John 1:1 (KJV): meaning and how to memorise it

What John 1:1 says

John begins his gospel with the eternal Word. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. Verse 14 says that the Word became flesh.

John 1:1 in context

¹In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ²The same was in the beginning with God. ³All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. ⁴In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

John 1, verses 1–4. Read the whole chapter with John Brown’s notes in the Self-Interpreting Bible.

John 1:1 in the catechisms

The Reformation catechisms and confessions cite John 1:1 7 times as a proof text.

WSC 6
How many persons are there in the Godhead?
WLC 11
How doth it appear that the Son and the Holy Ghost are God equal with the Father?
WLC 36
Who is the Mediator of the covenant of grace?
WCF 8.2
The Son of God, the second person in the Trinity, being very and eternal God, of one substance, and equal with the Father, did, when the fulness of time was come, take upon him…
HC 15
What kind of mediator and deliverer must we seek?
HC 33
Why is He called God's only begotten Son, since we also are children of God?
HC 35
What do you confess when you say: He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary?

How to memorise John 1:1

Hearers breaks the verse into clauses and teaches each clause in four steps. Then it brings each clause back just before you forget it.

01
Read
Read the verse with the clauses marked. Listen to it read aloud.
02
Trace
Type the first letter of each word, with the words shown faintly.
03
Fade
Half of the words go. Type the text again, and fill the gaps from memory.
04
Recall
All the words go. Type it or say it aloud. Each clause gets its own grade and its own review date.