THE PROLOGUE
OUTLINE
49
IN
`For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are
clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even
His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse ...
when they knew God ... they did not like to retain God in their
knowledge' (1:20,21,28).
To come back to the Gospel, John, in verse 11, leaves creation,
what the Word `was' and `made' and goes on to the incarnation, what
the Word `became'. `He came unto His own, and His own received
Him not'.
`In the world He WAS', en to kosmo en.
`Unto His own He CAME', eis ta idia elthen.
The expression `His own' comes twice in verse 11 and is repeated
in the Authorized Version without alteration. There is, however, a
difference in the original that is intended and should be noted. The
first occurrence `He came unto His own' is ta idia (neuter), while the
second occurrence `His own received Him not' is hoi idioi
(masculine). The same Greek word is used in 19:27 and in Acts 21:6
and Moulton gives a number of references to the use of this term in the
Papyri. The latter also illustrates the use of the masculine hoi idioi for
`one's relations'.
When Christ was born in Bethlehem `He came to His own', for the
land was peculiarly His: `the land shall not be sold for ever, for the
land is Mine' (Lev. 25:23). When Christ came to Jerusalem, He again
`came unto His own', for this city is spoken of by Daniel as `Thy city',
`the city which is called by Thy Name' (Dan. 9:16,18). When Christ
came to Israel, also, `He came unto His own', for of the people of
Israel we read: `the LORD Thy God hath chosen thee to be a special
people unto Himself' (Deut. 7:6).
The word `receive' in verse 11 is parelabon, and following the
reference to His coming to His own, implies an offer which they would
not `accept'. Dr. Weymouth translates the word `gave Him no
welcome'. In verse 12 the word `receive' is simply elabon, which is
parallel with `believe' at the end of the same verse.
If the Lord's `own people' who `received Him not' are Israel, who,
then, are those who did receive Him? If we reply that those who
received Him were `some of Israel', it would seem that the statement
of verse 11 is too sweeping. There was certainly a remnant of