In this first chapter in the Gospel of John, we are presented with one of the most profound and majestic passages in all of Scripture, unveiling the identity and significance of Jesus Christ as the Word made flesh. This rich and poetic prologue lays the foundation for the Gospel of John and establishes Jesus’ divine nature, eternal existence, and redemptive purpose.
John 1:1-18
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.
John 1:1-2
All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
John 1:3-5
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
John 1:6-10
He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
John 1:11-13
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
John 1:14
John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
John 1:15-18
Jesus as the Word Made Flesh
The passage begins with the declaration, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). Here, the term “Word” (Greek: Logos) is used to refer to Jesus Christ. This verse highlights the eternal existence of God as the Word, who is both distinct from and one with the Father.
The phrase “the Word was God” emphasizes the essential oneness of God. This is interpreted to mean that the Word, Jesus Christ, shares the same divine nature and essence as the Father. He is not a separate deity but the manifestation of the one true God in human form. The Word is significant because it reveals Jesus as the divine expression and communication of God to humanity. Throughout the Old Testament, God communicated with His people through various means, including prophets and written messages. In Jesus, God’s communication with humanity becomes ultimate and complete. He is the living embodiment of God’s revelation, making the invisible God visible and comprehensible to us.
Verse 14, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us,” holds paramount importance. As the incarnation of God Himself in the person of Jesus Christ, Jesus is not a separate divine person but the embodiment of the Father—the fullness of the Godhead dwelling in bodily form (Colossians 2:9). This statement encapsulates the incarnation—the divine Son of God taking on human flesh, becoming fully human while retaining His full divinity. This act of humility and love marks the essence of God’s redemptive plan, as He enters into human history to reconcile humanity to Himself.
John emphasizes the significance of this divine act by declaring that Jesus, as the Word made flesh, “dwelt among us.” The Greek word used here is “tabernacled,” drawing a parallel to the tabernacle in the Old Testament, which served as God’s dwelling place among His people. Just as God’s presence resided in the tabernacle, now, in Jesus, God’s fullness dwells among humanity, demonstrating His intimate desire to be with His creation.
Furthermore, John 1:18 reveals Jesus as the “only begotten Son“, emphasizing His unique relationship with the Father. He is the One who fully reveals the Father to us, declaring His unmatched knowledge of God and serving as the mediator between God and humanity. He is the only visible expression of the invisible God, fully representing the Father and revealing the fullness of the divine nature to humanity.
John powerfully proclaims Jesus Christ as the eternal Word made flesh. He is fully God and fully human, embodying God’s revelation and communicating His love and redemption to humanity. The incarnation signifies God’s profound desire to be with His people, and through Jesus, we find the ultimate expression of God’s grace and truth. As the Word made flesh, Jesus invites us into a relationship with Him, where we can know and experience the fullness of God’s love and salvation.
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