Key Verse: “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14 CSB)
Every verse in the Bible is important. But there are some verses that require the reader to take an extra or more prolonged pause in order to meditate on and grasp the significance of what’s being communicated. Such could be said about John 1:14.
In the preceding verses, John has been describing the nature of the Word. He has stated that the Word has eternally pre-existed, that the Word is God, and that the Word is the agent behind all that has been created. John has also said that to believe in and receive the Word is the only way to have the right to be called a child of God.
But then John makes an even more incredible statement. “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (v.14), he said. Stop for a moment and consider the weightiness of what John is communicating.
The phrase “dwelt among us” means to take up residence somewhere, or more formally, to live in a tent. To those with a background in the Old Testament, they would have likely recognized the connection that was being made by John to the Jewish Tabernacle. The Tabernacle was the special dwelling place of God. It was where His most Holy presence dwelt on earth. “Moses was unable to enter the tent of the meeting because the cloud rested on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle” (Exodus 40:35).
With this in mind, John is telling us that the eternal Word who is God, the One who created heaven and earth, “became flesh and dwelt among us.” To be clear, this wasn’t about the Word choosing to appear in human flesh in some mystical way. Rather, the Word literally became an actual human being. The Word fully took on human flesh and became part of His own creation.
The Word of course, to whom John is referring, is Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul stated that Jesus, “existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be grasped. Instead, he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of man” (Philippians 2:6-7). Elsewhere, Paul described Jesus taking on human flesh, by saying, “When the time came to completion, God sent His Son, born of a woman” (Galatians 4:4). As a result, “the entire fullness of God’s nature dwells bodily in Christ” (Colossians 2:9).
That’s flat out incredible, isn’t it? Jesus Christ wasn’t just a great teacher or an incredible example of compassion, love and sacrifice for us to follow. He is God Himself in the flesh! He is fully God and fully man all at the same time. To look at Jesus is to see the glory of God in all its fullness, because He Himself is God.
So take an extra moment today to observe His glory, “the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (v.14b). Stop and stare at the One who became a human being and dwelt among us. He did this to represent us with perfect obedience (Romans 5:19), to be our mediator with God (1 Timothy 2:5), and to make atonement for our sins (Hebrews 2:27). He did this for you and for me.
Prayer: Jesus, I stand amazed that as God you chose to humble yourself by becoming a human being. Thank you that in you I can see the fullness of who God is. Show me your glory. Make your presence known to me in a greater way today through your Holy Spirit. Amen.
Author: Jonathan Miller has served in pastoral roles for more than 13 years in churches in Barrie, Oakville and Burlington, Ontario. He currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer at Prison Fellowship Canada, a ministry that mobilizes and equips local churches to engage in the restorative work of prisoners, ex-prisoners, their families, and victims across Canada. Jon holds degrees from McMaster University and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He and his wife Adrienne have been married since 2004, and live in Burlington, Ontario with their 4 children. Jon’s greatest passion is to know Jesus and to see lives transformed by Him and for Him.
