must be sought, and his witness is related to the revelation that had already been made in

Paul's epistles.

We read in John 1: 12 that to those who did receive Him, the Lord gave "power to

become the sons of God". The words "power" and "sons" here need a little revision.

The word translated "power" is exousia, from exesti, "lawful". For example, in John 5::

"It is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed" (John 5: 10). A little further on in the same

chapter we meet with exousia: "And hath given Him authority to execute judgment also,

because He is the Son of Man" (John 5: 27). The word is in constant use--for example,

"one under authority" (Matt. 7: 29), "By what authority?" (Matt. 21: 23). It is often

translated "power", as in the phrase "principalities and powers" (Eph. 1: 21), and "prince

of the power of the air" (Eph. 2: 2). The last occurrence in the N.T. is in Rev. 22: 14:

"That they may have right to the tree of life." It is not a question of "power" in

John 1: 12, but of "right" or "authority". When Israel as a nation was set aside, the Lord

gave to all believers, irrespective of nationality, the "right" or "authority" to become

"children of God".

The word for "sons" also needs revision. There are two possible words which may be

translated "son"--huios and teknos. Huios occurs in John 1: 18: "The only begotten

Son", and with thesia forms the word translated "adoption"--"to be given the standing

and dignity of the heir". The word used in John 1: 12, is not huios but teknos. In his

epistles John uses huios twenty-four times, but never in connection with the believer.

The familiar words of I John 3:: "That we should be called the sons of God . . . . . Now

are we the sons of God", are not a correct translation. In both cases the word used is

teknos, "a child". On the other hand, the familiar title "The children of Israel" should

read: "The sons of Israel." Sonship (or "adoption") belongs on earth to Israel

(Rom. 9: 1-4). When Israel failed (Acts 28:), the Lord did not give those to whom

John ministered Israel's sonship, but rather the right to be called "the children of God".

John uses the word teknon in chapter 11: of his Gospel, where the Lord speaks of "the

children of God that were scattered abroad" (11: 52). It is clear in this passage that those

called "children" were outside the nation of Israel, for we read: "And not for that nation

only, but that He should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered

abroad". Those who receive this wonderful privilege are described in John 1: as those

that have "believed on His name" (John 1: 12). The thought of the "name" in Scripture is

a most important one. The "name of the Lord" symbolizes His nature. When the infant

Christ was born, He received two names:

It will be observed that both names have a definite meaning, and the interpretation is

given.

From the way in which John uses the "name" in John 20: 31 it would appear to sum

up the Lord's whole Messianic character: