"That which was from the beginning..."
Text: 1 John 1:1
THE TESTIMONY OF AN EYE WITNESS
The Apostle John wrote his Gospel as an eyewitness. Like all the other Gospel writers, John did not identify himself as the author. But from the testimonies of those who lived in the second century, John was always identified as the author.
Luke mentioned “eyewitnesses and ministers of the word” in his prologue (Luke 1:2). John would fit into that category very well.
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard,
which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon,
and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life-
1 John 1:1
1. “Concerning the Word of life”
a) This is the subject matter of this text.
b) In John’s Gospel:-
i) Jesus was presented profoundly as “The Word”.
ii) He was also presented as the Giver of life.
iii) He was also the Light of the world.
2. “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard”
a) John the Baptiser had proclaimed that after him One greater than him would come.
b) When Jesus appeared on the scene, John pointed to Him as “The Lamb of God” (John 1:29, 36).
c) John had heard much about the Messiah as “The Word of life”.
d) He learned much and wrote with conviction about the eternal existence of the Lord Jesus Christ.
i) He was with God in the very beginning.
ii) He writes with similar conviction as an eyewitness.
3. “Which we have seen with our eyes”
a) John and many others had seen Jesus personally.
b) Though Jesus was no longer on earth, that which he and other eyewitnesses had seen, had continued to impact their lives.
4. “Which we have looked upon”
a) This was to reinforce what he had just written.
b) This was John’s way of confirming what they had seen concerning Jesus, the Word of life.
5. “And our hands have handled”
This was a powerful way of stating a tremendous sense of certainty and conviction of faith in the Lord.