John 1:14-18 (2)

The Fullness of the Divinity and Humanity of Christ

John continues to reveal the identity of the Word/Logos (v.1) and He now reveals an OVERVIEW of the fullness of the divinity and humanity of Jesus Christ in verseS 14-18.

Jesus is Full of GLORY - vv.14-15

What is glory? In Greek Doxa - where we get the English word “Doxology” which is a short hymn of praise. We sing a song of praise to God because He is full of glory. So glory is understood as “state of high honor or weight, or greatness”.

John the disciple mentioned the word “glory” 18x in His gospel. He repeated the word glory twice in this 4 verses that we have read.

A. The glory of God is manifested in the person of Jesus Christ. How? By coming into the world and taking a human nature.

The Word became flesh - The second person of the Trinity added a human nature to His already divine nature. (v.14). The human nature that Adam and Eve originally had - not the fallen human nature.

The main point is that God has chosen to dwell with His people in a more personal and intimate way ( In the OT God dwells in the Tabernacle). God came to dwell (tent, tabernacled) with His creation.

He experienced what it is like to be a human- He knows our sufferings, he know what it is like to be tempted. he knows what is like to have someone you love died. He knows what it feels like to be betrayed. He knows what it like to be criticized. He knows the feeling of being rejected and looked down.

B. John clarifies that Jesus is full of glory because He is divine and from eternity by saying “the only begotten from the Father”. Jesus is the “only begotten” meaning “unique” . Jesus is the unique representation of God (Heb 1:2-3). No one is like Him. Despite having a human nature, the glory (weight, high honor/status) that Jesus has in eternity is still present.

verse 12 tell us that Believers are children or sons and daughters of God, but Jesus is the only-begotten (unique) Son of God. He is unique because He is divine, we are not divine.

C. John the Baptist testified to the glory of Jesus (v.15) . John testified the divine origin and worth of Jesus) (v.15).

Why is there a need for Jesus to add human nature?

Blood is required for forgiveness.

Hebrews 9:22 NIV

22 In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

Leviticus 17:11 NIV

11 For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.

Matthew 26:28 NIV

28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

In the final analysis, we can’t be saved without God taking a human nature. The humanity of Jesus is very important.

The Angels can’t save us because they are fully spiritual being (no blood to shed, not perfect).

Mary can’t save us because she is fully human (with blood but not perfect). Only Jesus can save us!

Application:

A. Be filled with His glory/presence. (spend time with Jesus,

Transition: Think about this! God who is glorious in status, taking a human nature (which is lowly) - this is an expression of Grace.

Jesus is Full of GRACE - v.14, vv.16-17

The glory of Jesus is revealed in His GRACE:

John the disciple witnessed the fullness of grace and the truth displayed in the words and deeds of Jesus.(v.14).

As the Gospel of John unfolds, this grace is seen again and again; for example, Jesus provides abundance of wine at the wedding feast of Cana (2:1–12), heals the official’s son (4:43–54), causes the lame man at the Pool of Bethesda to walk (5:1–15), feeds the five thousand (6:1–15), gives sight to the man born blind (9:1–7) and restores Lazarus to life (11:38–44). His grace is seen most importantly in his laying down his life for his people (10:11, 15), in giving them eternal life (4:14; 6:27; 10:28; 17:2) and in sending them the Holy Spirit (15:26; 16:7).

In verse 16, John confess to have receive the fullness of the grace of Jesus - grace upon grace! It means unending grace (for believers! That abundant supply will never be exhausted or diminished; grace will continually follow grace in a limitless, never-ending flow!

God said to Paul in response to his request to remove the thorn of the flesh “My GRACE is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” , 2 Corinthians 12:9.

In verse 17, John mentioned about the Law that God has given to Moses. John made a comparison between the Mosaic Law and Jesus. The Law was good but the Law was not an instrument of Grace. Rather, God gives grace and mercy to repentant sinners who violated the Law.

The Law was good but it cannot save anyone (Acts 13:38-39).Rather it reveals our sinfulness and it points us to the one who can save - Jesus Christ!

The problem during the time of Jesus was that the Law was used by the Jews APART from grace. Jesus interpreted the real meaning of the Law in accordance to the character of God, which is grace. Jesus showed grace and truth by healing the lame and the blind on SABBATH to which the Jews responded with anger and intent to kill Jesus! Jesus explained to them the truth that Sabbath is made for man. not man for Sabbath. The Law was given by God for our good, not prevents us from doing good.

Jesus giving His life for undeserving sinners is the most noble act of GRACE. That is why the Apostle Paul described the message he preached as “the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24). In Romans 3:24 he wrote that believers are “justified as a gift by His GRACE through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus,” while in Ephesians 1:7 he added, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His GRACE.” Later in that same letter, Paul wrote, “For by GRACE you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Eph. 2:8–9). He reminded Timothy that God “has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and GRACE which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity” (2 Tim. 1:9)

We are saved by GRACE and this GRACE we received through FAITH in Jesus, who is FULL of GRACE!

Application:

A. Be filled with His grace (so we can be gracious to others who are undeserving like us)

Jesus is Full of TRUTH - vv.17-18

What is TRUTH? (quality, genuine, sincerity, honesty). John repeated the word “truth” 26x in his gospel.

When we say Jesus is full of TRUTH, He is genuine, sincere, and honest. He does not lie and He tells things exactly as it is. Jesus came to bear the TRUTH to counter the lies of Satan, the Father of lies.

Jesus came to reveal the TRUTH about God the Father - In verse 18, John said that Jesus explained the Father. Explained means to make known or reveal, from which the English word “exegesis” (the method or practice of interpreting Scripture) derives. Jesus is the only one qualified to exegete or interpret God to man.

God, who cannot be known unless He reveals Himself, became most fully known because Jesus explained Him. Jesus is the explanation of God. He is the answer to the question, “What is God like?” In John 14:7–9, Jesus declared that truth to His obtuse disciples:

“If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.” Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?”

When Jesus explained to the Jews that He and the Father are one (the truth), the Jews tried to kill Jesus! (John 10:28-33). Jesus died for telling the truth.

TRUTH is very IMPORTANT. There is no saving GRACE except to those who believe the truth of the gospel message. Paul reminded the Ephesians, “In Him, you also, after listening to the message of TRUTH, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise” (Eph. 1:13). In Colossians 1:5 he defined the gospel as the “word of TRUTH” (cf. James 1:18). Paul expressed to the Thessalonians his thankfulness that “God had chosen them from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the TRUTH” (2 Thess. 2:13). People are saved when they “come to the knowledge of the TRUTH” (1 Tim. 2:4; cf. 2 Tim. 2:25). On the other hand, “those who perish” will do so “because they did not receive the love of the TRUTH so as to be saved” (2 Thess. 2:10). Everyone will “be judged who did not believe the TRUTH, but took pleasure in wickedness” (2 Thess. 2:12)

Application:

A. Be filled with His truth (so that we can live in truth and no pretensions and hypocrisy)

Conclusion:

The fullness of the divinity and humanity of Jesus is beautifully captured and illustrated in a statement by one of the early church-father Gregory of Nazianzus.

300 Quotations for Preachers from the Early Church The Humanity and Divinity of Jesus

He prays, but He hears prayer. He weeps, but He causes tears to cease. He asks where Lazarus was laid, for He was man; but He raises Lazarus, for He was God. He is sold, and very cheaply, for it is only for thirty pieces of silver; but He redeems the world, and that at a great price, for the price was His own blood. As a sheep He is led to the slaughter, but He is the Shepherd of Israel, and now of the whole world also. As a lamb He is silent, yet He is the Word, and is proclaimed by the voice of one crying in the wilderness. He is bruised and wounded, but He heals every disease and every infirmity. He is lifted up and nailed to the tree, but by the tree of life He restores us;

Gregory of Nazianzus

Praise God for the fullness of divinity and humanity of Jesus!