John 1:14 – The Word Became Flesh

“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.” – John 1:14

In John 1:1-2 we read, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.” In John 1:14 we read that “the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” In John 1:14 we also read that “the Word,” is also referred to as “the one and only Son.” To be clear, the Word is Jesus. So, to make John 1:1-2 as clear as possible we can read it as, “In the beginning was Jesus, and Jesus was with God, and Jesus was God. Jesus was with God in the beginning.”

Heretics, Skeptics, or well-intentioned Bible readers often have false views of Jesus. These views range, but when scripture is studied in truth, there is no question to whom Jesus claims to be. Jesus claims that He was “sent by the Father,” (John 3:34; 4:34; 5:23-24, 30, 36-38; 6:29, 38-39, 44, 57; 7:16, 28-29, 33; 8:16, 18, 26, 29, 42; 9:4; 10:36; 11:42; 12:44-45, 49; 13:30; 14:24; 15:21; 16:5; 17:3, 8, 18, 21, 23, 25; 20:21). Jesus claims that He is the only way to the Father (John 14:6). Jesus claims that He is “the bread of life,” “the light of the world,” “the gate,” “the good shepherd,” “the resurrection and the life,” “the way and the truth and the life,” “the true vine,” and that “before Abraham was born, I am!” which was understood by His audience as a claim to be God (John 6:48; 8:12; 10:9, 11; 11:25; 14:6; 15:1; 8:58). When speaking to the Samaritan at the well, Jesus declares Himself the Messiah, “The woman said, ‘I know that Messiah’ (called Christ) ‘is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.’ Then Jesus declared, ‘I, the one speaking to you—I am he,” (John 4:25-26). When scripture is read in truth, Jesus can be seen either as a “liar, lunatic, or Lord,” but there is no middle ground (C.S. Lewis).

As Christians, we call Him Lord. We know that Jesus is the eternal God who “became flesh,” (John 1:14). Jesus “who is himself God,” is part of the infinite and eternal Triune Godhead, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, who exist, and have existed, in perfect self-sustaining love, power, and glory (John 1:18). “In Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form,” (Col. 2:9). But in our humanity, we might struggle with “the why.” Why did Jesus leave His place in Heaven and “become flesh,”? Why did Jesus, “who is himself God,” come to earth to be “tempted in every way, just as we are,” (John 1:18, Heb. 4:15)? Why did Jesus make “himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant,” (Phil. 2:7)? Why did Jesus come to earth to be “obedient to death,” (Phil. 2:8)?

As Christians we know that Jesus “became flesh,” so we might come to know the Father’s love and be restored to Him (John 1:14; 3:16-17). We know that He bore a burden that we could not. We know that He is our only hope to overcome the depth of our sin and the evil in this world. We know that although we are undeserving, He came for us.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank you for becoming flesh to save us. Help us to pursue you and to be obedient to you as our Lord.