John 1:10-13
John the author of the gospel witch from the witness back to the Word. In a small way, the other is announcing the birth of Jesus, which will be further expanded upon later. He does this by using creation phrasing, “He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.”
Three times the author of verse 10 uses the word “World.” The author wants us to understand God, the Word, did not just come for the Jews, He came for the whole world.
It is interesting to note that John uses the word “World” 80 times. More than twice as often as the other three gospels combined. Between all four gospels the word “World is used 114 times. In all the rest of the Bible the word world is used 142 times. The author is wanting us to see that the Word came not just for the Jews, He came for the whole world.
The question we as readers should be asking is “How did the world receive Him?” The last part of verse 10 answer this. “The world did not know Him.” What a sad commentary. The Creator of the world is not recognized by those who He created. But perhaps there is hope. Let’s read verse 11: “He came to His own and His own did not receive Him.”
The world having rejected Him surely His own would receive Him. Right? The question is who are His own?
In the book of Exodus God is instructing Moses on what to say before Pharoah. “Then you shall say to Pharoah, ‘Thus says the LORD: Israel is My son, My firstborn.’” By the promise given to Abraham, God had chosen Israel to be God’s special people. Using Language and culture of the times, God states that He would bless Abraham’s descendants as a firstborn son is blessed by his father.
The statement in John 1:10 actually goes back to the creation story of Genesis 1 and 2. The Fall story of Genesis 3, and the tower story of Genesis 11. Then in Genesis 11:27-12:4 God choses a person to create a family, to build a nation which could put back together what was torn apart at the tower of Babel.
In John 1:10, the author has clearly stated “the word came for the world. But the world did not know Him.” The world was so darkened by sin and a lack of knowledge about God, that when God came, they failed to recognize God.
In the garden, Adam and Eve recognized God and hid themselves. Abraham trusted God and through the seven tests of Abrham’s faith, Abraham gained a better understanding of God. Moses knew God and God certainly tried to have a relationship with Israel. But throughout Israel’s history, they rejected that relationship. God was wanting to treat them as a firstborn son so that they could receive the blessings as a firstborn should. Yet they rejected the blessings, and they rejected God.
God’s desire to put back together what was torn apart at the tower was through Abraham and his family. That was why they were to receive the blessings of a firstborn. And through those blessing, they were to attract others to have the same kind of relationship with God as God wanted to have with Israel.
But Israel failed, because they wanted to do it their way and not God’s way. So, God came to His own. He became the firstborn son among the first born, but his own people rejected Him. They like the world could not or did not recognize him.
Imagine for a moment being rejected by those you had treated like a son. Imagine giving up all of heaven to be one like them and still being rejected by your own brethren.
The passage sounds rather bleak. Makes you think all people rejected the Word. Vss 12 and 13: “But as many as received Him to them He gave the right to become children of God to those who believe in His name: who were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”
In our next post we will expand upon these last two verses. Gods is asking you and me to become brothers and sisters with Him. And when we do, He promises the same blessing to us as he did to Israel of old.
The choice is yours. Will you accept His desire for your life, or will you like the world at the time of His birth reject him because they didn’t know Him. Didn’t see the light shinning upon them through the darkness.
Please pray with me. Lord, I don’t want to be like the people when you came into the world. I want you to come into my life and I want to become a son or daughter of God. Please Lord, open my heart to receive you. Amen.
The Bible In Your Hand 