◄  John 1:3  ►

• πάντα (All) – This indefinite pronoun is in the plural form of the root πᾶς, collectively referring to “all” or “everything” (Note that the verb is singular). Followed by the negative statement οὐδὲ ἕν (“not even one”), it strategically emphasizes the universal dependence of creation on the Word.
  • Colossians 1:16, “For by him all [things] were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all [things] were created through him and for him.”
• δι’ αὐτοῦ (through Him) – The preposition διὰ can mean either “through” with genitive or “because of” with accusative. Since αὐτοῦ (him) is in the genitive case, the phrase means “through him,” indicating the means or agency by which these things came into being. The phrase echoes the Genesis 1 where God speaks creation into existence. John reinterprets this through the lens of the Word as the divine agent.
  • 1 Corinthians 8:6, “Yet for us there is only one God, the Father, from whom are all things, and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all [things], and we exist through Him.”
• ἐγένετο (came into being) – The root γίνομαι means the process of coming into existence, happening, being made, or becoming something. It appears three times in John 1:3: twice in the aorist tense (came into being) and once in the perfect tense (has come into being). While “came into being” highlights the process of existence arising, “was made” can emphasize the act of creation. (“Everything was made through Him, and without Him was not anything made that has been made.”). The 4th century Latin Bible (Vulgate) also used “made,” which influenced the KJV. The Septuagint (Greek OT used by Jesus and the Apostles) used “made” (ποιέω and ἐγένετο) to describe creation throughout Genesis 1.
  • John 1:14a, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”
  • Isaiah 66:2, “All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came into being,” declares the Yahweh. “But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.”
• χωρὶς αὐτοῦ (apart from Him) – The preposition χωρὶς (apart from, without) with the genitive pronoun αὐτοῦ (him) indicates a relationship of separation or absence. It’s not merely that the Word was absent and therefore no creation took place. Rather, the Word’s absence is the cause of the impossibility of creation and its ongoing existence. There’s a saying, “if you have Jesus, you have everything. If you don’t have Jesus, you have nothing.”
  • John 15:5, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”
• οὐδὲ ἕν (not even one) – οὐδὲ conveys a strong sense of absolute negation. It’s not simply “not one,” but “not even one,” leaving no room for exceptions. ἕν is an indefinite pronoun, meaning “one” or “any.” This combination creates a strong negation, indicating that not a single thing exists apart from the creative activity of the Logos.
  • John 3:27, “John replied, ‘A person can receive not even one [thing] unless it has been given to him from heaven.'”
• ὃ γέγονεν (that has come into being) – ὃ is a relative pronoun, meaning “that,” “which,” “who,” or “what.” γέγονεν is the perfect active indicative of the verb γίγνομαι (“to become” or “to come into being”). This tense carries the weight of completed action with lasting results. It signifies that creation is not a mere event in the past, but an ongoing state sustained by the Word and continuing in its existence.
  • 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

Matthew Henry’s Commentary

• He = Creator = God: This proves that He is God; for “He who built all things is God” (Hebrews 3:4). The God of Israel often proved Himself to be God by declaring that He made all things (Isaiah 40:12, 28; 41:4; Jeremiah 10:11-12).
• Worship Christ = Worship God: This proves the excellence of the Christian faith, as its author and founder is the same as the Creator of the world. How excellent must that institution be, which derives its foundation from Him who is the source of all excellence! When we worship Christ, we honor the Creator whom the patriarchs revered and upon whom all creatures depend.
• Our Savior = Our Creator: This shows how perfectly qualified He is for the work of our redemption and salvation. Help was laid upon one who is truly mighty, for it was laid upon Him who made all things; and He is appointed the author of our salvation, just as He is the author of our being.

John Calvin’s Commentary

• The Word Is God
  • “Having declared that the Word is God and having asserted his divine essence, John goes on to prove his divinity from his works.”
• Creation Through the Son
  • “The evangelist’s purpose is to show that immediately after the creation of the world the Word of God was seen to be at work.”
  • “Having previously been incomprehensible in his essence, he was then openly known by the effect of his power.”
• Philosophers’ View
  • “Some philosophers say God is the Master-builder of the world in a way that makes [the Word] the intelligence behind the building of this work. In this they are right, for they agree with Scripture.”