John 1:1-18, The Word Made Flesh

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

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.’”) 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.

This is the Incarnation: God becoming human, taking on human flesh. Matthew and Luke tell the story with specific details that include Mary, Joseph, and the Angel Gabriel. John simply states, “the Word became flesh.” Jesus had always existed in the heavenly realms, yet at a specific time and place he entered into human history by taking on flesh and living among us. The Hebrew phrase translated “dwelt among us” would remind a Jewish reader of the tabernacle in the wilderness, the place God chose to meet with Moses and his people. Put another way, Jesus “tabernacled” with us. As the glorious cloud and flame led the Jews out of slavery in Egypt into the Promised Land, so the glory of Jesus would lead people out of sin into eternal life through his grace and truth.

Jesus witnessed his glory to his disciples. John, James, and Peter saw this glory on the mount of Transfiguration. John saw this glory in Jesus’ resurrected body. And he saw this glory in the miracles of Jesus—signs that proved he was indeed God, signs that John will recount for us in the following chapters so that we too might believe in Jesus and become children of God ourselves. Jesus the Word is one with the Father in divinity. Now he is one with us in humanity. This is good news, worthy of exploring together!

Jesus still dwells (tabernacles) among us through his Spirit. Ask the Lord to fill you now with the presence of his Spirit to equip you to know him and serve him.