Bullet Point Bible

The Prologue: The Word Became Flesh

¹ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was fully God.² The Word was with God in the beginning.³ All things were created by him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created.⁴ In him was life , and the life was the light of mankind.⁵ And the light shines on in the darkness, but the darkness has not mastered it.⁶ A man came, sent from God, whose name was John.⁷ He came as a witness to testify about the light, so that everyone might believe through him.⁸ He himself was not the light, but he came to testify about the light.⁹ The true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.¹⁰ He was in the world, and the world was created by him, but the world did not recognize him.¹¹ He came to what was his own, but his own people did not receive him.¹² But to all who have received him-those who believe in his name -he has given the right to become God's children¹³ -children not born by human parents or by human desire or a husband's decision, but by God.¹⁴ Now the Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We saw his glory-the glory of the one and only, full of grace and truth, who came from the Father.¹⁵ John testified about him and shouted out, "This one was the one about whom I said, 'He who comes after me is greater than I am, because he existed before me.'"¹⁶ For we have all received from his fullness one gracious gift after another.¹⁷ For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came about through Jesus Christ.¹⁸ No one has ever seen God. The only one, himself God, who is in closest fellowship with the Father, has made God known.

This prologue introduces Jesus as the eternal "Word" (Greek: *Logos*), identifying him with God and as the agent of creation (John 1:1-3), echoing Genesis 1:1.
The *Logos* concept connected with Greek philosophical ideas but primarily draws from Jewish concepts of God's creative Word and Wisdom.
Key themes are introduced: Jesus as life and light, the conflict between light and darkness, witness, rejection by the world, and acceptance leading to becoming children of God (John 1:4-5, 10-13).
The Incarnation is central: The divine Word became human ("flesh") and lived among humanity (John 1:14), a foundational Christian doctrine.
"Took up residence" (Greek: *eskēnōsen*) evokes the Tabernacle where God's glory dwelt among Israel (Exodus 40:34-35), suggesting Jesus is the new locus of God's presence.
John the Baptist is introduced as a crucial witness, clarifying he is not the Light but points to the Light (John 1:6-8, 15). His testimony emphasizes Jesus' pre-existence.
Jesus reveals God's glory, characterized by "grace and truth" (John 1:14), contrasting with the Law given through Moses (John 1:17). This pairing echoes God's self-revelation to Moses (Exodus 34:6).
The prologue culminates by stating that Jesus, the unique Son who is Himself God and eternally intimate with the Father, is the definitive revelation of the unseen God (John 1:18).
Becoming "children of God" is presented as a supernatural birth ("born of God"), not by human means, emphasizing divine agency in salvation (John 1:12-13).

John the Baptist's Testimony About Himself

¹⁹ Now this was John's testimony when the Jewish leaders sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?"²⁰ He confessed-he did not deny but confessed-"I am not the Christ!"²¹ So they asked him, "Then who are you? Are you Elijah?" He said, I am not! Are you the Prophet? He answered, No!²² Then they said to him, "Who are you? Tell us so that we can give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?"²³ John said, "I am the voice of one shouting in the wilderness, 'Make straightthe way for the Lord,' as the prophet Isaiah said."²⁴ (Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.)²⁵ So they asked John, "Why then are you baptizing if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?"²⁶ John answered them, "I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not recognize,²⁷ who is coming after me. I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandal!"²⁸ These things happened in Bethany across the Jordan River where John was baptizing.

Jewish authorities from Jerusalem (priests, Levites, Pharisees) investigate John the Baptist's identity and authority (John 1:19, 24).
John emphatically denies being the expected Messiah ("the Christ"), Elijah (whose return was expected before the Messiah, Malachi 4:5), or "the Prophet" (like Moses, Deuteronomy 18:15-18) (John 1:20-21).
John defines his role using Scripture, identifying himself as the preparatory voice prophesied by Isaiah (John 1:23; quoting Isaiah 40:3).
His mission is solely to prepare the way for the coming Lord, highlighting his subordinate role.
The Pharisees question John's authority to baptize, as baptism was associated with proselyte conversion or eschatological purification linked to these figures he denied being (John 1:25).
John contrasts his baptism ("with water") with the significance of the one coming after him, emphasizing his own unworthiness even to perform the most menial task (loosening sandals) for this greater figure (John 1:26-27).
He declares that the one he prepares for is already present ("Among you stands one") but unrecognized (John 1:26).
The location is specified as "Bethany beyond the Jordan," distinguishing it from the Bethany near Jerusalem (John 1:28). This area was significant for Israel's entry into the Promised Land.

John the Baptist Testifies to Jesus

²⁹ On the next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!³⁰ This is the one about whom I said, 'After me comes a man who is greater than I am, because he existed before me.'³¹ I did not recognize him, but I came baptizing with water so that he could be revealed to Israel."³² Then John testified, "I saw the Spirit descending like a dove from heaven, and it remained on him.³³ And I did not recognize him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'The one on whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining-this is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.'³⁴ I have both seen and testified that this man is the Chosen One of God."

John the Baptist explicitly identifies Jesus with the title "Lamb of God" (John 1:29), a crucial designation unique to John's Gospel in this form.
This title likely evokes multiple Old Testament images: the Passover lamb (Exodus 12), the suffering servant (Isaiah 53:7), and the lambs of daily temple sacrifice, all pointing to Jesus' substitutionary atonement for sin.
John declares Jesus' mission is universal: "who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29), not just the sin of Israel.
John reiterates Jesus' pre-existence and superiority, confirming Jesus is the one he spoke of earlier (John 1:30; cf. John 1:15).
John reveals his initial inability to recognize the Messiah personally, emphasizing that his own ministry's purpose was the revelation of Jesus to Israel (John 1:31).
John testifies to the divine sign given to him: the descent and remaining of the Holy Spirit upon Jesus like a dove (John 1:32-33), confirming Jesus' identity. This event likely occurred at Jesus' baptism (cf. Matthew 3:16-17).
The "remaining" of the Spirit signifies a permanent endowment, unlike the temporary empowerment of Old Testament figures.
God commissioned John and gave him the sign to identify the one who would "baptize with the Holy Spirit," indicating a superior, transformative ministry (John 1:33).
Based on this divine revelation and sign, John bears definitive witness: Jesus is the "Son of God" (John 1:34), a title affirming his unique relationship with the Father and his divine nature.

The First Disciples: Andrew and Peter

³⁵ Again the next day John was standing there with two of his disciples.³⁶ Gazing at Jesus as he walked by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!"³⁷ When John's two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.³⁸ Jesus turned around and saw them following and said to them, "What do you want?" So they said to him, "Rabbi" (which is translated Teacher), "where are you staying?"³⁹ Jesus answered, "Come and you will see." So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day. Now it was about four o'clock in the afternoon.⁴⁰ Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two disciples who heard what John said and followed Jesus.⁴¹ He first found his own brother Simon and told him, "We have found the Messiah!" (which is translated Christ).⁴² Andrew brought Simon to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon, the son of John. You will be called Cephas" (which is translated Peter).

John the Baptist continues his witness, again pointing to Jesus as the "Lamb of God," prompting two of his own disciples to follow Jesus (John 1:35-37).
This demonstrates the purpose of John's ministry: to decrease so that Christ might increase (cf. John 3:30).
Jesus initiates interaction with the potential disciples, asking "{{What are you looking for?}}" (John 1:38), probing their motives.
Their response, addressing Jesus as "Rabbi" (Teacher) and asking where he stays, indicates a desire to learn from him and spend time with him (John 1:38).
Jesus' invitation, "{{Come and you will see}}" (John 1:39), is a call to personal experience and relationship, a recurring theme in John's Gospel.
Andrew, one of the two disciples, immediately finds his brother Simon and testifies, "We have found the Messiah!" (John 1:40-41), showing the contagious nature of encountering Christ.
The titles used progress from "Rabbi" to the ultimate claim, "Messiah" (Hebrew) or "Christ" (Greek), meaning "Anointed One."
Andrew brings Simon to Jesus, illustrating the importance of personal invitation in discipleship (John 1:42).
Jesus demonstrates supernatural knowledge and authority by renaming Simon: "{{You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas}}" (Aramaic for "rock"), which translates to Peter (Greek: *Petros*) (John 1:42). This foreshadows Peter's foundational role.

Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael

⁴³ On the next day Jesus wanted to set out for Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, "Follow me."⁴⁴ (Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the town of Andrew and Peter.)⁴⁵ Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the law, and the prophets also wrote about-Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."⁴⁶ Nathanael replied, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip replied, "Come and see."⁴⁷ Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and exclaimed, "Look, a true Israelite inwhom there is no deceit! "⁴⁸ Nathanael asked him, "How do you know me?" Jesus replied, Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.⁴⁹ Nathanael answered him, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel!"⁵⁰ Jesus said to him, "Because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You will see greater things than these."⁵¹ He continued, "I tell all of you the solemn truth -you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."

Jesus takes the initiative in calling Philip directly with the simple command, "{{Follow me}}" (John 1:43).
Philip, like Andrew, immediately shares his discovery, telling Nathanael they found the one prophesied in the Old Testament Scriptures ("the law" and "the prophets"), identifying him as Jesus of Nazareth (John 1:45).
Nathanael expresses regional prejudice and skepticism: "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" (John 1:46), reflecting Nazareth's obscurity.
Philip uses the same effective invitation as Jesus: "Come and see" (John 1:46), urging personal investigation over prejudice.
Jesus demonstrates supernatural knowledge by describing Nathanael's character ("a true Israelite in whom there is no deceit") and revealing He saw Nathanael under the fig tree before Philip's call (John 1:47-48). The fig tree was often associated with peace and Torah study.
This divine insight overcomes Nathanael's skepticism, leading to a profound confession: "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel!" (John 1:49), acknowledging Jesus' divine nature and Messianic role.
Jesus promises Nathanael (and the disciples) that they will witness "greater things" than this initial display of knowledge (John 1:50).
Jesus concludes with a climactic promise using the "Son of Man" title, referring to himself: "{{you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man}}" (John 1:51).
This imagery alludes to Jacob's ladder (Genesis 28:12), portraying Jesus as the true link between heaven and earth, the mediator through whom divine communication and access occur. The title "Son of Man" (cf. Daniel 7:13-14) emphasizes both his humanity and his eschatological authority.

The Bullet Point Bible

John 1