as is seen by the structure:

`The Word was God' (as to His substance or essence).

`No man hath seen God' (as to His substance or essence).

A similar usage of the article, or rather of its absence, is found in

verse 14: `The Word was made flesh'. It would be manifestly absurd

to translate this `The Word was made a flesh'.

The word Theos is used of God in the Scriptures in three different

(1) Essentially, as in John 4:24: `God is Spirit'.

(2) Personally, as of the Father: `God the Father' (Gal. 1:1).

Personally, as of the Son: `Unto the Son, He saith ... O God'

(Heb. 1:8).

Personally, as of the Spirit: `The Holy Ghost ... God' (Acts

(3) Manifestly, as of the Word: `The Word was God' (1:1).

In the narrative section of the Gospel, John seizes many

opportunities to bring into prominence the controversy concerning the

Deity of Christ. These passages will come before us in their order as

we follow the exposition of the Gospel, but there are three that most

readers will call to mind that seem to carry the theme forward from

argument and hostility to adoration and worship:

(1) `Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill Him, because He

not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was His

Father, making Himself equal with God' (5:18).

(2) `I and My Father are one. Then the Jews took up stones again

to stone Him ... Thou, being a man, makest Thyself God'

(3) `Thomas answered and said unto Him, My Lord and my God'

We have already seen that it is the object of this Gospel to expand

and prove the truth revealed in the prologue, and we shall hope to deal

in detail with the passages quoted above as we come to them in the

course of our exposition.