the kingdom, of life, &c."-signify the various divine communications made to men, both under the old and

"Thou hast

new dispensations. Isa. vii. 24. "Because they have cast away the law of the Lord of hosts, and despised the word of the holy One of Israel." John xvii. 14. "I have shewn them thy word." vi. 68. the words of eternal life." Even the divine instructions, derived from the objects of creation, the Psalmist calls their voice and words. Ps. xix. 3, 4. See Acts x. 36-38. In a sense analogous to that now specified, "the word of God" stands for the holy scriptures collectively. Mark vii. 13. "Making the word of God of none effect through your traditions."

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And the word was with God."-This does not mean the society of one person with another, as associates and equals; for in that case the expression would be cov ry Θεῳ, not προς τον Θεόν. The latter means something kept in the power, remaining at the disposal, and reserved for the use of its possessor as an organ or instrument for carrying his purposes into effect.* By the means of his word, his almighty fiat, ever reserved in himself, God, when it was his pleasure to manifest his divine power, exercised it in the operations of nature and in the dispensations of his favour.

By asserting that "the word was with God," it was the evangelist's intention to maintain the divine origin of Christianity, no less than of the creation of the world. The occasion to which the writer must naturally, we may almost say necessarily, be supposed to refer, is the

*See Appendix, Note IV.

manifestation of God's good pleasure and favour in the gospel. This was effected by his word, as well as the creation of all things. The natural coherence and connection of the proem with the account of our Saviour's ministry, lead us to adopt this explication, which is pertinent and consistent. The historian of our Saviour's official life, meant to commence his history by asserting the divine origin of Christianity-that life which was brought to light by Jesus Christ-the glorious light of truth which is capable of enlightening every man. The supreme Father not only in the beginning commanded the natural light to shine on the material world, and to dispel the darkness of primeval night, but he also illuminated the darkness of the moral world by the radiant light of divine truth. The natural creation in the one case, and the moral creation in the other, are both to be referred to the same divine power, wisdom and goodness. In the epistles of Paul we are repeatedly presented with the same view of the subject. 2 Cor. iv. 6. "For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face [person] of Jesus Christ." Colos. i. 25. "To fulfil [to give full effect to] the word of God, the mystery hid from the dispensations and ages [past;] but now it has been manifested to his holy people."

The explication of this clause, which has been offered, agrees precisely with John's statement, in the beginning of his first epistle, relatively to the introduction of the gospel into the world through Jesus Christ. 1 John, i. 2. "And we shew unto you that eternal life, [called

just before, hoyos rns wns, the word of life] which was with the Father, [#gos Tov Taregα] and has been made manifest to us." Though the exactly same view of the subject is not taken by John in the beginning of his first epistle as in the proem, yet some terms occuran' agxns, from the beginning, i hoyos rns (wns, the word of life, #gos TOV Tarega, with the Father, which, while they bear a general reference to the same subject, have no community of meaning according to the orthodox system. This circumstance is rather calculated to raise suspicion of the soundness of the orthodox interpretation than to afford satisfaction.

"And the word was God."-This clause is to be understood in the literal and direct meaning of the words: the word was God himself. which all things were created, is to be

The word, by identified with "HE spake,

the Almighty Creator, who uttered it. and it was done." The evangelist, having adopted the not unusual personification of the word, took care to preclude all mistakes, that might thence arise, by the express declaration, that "the word was God.*” And we may be sure besides, that if he had any knowledge of those personal distinctions in the godhead, which in the course of time were subsequently introduced, he would have expressed himself without ambiguity of the person intended. He would have been explicit in speaking definitely of God the Father in one place, and of God the Son in the other, without exposing himself to the awful imputation of "confounding the persons."†

See Appendix, Note V.

+ Ibid. Note VI.

VERSE THE SECOND.

The same was in the beginning

with God.e

e This word, which God reserved for the execution of his designs, was ever at his disposal.

COMMENTARY.

"The same was, &c."-It is observed, that in the Hebrew writings, closely copied by the Hellenistic writers of the New Testament, the repetition of a sentiment, sometimes in the same words, but generally in words of a similar meaning, often occurs, either for the sake of emphasis or ornament. This kind of parallelism abounds most in poetry; but expletive and repetitional expressions and clauses are also found in prose. Here the repetition is made for the sake of emphasis. It appeared to the evangelist of great importance to assert strongly the divine origin of Christianity, and to refer the doctrines, precepts and institutions of the gospel of Christ to the appointment and effective agency of God, no less than the former manifestations of his power and goodness in the creation of all things, and under the old

covenant.

VERSE THE THIRD.

All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

f By the active power of God, represented by his word, the works of creation and providence, and the divine dispensations were consummated.

COMMENTARY.

"Through him all things were done."-As the term 20yos word, here used, though it does not stand for a

personal existence, but for the organ of God in the creation, is plainly, in the mode of speaking, a personification, as wisdom is in the eighth chapter of Proverbs, I use in English the personal pronouns he and him in the masculine gender, though there would be no impropriety in the use of it. Most languages retain here in the pronoun the gender of the noun for which it is substituted. In Latin, for instance, and in the German it is neuter ; and Dr. Campbell in his translation, though an orthodox divine, has preferred and defended the rendering by the neuter pronoun. In Isa. lv. 11. though a personification, we also observe the use of it in the common version: "So shall my word be that goeth out of my mouth; it shall not return unto me void, &c." Yet I think that, consistently with the personification, it is better to retain he and him.

According to the explication adopted of the term word, as the efficient command of God, it is the same thing to ascribe any effects or works, as for instance of creation, to the word of God, as to God himself. In both cases the creation is referred to its true cause and primary author-God. This interpretation wholly precludes the orthodox notion, that Christ is here asserted to be the Creator of the world.

It is also to be observed, that the form of the expression, di autou eyevero, through him were, or through him were made, does not, according to its legitimate import, admit of the notion of creation in its primary and proper meaning. It is applicable only to the agent or instrument employed. The creation of "the heaven and the earth" is in no instance ascribed to God in the

B