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John 1:1-18 is a poem that begins introducing all the key wordsand concepts to the reader. It is a chiastic poem, meaning the firstelement corresponds to the last, the second element to the secondto last, and so on until only the middle element remains, and it isthe middle element that is being stressed by the author:
The Chiasm of John 1:1-18
 A 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,and the Word was God.2 He was with God in the beginning.B 3 Through him all things were made; without himnothing was made that has been made.C 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men.5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darknesshas not understood it.D 6 There came a man who was sent fromGod; his name was John.7 He came as a witness to testify concerningthat light, so that through him all men might believe.E 8 He himself was not the light;he came only as a witness to thelight. 9 The true light that gives lightto every man was coming into theworld.F 10 He was in the world,and though the world wasmade through him, the worlddid not recognize him. 11 Hecame to that which was hisown, but his own did notreceive him.X (center) 12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believedin his name, he gave the right to become children of God² 
 
 F' 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of humandecision or a husband's will, but born of God.E' 14 The Word became fleshand made his dwelling among us.We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came fromthe Father, full of grace and truth.D' 15 John testifies concerning him. Hecries out, saying, "This was he of whom Isaid, 'He who comes after me has surpassedme because he was before me.'"C' 16 From the fullness of his grace we have allreceived one blessing after another.B' 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace andtruth came through Jesus Christ.A' 18 No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, whois at the Father's side, has made him known.The term ³children of God´ is key to the entire book, not that it isrepeated but that it is the aim of John to convert all those who hear or read these words. John (and God) wants salvation for all.Because Jesus¶ message is God¶s message, Jesus directly links hisministry to that of John the Baptizer. John preached repentance because the Kingdom of God was at hand, coming in judgment.Jesus preached repentance because the Kingdom of God was athand coming in the person of Jesus. John did not fully understandthe implications of his own message, yet Jesus continued in thesame prophetic vein. In order to show the truth of this propheticconnection, Jesus calls disciples in a near miraculous way. In order to show his differences, he calls his own disciples rather thanletting people decide who to follow. The chapter ends with a direct
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