John 1

1:1 In ¹ the ^a beginning ^b was ^c the Word, and the Word was ^d with God, and the ^e Word was God.

(1) The Son of God is of one and the selfsame eternity or everlastingness, and of one and the selfsame essence or nature with the Father.
(a) From the beginning, as the evangelist says in ( 1 John 1:1 ); it is as though he said that the Word did not begin to have his being when God began to make all that was made: for the Word was even then when all things that were made began to be made, and therefore he was before the beginning of all things.
(b) Had his being.
(c) This word "the" points out to us a peculiar and choice thing above all others, and puts a difference between this "Word", which is the Son of God, and the laws of God, which are also called the word of God.
(d) This word "with" points out that there is a distinction of persons here.
(e) This word "Word" is the first in order in the sentence, and is the subject of the sentence, and this word "God" is the latter in order, and is the predicate of the sentence.

(2) The Son of God declares that his everlasting Godhead is the same as the Fathers, both by the creating of all things, and also by preserving them, and especially by the excellent gifts of reason and understanding with which he has beautified man above all other creatures.
(f) Paul expounds on this in ( Colossians 1:15-16 ).
(g) That is, as the Father did work, so did the Son work with him: for the Son was a fellow worker with him.
(h) Of all those things which were made, nothing was made without him.

(i) That is, by him: and this is spoken after the manner of the Hebrews, meaning by this that by his force and working power all life comes to the world.
(k) That is, even at that time when all things were made by him, for otherwise he would have said, "Life in him", and not "life was".
(l) That force of reason and understanding which is kindled in our minds to acknowledge him, the author of so great a benefit.

(3) The light of men is turned into darkness, but yet there is enough clearness so that they are without excuse.
(m) They could not perceive nor reach it to receive any light from it, no, they did not so much as acknowledge him.

(4) There is another more full manifestation of the Son of God, by the consideration of which men are in good time stirred up, even to Johns voice, who is as it were the herald of Christ.

(n) Through John.

(o) That light which we spoke of, that is, Christ, who alone can enlighten our darkness.

(5) When the Son of God saw that men did not acknowledge him by his works, although they were endued with understanding (which he had given to all of them), he exhibited himself unto his people to be seen by them with their physical eyes: yet not even then did they acknowledge him or receive him.
(p) Who alone and properly deserves to be called the light, for he shines by his own accord and borrows light from no one.

(q) The person of the Word was made manifest even at that time when the world was made.

(r) The Word showed himself again when he came in the flesh.