The Word: Commentary on John 1:1-5 (Part 1)

No explicit creation of these divine beings/angels is mentioned in the creation narrative in Genesis 1, though it is perhaps alluded to in Genesis 2.1. Likewise, the creation of the "host of heaven" or divine council is only briefly mentioned elsewhere in the Hebrew Bible (Neh. 9:6; Ps. 33:6). Belief in the presence of these divine beings at the time of creation is implied in Job 38:4-7, when the "sons of God" shouted for joy. In the Hebrew of Job 38:7 it is the bĕnê ĕlōhîm (sons of God) who shout, while in the Septuagint it is the angeloi/angels, again conflating the archaic "sons of God" with angels.

Likewise, when God says, "let us make man in our own image" (Gen. 1:26, cf. Gen. 3:22—the only use of a plural verb for actions of God in the creation narratives), many scholars see it as an allusion to these "sons of God"—that is, God and his divine council create Man in their image. Thus, when John 1:1 describes the "Word" being with God, many of his ancient readers would have conceptualized the Word among the angelic host of the divine council at creation. Likewise, when the "multitude of the heavenly host" sing at the birth of Jesus the creator (Lk. 2:13), it should be understood as the same divine council who sang at when the Word created the world (Job 38:4-7).

Light

The title of Jesus as the "Light of the world/kosmos" is one of the fundamental motifs in John (3:19, 8:12).

I plan to discuss the motif in more detail in conjunction with John 3:19-21. At this point, however, it is important to note the relation of the Light to creation. In Genesis 1:3-5 the primordial light is created before the creation of the sun, moon, and stars (Gen. 1:15-18). In John, it is very likely that he is understanding this primordial cosmic light as the dazzling glory of the Word-Messiah at creation (1:4-5, 7-9), especially in the passage where "the light [of the Word] shines in the darkness" (1:5), just as the primordial light does in Genesis 1:2-5. As we shall see later, Jesus is the manifestation of the Glory of God, which is described as a dazzling light accompanying the a manifestation of God. However, Jesus is not only the light that enlightens the primordial pre-creation darkness, but, more importantly for John, Jesus is the spiritual light—"the true light that enlightens all men" (Jn. 1:9).

A pdf of the full version of this column, with extensive references and notes, can be found here. Updates and discussion can be followed on Facebook.