John 1:1-18
(New International Version)
The Word Became Flesh
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome[a] it.
6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
15 (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”) 16 Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and[b] is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.
1. Why is Jesus called the Word?
The Greek word here is Logos, which means thought or reason. It’s where we get our word “logic.” This Logos of God, or Word of God is the expression of God’s thoughts. He is the Word, or the message, God wants to communicate to us.
John 1:18 - No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.
Jesus is God’s communication to us. He’s the one who makes God known to us, communicating to us what God is really like.
2. Was Jesus God?
No, Jesus was not God. The Logos, or God the Son, was God. Jesus was the human body the Logos lived in. The Word was in the beginning, not the body and soul of the man Jesus.
But…
Philippians 2:5-11 - In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being
in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used
to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9 Therefore
God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
The Logos of God was with God in the beginning and had no body. He was Spirit, just as God the Father is Spirit. But when He came to redeem us, the Logos, God the Son, comingled with the man Jesus, and God the Son (Logos) and the Son of God (Jesus) became one being. After He had completed His work, God exalted Jesus for His obedience. The Logos of God comingled with the man Jesus, and now, the Logos will never be separate from the man Jesus. They are eternally joined.
3. Read verse 15. Why does John say that Jesus came before him? Remember that John is Jesus’ older cousin.
The Logos, God the Son, who was in Jesus is one with the eternal God. The Logos came before John even though the man Jesus did not.
4. What does it mean for the Logos to have life and to be the light?
The Logos is the fullness of God. He’s life, purity, goodness, etc. When He came, His job was to point us toward and give us that fullness. He was like a light shining in the darkness, helping us to find our way.
John 10:10 - I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
5. What does it mean to be a child of God (verses 12-13)?
· Love – God adopts us as His children because He loves us
· Provision – God is going to care for us and provide for us
· Protection – God will protect us. He won’t let anything take us away from Him (except our own choice to leave the family)
· Inheritance – God gives us His Kingdom
· Dignity – We become part of the royal family
6. What does it mean for the Logos to be full of grace and truth (verse 14)?
Remember that the Logos is the expression of God’s thought; He is God’s message to us. For the Logos to be full of grace and truth means that God wants to give us grace and show us the truth. He wants to take us out of our sins (grace) and show us the right way (truth).
7. Read verses 16 and 17 again. What does it mean for the Logos to give us grace in place of grace already given?
The Law of Moses showed us God’s holiness and His requirements for us. God communicated His standard. The Law also prescribed how people could be forgiven when they failed to meet God’s requirements; they had to sacrifice an animal. God telling us His requirements and giving us a way to be forgiven was an expression of grace. The Logos takes that grace even further by showing us who God is more fully and becoming the one-time sacrifice for all our sins.
What to do after reading this passage
Jesus brings us grace and truth. Spend some quiet time before Him, simply listening for the grace and truth He wants to share with you.
Do you have another insight into this passage? Please share below!
No comments:
Post a Comment