The Life Giver

In Him was life and the life was the light of men John 1:4 NKJV, NASB

In Him was life and that life was the light of men. 1:4 NIV

The word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. 1:4 NLT

Life comes from the word. Jesus was the word come in flesh. John's gospel shows this life being manifested among men.

The signs of Jesus are the visible manifestations and embodiment of the life giving work of God. These miracles are a continuation of the work of God in creation. 1

Source:
1 Gerd Theissen (The Miracle Stories of the Early Christan Tradition, ed John Riches, trans. Francis McDonagh. This is found in The God of the Gospel of John by Merianne Meye Thompson. p 120,121

Giving life

The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. John 1:4 NLT

Life and light were both a part of creation and new creation. The Word was involved in the first creation and continues his work in the new creation.

John uses the word life 36 times. No other NT book uses this term more than 17 times. Rev has 17 mentions, Romans 14 and 1 John 13, so John has more than 1/4 of the mentions of life. It is a key concept in John's gospel. 1

John gives a preview in this verse of a theme seen throughout this gospel, Jesus if the life giver and light imparter.


Sources:
1 The Gospel according to John, Leon Morris p 73