Before the Word of God came (verses 1–5).

We do not know when the world was made. It was a long time ago. Before that, the Word (Christ) was with God. From the very beginning, He, the Word, was God.

Nobody made God. He had no beginning. God did not make His Son. The Word, who from the beginning was God, is also called God’s Son. God made all things. God made everything you see and everything you can’t see. God the Son made everything. “All things were made by him” (verse 3). So we see that God did not make His Son, but His Son made everything that was made. The Word is also called the Light because He shows men the true way to God.

When the Word of God came into the world (verses 6–18).

When a great king goes on a journey, he sends his servant on ahead to tell people he is coming. So, when God sent the Word into the world, He sent first John the Baptist to tell the people to get ready (verses 6 and 7). John himself was not the true Light, but he came to tell men about the Light. He wanted all men to believe in Christ.

The world was made by Christ, the Son of God. Yet when He came into the world His own people did not receive Him with pleasure. But those who did receive Him, He made them sons of God. To be born again as a son of God you must receive Christ. This means to believe on His name. Those that receive Him and believe on His name get power to become the sons of God (verse 12). Even if your father is a son of God, this does not make you a son of God. Only by receiving Christ and believing in Him can you become a son of God.