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Selected Verse: John 1:6 - King James
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Joh 1:6 |
King James |
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
| The Evangelist here approaches his grand thesis, so paving his way for the full statement of it in Joh 1:14, that we may be able to bear the bright light of it, and take in its length and breadth and depth and height. |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
| A man sent from God - See Matt. 3. The evangelist proceeds now to show that John the Baptist was not the Messiah and to state the true nature of his office. Many had supposed that he was the Christ, but this opinion he corrects; yet he admits that he was "sent from God" - that he was divinely commissioned. Though he denied that he was "the Messiah," yet he did not deny that he was sent from or by heaven on an important errand to human beings. Some have supposed that the sole design of this gospel was to show that John the Baptist was not the Messiah. Though there is no foundation for this opinion, yet there is no doubt that one object was to show this. The main design was to show that "Jesus was the Christ," Joh 20:31. To do this, it was proper, in the beginning, to prove that "John" was not the Messiah; and this might have been at that time an important object. John made many disciples, Mat 3:5. Many persons supposed that he might be the Messiah, Luk 3:15; Joh 1:19. "Many of these disciples of John remained" at Ephesus, "the very place where John is supposed to have written this gospel, long after the ascension of Jesus," Act 19:1-3. It is not improbable that there might have been many others who adhered to John, and perhaps many who supposed that he was the Messiah. On these accounts it was important for the evangelist to show that John "was not the Christ," and to show, also, that he, who was extensively admitted to be a prophet, was an important "witness" to prove that Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ. The evangelist in the first four verses stated that "the Word" was divine; he now proceeds to state the proof that he was a "man," and was the Messiah. The first evidence adduced is the testimony of John the Baptist. |
| Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886] |
There was a man (ἐγένετο ἄνθρωπος)
Better, Rev., "there came a man," ἐγένετο denoting the historical manifestation, the emergence of the Baptist into the economy of the revelation of the light. Compare Joh 3:1, there was a man (ἦν ἄνθρωπος), where the mere fact that there was such a man as Nicodemus is stated. See remarks on ἦν, Joh 1:1. A distinction is also intimated between the eternal being (ἦν) of the Word and the coming into being of his messenger.
Sent (ἀπεσταλμένος)
See on Mat 10:2, Mat 10:16; see on Mar 4:29; see on Luk 4:18. The verb carries the sense of sending an envoy with a special commission. Hence it is used of the mission of the Son of God, and of His apostles; the word apostle being directly derived from it. It is thus distinguished from πέμπω, to send, which denotes simply the relation of the sender to the sent. See on Joh 20:21, and see on Jo1 3:5. The statement is not merely equivalent to was sent. The finite verb and the participle are to be taken separately, as stating two distinct facts, the appearance and the mission of John. There came a man, and that man was sent from God.
From God (παρὰ Θεοῦ)
The preposition means from beside. It invests the messenger with more dignity and significance than if the writer had said, "sent by God." It is used of the Holy Spirit, sent from the Father (Joh 15:26).
Whose name was John (ὄνομα αὐτῷ Ἱωάνης)
Literally, the name unto him John. The first mention of John the Baptist. The last occurs, Act 19:3. On the name, see on Mat 3:1; see on Luk 3:2. John never speaks of the Baptist as John the Baptist, like the other Evangelists, but simply as John. This is perfectly natural on the supposition that John himself is the author of the gospel, and is the other John of the narrative. |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| There was a man - The evangelist now proceeds to him who testified of the light, which he had spoken of in Joh 1:1-5. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
| Whose name was John - This was John the Baptist; see his name and the nature of his office explained, Mar 1:4 (note), and Mat 3:1-3 (note). |
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
1 And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,
2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.
3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.
19 And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?
15 And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not;
5 Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,
31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
2 Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.
1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,
3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.
26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:
5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
29 But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.
16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,
2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
4 John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.