John 1:10

“He was in the world, etc.] This is to be understood, not of his incarnation; for the word was denotes past existence in the world, even all the time past from the creation of the world; and the world intends the world in general, as opposed to Judea, and the people of the Jews in the next verse; besides, the incarnation of the word is spoken of in (<430114>John 1:14) as a new and distinct thing from this: but of his being in the world, when first made, and since, by his essence, by which he fills the whole world; and by his power, upholding and preserving it; and by his providence, ordering and managing all the affairs of it, and influencing and governing all things in it: he was in it as…”

“He was in the world, &c.--The language here is nearly as wonderful as the thought. Observe its compact simplicity, its sonorousness--"the world" resounding in each of its three members--and the enigmatic form in which it is couched, startling the reader and setting his ingenuity a-working to solve the stupendous enigma of Christ ignored in His own world. "The world," in the first two clauses, plainly means the created world, into which He came, says Joh 1:9; "in it He was," says this verse. By His Incarnation, He became an inhabitant of it, and bound up with it. Yet it "was made by Him" (Joh 1:3-5). Here, then, it is merely alluded to, in contrast partly with His being in it, but still more…”

“He was in the world - This refers, probably, not to his pre-existence, but to the fact that he became incarnate; that he dwelt among human beings. And the world was made by him - This is a repetition of what is said in John 1:3. Not only “men,” but all material things, were made by him. These facts are mentioned here to make what is said immediately after more striking, to wit, that men did not receive him. The proofs which he furnished that they ought to receive him were: Those given while he was “in the world” - the miracles that he performed and his instructions; and, The fact that the “world was made by him.” It was remarkable that the world did not know or approve its own Maker. The…”

“He was in the world - Even from the creation. John 1:11”

“1:10 The world cannot recognize the true light even when it encounters its Creator. The world lives in rebellion, loving darkness more than light (3:19).”

“was in: Joh 1:18, Joh 5:17; Gen 11:6-9, Gen 16:13, Gen 17:1, Gen 18:33; Exo 3:4-6; Act 14:17, Act 17:24-27; Heb 1:3 and the world was: See note on Joh 1:3. Jer 10:11, Jer 10:12; Heb 1:2, Heb 11:3 knew: Joh 1:5, Joh 17:25; Mat 11:27; Co1 1:21, Co1 2:8; Jo1 3:1 John 1:11”