one. You must begin de novo. Baptism cannot regenerate; nor blood, the natural way of birth; nor mans carnal will, nor his best will; but God, who, as the Creator, newcreates the soul.

IV. FAITH RAISES THE BELIEVER TO THE NOBLEST CONCEIVABLE CONDITION. He is fitted to be a child of God.

1. Notice the inconceivable honour. All others pale before it.

2. The safety.

3. The happiness.

4. The duties. There is an old French proverb which says, nobility obliges. There is an obligation on nobles. If you are a son of God, you must act like one. (C. H. Spurgeon.)

Faith is receiving

It is the empty cup placed under the flowing stream; the penniless hand held out for the heavenly alms. (C. H. Spurgeon.)

Sonship more than adoption

The sonship is not effected in virtue of a mere act of adoption on the part of God. A child may be taken out of the family to which he originally belonged, and be planted in another; he may get a new name; he may be trained to forget that he had other birth; he may be made heir to great estates; he may be as dearly loved and as tenderly cared for as if he were own child to those who have adopted him: but the fact remains that he is really the child of another, and nature may prove too strong for the new bonds, and he may pine for his native home, and at length go back to it. The sons of God, however, are sons by birth, for such is the significance of the word here used, having not only a new name and position, but also a new life. It is not simply that they are called sons; they are sons, partakers of the Divine nature, with a filial relationship, and a filial resemblance to the eternal God. The sonship is already established in fact and in principle, though it awaits its full manifestation hereafter (1Jn 3:1-2). (J. Calross, D. D.)

Comfort for the dying

When Philip Melanchthon was dying, he said aloud and distinctly to his surrounding friends, I have those words of John concerning the Son of God, my Lord Jesus Christ, before me continually: The world received Him not; but as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name. (R. Besser, D. D.)

Receiving the light

Suppose you were in a dark room in the morning, the shutters closed and fastened, and only as much light coming through the chinks as made you aware it was day outside. And suppose you could say to a companion with you, Let us open the windows, and let in the light. What would you think if he replied, No, no; you must first put the darkness out, or the light will not enter? You would laugh at his absurdity. Just so we cannot put sin out of our hearts to prepare for Christs entering; we must open and take Him in, and sin will flee; fling the window open at once, and let Christ shine in. (J. Edmond, D. D.)

The honour of adoption

I have heard of some fine gentleman in London, dressed in all his best, walking out in the park. He had a poor old father who lived in the country, add who came up dressed in his rustic raiment to see his son. As the son was not at home when the father reached the house, he went into the park to find him. Now the fine gentleman did not absolutely disown his father, but he went out of the park at a pretty sharp trot, for fear anybody should say, Who is that country fellow you were talking with? He did not like to own his father, because he was a labourer. We could not thus wonder if the glorious Lord refused to own us. There is such a come-down from the loftiness of His holiness to the depth of our faultiness. But yet He has such love, such a manner of love, that He bestows upon as this honour, that we should be openly called the sons of God. (C. H. Spurgeon.)

The treasure unreceived

A nobleman once gave a celebrated actress a Bible, telling her at the same time that there was a treasure in it. She, thinking he meant religion, laid the Bible aside. She died, and all she had was sold. The person who bought the Bible, on turning over its leaves, found a 500 note in it. Poor creature! had she read the book, she might not only have found the note, but the pearl of great price. (Sunday School Chronicle.)

Christ must be received

There is dew in one flower and not in another, because one opens its cup and takes it in, while the other closes itself, and the drops run off. God rains His goodness and mercy as wide-spread as the dew, and if we lack them, it is because we will not open our hearts to receive them. (H. W. Beecher.)

Believing is receiving Christ

He comes to your door. He wants to get in. He knocks. He waits. Is not that wonderful? I was lately visiting that part of the country where our beloved Queen stays when she comes to Scotland. She visits among the poor. I saw some of the cottages to which she is in the habit of going. In the house of one of her servants I saw her own likeness, and the likenesses of several of her family–all gifts from themselves. You say, What kindness! what condescension! And so it is: But what would you think if I told you–what I am glad I cannot tell you, for it would not be true–that when they saw the Queen coming, they locked their doors and pretended to be out, and kept her standing knocking at the door, refusing to let her in, though she came to speak kindly to them and to do them good? You would say, Surely the people must not be in their right mind. And yet that is just what King Jesus does–Queen Vietorias King. He comes to your door to bless you, to save you. He says, Behold, I stand at the door and knock. Most people keep Him out, and will not have anything to do with Him. They say, Depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of Thy ways. Opening the door to Him, saying, Come in, Lord Jesus, come in–taking Him to our heart, and only fearing lest He should ever go away again–is believing. The believing heart is the heart that has let in Jesus, and in which he dwells Eph 3:17). (J. H. Wilson.)

Privileges of adoption

By adoption, God gives us

1. A new name (Num 6:27; Rev 3:12).

2. A new nature (2Pe 1:4). Whom God adopts He anoints; whom He makes sons, He makes saints.

3. A new inheritance (Rom 8:17). When the Danish missionaries in India were translating a catechism, with some of the convetted natives by their side, and when they came to a part where it was said of Christians that they were the sons of God, one of the natives, startled at so bold a saying, as he thought it, said, It is too much; let us rather translate it: They shall be permitted to kiss His feet.

Adoption and justification

Justification is the act of God as a Judge, adoption as a Father. By the former we are discharged from condemnation, and accepted as righteous; by the latter, we are made the children of God and joint-heirs with Christ. By the one, we are taken into Gods favour; by the other, into His family. Adoption may be looked upon as an appendage to justification, for it is by our being justified that we come to a right to all the honours and privileges of adoption. (Dr. Guyse.)

Which were born

Three great negations

The children of God are born

I. NOT OF BLOOD. Grace does not run on the lines of nature. Many beautiful and graceful things do come by gentle and noble blood, but not this. It needs a very narrow field of observation to convince us that no parent, however pious, can command the conversion of his children. Else why should there be in this world that bitterest spectacle of a pious parents heart being broken by a wicked child!

II. NOT OF THE WILL OF THE FLESH. The expression relates to any desire which, ruling in a mans mind, might be supposed to lead him to some act whereby he should become a child of God, and the idea is utterly repelled. Every one who is a subject of the grace of God is so first passively, that afterwards he may be so actively. He is first acted upon by a will and power without him, and then he acts out that will and manifests that power.

III. Not of the will of man. Observe the steps. Not of parents, not of self, nor of any creature whatsoever. One man, indeed, may will the conversion of another; and if he clothe that will with prayer, if he offer that will with faith, and if he does all in his power to forward that will, God may give him that mans soul. But God never promises He will do this. A soul passes into the family of God and becomes an heir in the register of sons when he receives Christ, and only then. (J. Vaughan, M. A.)

The three negations illustrated

When it pleased God to bring Abraham and his family into covenant with Him, that family consisted of three classes of persons; first of all, there were his own children; secondly, there were those who were born of his men-servants and maid-servants; thirdly, there were those slaves, whom he purchased and adopted. All these three classes were admitted into covenant with God, by reason of their relation to Abraham. Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all that were born in his house, and all that were bought with his money, and circumcised them Gen 17:23). Of these classes, Ishmael was born of blood, as being his own flesh and blood, as we say; those born of the flesh were the other children born in his house, not his own; and those born of the will of man were those who, having no right to his protection, being yet bought of his free will, acquired a right by purchase and adoption. To these three classes were the benefits of the first covenant confined. The truth, which St. John here announces, is that to all who received the message of the Lord Jesus, all who believed on His Name and submitted to His ordinances, to all those He gave the same power, even to become sons of God Gen 3:16-17; Rom 5:13). (G. Cornish.)

The being born of blood and of God considered

I. In their ANTAGONISM.

II. In their essential DISTINCTION.

III. In their congenial CONNECTION.

IV. In the MEDIATOR OF THEIR UNION. (Lange.)

The new, celestial, divine birth constitutes the true nobility of grace as contrasted with

I. The aristocracy of BIRTH.

II. The aristocracy of MONEY.

III. The aristocracy of MERIT.

IV. The aristocracy of FAME. (P. Schaff, D. D.)

Not of blood

The blood through which the chyle is distributed to the different parts of the body is the seat of life, hence the connection between child and parents is called blood relationship; and in classic usage also we have the expression to spring from the blood–that is, from the seed of any one (Act 17:26). (Tholuck.)

Not of the will of man

According to the teaching of some men, how is it? I am a minister of God–I am a man–as a man I may will to take a child and baptize it, and I may will to baptize it by a certain hour of the clock; and just as I am going to baptize it, I may will to put it off till to.morrow; and when to-morrow comes, I may will that I will not baptize that child at all–for if baptized, the child may die. And so, according to the caprice of my will, the child is baptized at this hour, or at that, to-day, or to-morrow, or it is not baptized at all; and therefore, following the caprice of my will, and just according to my will, the child is inevit ably a child of God at this time of the clock, or at that time of the clock–today, or to-morrow, or the next day, or never at all. What, I ask, is this but to be born of the will of man? (J. Vaughan, M. A.)

The simultaneity of faith and regeneration

We must be careful that we do not interpet the words which were born as if the new birth was a change which takes place in a man after he has believed in Christ, and is the next step after faith. Saving faith and regeneration are inseparable. The moment that a man really believes in Christ, however feebly, he is born of God. The weakness of his faith may make him unconscious of the change, just as a new-born infant knows little or nothing about itself. Bat where there is faith there is always new birth, and where there is no faith there is no regeneration. (Bishop Ryle.)

The spirituality of religion

This verse is most emphatically in the style of John. Never can he lose sight of the perfect spirituality of Jesus Christs work. John shows the very religiousness of religion. Christianity is to him more than a history, more than an argument, more than a theology–it is a spiritual revelation to the spiritual nature of man. On the part of man it is to be not an attitude, but a life–the very mystery of his spirit, too subtle for analysis, too strong for repression, too divine to be tolerant of corruption. (J. Parker, D. D.)

The higher generation

The result of receiving Him remains to be explained. How could they become sons of God? The word which has been used (Joh 1:12) excludes the idea of adoption, and asserts the natural relation of child to father. The nation claimed this through its descent from Abraham. But they are Abrahams children who are of Abrahams faith. There is a higher generation, which is spiritual, while they thought only of the lower, which is physical. The condition is the submissive receptivity of the human spirit. The origin of life is not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (H. W. Watkins, D. D.)

Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell

Verse 12. Gave he power] , Privilege, honour, dignity, or right. He who is made a child of God enjoys the greatest privilege which the Divine Being can confer on this side eternity. Those who accept Jesus Christ, as he is offered to them in the Gospel, have, through his blood, a right to this sonship; for by that sacrifice this blessing was purchased; and the fullest promises of God confirm it to all who believe. And those who are engrafted in the heavenly family have the highest honour and dignity to which it is possible for a human soul to arrive. What an astonishing thought is this! The sinner, who was an heir to all God’s curses, has, through the sacrifice of Jesus, a claim on the mercy of the Most High, and a right to be saved! Even justice itself, on the ground of its holy and eternal nature, gives salvation to the vilest who take refuge in this atonement; for justice has nothing to grant, or Heaven to give, which the blood of the Son of God has not merited.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

But as many as received him; though the generality of those amongst whom Christ came received him not in the manner before expressed, yet some did own him, believed in him and submitted to him; and to as many as thus received him, not into their houses only, but into their hearts,

to them gave he power to become the sons of God; he gave a power, or a right, or privilege, not that they might if they would be, but to be actually, to become, or be, the sons of God by adoption; for believers are already the sons of God, Gal 3:26, though it doth not yet appear what they shall be in the adoption, mentioned Rom 8:23, which the apostle calls the redemption of our body, viz. in the resurrection; hence the children of God are called the children of the resurrection, Luk 20:36.

To them that believe on his name; this is the privilege of all that believe in the name of Christ; by which term he opens the former term of receiving: to receive Christ, and to believe in his name, are the same thing. To believe in his name, is either to believe in him, Act 3:16 or in the revelation of himself in the promises of the gospel. The proposition of Gods word is the object of faith of assent: but the person of the Mediator is the object of that faith which receiveth Christ; and those alone have a right to be the sons of God, and to the privileges peculiar to sons, who believe in Christ as revealed in the promises of the word of God, and there exhibited to men.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

12. But as manyindividuals,of the “disobedient and gainsaying people.”

gave he powerThe wordsignifies both authority and ability, and both arecertainly meant here.

to becomeMark thesewords: Jesus is the Son of God; He is never said to have become such.

the sonsor moresimply, “sons of God,” in name and in nature.

believe on his nameaphrase never used in Scripture of any mere creature, to expressthe credit given to human testimony, even of prophets or apostles,inasmuch it carries with it the idea of trust proper onlytowards GOD. In this senseof supreme faith, as due to Him who “gives those thatbelieve in Himself power to become sons of God,” it ismanifestly used here.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

But as many as received him,…. This is explained, in the latter part of the text, by believing in his name; for faith is a receiving him as the word, and Son of God, as the Messiah, Saviour, and Redeemer; a receiving grace out of his fulness, and every blessing from him, as a justifying righteousness, pardon of sin, and an inheritance among them that are sanctified; for though the generality rejected him, there were some few that received him:

to them gave he power to become the sons of God; as such were very early called, in distinction from the children of men, or of the world; see Ge 6:2. To be the sons of God is a very special favour, a great blessing, and high honour: saints indeed are not in so high a sense the sons of God as Christ is; nor in so low a sense as angels and men in common are; nor in such sense as civil magistrates; nor merely by profession of religion; much less by natural descent; but by adopting grace: and in this, Christ, the word, has a concern, as all the three divine persons have. The Father predestinated men to the adoption of children, secures this blessing for them in the covenant of his grace, and puts them among the children, and assigns them a goodly heritage: the Spirit, and who is therefore called the spirit of adoption, discovers and applies this blessing to them, and witnesses to their spirits that they are the children of God: and Christ, the word, or Son of God, not only espoused their persons, and in time assumed their nature, and by the redemption of them opened a way for their reception of the adoption of children; but actually bestows upon them the “power”, as it is here called, of becoming the sons of God: by which is meant, not a power of free will to make themselves the sons of God, if they will make use of it; but it signifies the honour and dignity conferred on such persons: so Nonnus calls it, “the heavenly honour”; as indeed, what can be a greater? It is more honourable than to be a son or daughter of the greatest potentate on earth: and it is expressive of its being a privilege; for so it is an undeserved and distinguishing one, and is attended with many other privileges; for such are of God’s household and family, and are provided for by him; have liberty of access unto him; are Christ’s free men, and are heirs to an incorruptible inheritance. This is a privilege that excels all others, even justification and remission of sins; and is an everlasting one: and it also intends the open right which believers have unto this privilege, and their claim of it: hence it follows,

even to them that believe in his name; that is, in himself, in Christ, the word: the phrase is explanative of the former part of the verse, and is a descriptive and manifestative character of the sons of God; for though the elect of God, by virtue of electing grace, and the covenant of grace, are the children of God before faith; and were so considered in the gift of them to Christ, and when he came into the world to gather them together, and save them; and so, antecedent to the Spirit of God, being sent down into their hearts, to make this known to them; yet no man can know his adoption, nor enjoy the comfort of it, or claim his interest in it, until he believes.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

As many as received him ( ). Effective aorist active indicative of “as many as did receive him,” in contrast with just before, exceptional action on the part of the disciples and other believers.

To them (). Dative case explanatory of the relative clause preceding, an anacoluthon common in John 27 times as against 21 in the Synoptists. This is a common Aramaic idiom and is urged by Burney (Aramaic Origin, etc., p. 64) for his theory of an Aramaic original of the Fourth Gospel.

The right (). In 5:27 (first aorist active indicative of ) means authority but includes power (). Here it is more the notion of privilege or right.

To become (). Second aorist middle of , to become what they were not before.

Children of God ( ). In the full spiritual sense, not as mere offspring of God true of all men (Ac 17:28). Paul’s phrase (Gal 3:26) for believers, used also by Jesus of the pure in heart (Mt 5:9), does not occur in John’s Gospel (but in Re 21:7). It is possible that John prefers for the spiritual children of God whether Jew or Gentile (Joh 11:52) because of the community of nature ( from root –, to beget). But one cannot follow Westcott in insisting on “adoption” as Paul’s reason for the use of since Jesus uses in Mt 5:9. Clearly the idea of regeneration is involved here as in Joh 3:3.

Even to them that believe ( ). No “even” in the Greek, merely explanatory apposition with , dative case of the articular present active participle of .

On his name ( ). Bernard notes 35 times in John, to put trust in or on. See also John 2:23; John 3:38 for . This common use of for the person is an Aramaism, but it occurs also in the vernacular papyri and is particularly common in the payment of debts (Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary). See Ac 1:15 for for persons.

Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament

1) “But as many as received him,” (hosoi de elabon auton) “Yet as many as received him,” or took him, the Son of God, as the Savior of the world who was to come. To receive Him, Jesus Christ, is identical with “believing on His name,” or “calling on the name of the Lord,” Rom 10:9-10; Rom 10:13.

2) “To them gave he power,” (edoken autois eksousian) “He gave (doled out) to them the right, privilege, or prerogative; This power of privilege exists in the gift of “faith” that God offers to every convicted sinner, by which he may become a child of God, or be saved, through his willing, volitional acceptance of that Divinely offered gift of faith, and placing it in Jesus Christ, Eph 2:8-9.

3) “To become the sons of God,” (tekna theou genesthai) “To come to be children of God,” to become, come to be something that they had not been before –children of the Highest One, the trinitarian God. In salvation, God takes the initiative and works creatively, in convicting the sinner by the wooing of the Holy Spirit, opening his understanding by the spirit and the Word, to bring to bear a sense of guilt upon the sinner, and offers him the gift of faith. When placed, by the sinner’s choice and volition in Jesus Christ, that faith becomes belief to salvation, for every believer, 1Jn 5:1; Joh 3:16; Joh 3:18.

4) “Even to them that believe on his name:- (tois pisteuousin eis to onoma autou) “To those who believe in his name,” or trust in His authority, or His power to save. Those bearing the image of God (but children of the devil), may become children of God, “by faith in Christ Jesus,” not by faith in Moses, the law, the church, baptism, or reformation, Gal 3:26; Rom 1:16; 2Pe 1:4-5.

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

12. But to as many as received him. That none may be retarded by this stumbling-block, that the Jews despised and rejected Christ, the Evangelist exalts above heaven the godly who believe in him; for he says that by faith they obtain this glory of being reckoned the sons of God. The universal term, as many, contains an implied contrast; for the Jews were carried away by a blind vaunting, (19) as if they exclusively had God bound to themselves. The Evangelist declares that their condition is changed, because the Jews have been rejected, and their place, which had been left empty, is occupied by the Jews; for it is as if he transferred the right of adoption to strangers. This is what Paul says, that the destruction of one nation was the life of the whole world, (Rom 11:12😉 for the Gospel, which might be said to have been banished from them, began to be spread far and wide throughout the whole world. They were thus deprived of the privilege which they enjoyed above others. But their impiety was no obstruction to Christ; for he erected elsewhere the throne of his kingdom, and called indiscriminately to the hope of salvation all nations which formerly appeared to have been rejected by God.

He gave them power. The word ἐξουσία here appears to me to mean a right, or claim; and it would be better to translate it so, in order to refute the false opinions of the Papists; for they wickedly pervert this passage by understanding it to mean, that nothing more than a choice is allowed to us, if we think fit to avail ourselves of this privilege. In this way they extract free-will from this phrase; but as well might they extract fire from water. There is some plausibility in this at first sight; for the Evangelist does not say that Christ makes them sons of God, but that he gives them power to become such. Hence they infer that it is this grace only that is offered to us, and that the liberty to enjoy or to reject it is placed at our disposal. But this frivolous attempt to catch at a single word is set aside by what immediately follows; for the Evangelist adds, that they become the sons of God, not by the will which belongs to the flesh, but when they are born of God. But if faith regenerates us, so that we are the sons of God, and if God breathes faith into us from heaven, it plainly appears that not by possibility only, but actually — as we say — is the grace of adoption offered to us by Christ. And, indeed, the Greek word, ἐξουσία is sometimes put for ἀξίωσις, (a claim,) a meaning which falls in admirably with this passage.

The circumlocution which the Evangelist has employed tends more to magnify the excellence of grace, than if he had said in a single word, that all who believe in Christ are made by him sons of God. For he speaks here of the unclean and profane, who, having been condemned to perpetual ignominy, lay in the darkness of death. Christ exhibited an astonishing instance of his grace in conferring this honor on such persons, so that they began, all at once, to be sons of God; and the greatness of this privilege is justly extolled by the Evangelist, as also by Paul, when he ascribes it to

God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love with which he loved us, (Eph 2:4.)

But if any person shall prefer to take the word power in its ordinary acceptation, still the Evangelist does not mean by it any intermediate faculty, or one which does not include the full and complete effect; but, on the contrary, means that Christ gave to the unclean and the uncircumcised what appeared to be impossible; for an incredible change took place when out of stones Christ raised up children to God, (Mat 3:9.) The power, therefore, is that fitness ( ἱκανότης) which Paul mentions, when he

gives thanks to God, who hath made us fit (or meet) to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints, (Col 1:12.)

Who believe in his name. He expresses briefly the manner of receiving Christ, that is, believing in him. Having been engrafted into Christ by faith, we obtain the right of adoption, so as to be the sons of God. And, indeed, as he is the only-begotten Son of God, it is only so far as we are members of him that this honor at all belongs to us. Here again the notion of the Papists about the word power is refuted. (20) The Evangelist declares that this power is given to those who already believe. Now it is certain that such persons are in reality the sons of God. They detract too much from the value of faith who say that, by believing, a man obtains nothing more than that he may become a son of God, if he chooses; for instead of present effect they put a power which is held in uncertainty and suspense.

The contradiction appears still more glaring from what immediately follows. The Evangelist says that those who believe are already born of God It is not therefore, a mere liberty of choice that is offered, since they obtain the privilege itself that is in question. Although the Hebrew word, שם ( Name) is sometimes used to denote power, yet here it denotes a relation to the doctrine of the Gospel; for when Christ is preached to us, then it is that we believe in him. I speak of the ordinary method by which the Lord leads us to faith; and this ought to be carefully observed, for there are many who foolishly contrive for themselves a confused faith, without any understanding of doctrine, as nothing is more common among the Papists than the word believe, though there is not among them any knowledge of Christ from hearing the Gospel. Christ, therefore, offers himself to us by the Gospel, and we receive him by faith.

13. Who were born not of blood (21) Some think that an indirect reference is here made to the preposterous confidence of the Jews, and I willingly adopt that opinion. They had continually in their mouth the nobleness of their lineage, as if, because they were descended from a holy stock, they were naturally holy. And justly might they have gloried in their descent from Abraham, if they had been lawful sons, and not bastards; but the glowing of faith ascribes nothing whatever to carnal generation, but acknowledges its obligation to the grace of God alone for all that is good. John, therefore, says, that those among the formerly unclean Gentiles who believe in Christ are not born the sons of God from the womb, but are renewed by God, that they may begin to be his sons. The reason why he uses the word blood in the plural number appears to have been, that he might express more fully a long succession of lineage; for this was a part of the boasting among the Jews, that they could trace their descent, by an uninterrupted line, upwards to the patriarchs.

The will of the flesh and the will of man appear to me to mean the same thing; for I see no reason why flesh should be supposed to signify woman, as Augustine and many others explain it. On the contrary, the Evangelist repeats the same thing in a variety of words, in order to explain it more fully, and impress it more deeply on the minds of men. Though he refers directly to the Jews, who gloried in the flesh, yet from this passage a general doctrine may be obtained: that our being reckoned the sons of God does not belong to our nature, and does not proceed from us, but because God begat us willingly, (Jas 1:18,) that is, from undeserved love. Hence it follows, first, that faith does not proceed from ourselves, but is the fruit of spiritual regeneration; for the Evangelist affirms that no man can believe, unless he be begotten of God; and therefore faith is a heavenly gift. It follows, secondly, that faith is not bare or cold knowledge, since no man can believe who has not been renewed by the Spirit of God.

It may be thought that the Evangelist reverses the natural order by making regeneration to precede faith, whereas, on the contrary, it is an effect of faith, and therefore ought to be placed later. I reply, that both statements perfectly agree; because by faith we receive the incorruptible seed, (1Pe 1:23,) by which we are born again to a new and divine life. And yet faith itself is a work of the Holy Spirit, who dwells in none but the children of God. So then, in various respects, faith is a part of our regeneration, and an entrance into the kingdom of God, that he may reckon us among his children. The illumination of our minds by the Holy Spirit belongs to our renewal, and thus faith flows from regeneration as from its source; but since it is by the same faith that we receive Christ, who sanctifies us by his Spirit, on that account it is said to be the beginning of our adoption.

Another solution, still more plain and easy, may be offered; for when the Lord breathes faith into us, he regenerates us by some method that is hidden and unknown to us; but after we have received faith, we perceive, by a lively feeling of conscience, not only the grace of adoption, but also newness of life and the other gifts of the Holy Spirit. For since faith, as we have said, receives Christ, it puts us in possession, so to speak, of all his blessings. Thus so far as respects our sense, it is only after having believed — that we begin to be the sons of God. But if the inheritance of eternal life is the fruit of adoption, we see how the Evangelist ascribes the whole of our salvation to the grace of Christ alone; and, indeed, how closely soever men examine themselves, they will find nothing that is worthy of the children of God, except what Christ has bestowed on them.

(19) “ D’une vanterie aveuglee; c est a dire, n’entendans pas ce qu’ils disoyent;” — “by a blind vaunting; that is, not understanding what they said.”

(20) “ Et par ceci derechef est refutee l’imagination des Papistes de laquelle j’ai parle, a scavoir que Dieu donne aux hommes une possibilite, seulement d’estre faits enfans siens;” — “and here again is refuted the notion of the Papists which I spoke of, namely, that God gives to men bare possibility of becoming His children”

(21) Here our Author, either from choice or from inadvertency, has adopted the phrase of blood, instead of What he followed in his version of the Text, (see page 35,) of bloods — the literal, though not idiomatic, rendering of ἐξ αἱμάτων, which is itself of rare occurrence, but not without classical authority. — Ed

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

THE WORD MANIFESTED TO OTHERS AND THEIR ACCEPTANCE OF HIM

Text 1:12-18

But as many as received him, to them gave he the right to become children of God, even to them that believe on his name:

Who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth.

John beareth witness of him, and crieth, saying, This was he of whom I said, He that cometh after me is become before me.

For of his fulness we all received, and grace for grace.

For the law was. given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

Queries

What is meant by:

(1)

born not of blood?

(2)

nor of the will of the flesh?

(3)

nor of the will of man?

Why is there emphasis upon grace and truth in these verses?

Has any man ever seen God (cf. Exo. 33:17-23)?

Paraphrase

But as many as received the Light and trusted in His name and obeyed His commandments. He gave them the privilege and authority to become children of God; that is, those who have been born of God by spiritual rebirth and not physical birth. Physical lineageblood descent, whether of the baser desire of the flesh or the nobler purposes of mancannot inherit the Kingdom of God. And the Logos-Light took the form of a physical body and dwelt temporarily amongst us (and we saw with our own eyes His glory which is the same glory as of the Only-Unique Being from the presence of the Father) full of favor, mercy and truth. John bears witness of Him and has cried aloud, saying, This is He of whom I said, the One coming on the scene later than I, really comes before me, for He outranked me from eternity. For from His abundance all, including John the Baptist, received; and all give gratitude in exchange for that grace. For the Law, which was not merciful, came through Moses; but mercy and truth through Jesus Christ. No man has seen God at any time, the Only-Unique God, the One residing in perfect intimacy with the Father, That One has interpreted the mercy and love of the Father for us.

Summary

Those who received the Light were given the privilege and shown the way to become children of God. The Light became flesh, temporarily, to show them the way to the Father. The ultimate of grace and truth came only through Him. Neither the Law of Moses nor John the Baptist could reveal the way. The Only Son who enjoyed perfect union with the Father must alone show the way.

Comment

In Joh. 1:12-13 John puts as many as received him in opposition to them that were his own who did not receive Him. To those who received Him, He gave the right to become children of God. To receive Him is to believe on His name. To believe on His name is to trust Him and obey Him. God offers us sonship of His own free lovewe can never merit sonship by our works. What God offers, however, man must appropriate if he is to enjoy. As in the parable of the Prodigal Son (Luk. 15:11-32), the prodigal merited disinheritance by his self-willed rebellionthe father gave him back his sonshipthe son had to come to himself and return to an obedient walk with his father to appropriate this sonship. Oh, what a joy it is to be sons of our Heavenly Father (1Jn. 3:1-3)!

Some would have Joh. 1:13 refer to the virgin birth of Christ, but the best contextual rendering would indicate that it refers to as many as received him. Joh. 1:13 is a climactic arrangement to show that it is utterly impossible for physical lineage to inherit the Kingdom of God. The Jews were sure that their descent from Abraham gave them sonship in the Messianic kingdom, but they were wrong (cf. Mat. 3:8-10; Joh. 8:31-44). For explanation of each phrase of Joh. 1:13 see the paraphrase of this section.

To become sons of God, we must be born of God. Without doubt, John is talking of the New Birth here. Jesus talks to Nicodemus of the same subject (Joh. 3:1-15). In essence, the New Birth is ours when we surrender our will to the will of Christ as revealed in the New Testament (read carefully 1Pe. 1:17-25 in this connection). We cannot be born anew, or from above until the Spirit of God abides in us. The New Testament is explicit as to how this is initially accomplished. Jesus said, If a man love me, he will keep my word: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him (Joh. 14:23). The Word of Christ which offered the life-giving Spirit was preached by Peter and the other apostles on that great day of Pentecost (Act. 2:1-47). Some 3000 people were convicted of their sins and believed the testimony concerning a risen Lord. Having been convinced of their sin in rejecting Gods Son, they cried out for forgiveness. Peter then told them, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Act. 2:38; cf. also Tit. 3:4-7). We shall deal more fully with the New Birth in the notes on Joh. 3:1-5. Suffice it to say here, the new-born babe in Christ is to be continually led by the Spirit else he forfeits his sonship (cf. 2Co. 5:17; Rom. 8:1-17). The new creature must either grow, or wither and die (cf. 1Co. 3:1-23; 1Co. 1:1-31; 1Co. 2:1-16; 1Co. 3:1-23; Heb. 5:11-14).

The next verse (14) might be considered the greatest single verse in the whole New Testament. In the grammatical construction of the Greek language here John makes a point of saying the Word became flesh, Since he does not use an article with sarx (flesh), this sentence cannot be translated flesh became the Word. Many modern cults would have us believe that our Lord began from a human birth, like all mankind, and rather evolved into someone divine. This verse also refutes the Docetists (ancient and modern) who theorize that Jesus was only a phantom. His human body was not a real body, they say He could not really feel hunger, weariness, sorrow and pain. He was rather a ghostly apparition, and not flesh. They are loathe to apply the word flesh, with its connotations of weakness and frailty, to God.

It is even a weakness of many Christians today to emphasize so strongly the deity of Jesus that they tend to forget that Jesus Christ was fully a man as well. What a glorious meaning this has for usthe Word became flesh. Since we are flesh and blood, and enslaved by the fear of death, Jesus shared with us this nature in order that He might relieve us of this terrible fear which chains all humanity. He conquered Satan and took away his power of death! Furthermore, Jesus shared in our fleshly nature, without sin, that He might become our Eternal High Priest. We have a High Priest interceding before God on our behalf Who has been touched with the feeling of our infirmities . . . tempted in all points like as we are . . . (cf. Heb. 2:14-15; Heb. 4:14-16), Manifold are the blessings we partake of through the incarnation. We see Gods power demonstratedto forgive sins (Mar. 2:9-12), over death (Joh. 11:43-44), over disease (Luk. 17:11-19), over the elements (Mat. 14:22-33).

This Word became flesh and dwelt among us. The word dwelt is translated from skenao which means literally tabernacled or tented, John goes on to say parenthetically that we (the disciples) beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father . . . This phrase would be full of meaning to Israelites. When the glory of God dwelt with Israel, He dwelt in their tabernacle and in their temple in the Holy of Holies (Exo. 40:34; 1Ki. 8:11). The glory of God means simply the presence of God. Gods presence was among men in bodily formhe ate, drank, conversed, slept, prayed with them. These twelve men, in particular, saw and handled the Word of life for approximately three years (cf. 1Jn. 1:1-4). What the Shechinah had been in the tabernacle (the dwelling of God in the midst of Gods people), the Word was then in human fleshand the Holy Spirit is now in the Word written on the hearts of men and women (2Co. 3:2-3; Heb. 8:10). Jesus says that His disciples are given this glorythis presence of God (Joh. 17:22-23).

There seems to be a reference in we beheld his glory, etc., to the transfiguration of Christ. John was one of the three privileged to be an eyewitness to this glorious event (cf. 1Jn. 1:1-4; 2Pe. 1:16-18). This glory which the disciples beheld (throughout the earthly ministry of JesusJoh. 2:11; Joh. 5:41; Joh. 11:4) was so awesome and magnificent that it could be nothing less than divine glory. Glory that an ONLY UNIQUE (monogenes) SON has from His divine Father. (See Special Study on He Gave The Only Son He Had, pp. 125.)

Endless application could be made concerning Joh. 1:14. But we shall never drink of its sweet nectar to the full until we know as we are known. It can be accounted for on no less than divine inspiration that John could express this great profoundity in such terse and simple wordsa mystery on which the greatest philosophers have spent lifetimesthe Word became flesh and dwelt among us!

Joh. 1:15 is a quotation from John the Baptist. It has already been pointed out in Joh. 1:8 that John the Baptist was not the Light. It was necessary for the Gospel writer to make sure that the Voice not be mistaken for the Light. Time and time again John the Baptist cried aloud that he was not the Christ; he pointed to the Nazarene, Who began His ministry after John. He emphatically stated that Jesus of Nazareth outranked him because Jesus was the Lamb of God, the promised Messiah, the One Who was eternal. John preached that he was merely a way-preparer, and that his ministry would give way to that of the Christ.

The phrase in Joh. 1:16 seems to be partly explanatory on behalf of the quotation from the Baptist. It is strange that John the Evangelist would interject a quotation in the middle of such a profound dissertation on the Incarnation. The author of this Gospel, however, wants to show that all, including the greatest born of women (John the Baptist) received of the fulness of the Son. Yea, even he who was more than a prophet needed grace from the Lamb of God. The word for fulness is pleroma and is the same word Paul uses in Col. 2:9. There Paul says that in Christ dwells all the fulness (pleroma) of the Godhead (Deity) in a bodily form . . . and in Him are all made full. In Christ dwells the ultimate of wisdom, power and love. His grace is inexhaustible. We have not because we ask not (cf. Joh. 15:7; Joh. 16:23-24).

The next phrase, and grace for grace, is one of varied interpretation. The most prevalent interpretation is grace upon grace, or abundance of grace. One writer puts it, like manna fresh each morningnew grace for the new day and new service. It can also mean grace in exchange for grace. The same Greek preposition anti (for) is used in Luk. 11:11 a serpent for a fish, and in Heb. 12:2 where Jesus in exchange for the joy set before Him endured the cross. Such an interpretation would not be contrary to the tenor of New Testament teaching. We give loving gratitude by our obedience in exchange for His loving favors. The New Testament does teach that we only love Him because He loved us first (cf. 1Jn. 4:19).

We ask ourselves now, what is the connection between the foregoing and Joh. 1:17? To some of his readers, Johns statement that the fulness of God was in the incarnate Word would disparage the Law of Moses. John explainsthe Law was given through Moses, and it was good and holy. Yet it was a law of condemnation. Its purpose was to bring men to a trust in God and not in themselves. The Law was given to demonstrate to men that they did not have the ability to be righteous enough to earn salvation (cf. Rom. 3:20; Gal. 3:10-11; Gal. 3:21). On the other hand, through Jesus Christ came grace and truth. Jesus brought the favor of God which man could not nor cannot earn; The Law said, Do all this and live, Man could not do it (Jas. 2:10); therefore, man merited the Laws penalty, death, eternal death. Jesus says, I give you life, eternal life; accept it by trusting and obeying My words. (See Joh. 6:63). We have in Christ grace, without which we stand condemned by the Law; we have in Christ truth, which is the reality of all the shadows cast by the Law of sacrifices and ceremonies.

The closing verse (18) to the Prologue is very well chosen. It is a resume of the entire Prologue. John simply declares that apart from Jesus, the incarnate Mind, no man has seen God (cf. 1Jn. 4:7-14). Not even the great lawgiver and prophet, Moses, has had immediate knowledge of God. No man can ever see God physically, for God is spirit. Moses merely saw the fading glory of God as God passed by him. Paul was blinded by that glory (Act. 9:1-43). But Christ has declared, revealed and interpreted God to us. John uses an interesting word in the Greek for declared. He uses exegesato, from which we get our English words exegesis and exegetical, meaning literally to lead out, or interpret. In other words, Christ, through His incarnation, has interpreted God for us. The Prologue is simply describing the interpretation which the Word gave concerning the unseen Father (cf. Joh. 14:8-9).

This One, who has declared the Father for us is continually in the bosom of the Father. To be in the bosom of someone is an ancient way of saying in perfect intimacy. It is used of husband and wife, father and son or two friends who are in the closest of communion with each other. There is perfect, continuing communion between the Father and the Son. He knows whereof he declares. Pro. 8:30 speaks of the close, intimate relationship between God and Wisdom: Then I was by him (during the creation) as a master workman; And I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him. Compare also the intimate contact between Jesus and the Father in Joh. 12:27-30.

Notice, in closing this great section, the awe-inspiring boldness with which John writes concerning things that are beyond human comprehension. Could we say that John claims inspiration for his account of the Gospel? Indeed we couldindeed we must!

Quiz

What must we do to receive the sonship which God gives us?

What is a simple definition of the New Birth?

Which heretical sect in the early church denied that God came in the flesh?

Give at least two things which the Incarnation means for us.

How does the presence of God dwell in the church today?

What is the connection of Joh. 1:17 with the rest of the Prologue?

How may we say from the Prologue that John claims inspiration for his Gospel?

We come now to the second main division of the Gospel of John. From Joh. 1:19 through the last verse of the twelfth chapter (Joh. 12:50), John the Evangelist shows how the Word was manifested in the flesh to His own and how they rejected Him. Jesus is still in the preparational phase of His ministry (cf. Map No. 1, p. 17). We shall outline the remainder of Chapter One in this manner:

The Word Manifested to the Jews and their rejection of Him. Joh. 1:19Joh. 12:50

Preparation, Joh. 1:19 to Joh. 2:12

Ministry of John the Baptist, Joh. 1:19-34

The Jews investigate Johns identity, Joh. 1:19-22

Johns answer, Joh. 1:23-28

The Baptists evidence for the Lamb of God, Joh. 1:29-34

Gathering of His first disciples, Joh. 1:35-51

Andrew, Peter and an unnamed disciple, Joh. 1:35-42

Philip and Nathanael, Joh. 1:43-51

Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

(12) Yet the light ever shineth, and the better things lie hidden.

As many as received him.The words are less wide and yet more wide than His own. The nation as such rejected Him; individuals in it accepted Him; but not individuals of that nation only. All who according to their light and means accept Him, receive from Him an authority and in Him a moral power, which constitutes them members of the true none to which He came, and the true children of God. They receive in acceptance the right which others lost in rejection. (Comp. Romans 9-11) The word rendered received is not quite the same as the word so rendered in Joh. 1:11. The latter is the welcome which may be expected as due from His own home. This is the reception given without a claim.

To them that believe on his name repeats the width of the condition, and at the same time explains what receiving Him means. It seems natural to understand the name of the only name which meets us in this context, that is, of the Logos or Word, the representation of the will, character, nature of God. (See on Joh. 1:18.) To believe on is one of St. Johns characteristic words of fuller meaning. To believe is to accept as true; devils believe and tremble (Jas. 2:19). To believe in is to trust in, confide in. To believe on, has the idea of motion to and rest upon: it is here the going forth of the soul upon, and its rest upon, the firm basis of the eternal love of the eternal Spirit revealed in the Word. (Comp. Pearson On the Creed, Art. 1, p. 16.)

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

12. But There were happy exceptions.

Power Not so much ability as right, prerogative.

Sons Rather, children. His name Which stands for all that his name comprehends. Our faith must embrace Christ in his fulness. And with how transcendent a fulness does the Evangelist’s description endow him! To receive him is faith in act. It is not, as Olshausen says, a mere susceptibility, but an activity; an appropriation of Christ by a free putting forth of the will.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

‘But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe on His name.’
But even in the world in its darkness there would be those who responded, and they would thereby receive the right to ‘become the children of God, by ‘believing on His Name’’ that is, by believing in Him for what He really is. John here makes a clear distinction between general humanity, who view themselves as ‘children of God’ in a general sense; the Jews, who saw themselves as God’s children in a special way (Deu 14:1), and believers in Jesus who become children of God in a unique sense through being born of the Spirit (Joh 1:14; Joh 3:6). And he stresses that it is the last only who are the true children of God. For this is the purpose for which the Word has come. He has come to bring men to God and to give them the life of the Spirit, and it is only through that, and through a loving response to His word, that they can be His children. For to be the children of God means being ‘perfect, even as He is perfect’ (Mat 5:48), something which can only be found by response to Jesus, by belief and trust in Him.
‘Those that believe on His name’. The verb is followed by eis signifying ‘believe into’. This phrase is used regularly by John denoting personal, responsive faith as apart from just credence (compare Joh 2:24 – although the difference is not always held).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

Joh 1:12 gave he power, &c. Gave he the privilege to become sons, &c. Doddridge, &c. See the 12th position in the argument. The word name is frequently used, as we have had occasion to observe, for the person or man who bears it; as likewise for that characteristic by which he is distinguished from all others. The verb , to believe, is, in the Greek classics, used with a dative case signifying the person, and with an accusative signifying the thing. Thus when joined to the word man, in the dative, it denotes to believe a man, or to rely upon him; but when joined with the word thing, in the accusative, it signifies to believe that it is true; but in the words to believe in his name, where the word believe is followed with a preposition governing the accusative, the passage has a sense different from the examples produced above, and signifies a religious belief in Christ; which is understood to include a confidence in him as the Saviour of mankind, and ours in particular.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

Joh 1:12 . The mass of the Jews rejected Him, but still not all of them. Hence, in this fuller description of the relation of the manifested Logos to the world, the refreshing light is now (it is otherwise in Joh 1:5 ) joyfully recognised and placed over against the shadow.
] He came , they received Him, did not reject Him. Comp. Joh 5:43 ; Soph. Phil . 667, .
The nominative is emphatic, and continues independent of the construction that follows. See on Mat 7:24 ; Mat 10:14 ; Mat 13:12 ; Mat 23:16 ; Act 7:40 .
] neither dignity , nor advantage (Erasmus, Beza, Flacius, Rosenmller, Semler, Kuinoel, Schott), nor even possibility (De Wette, Tholuck), nor capability (Hengstenberg, Brckner), fully comes up to the force of the word, [86] but He gave them full power (comp. Joh 5:27 , Joh 17:2 ). The rejection of the Logos when He came in person, excluded from the attainment of that sacred condition of fitness received through Him for entering into the relationship of children of God, they only who received Him in faith obtained through Him this warrant , this title ( , Plato, Defin . p. 415 B). It is, however, an arrangement in the gracious decree of God; neither a claim of right on man’s part, nor any internal ability (Lcke, who compares 1Jn 5:20 ; also Lange), a meaning which is not in the word itself, nor even in the connection, since the commencement of that filial relationship, which is the consummation of that highest theocratic , is conceived as a being born , Joh 1:13 , and therefore as passive (against B. Crusius).
] Christ alone is the Son of God, manifested as such from His birth , the . Believers, from their knowledge of God in Christ (Joh 17:3 ), become children of God, by being born of God (comp. Joh 3:3 ; 1Jn 3:9 ), i.e . through the moral transformation and renewal of their entire spiritual nature by the Holy Ghost; so that now the divine element of life rules in them, excludes all that is ungodly, and permanently determines the development of this moral fellowship of nature with God, onwards to its future glorious consummation (1Jn 3:2 ; Joh 17:24 ). See also 1Jn 3:9 and 1Pe 1:23 . It is thus that John represents the idea of filial relationship to God, for which he always uses from the point of view of a spiritual genesis ; [87] while Paul apprehends it from the legal side (as adoption, Rom 8:15 ; Gal 4:5 ), regarding the spiritual renewal connected therewith (regeneration), the (Rom 6:4 ), as a new creation (2Co 5:17 ; Gal 6:15 ), a moral resurrection (Rom 6 ), and the like; while the Synoptics (comp. also Rom 8:23 ) make the appear as first commencing with the kingdom of the Messiah (see on Mat 5:9 ; Mat 5:45 ; Luk 6:35 ), as conditioned, however, by the moral character. There is no difference as to the thing itself, only in the manner of apprehending its various sides and stages.
, . . .] quippe qui credunt , is conceived as assigning the reason ; for it is as believers that they have fulfilled the subjective condition of arriving at sonship, not only negatively, since they are no longer under the wrath of God and the condemnation of the law (Joh 3:36 ; Joh 3:16-17 , Joh 5:45 ), but also positively, inasmuch as they now possess a capacity and susceptibility for the operation of the Spirit (Joh 7:38-39 ). John does not say , but , for the faith, the entrance of which brought about the , is thenceforth their enduring habitus .
] not essentially different from , but characterizing it more fully; for the entire subject-matter of faith lies in the name of the person on whom we believe; the uttered name contains the whole confession of faith. Comp. Joh 2:23 , Joh 3:18 , 1Jn 3:23 ; 1Jn 5:13 . The name itself, moreover, is no other than that of the historically manifested Logos
Jesus Christ , as is self-evident to the consciousness of the reader. Comp. Joh 1:17 ; 1Jn 5:1 ; 1Jn 2:22 .
[86] Comp. Godet: “il les a mis en position .”
[87] Hilgenfeld, indeed, will have it that those spoken of are already regarded as originally (comp. Joh 3:6 , Joh 8:44 , Joh 11:52 ), and attempts to escape the dilemma into which brings him, by help of the interpretation: “the power by which the man who is born of God realizes this, and actually becomes what he is in himself according to his nature!” Thus we should have here the Gnostic semen arcanum electorum et spiritualium . See Hilgenfeld, Evangelien , p. 233. The reproach of tautology which he also brings against the ordinary explanation (in his Zeitschr . 1863, p. 110) is quite futile. The great conception of the , which appears here for the first time, was in John’s eye important enough to be accompanied by a more detailed elucidation. Generally, against the anthropological dualism discovered in John by Hilgenfeld (also by Scholten), see Weiss, Lehrbegr . p. 128 ff.; also Weizscker in the Jahrb. f. D. Th . 1862, p. 680 f.; and even Baur, neutest. Theol . p. 359 ff.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary

12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

Ver. 12. To them he gave power ] Or, privilege preferment, prerogative royal, heavenly honour, , as Nonnus here rendereth it, and fitly. For if sons, then heirs,Rom 8:17Rom 8:17 . Hence that Ecce admirantis, 1Jn 3:1 , and that “Who am I?” 2Sa 7:18 ; 2Sa 14:13-15 . Kings can make their firstborn only heirs, as Jehoshaphat, 2Ch 21:3 ; but here all are heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.
Even to them that believe in his name ] Though with never so weak a faith, such as may seem to be rather unbelief than faith, Mar 9:24 . The least bud draws sap from the root, as well as the greatest branch. The weakest hand may receive a ring. Credo languida fide, sed tamen fide, I believe by faint faith but yet by faith, said Dr Cruciger on his death bed. A weak faith is a joint possessor though no faith can he a joint purchaser of this precious privilege here specified. (Selneccer. paedag. Christ.)
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

12. ] The primarily refers to the among the Jews who have just been spoken of: but also, by implication, being opposed to both and , the in all the world.
= above as many as recognized Him as that which He was the Word of God and Light of men.
. . ] . is not merely capability = (Lcke), still less privilege or prerogative (Chrysost. and others), but power (De Wette); involving all the actions and states needful to their so becoming, and removing all the obstacles in their way (e.g. the wrath of God, and the guilt of sin).
. ] The spiritual life owes its beginning to a birth from above , ch. Joh 3:3-7 . And this birth is owing to the Holy Spirit of God; so that this is equivalent to saying, ‘As many as received Him, to them gave He His Holy Spirit.’ And we find that it was so: see Act 10:44 .
. is a more comprehensive expression than . ., which brings out rather our adoption , and hope of inheritance (Rom 8:14 ff.), whereas the other involves the whole generation and process of our life in the Spirit, as being from and of God, and consequently our likeness to God, walking in light as He is in light ( 1Jn 1:5-7 ) free from sin (ib. 1Jn 3:9 ; Joh 5:18 ) and death (ch. Joh 8:51 ).
. . . . ] . is His manifestation as that which He has given Himself out to be , i.e. as a Saviour from sin: see Mat 1:21 , .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament

Joh 1:12 . But not all rejected Him. . , as many as, as if they were a countable number (Holtzmann), or, rather, suggesting the individuality of exceptional action on the part of those who received Him. , to them (resuming by a common construction) He gave , not equivalent to , the inward capacity, nor just equivalent to saying that He made them sons of God, but He gave them title, warrant, or authorisation, carrying with it all needed powers. Cf. Joh 5:27 , Joh 10:18 , Joh 19:10 , Luk 9:1 , Mar 6:7 , where includes and implies . , to become children of God. Weiss ( Bibl. Theol. , 150) says.: “To those who accept Him by faith Christ has given not sonship itself, but the power to become sons of God; the last and highest realisation of this ideal, a realisation for the present fathomless, lies only in the future consummation”. Rather, with Stevens, “to believe and to be begotten of God are two inseparable aspects of the same event or process” ( Johan. Theol. , p. 251). John uses rather than the Pauline . ., because Paul’s view of sonship was governed by the Roman legal process of adopting a son who was not one’s own child: while John’s view is mystical and physical, the begetting of a child by the communication of the very life of God (1 John, passim ). This distinction underlies the characteristic use of by the one writer and by the other ( cf. Westcott, Epistles of St. John , p. 123). By the reception of Christ as the Incarnate Logos we are enabled to recognise God as our Father and to come into the closest possible relation to Him. Those who thus receive Him are further identified as , “those who believe (believers, present participle) in His name”. is the favourite construction with John, and emphasises the object on which the faith rests. Here that object is , the sum of all characteristic qualities which attach to the bearer of the name: “quippe qui credant esse eum id ipsum, quod nomen declarat” (Holtzmann). It is impossible to identify this “name” with the Logos, because Jesus never proclaimed Himself under this name. Other definite names, such as Son of God or Messiah, can here only be proleptic, and it is probably better to leave it indefinite, and understand it in a general sense of those who believed in the self-manifestation of Christ, and were characterised by that belief.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson

as many as: Joh 1:9 is collective; Joh 1:12 is individual.
received = accepted (from a giver). Not the same word as in Joh 1:11.
power = authority. App-172.
the sons = children. Greek. Plural of teknon. Not “sons”. In John the word huios = son, is mostly reserved for the Lord Himself. See note 2, p. 1511. In John teknon Occurs only here, Joh 8:39, and Joh 11:52. App-108. Paul uses both “children “and “sons, “of believers, but John uses the former only. See note 2 in the book comments for John.
believe = [are] believing. App-150. See note on Joh 1:7.
on. Greek. eis. App-104.
His name: i.e. Himself. See note on Psa 20:1.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

12.] The primarily refers to the among the Jews who have just been spoken of: but also, by implication, being opposed to both and , the in all the world.
= above-as many as recognized Him as that which He was-the Word of God and Light of men.
. .] . is not merely capability = (Lcke),-still less privilege or prerogative (Chrysost. and others),-but power (De Wette); involving all the actions and states needful to their so becoming, and removing all the obstacles in their way (e.g. the wrath of God, and the guilt of sin).
. ] The spiritual life owes its beginning to a birth from above, ch. Joh 3:3-7. And this birth is owing to the Holy Spirit of God; so that this is equivalent to saying, As many as received Him, to them gave He His Holy Spirit. And we find that it was so: see Act 10:44.
. is a more comprehensive expression than . ., which brings out rather our adoption, and hope of inheritance (Rom 8:14 ff.), whereas the other involves the whole generation and process of our life in the Spirit, as being from and of God, and consequently our likeness to God, walking in light as He is in light (1Jn 1:5-7)-free from sin (ib. 1Jn 3:9; Joh 5:18) and death (ch. Joh 8:51).
. . . .] . is His manifestation as that which He has given Himself out to be, i.e. as a Saviour from sin: see Mat 1:21, .
Fuente: The Greek Testament

Joh 1:12. , as many as) even [including also] such as previously had not been , His own.-) This verb differs from , Joh 1:5, and from , Joh 1:11. is applied to that which is close by: , that which is offered: , of my own accord. was the part of the Jews, whom the Truth was appertaining to [spectabat]; is the part also of the Gentiles, whom grace appertaineth to [spectat]. In Joh 1:12-13 mere external differences are taken away most effectually. Gal 3:26, etc., For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.-, He gave) This is the Glory of Christ, the Only-begotten Son. It belongs to the Divine authority to make Sons OF GOD: as it belongs to the Light, to make sons of light, ch. Joh 12:36, Believe in the Light, that ye may be the children of light.-, power) The power[17] does not precede the or filiation, as if they were two distinct things: but the filiation itself is this power, or, in other words, dignity. A great fact! Joh 8:36.[18]- – ,) sons OF GOD-to them that believe) Two weighty truths are set before us, of which the former is elucidated in Joh 1:13; the second in Joh 1:14, where the manifestation of the Word in the flesh is not so much recorded as it was accomplished, but rather as it was believed: which view the series of things down from Joh 1:6 proves.-, to become) whereas Jesus is the Son of God.-, the name) The name of the Only-begotten. For to this is to be referred Joh 1:14. The connection is inferred from the kindred term , children [sons].
[17] Potestas, legitimate power, authority; not mere , potentia, might.-E. and T.
[18] If the Son, therefore, shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. Comp. Gal 4:6.-E. and T.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament

Joh 1:12
Joh 1:12
But as many as received him, to them gave he the right to become children of God,-Those of Johns disciples who heard and believed in Jesus became sons of God. The Jews had been servants. Through faith in Jesus they became sons by which they could address God as Father. (Gal 4:5-6). All moved by faith in Jesus may become sons of God. [What is meant by receiving him, how much it includes, is to be found by reading the last clause of the verse, even to them that believe on his name. Nor is the many here to be confined to the Jews. John does not say all those from among them, but all those who in general. When Jesus is once rejected by unbelieving Israel, there is henceforth only humanity and in it individual believers or unbelievers. Observe that receiving him, that is, the believing on his name, did not make them the children of God. It only brought them into such a relationship to him that it was now their right or privilege to become children of God if they chose to exercise it. How they became children of God is to be learned elsewhere. (See Mar 16:15-16; Act 2:38; Act 8:26-40.]
even to them that believe on his name:-[That is, who believe in the character belonging to him manifested by his name, Jesus, the Christ, the Son of the living God. (Joh 20:31; also Joh 20:14; Joh 20:18).]
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary

received: Mat 10:40, Mat 18:5, Col 2:6
to them: Isa 56:5, Jer 3:19, Hos 1:10, Rom 8:14, 2Co 6:17, 2Co 6:18, Gal 3:26, Gal 4:6, 2Pe 1:4, 1Jo 3:1
power: or, the right, or privilege
even: Joh 2:23, Joh 3:18, Joh 20:31, Mat 12:21, Act 3:16, 1Jo 3:23, 1Jo 5:12
Reciprocal: Deu 14:1 – the children 2Sa 7:24 – art become Psa 87:5 – of Zion Isa 53:1 – Who Mat 13:38 – the good Mar 4:8 – fell Mar 16:16 – that believeth and Luk 8:8 – other Joh 3:15 – whosoever Joh 3:36 – that believeth on Joh 8:47 – General Joh 20:17 – your Father Act 16:31 – Believe Act 18:27 – believed Rom 5:11 – by whom Rom 9:16 – General Rom 10:10 – For with Gal 4:5 – that we Gal 4:31 – we Eph 1:5 – unto Eph 2:8 – that Eph 5:1 – as Phi 1:29 – not Col 2:12 – the faith 1Ti 1:15 – worthy 1Jo 5:13 – believe
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

2
As many as received him. There is a familiar saying, “All rules may have some exceptions.” In the preceding verse we learned that the disciples of John, as a group, rejected Christ. That was the “rule,” and the exception is indicated by the italicized words here. For instance, the apostles had all been baptized by John, and were prepared for the work of Christ as soon as He called upon them. (See the comments at Mat 9:9.) Hence the apostles, at least, were among “his own” who “received him.” Power is from EXOUSIA, and its first meaning is, “right or privilege.” Sons of God or children of God, is a term denoting family relations. While Jesus was on earth with_the apostles, the spiritual family of God had not been formed. But as soon as that was done (which was on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2), all of the faithful disciples of both John and Christ became “charter members” of the new family, and in that sense they became children of God.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
[He gave them power.] He empowered them; so Ecc 5:19; and Ecc 6:2. He gave them the privilege, the liberty, the dignity; of being called and becoming the sons of God. Israel was once the son and the first-born, Exo 4:22; but now the adoption of sons to God was open and free to all nations whatever.
Fuente: Lightfoot Commentary Gospels

Joh 1:12. But as many as received him, to them gave he right to become children of God, even to them that believe in his name. We have beheld the light shining in the darkness (Joh 1:10-11); the thought of this verse is, that the darkness overcame it not! As we have already seen (see note on Joh 1:11), the language again becomes altogether general. Whosoever ‘ received Him, to whatever period of time or nation they might belong, won the gift here spoken of. There is a perceptible difference between accepted (Joh 1:11 and received, as here used. Whilst the former lays emphasis on the will that consented (or refused) to receive, the latter brings before us the possession gained; so that the full meaning is, As many as by accepting Him received Him. The gift is not directly stated as sonship, perhaps because the full manifestation of this blessing belongs to the latter days alone (comp. on chaps, Joh 3:5, Joh 7:39; Rom 8:15), whereas the Evangelist would here include the time of incomplete revelation which came before the Incarnation. Then, as now, men accepted or refused Him; but for those who accepted was reserved some better thing (Heb 11:40) than had yet been clearly made known to man.We must not fail to note (for in these wonderful verses everything is significant) that there is special fitness in the expression children rather than sons of God; for, whereas sonship is often spoken of in connection with mere adoption, stress is here laid on an actual (though spiritual) paternity. The right or authority thus to become children of God is given by the Word to them that believe in His name. It is very important to discriminate between the different phrases which John uses in relation to belief or faith. On the one hand we have the simple expression to believe Him (as in chaps, Joh 8:31, Joh 5:38, etc.), usually denoting the acceptance of something said as true. On the other hand, we find very frequently in the New Testament, but especially in the writings of John, a remarkable combination of believe with a preposition literally meaning into, by which is denoted not merely an acceptance of words or professions, but such an acceptance of the Person trusted, such an approach of the heart towards Him, as leads to union with Him. This peculiarly Christian formula is by some rendered believe in, by others believe on. Both renderings are found in the Authorised Version. We have uniformly adopted the former, because it most clearly indicates the union towards which the faith tends.There are a few passages (see the marginal references) in which, as here, this phrase believe in is followed by the name. We have already-seen with what fulness of meaning John uses the word name. As in many passages of the Old Testament, the name expresses the sum of the qualities which mark the nature or character of a person (comp. Exo 34:5-6). It is hard to fix the precise distinction between believing in Him and believing in His name. Perhaps we may say that, in the former case, the believer trustfully yields himself up to the Person, in the latter, to the revelation of the Person. Those who in chap. Joh 2:23 are spoken of as believing in the name of Jesus, had not reached the personal union which believing in Jesus implies; but through their trustful acceptance of His revelation of Himself, the higher gift, the closer knowledge, might soon be gained. Here the name cannot but recall Joh 1:1 : the name Word expressed the nature of the Person (comp. Joh 1:6).
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament

That is, although multitudes reject him, yet some received and owned him for the true Messias; and those that did so, he advanced to the high dignity of adoption and sonship, giving them power, that is, right or privilege, to become the sons of God.
Here note, 1. The nature of justifying faith declared, As many as received him.
Now this receiving of Christ implies these three things,
1. The assent of the understanding to that divine testimony which the scripture gives of Christ.
2. The consent of the will to submit to this Jesus as Lord and King.
3. The affiance and trust of the heart in Christ alone for salvation; for faith is not a bare credence, but a divine affiance, and such an affiance in Christ, and reliance upon him, as is the parent and principle of obedience to him.
Note, 2. That it is the high and honourable privilege of all such as receive Christ by faith, to become the sons of God by adoption. This is a precious privilege, a free privilege, and honourable privilege, an abiding privilege, and calls for all possible returns of gratitiude and thankfulness, of love and service, of duty and obedience, of submission and self resignation.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament

Joh 1:12-13. But as many as received him As the true Messiah, and according to the various offices and characters which he sustains: learning of him, as a teacher, the infinitely important lessons of his grace; relying on him with penitent and believing hearts, as a mediator, that is, on his sacrifice and intercession, for acceptance with God; applying to him, in faith and prayer, as a Redeemer and Saviour, for the redemption and salvation which he has to bestow; as many as are subject to him as their King and Governor, and prepare to meet him as their Judge: to them Whether Jews or Gentiles; gave he power Or privilege, as implies; to become the sons of God To stand related to him, not merely as subjects to their king, or servants to their master, but as children to their father; being taken under his peculiar protection, direction, and care; being favoured with liberty of access to him, and intercourse with him, and constituted his heirs, and joint heirs with Christ of the heavenly inheritance: even to them that believe on his name With their hearts unto righteousness, or with a faith working by love. Nor are they constituted his children merely by adoption, but they are made such also and especially by regeneration, being born, not of blood Not by descent from Abraham; nor by the will of the flesh By natural generation, or by the power of corrupt nature; nor by the will of man Circumcising or baptizing them; but of God By his Spirit creating them anew.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Third Section: Faith, 1:12-18.
[See also the “General Considerations on the Prologue” in the comments of Joh 1:18.]
The appearance of the Word, therefore, did not succeed in scattering the darkness of mankind and overcoming the resistance of Israel as a nation. Nevertheless, His mission could not fail. At the moment when the people which He had prepared for Himself turns away from Him, a family of believers, divinely begotten, appears and clusters about Him.
This is the contrast pointed out by Joh 1:12-13. Joh 1:14 a explains the regenerating power of this faith: it is that its object is nothing less than the absolutely unique fact of the incarnation of the Word. And the sequel proves that this fact, wonderful as it is, is nevertheless certain; certain, because He was beheld with rapture by eye-witnesses, to whose number the author belongs (Joh 1:14 b); certain, because He was pointed out by adivine herald, who had received the mission to proclaim Him (Joh 1:15); certain, because He is an object of experience for the whole Church, which through all the heavenly gifts which it receives from this unique man, called Jesus Christ, verifies in Him all the characteristics of the Divine Logos (Joh 1:16-18). This triple testimony of eye-witnesses, of the official witness, and of the Church itself is the immovable foundation of faith.
This third part of the Prologue, then, is indeed the demonstration of the certainty and the riches of faith. The majority of the commentators make this third part begin only at Joh 1:14, with the words: And the Word was made flesh. But this way of separating the sections has two serious difficulties: 1, Joh 1:12-13 become a dragging appendage to the preceding section into which they do not enter logically, since the dominant idea of that section is the unbelief which the Logos encountered here on earth; and 2, this third mention of the coming of the Word (comp. Joh 1:5; Joh 1:11), not having any introduction, has somewhat of an abrupt and accidental character. It is quite otherwise when Joh 1:12-13 are joined with the following section, which treats of faith. They form the antithesis to Joh 1:11 and thus the transition from the first to the second section of the Prologue. Thus the third and principal mention of the fact of the incarnation is occasioned by the expression of the idea of faith in Joh 1:12-13. Joh 1:12. But, to all those who received Him, to them He gave the power of becoming children of God, to those who believe on His name. , but, expresses not merely a gradation, but an opposition. This is confirmed by the antithesis of the verb , received, to , did not welcome (Joh 1:11); as well as by that of the subject (literally, as many as there are who), to , His own (Joh 1:11). This last term designated the nation as a body; the pronoun indicates only individuals. By its official representatives, the nation, as such, refused to welcome Jesus; from that moment faith took on the character of a purely individual and, so to speak, sporadic act. This is expressed by the pronoun , all those who. But the are not, therefore, only the few members of the Jewish people who did not share the national unbelief; they are all believers ( Joh 1:12 b), whether Jews or Greeks, whom John contemplates as united into one family of the children of God ( , we all, Joh 1:16). Reuss (Hist. de la theol . chret . t. ii., p. 475) thinks that if the term His own (Joh 1:11), designates the Jews, and not men in general, we must also conclude from this fact that the believing are only Jews.
But John does not say , all those from among them, but: all those who, in general. When the Messiah is once rejected by unbelieving Israel, there is henceforth only humanity, and in it individual believers or unbelievers. This substitution of individual faith for the collective and national welcome of the chosen people, which was wanting, is precisely that which occasions, in this verse, the use of the simple verb , received, instead of the compound , welcomed (Joh 1:11). The compound had in it something grave and solemn, which was suited to an official reception, such as the Israelitish authorities should have given in the name of the entire theocratic nation joyously introducing its divine King into His palace, the temple at Jerusalem; while the simple, which signifies to take, to seize in passing and, as it were, accidentally, is perfectly apposite to the notion of individual faith. In this verse, therefore, John substitutes, in the same manner as St. Paul does in all his epistles, the great idea of Christian individualism, with its universal and human character, for Jewish nationalism, with the narrow particularism in which it remained confined. By marking the contrast (, but) between the unbelief of the Israelite nation and the faith of individual believers, whoever they may be, Jews or heathen, the apostle would succeed in making the greatness of the blessings understood of which the rebellious people were deprived, although they had been called first of all to enjoy them. Through rejecting the Word, they were deprived of a participation in the life of God which He brought in Himself. In fact, this divine guest, the Logos, conferred on those who received Him two privileges worthy of Himself: first, a new position in relation to God, and then, by reason of this position, the power to participate in His divine life.
The word , authority, competency, denotes more than a simple possibility, and less than a power properly so called. What is meant is a new position, that of being reconciled, justified, which the believer gains through faith, and through this it is that he receives the power of asking for and receiving the Holy Spirit, by means of which he becomes a child of God. The expression (child of God), which is used by John, includes more than (son), which is used by Paul. The meaning of this latter word does not go beyond the idea ofadoption (), the right of sonship which is accorded to the believer, while the word (child), from (to beget), implies the real communication of the divine life. Comp. Gal 4:6 : Because ye are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts; a sentence which is equivalent to saying: Because you are sons ()by adoptionGod has made you children () by regeneration. This (because), of Paul, expresses precisely the relation of the idea contained in the word in John. How can Hilgenfeld venture, in the face of the word (become), to impute to John the dualistic system, according to which the children of God are such by nature, and before all faith in the historical Christ!
The idea of child of God, in the concrete sense in which it here appears, is foreign to the Old Testament. The words father and child, in the rare cases in which they are there employed (Psa 103:13; Isa 63:16; Jer 31:20; Hos 11:1), express only the sentiments of affection, tenderness, compassion. This observation is sufficient to set aside the opinion of the interpreters, who, like Lange, with the purpose of reserving the idea of the incarnation for Joh 1:14, refer these Joh 1:12-13 to the faithful ones of the Old Covenant. The expressions receive the Wordand become children of God are far too strong to be applied to the Israelitish saints and would be in flagrant contradiction to the declaration of Jesus (Mat 11:11-12); and to the reflections of John himself (Joh 1:17 and Joh 7:39).
The figurative, and consequently, somewhat vague, term receive, required to be explained, precisely defined; for the readers must know accurately the means by which they may place themselves among the number of the (all those who). Hence the appended phrase: …. (to those who believe on His name). To believe this is the means of the , the mode of this individual reception. Only, instead of connecting this explanation with the verb, they received, the author unites it with the persons of the (to those who). It is one of the peculiarities of John’s style, Luthardt observes, to define the moral condition by means of which an act is accomplished, by an explanatory appendix added to one of the words which depend on the principal verb. As a point of style, this is perhaps heavy; but as an expression of thought, it is forcible. See the same construction in Joh 3:13;Joh 5:18; Joh 7:50, etc. We have sought to give the force of this turn in the translation. The relation between these two acts, to receive and to believe, is a close one; the first is accomplished by the very fact of the second. But why, then, is an act of faith necessary for the reception of the Word? Because His divine character is hidden from sight by the veil of the flesh which envelops it. It can only be discerned, therefore, by a perception of a moral nature. Made attentive by the testimony, the man fixes his gaze upon Christ, and, discerning in Him the divine stamp of holiness, he surrenders himself personally to Him. This is faith.
The object of faith, as here indicated, is not the Logos; it is His name. The name, the normal name of the being, is the true expression of His essence, the perfect revelation of His peculiar character. This name is thus the means which other beings have of knowing Him, of forming their idea of His person. Hence it is that this idea is sometimes called the name, in a relative and secondary sense, as in the prayer: Hallowed be thy name. In our passage, John means: those who believe in the revelation which He has given of Himself, as Logos, who have discerned under the veil of the flesh the manifestation of that divine being, the only-begotten Son (Joh 1:14; Joh 1:18), and have, because of this perception, surrendered themselves to Him. After having thus explained the term received, the apostle develops in Joh 1:13 the idea of the expression children of God.
Fuente: Godet Commentary (Luke, John, Romans and 1 Corinthians)

Verse 12
To them gave he power to become the sons of God; made them the sons of God; that is, like God in the spirit and temper of their minds.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament

1:12 {6} But as many as received him, to them gave he {s} power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on his name:
(6) The Son being shut out by the majority of his people, and acknowledged but by a few, regenerates those few by his own strength and power, and receives them into that honour which is common to all the children of God, that is, to be the sons of God.
(s) He condescended to give them this power to take them to be his children.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes

The contrast with rejection is acceptance. Not everyone rejected Jesus when He came. Some accepted Him. [Note: See David J. MacLeod, "The Reaction of the World to the Word: John 1:10-13" Bibliotheca Sacra 160:640 (October-December 2003):398-413.] To these He gave as a gift the authority (Gr. exousian) to become God’s children (Gr. tekna). Receiving Jesus consists of believing in His name. Believing therefore equals receiving. "His name" summarizes all that He is. To believe in His name means to accept the revelation of who Jesus is that God has given. Because that revelation includes the fact that Jesus died as a substitute sacrifice in the place of sinners, belief involves relying on Jesus for salvation rather than on self. It does not just mean believing facts intellectually. It involves volitional trust as well.
"In the gospel of John belief is viewed in terms of a relationship with Jesus Christ, which begins with a decision to accept rather than reject who Jesus claims to be. This leads to a new relationship with God . . .
". . . in the Johannine writings . . . pisteuo ["believe"] with eis ["in" or "into"] refers to belief in a person." [Note: Harris, p. 223.]
The context determines whether John had genuine or inadequate belief in view in any given passage. [Note: Ibid., pp. 225-26. Cf. Beasley-Murray, p. 13.]
In one sense all human beings are the children of God: we are His creatures. However the Bible speaks of the children of God primarily as those who are His spiritual children by faith in Jesus Christ. The new birth brings us into a new family with new relationships. Clearly John was referring to this family of believers since he wrote that believing in Jesus gives people the right to become God’s children. The New Testament speaks of the believer as a child of God and as a son of God. Usually it describes us as children by birth, the new birth, and as sons by adoption. John consistently referred to believers only as children of God in his Gospel. He did not call us the sons of God. In this Gospel Jesus is the only son of God. "Children" draws attention to community of nature (cf. 2Pe 1:4) whereas "sons" emphasizes rights and privileges.
When a person offers you a gift that has cost him or her much, it does not become yours until you receive it from that person. The beautifully wrapped package in the outstretched hand of the giver will do the receiver no good until he or she reaches out and takes it. Likewise reception of God’s gracious gift of eternal life is necessary before a person can benefit from it. Receiving a gift from someone else does not constitute a meritorious act or good work, and the Bible never regards it as a work. It is simply a response to the work of another.
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)

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