Practice: John 1

The Word

John 1:1–5 ESV

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

John 1:12 ESV

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,

John 1:13 ESV

who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

John 1:14 ESV

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.

John 1:15 ESV

(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.’ ”)

Wherever we see the Word of God purely preached and heard, there a church of God exists, even if it swarms with many faults.

John Calvin (French Reformer)

The Word is the face, the countenance, the representation of God, in whom he is brought to light and made known.

Clement of Alexandria; John Owen (Puritan Divine and Statesman)

In the case of ‘words’, plural, the picture is more heterogeneous, but a clear pattern nevertheless emerges: the words of God are normally spoken or written down, and they are normally rejected by their listeners.

Andrew G. Shead