John 1:14-18

Scripture: John 1:14-18

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

Devotion

In verse 14 we come across an important theological concept. Incarnation is an important doctrinal term meaning that a spirit God took on human flesh in the form of Jesus. ^[2] John reaches back to pull out the term logos to use in explaining the incarnation. “This may be the most important verse in the Bible on the doctrine of the incarnation. ^[3] The literal translation means that Jesus pitched his tent and dwelt among us. Jesus lived to bring us grace and truth. Another way of translating this verse is Jesus came and tabernacled among us. The tabernacle was until the center of Jewish worship. It represented the place of the law, the abode of God and the source of revelation. It was the site of sacrifice and the focus of worship. Now in the new covenant Jesus provides all these things

            And not only was Jesus here, but he demonstrated the glory of the One and Only. Other prophets, including John the Baptist, were sent from God, but the Word came directly from the Father’s presence.^[4] The text makes it clear that the mission of the Logos was unique in the history of the world.  Finally, we cannot pass lightly over the wonderful phrase, full of grace and truth. John used the word grace again in verses 16 and 17, then never mentioned it for the rest of his Gospel! He used truth many times, but here the combination grabs us. Jesus perfectly blended two of the most important qualities of the divine nature and displayed them in human personality.^[5] It is an important founding principle of the Christian faith. The confession of a genuine incarnation is one of the basic theological affirmations of Christianity.⁷² Although Christians may differ on a number of theological issues, the incarnation has been one of the few boundary doctrines that applies to all who are legitimately called by the name of Christ.^[6]

            In verse 15 we have a parenthetical aside. Indicating John, the Baptist view of the incarnation of Jesus. John indicates that Jesus was before him and ranks ahead of him, because Jesus was there from the creation of the world. John was simply one sent to announce Jesus coming.

            Verse 16 has been incorrectly identified with John the Baptist. the Church Fathers were incorrect in attributing v. 16 to the Baptizer.⁸³ Some have argued again that this verse may have been part of an earlier hymn connected with the “full of grace” statement in v. 14. As it stands, however, it is a confessional commentary on what has gone before and flows naturally into what follows in v. 17.^[7]

            Verse 17 states that the Law came through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus. Not representing a slap against the law but rather a slap against those who misused the law for their own ends. John was equally emphatic in his denial of overthrowing the law.

            Finally, in verse 18 this verse takes is place beside verse 14 indicating that Jesus was the exclusive representation of the Father. God is made known perfectly in the son and the son is perfectly submissive to the Father’s will. John will show through this submission the way of the cross that Jesus is to follow, and the was all Christ’s disciples will follow in that way.

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^[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Jn 1:14–18.

^[2] Kenneth O. Gangel, John, vol. 4, Holman New Testament Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000), 13.

^[3] Kenneth O. Gangel, John, vol. 4, Holman New Testament Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000), 13.

^[4] Kenneth O. Gangel, John, vol. 4, Holman New Testament Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000), 13.

^[5] Kenneth O. Gangel, John, vol. 4, Holman New Testament Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000), 13.

⁷² This assertion was settled in the Nicene Council, and heretical works such as the “Acts of John” were ordered destroyed. See, e.g., E. Pagels, The Gnostic Gospels (New York: Random House/Vintage, 1979), 90. Newman and Nida indicate that most translators try to render σὰρξ by some form that indicates the Word became truly human (John, 21–22). Goodspeed’s translation “flesh and blood” is not, however, the most desirable rendering because both are biblical words used elsewhere.

^[6] Gerald L. Borchert, John 1–11, vol. 25A, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1996), 119.

⁸³ For a discussion of this issue see Schnackenburg, St. John, 1.275.

^[7] Gerald L. Borchert, John 1–11, vol. 25A, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1996), 123.