The Bookend of John’s Prologue
The biblical authors, particularly the NT writers, employed a literary device known as inclusio, or a bookend. This is a literary feature (also known as bracketing or envelope structure/enveloping) wherein a passage begins and ends with the same or similar words, phrases, or themes. The author employs this to highlight and emphasize a central idea, and is often done for the purpose of coming full circle so to speak (TO COME FULL CIRCLE definition in American English; COME/GO/TURN FULL CIRCLE – Cambridge English Dictionary; FULL CIRCLE Definition & Meaning).
John’s Gospel uses inclusio both in the prologue (John 1:1-18), and in chapters 1 and 20.
The bookend of the Prologue can be seen in vv. 1 and 18:
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God… No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.” John 1:1-2, 18
In this example, the statements of v. 1 are reiterated, expounded upon and/or restated in v. 18.
The bookend intends to emphasize Jesus’ Person and work, as well as his intimate, eternal communion with and relationship to the Father.
Note the terms which are meant to parallel one another:
“in the beginning” = “at any time”
“the Word” = “only-begotten”
“the Word” = “explained him”
“with God” = “in the bosom of the Father”
And here’s a chart where I highlight the words, which the inclusio attempts to emphasize and clarify:
“and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (kai ho logos pros ton theon, kai theos een ho logos).” | “… the only-begotten God (monogenes theos), who is in the bosom (ho on eis ton kolpon) of the Father…” |
“In the beginning… was the Word (en arche een ho logos)… He was in the beginning with God (houtos een en arche pros ton theon)” | “No one has seen God at any time (Theon oudeis heoraken popote)… he has explained him (ekeinos exegesato).” |
John presents Jesus as the uncreated Word whom the Father begot from before creation and who has been the One that the Father has sent forth to make God known to the creation that the Word brought into existence. The inspired Apostle wants to also emphasize that the Word, having been begotten from/out of the Father, is therefore fully God in essence. John is pointing out the fact that whatever is begotten of God must also be God in nature.
Another important that the Evangelist wants to hammer is that, having been with God from eternity, the Word is thus fully and perfectly qualified to make God’s nature known to his creatures. John wants to further stress that this is what the Word has been doing from the very start of creation, since he is the One who has been providing spiritual illumination to all mankind. I.e.,
“In Him was life, and the life is the Light of men… There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens everyone” (Jn. 1:4, 9).
The blessed Apostle then makes the shocking proclamation that this is the same eternally begotten Word who later chose to become a human being at a specific moment in time, i.e.,
“the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth” (v. 14).
All scriptural references taken from the Legacy Standard Bible (LSB).
Further Reading
Dismantling the Muhammadan perception of John 1:1 Pt. 1, Pt. 2, Pt. 3
DEBATE MATERIAL FOR JOHN’S GOSPEL AND DEITY OF CHRIST PT. 1, PT. 2