k and
@TibiasDad I like to see if perhaps church fathers going back as far as possible quote the verses you are debating. Irenaeus was born in 130 AD and would have still had access to the original letters. This is before the Catholic Church was created by man in the 4th century. The Desposyni still headed the Church (relatives of Jesus). In book one of the Anti-Nicene Fathers says on page 526,2 regarding John 1 in complete context.
K, there is no "a"
2. For the Father bears the creation and His own Word simultaneously, and the Word borne by the Father grants the Spirit to all as the Father wills. To some He gives after the manner of creation what is made; but to others [He gives] after the manner of adoption, that is, what is from God, namely generation. And thus one God the Father is declared, who is above all, and through all, and in all. The Father is indeed above all, and He is the Head of Christ; but the Word is through all things, and is Himself the Head of the Church; while the Spirit is in us all, and He is the living water, which the Lord grants to those who rightly believe in Him, and love Him, and who know that
"there is one Father, who is above all, and through all, and in us all." And to these things does John also, the disciple of the Lord, bear witness, when he speaks thus in the Gospel:
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. This was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him, and without Him was nothing made." And then he said of the Word Himself:
"He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world know Him not. To His own things He came, and His own people received Him not. However, as many as did receive Him, to these gave He power to become the sons of God, to those that believe in His name," And again, showing the dispensation with regard to His human nature, John said:
"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us," And in continuation he says,
"And we beheld His glory, the glory as of the Only-begotten by the Father, full of grace and truth." He thus plainly points out to those willing to hear, that is, to those having ears, that there is one God, the Father over all, and one Word of God, who is through all, by whom all things have been made; and that this world belongs to Him, and was made by Him, according to the Father's will, and not by angels; nor by apostasy, defect, and ignorance; nor by any power of Prunicus, whom certain of them also call "the Mother;" nor by any other maker of the world ignorant of the Father. For the Creator of the world is truly the Word of God; and this is our Lord, who in the last times was made man, existing in this world, and who in an invisible manner contains all things created, and is inherent in the entire creation, since the Word of God governs and arranges all things; and therefore He cam to His own in a visible manner, and was made flesh, and hung upon the tree, that He might sum up all things in Himself.
"And His own peculiar people did not receive Him," as Moses declared this very thing among the people:
"And thy life shall be hanging before thine eyes, and thou wilt not believe thy life." (Deut. 28:66) Those therefore who did not receive Him did not receive life.
"But to as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God." For it is He who has power from the Father over all things, since He is the Word of God, and very man, communicating with invisible beings after the manner of the intellect, and appointing a law observable to the outward senses, that all things should continue each in its own order; and He reigns manifestly o er things visible and pertaining to men; and brings in just judgment and worthy upon all; as David also, clearly pointing to this, says,
"Our God shall openly come, and will not keep silence." Then he shows also the judgment which is brought in by Him, saying,
"A fire shall burn in His sight, and a strong tempest shall rage round about Him. He shall call upon the heaven from above, and the earth, to judge His people."
