Publisher's Synopsis
This is a large print (16 point), 240 page publication containing the series of twenty-four studies in the Gospel of John written by Elder E. J. Waggoner. They appeared as weekly articles in The Present Truth in 1898 and 1899.INTRODUCTORY MATERIAL"IN THE beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made." This Divine Word appeared in the person of Jesus of Nazareth; for "the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us," and John bore witness of Him, saying, "He that cometh after Me is preferred before me; for He was before me." This settles the question of the preexistence of Christ, for all who have any respect for the Bible as the Word of God. It is true enough that the flesh of Jesus, that is, His fleshly body, was not in the beginning with God, the Creator of all things; for "when He cometh into the world, He saith, Sacrifice and offering Thou wouldst not, but a body hast Thou prepared Me." Heb. x. 5. But "the flesh profiteth nothing; it is the Spirit that quickeneth; and the life that animated the flesh of Jesus, and which is the real person, was the Word which was in the beginning with God, and which was God. So while cavilers may amuse themselves by playing upon words, we rejoice in the full assurance that this Jesus is the only begotten Son of God, the brightness of the Father's glory, and the express image of His person. Jesus Christ Himself is the Beginning. Col. i. 18. He is "the beginning of the creation of God." Rev. iii. 14. He is the power of God, and "the wisdom of God." 1 Cor. i. 24. Therefore it is He who speaks in the eighth chapter of proverbs, saying, "I walk in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment; that I may cause those that love Me to inherit substance, and that I may fill their treasuries. The Lord possessed Me in the beginning of His way, before His works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was." Prov. viii. 20-23. . . .* * * * * * *Six days before the Passover means six days before the cross of Calvary. None of those who sat at table with Jesus knew this; but Jesus knew it very well. Indeed, Jesus was always walking beneath the cross, for He knew from the beginning of His ministry what its end would be; and He knew just when the betrayal and crucifixion would take place, for He Himself had told His disciples about it as they were on their way to Jerusalem. There was nothing in His looks or actions to mar the peace or joyousness of the feast. What a lesson this contains for us. Jesus lived every day just as perfectly as He possibly could live on His last day; and therefore there was no need for Him to make some great change at the last. Most people would consider it an exhibition of recklessness or bravado, or else gross insensibility on the part of a man who should attend a feast six days from the time when he knew he was to suffer death; but we know He refuse to act in the last week of His earthly life just the same as He had always acted? Why spend time in mourning "preparations for Death?" That always implies that one is conscious of a misspent life. No preparation is needed for death; all one has to do is to be prepared to live, and to really live, and then if death does come, he will be ready for it, no matter how or when it comes.
