Episode 9 - "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us" John 1:14-15
John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 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.’”)
In the last episode, we heard John say that those who believe in the name of the Word were given the right to become God’s children. That’s an amazing assertion that people could become members of God’s family. But, now John follows that by writing “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” He’s saying that the Word, which he’s already strongly stated is fully God, took on human flesh. This could raise all sorts of questions. One question that comes to my mind is, “why would the Creator of all things do that?” Secondly, “does that mean the Word gave up His deity when He became flesh? I believe this book will answer those questions. In fact, I believe John begins to answer the second question within the immediate context. Let’s look at what he tells us.
When he says, “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us,” the Greek word translated “dwelt” literally means “tabernacled” or in our common language today we might say “tented” among us. The significance of this is John’s likely intention to draw his readers’ minds to the tabernacle at Mount Sinai (Exodus chapters 25-31 and 35-40) in which the presence of God dwells. We read in Exodus 33 that God first reveals a glimpse of His glory to Moses. God tells Moses that no one can look directly at Him and live. This glory is powerful and awesome.
By drawing this connection between the tabernacle of the Exodus and the flesh of the Word as the tabernacle of God, that would suggest that when the Word became flesh, he did not give up or relent his deity. In the account of the tabernacle building in Exodus and in this account of God “tenting” among us, the message is that God wants to be with His creatures. There is an intentional act of God to have fellowship with humanity. Stop for a minute and think about that. Would you like that? Would you like for God to have a relationship with you?
John says, “we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” There’s a lot here. Let’s break this down a little bit.
First, John is saying that he and others with him were firsthand witnesses of this glory dwelling in the flesh of the Word. This is John’s evidence that the Word did not relent His deity when He became flesh. It’s important to have witnesses to an event, isn’t it? We’ll learn more about witnesses throughout this book.
Secondly, John gives us more information about what he means by “glory.” He says it’s “glory as of the only Son from the Father.” Once again, there is an interesting translation decision here made by the ESV translators because in the Greek the word for son is not in the text. Instead, a very literal translation of the word that is there would have it read “the unique one from the Father” or perhaps “the one-of-a-kind from the Father.” It’s important to understand that the “Word” who was with God and was God and became flesh and “dwelt among us” was unique. There are no others like this being. He’s unique.
Why is this important? I would suggest that it’s because John just told his audience that everyone who believes in his name is given the right to become God’s children. A relationship that God himself willed. So, if this “unique one” who came from the Father in a relationship like a child comes from its parents, we see that John is distinguishing this unique one from those who are given the right to become God’s children. This unique one is not just a son among and just like others who God makes a part of His family.
Finally, the unique one is “full of grace and truth.” Grace is “unmerited favor” from God. It is a gift that is given from love and not a barter arrangement. Real truth is not the subjective perception of a person or people group. It is true for all people in all cultures at all times. This is not a popular concept in society today. Wouldn’t it be nice to know and experience real truth? John says that this unique one from the Father was full of grace and truth.
John briefly jumps back to the testimony of John the Baptist in verse 15 as he tells his audience that John the Baptist said of the unique one from the Father, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’ What is John the Baptist’s message that the apostle John wants us to understand? We’ll soon read that many people believed John the Baptist was a prophet or special figure from God. Indeed he was. But, John the Baptist says that this unique one “ranks before” himself because this unique one existed before him. I believe the apostle John includes this testimony of the Baptizer because it supports what he says in the opening verse that this unique one was “In the beginning.” In other words, he’s saying John the Baptist told people that this unique one was eternal in existence.
Maybe I’m reading too much into the text. But, reserve your judgment until you’ve had time to pour yourself into this book and see whether I’m too far off or not.