ShareIn the first chapter, we read that St. John the Baptist gave witness to Christ on three occasions: in response to the Pharisees’ questions (vv. 19-28), when he saw Christ in public the next day (vv. 29-34), and when he pointed out Christ to his (John’s) disciples (vv. 35-37). The first witness the Baptist gave [...]

ShareSt. John the Baptist gave witness to Christ on several occasions. The first (vv. 19-28) was prompted by a visit from a distinguished delegation of priests and Levites from Jerusalem, who questioned the Baptist in public. We have already seen how St. John responded to them concerning his person (vv. 19-23), namely, by declaring that [...]

ShareIn the first chapter, St. John the Baptist gave witness to Christ on three occasions. First, in public when our Lord was not physically present (vv. 19-28). This testimony was prompted by questions: Who are you? The messiah? Elijah? Elisha the prophet? If not, why then do you baptize? Second, he gave witness in public [...]

ShareGrace and truth come to us from the Word of God. Previously, the Evangelist showed us how Christ, the Author of grace, imparted a measure of His grace to us, giving the faithful the power to become children of God. Now he shows how Christ, the Author of Truth, reveals the truth and makes the [...]

ShareWe have discussed how the Word was made known to the apostles by seeing Him in the flesh and by hearing the testimony of St. John the Baptist. In what follows, the Evangelist elaborates upon these two ways in which the Word was revealed in the Person of Christ. First, in verses 16 and 17, [...]

ShareIn the previous verse, the Evangelist told us that the Word was made known to the apostles by seeing Him in the flesh: they “beheld his glory.” Now he tells us that the Word was made known to them and to others by hearing the testimony of St. John the Baptist. “John bore witness to [...]

ShareIn verse 14a, the Evangelist reported how the Word came to us, saying that He “became flesh.” Now he tells us two ways in which the Word was made known to the apostles: (1) by seeing Him in the flesh, for they “beheld his glory” (v. 14b); and (2) by hearing the testimony of the [...]

ShareThe Evangelist had previously informed us of the unhappy situation that prompted the Word to come to us in the flesh, for though He made the world and was in the world, “the world knew him not” (v. 10). Then he elaborated upon the benefits we received from His coming: “to all who received him, [...]

ShareIn verse 10, St. John showed that the Incarnation was necessary for us, because “the world knew him not.” In verse 12, he shows how we benefited by the Incarnation, in that we received the power to become adopted sons and daughters of God. “He came to his own home” (Jn 1:11a) that we might [...]