John - Ferrar Fenton Bible Translation page 1017

THE GOSPEL AS RECORDED BY S I . j O H N .

Iurnouucroxw No·x·n.——The Gospel of john is here placed Brat in order for the following reasons:-— (1) T his Gospel is specially the Doctrinal Record of our L0rd's life. The Great Teacher has here elaborated the thouht and nrose of God His lan of salvation b gTpconcerning py a Gift; and upon this basis have een formulated and propagated the doctrines of the Christian faith. This record should therefore precede the Historical Narratives. All those passages which I put between brackets [——·] are comments of the Evangelist upon his narrative, made in his old age, when be translated it into Greek from his original Hebrew for the Greek Churches, (2) There ls ample reason for believing that the Gospel of John was written at an earlier date IO I2 than those of the other three Evangellsts. For a discussion on this subject the reader by the Rev. ]. j_. Haloombe Sr. ]ouu's Gosi>m,.’ mth Wrzaiimt. The WORD existed in the begin—

ning, and the WORD was with God, and the WORD was God. He was present with God at the beginning. All came into existence by means of Him ; and nothing came into existence apart from Him. What originated in Him was Life; and the Life was the Light of Mankind. That Light shines in the darkness; but the dark- ness did not absorb it. smh the Eight. A man came, sent from God; his

name was john. He came for wit- ness, in order that he might give evidence concerning that Light, so that all might believe througli him. He was not himself the Light; his mission was to give evidence concern- ing that Light. The real Light was that which enlightens every man coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world, was created by means of Him; yet the world did not recognise Him. He came to His own home; but

His own family did not welcome Him. But whosoever welcomed Him, believing in His power, He bestowed upon them the right to become child- ren of God. They were not begotten from blood, nor from natural desire, nor yet from the design of man; but from God Himself. mth manltiuh. And the WORD became incarnate,

and encamped among us-—··and we gazed upon His majesty, such majesty as that of a. Father’s only S0n—·—full of beneficence and truth. [john gave evidence concerning Him, proclaiming: 1`his vas the One concerning

Whom I said, ‘ He Who follows me takes rank above me; because He ] So out of His fulness we were all

supplied, with gift heaped upon gift. Although the Law was given through Moses; the true gift came through jesus Christ. No one has ever yet seen God; He has been made known by the only Son} Who exists in union with the Father. @132 Qzpuiaiinn from Qmtsalzm. Now, this is the evidence given by

john, when the judeans of jerusalem sent priests and Levites in order that they might ask him, Without attempt-

I What then? ’ * He Then are you he replied. What are you? Tell us, in order that we may give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about your- I am but a voice pro—

claiming in the desert, ‘ Make ready the highway for the Lord,' as was * foretold by the prophet Isaiah. 16 18 20 2I 22

Some of the oldest athorities read run 0m.v gon. Mal. iv. 5. ’ Deut. xviii. 15. * Isa. xl. 3. IOI']