The Conceptual Aspect
The Prologue is structured as a chiasm:1
A: The Word as theos with God (1-2)
B: Creation came through the Word (3)
C: We have received life from the Word (4-5)
D: John the Baptist was sent to testify (6-8)
E: Incarnation and the response of the world (9-10)
F: The Word and His own (Israel) (11)
G: Those who accept the Word (12a)
X: He gave authority to become children of God (12b)
G': Those who believe the Word (12c)
F': The Word and His own (believers) (13)
E': Incarnation and response of the community (14)
D': John the Baptist's testimony (15)
C': We have received grace from the Word (16)
B': Grace and truth came through the Word (17)
A': The Only Begotten theos with the Father (18)
Verses 1 and 2 are a separate thought from verse 3. Therefore, in the beginning... serves as an introduction, or a summary before any statement of the work of creation:
John Genesis
Verses 1-2: Introduction/Summary Verse 1
Verse 3: Description/Scope of work Verses 1:2 to 2:3
The Prologue's first two verses are patterned after the beginning of Genesis. The Word was and is in union with God before any details of creation are given. This is a common characteristic of Hebrew narrative which begins by "summarizing the whole story before the details are given."2
As a summary, verses 1-2 of the Prologue envision the entire work of creation. Not only was the Word with God when the heavens and the earth were created; the Word was with God on the seventh day.
The Linguistic Aspect
Linguistically, in the beginning recalls the Greek beginning of Genesis:
ἐν ἀρχῇ ἐποίησεν ὁ θεὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν
ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος καὶ ὁ λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν θεόν καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος
The Visual Aspect
Setting the two documents side-by-side leads to a visual similarity:
ἐν ἀρχῇ ἐποίησεν ὁ θεὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν
ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος καὶ ὁ λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν θεόν καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος
Conclusion
Considering all of the aspects, it is reasonable to conclude the Gospel writer was purposeful to draw attention to "the beginning" as it is found in the Greek translation of Genesis, while preserving the Hebrew aspect of providing a summary before giving details.
The obvious ἐν ἀρχῇ/ἐν ἀρχῇ invites comparison of ὁ λόγος/ὁ θεὸς which should be seen as an additional means of conveying how the writer intends καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος to be understood.
As these aspects could easily have been avoided, it is reasonable to conclude the writer was intentional to "go out the way" to begin the Gospel with the comparisons to Genesis 1 and not any other beginning.
1. R. Alan Culpepper, "The Pivot of John's Prologue," New Testament Studies, Volume 27, Issue 1, October 1980, p. 16
2. H.C. Leopold D.D., Exposition of Genesis, Baker Book House, 1960, Volume II, p. 770. As a summary of the work of creation, it is similar to Paul's statement: yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. (1 Corinthians 8:6)