Comparing the Beginning of John and Genesis
Both start with "in the beginning."
The book of Genesis and the gospel of John start with the same three words.
“In the beginning…”
Genesis
The book of Genesis starts “in the beginning” and looks forward at what God does.
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1)
Genesis provides an introduction to God by giving the reader a tremendous flurry of activity by God.
John
The gospel of John begins with the same three words as Genesis but looks backward from “the beginning” at who God is.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1)
John wants his readers to contemplate who God is by considering His nature - primarily focusing on “the Word.”
John tells his readers that “the Word” was already in existence when “the beginning” began. He predates time - He is eternal.
The Word is Jesus (John 1:14), and He is the full explanation of God (John 1:18).
We are about to begin studying John in the Sunday morning Bible class I teach, so I imagine many of these emails will be taken from John.
I’ll leave you with John’s purpose statement for writing.
And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name. (John 20:30-31)