We are at the outset of a story that will reveal to us the most profound mysteries of life. This story is simply about God, the glory of his character, the nature of his life and his desire to share that life with his creatures. It is about God come amongst us and the mixed response he received to his offer of divine life.

John does not ease us into such awesome topics; he plunges us immediately into the heart of the revelation by giving in the prologue an overview of the themes that will be worked out in narrative form in the story. The prologue helps us understand the significance of what takes place in the story and gives us clues as to what to watch for.