And the Word Became Flesh

No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.  John 1:18

John 1:1–18 – That You May Believe
Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time: Life in the Spirit  – September 8, 2024 (am)    

The aim of the Gospels is to help us see Jesus, know Jesus, love Jesus for Who He is and for all He’s done to accomplish salvation for all who believe—to make Himself known to us, and enable us to come to know Him, and to love Him.

In this series, we’re looking to see Jesus. We’re looking to marvel at His works. We’re looking to be awed by His words. And we’ll stumble over them as well; so often His intent was to say things in a way that would make His creatures reply: What? Did I hear You correctly? And His answer is often: Yes, you did. Now, can you deal with what you heard? Can you process it? Can you see it, recognize it, truly understand what it actually requires for fallen creatures to come to know a holy God, to be reconciled to Him, to become members of His family, forever? Can you see?

From early on, John was literally of one piece with the other three Gospels. Soon after it was written it would’ve circulated as part of one book…, not a scroll… [24] but a ‘codex’, a book with separate [pages] like [today], sewn or glued [along] one side. It was known simply as ‘The Gospel’, containing the four canonical Gospels…, divided into the parts… ‘According to Matthew’, ‘According to Mark’, ‘According to Luke’, and ‘According to John’ (Carson 1991 23-4).

But even so, there are some striking differences between John and the others. There are no narrative parables in John, no account of the transfiguration, no record of the institution of the Lord’s supper, no report of Jesus casting out a demon, no mention of His temptations (Carson 1991 21) or several other significant statements or themes or characteristics, so he also writes with a unique voice, aiming to help his readers believe in Jesus and so have life in his name (20:31).

John also opens differently than the other Gospels. He’s most similar to Mark, both opening with beginning (Mar.1:1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.); it is possible that John is making an allusion to his colleague’s work, saying in effect, ‘Mark has told you about the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry; I want to show you that the starting point of the gospel can be traced farther back than that, before the beginning of the entire universe (Carson 1991 114). Additionally, both Mark and John include no birth narrative that gives the details of Jesus’ arrival as an infant in Bethlehem. Yet even so, John is equally different from Mark with this Prologue (1-18), a virtually stand-alone essay that functions like the overture to an opera or an old-fashioned musical. The Prologue is a foyer to the rest of the Fourth Gospel…, simultaneously drawing the reader in and introducing the major themes. … Not only so, but many of the central, thematic words of this Gospel are first introduced in these verses: life, light (1:4), witness (1:7), true (… 1:9), world (1:10), glory, truth (1:14). But supremely, the Prologue summarizes how the ‘Word’ which was with God in the very beginning came into the sphere of time, history, tangibility—in other words, how the Son of God was sent into the world to become the Jesus of history, so that the glory and grace of God might be uniquely and perfectly [revealed]. The rest of the book is nothing other than an expansion of this theme (Carson 1991 111). As such, then, this really is John’s birth narrative.

Let’s walk through this passage as a single unit.

1 In the beginning was the Word, clearly recalling the opening of the Bible, Gen.1:1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. and the Word was with God in the beginning, emphasizing intimate relationship with God (Kruse 63), with v.18 clarifying this meaning: the Word who is at the Father’s side literally means who is in the bosom of the Father (Carson 1991 135), who is close to the Father’s heart (Kruse 63). So, the Word was with God, and the Word was God—intimately related to God, yet also God Himself. Such is the Word, the powerful activity of God in creation, revelation, and deliverance…. God simply speaks, and his powerful word creates… or effects deliverance and judgment…. In short, God’s ‘Word’… is his powerful self-expression in creation, revelation, and salvation, and the personification of that ‘Word’ makes it suitable for John to apply it as a title to God’s ultimate self-disclosure, the person of his own Son (Carson 1991 115-6). Thus: It is the unique contribution of [John’s Prologue] that it reveals the Word of God not merely as an attribute of God, but as a distinct Person within the Godhead (Tasker 42). So, the Word was God, yet It was distinct from God (the seeds of the trinitarian thought). But: 2 He was also in the beginning with God, doing the things only God could do: 3 All things were made through him, He created the world, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, self-existence (cf. 5:26), a quality that belongs only to God, and the life was the light of men, a statement that doesn’t clarify until we move on. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. Rather, this light overcomes the surrounding darkness—spiritual illumination that dispels the darkness of sin and unbelief (Bruce 33) in this dark world.

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John—no need to mention the Baptist (cf. Mar.6:14) because the only other John in Jesus’ circle had no plans to mention his own name herein. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. We’ll say more about John the Baptist next week, God willing, but for now: 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, the only Source of true light in this dark world, was coming into the world. This assertion wouldn’t have been clear on its first hearing. But add in what’s coming (14) and we’ve got an astounding announcement here! The grand nature of it is almost inconceivable! This Word that was with God from eternity past, and indeed was God, was going to be coming into the world! How was this even possible? All of a sudden, this Word (λόγος) stood apart from every other merely philosophical or ideological definition it possessed in the first century world! Suddenly it seemed like it might have some sort of embodied substance, some tangible reality that would allow it to show up in this world. This announcement would probably just have dizzied its hearers for a moment with a wave of all but inconceivable wonder, thinking surely they just misunderstood! But John continued: 10 He was in the world, [the world that] was made through him, yet the world did not know him. Wait, the Creator showed up but wasn’t recognized? Precisely. 11 He came to his own, now likely meaning more than just the inhabitants of this world whom He’d created, but specifically to the very ones to whom He’d been promised, the Jewish nation (Carson 1991 125), and his own people did not receive him. That’s remarkable! Again, it’s all but inconceivable! 12 But to all who did receive him, meaning, to all who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, His family, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God, anticipating the new birth Jesus mentions to Nicodemus (3:1-15).

Now, here’s where it’s finally made explicit, the statement that rocked the world, the statement so profound in its implications that we could linger with it the remainder of our days and not come close to plumbing its depths or exhausting its meaning! 14 And the Word became flesh! [The Word] dwelt among us! And we have seen his glory—his! The Word became a man, human!—and we’ve seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, the unique Son, distinct from those of us who are adopted into this family as we believe in his name (12). And the glory of the Son displays that He’s full of grace and truth, again qualities only God can exhibit. So, part of God, yet God Himself, has come into [this] world bringing the glory and grace and truth of God with Him. And through belief in Him, we can likewise become sons and daughters of God, still distinct from this unique Son, but sons and daughters nevertheless! There truly is no scale by which to measure the immeasurable greatness of this announcement, 15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me’.”) 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. How so? 17 For the law was given through Moses, truly an expression of God’s grace (Rom.7:12, 16); grace and truth came through Jesus Christ—grace [instead of] grace, that’s most literal; grace [replacing] grace (Carson 1991 132). 18 No one has ever seen God, we know that, apart from the glimpses seen by Moses or Ezekiel or this same John; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, in the [Father’s] bosom (Carson 1991 135), close to the Father’s heart (Kruse 63)., he has made him known. Only through the Son, the Word, can the Father be known.

Conclusion

So, what do we gain from this Prologue? Surely we gain an un understanding of where John is headed in his Gospel. But we also gain an understanding that God was determined to display His glory in this world, to send His grace and truth, His light, His life, into this darkness, in order to dispel it! And it was an extreme measure! He sent His unique Son, His intimate Companion Who is also God, to advance on the grace He’d already given by displaying His holy standard in the law. And He sent Him in the flesh, matching the nature of His creatures, and so providing for all who’d receive [His Son] to become His adopted (cf. Gal.4:5) children, born (born again [cf. 3:3] we might say) not of man, but born of God—born of the Spirit (3:8).

So, let me ask, does this help you reach our aim this morning, the aim of the Gospels, to help us see Jesus, know Him, love Him for Who He is and for all He’s done to accomplish our salvation—to make Himself known to us and enable us to come to know Him, and love Him—does it?

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Resources

Arnold, Clinton E., gen. ed. 2002. Zondervan Illustrated Bible Background Commentary. Vol. 2, John, Acts. John, by Andreas J. Köstenberger, 2-196. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Barclay, William. 1975. The Daily Study Bible Series. The Gospel of John, Revised Edition. Louisville: Westminster John Knox.

Beale, G. K., & D. A. Carson, eds. 2007. Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament. John, by Andreas J. Köstenberger, 415-512. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic.

Bruce, F. F. 1983. The Gospel of John. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

                  , Gordon D. Fee, & Ned B. Stonehouse, gen. eds. 1995. The New International Commentary on the New Testament. The Gospel According to John, Revised Edition, by Leon Morris. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

Calvin, John. 1553. Commentary on the Gospel According to John, trans. by, William Pringle. Logos.

Carson, D. A., gen. ed. 1991. The Pillar New Testament Commentary. The Gospel According to John, by D. A. Carson. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

                  , R. T. France, J. A. Motyer, & G. J. Wenham, eds. 1994. New Bible Commentary 21st Century Edition. John, by Donald Guthrie, 1021-1065. Leicester, Eng.: InterVarsity.

Clendenen, Ray E., gen. ed. 1996. The New American Commentary. Vol. 25, John, by Gerald L. Borchert. Nashville: Broadman & Holman.

Dever, Mark. 2005. The Message of the New Testament. Ch. 4, The Message of John: Jesus, the Son of God, 101-122. Wheaton: Crossway.

Grudem, Wayne, ed. 2008. ESV Study Bible. Study notes on John, 2015-2072, by Andreas J. Köstenberger. Wheaton: Crossway.

Longman III, Tremper, & David E. Garland, eds. 2007. Revised Expositor’s Bible Commentary. Vol. 10, Luke-Acts. John, by Robert H. Mounce, 357-661. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Martin, Ralph P., & Lynn Allan Losie, NT eds. 1999. Word Biblical Commentary. Vol. 36, John, Second Edition, by George R. Beasley-Murray. Dallas: Word.

Morris, Leon, gen. ed. 2003. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. Vol. 4, John, by Colin G. Kruse. Downers Grove: InterVarsity.

Osborne, Grant, ed. 1993. Life Application Bible Commentary. John, by Bruce B. Barton, Philip W. Comfort, David R. Veerman, & Neil Wilson. Wheaton: Tyndale.

Tasker, R. V. G. 2000. Tyndale New Testament Commentary. Vol. 4, John. Leicester, Eng.: InterVarsity.

Tenney, Merrill C. 1976. John: The Gospel of Belief. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

NEXT SUNDAY: Behold the Lamb of God, John 1:19–34