Christ: The Word, The Light, and The God-Man

John 1:1–4 NASB95

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 came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.

John 1:14 NASB95

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Introduction

1. The Word of God (1:1-3)

John 1:1–3 NASB95

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 came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.

The first thing we notice: “In the beginning was the Word.” This sounds familiar.

“Word” = Greek meaning - rationality, reason, order; it was impersonal for the Greeks, but John tells us it is actually a person:

Distinct from the Father (v.1a)

“. . . and the Word was with God” - πρὸς τὸν θεόν - rendered “with” = lit. “in the face of” - indicates intimate relation

We see that the Word is distinct from the Father. He is his won person, or consciousness.

The Same Essence as the Father (v.1b-3)

“. . . as the Word was God” = John speaks clearly here. The Word IS God. The Word is not “like” or “similar” but IS.

After clearly proclaiming that the Word is God, John goes on to support this idea from the works the Word has done:

“All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.”

Who brings all things into existence? Who creates everything? No creature or made thing—only God creates.

In fact, these three verses alone directly parallel what is said in Genesis 1-2.

What we see here: The Christian doctrine of the deity of Christ and the Trinity.

There is one God but he exists as three persons. Only two are really seen here: Father and the Son.

Application

Most people would probably understand the meaning of Christmas as it relates to the Christian faith: it is about the birth of Jesus the Christ. We’d know this just from Charlie Brown’s Christmas episode. Linus recounts it to us.

But the more important question: WHO is Jesus?

There are so many Jesus’ celebrated at Christmas time.

Mormon Jesus, Jehovah’s Witness’ Jesus . . .

But who is Jesus really? He is the Word of God. He IS God. He is the second person of the Trinity.

Colossians 2:9 “For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form”

I.e., “For in Jesus all the fullness of the divine nature inhabits in body form.”

Amp paraphrase:

“He is the sole expression of the glory of God [the Light-being, the out-raying or radiance of the divine], and He is the perfect imprint and very image image of [God’s] nature, upholding and maintaining and guiding and propelling the universe by His mighty word of power.”

Hebrews 1:3 “And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.”

“exact representation of His nature” (χαρακτὴρ τῆς ὑποστάσεως αὐτοῦ) =

“character” => idea of an imprint on a coin

“nature” => real nature, essence

Jesus is an exact representation of who God is, i.e., he is God.

Any other Jesus is a false Jesus.

So, Jesus is the Word of the Father. He is a person, specifically is he God. But John also describes the Word as light:

2. The Light of the World (1:4-5, 9-13)

John 1:4–5 NASB95

In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

“In Him was life.”

Jesus is said to have life IN him. The word for “life” is significant. There are two primary words for life in Greek: bios and zoe.

What does it mean to say that Jesus has life? => It says something about who he is in an of himself. It says something about his nature. He just exists. He depends upon nothing for his existence (aseity).

But for Jesus to have life in him also means: He is Creator AND He is RE-Creator.

Life as Light (v.4-5, 9-11)

“. . . and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”

This Word which is life is also light.

Light reminds us of God showing manifesting himself to Israel in the OT.

Pillar of Fire in the desert.

Flashing lightening on Mt. Sinai

Light that emanated from within the inner room of the Tabernacle and Temple.

We are told that God IS light throughout Scripture:

1 John 1:5 “This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.”

Light = metaphor for God’s holiness, justice, perfection, glory, majesty

Jesus explicitly claims to be the light:

John 8:12 “Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.””

John 12:46 ““I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness.”

In contrast to light, the Bible always describes darkness as that which is sinful and evil.

And we we are told in Jn 1:5 that the “light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”

“Comprehend” or “overcome”? Both are true. The world did not truly grasp who he was because it was sinful. But there was also a spiritual battle between Jesus and the forces of Satan and the world, but the sinful world did not overcome it.

In fact, John goes on to tell us in vv.9-11 that Jesus accomplished the main task he set out to do:

John 1:9–11 NASB95

There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.

In other words, although the world was (is) sinful, he came to enlighten every person: to make the world light again.

How?

Life to make Children of God (v.12-13)

John 1:12–13 NASB95

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

The Word—Jesus—who has life in Himself and is light came to impart life to a dead, dark world lost in sin. He came to give them rebirth—to make them children of God.

Note: not everyone is a child of God - one becomes a child of God. This is what the text clearly states as the reason why Jesus came.

“Children” is not meant to be taken as biological/literal: “. . . who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”

The first three things (blood, will of the flesh, and will of man) clearly indicate that it is not about becoming a literal biological child of God. Rather, it’s about becoming a child of God in the sense of being re-created by him.

For all the talk in our culture of becoming a “better you,” it’s impossible apart from Christ. If you want a better version of yourself (defined as how God defines it and designs you), then there is condition:

“But as many as received Him. . . . even to those who believe in His name.”

To become a child of God—to be reborn—we must receive Christ.

What this looks like: Belief. Repent. Confess. Be baptized.

Receiving the Word in belief, then, makes us a child of God.

But there was something the Word had to do to make it possible for us to become children of God through belief:

3. The God-Man (1:14-18)

God becomes Man (1:14-15, 18)

John 1:14–15 NASB95

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. John testified about Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’ ”

We now see WHO this Word is: it takes on human flesh (Incarnation). The Word becomes Jesus of Nazareth.

“dwelt among us” (σκηνόω) - the word is used to mean “temple” or “tabernacle”

John testifies that he and others saw the Word’s glory in flesh (Jesus) “as of the only begotten from the Father.”

“Only begotten” - μονογενής - “only one of its kind” “unique” (JWs will say it means “first created.” Mormons will say “biological offspring,” specifically the first born of Father God and his goddess wife.)

We see the same word used in John 1:18

John 1:18 NASB95

No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.

“Only begotten God”

The Greeks understood what the word meant:

Nicene Creed -

We believe in one God,       the Father almighty,       maker of heaven and earth,       of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ,       the only Son of God,       begotten from the Father before all ages,            God from God,            Light from Light,            true God from true God,       begotten, not made;       of the same essence as the Father.       Through him all things were made.       For us and for our salvation            he came down from heaven;            he became incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary,            and was made human.

“Whoda thunk” that God would become a man? No wonder Paul would tell the Corinthians that the message of Christ crucified was a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Greeks! (1 Cor 1:23).

But WHY did God the Son—the Word—leave his glorious throne with the Father and come to earth?

Why? (v.16-17)

John 1:16–17 NASB95

For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.

John Francis Wade was an 18th century English hymnist who is usually credited with writing and composing the hymn "Adeste Fideles" (which was translated as "O Come All Ye Faithful" in 1841 by Frederick Oakeley). The authorship is disputed.

Wade fled to France after the Jacobite rising of 1745 was crushed. As a Catholic layman, he lived with exiled English Catholics in France, where he taught music and worked on church music for private use.

“O Come Let Us Adore Him”

1 O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant, O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem! Come, and behold Him, born the King of angels!

Refrain: O come, let us adore Him; O come, let us adore Him; O come, let us adore Him, Christ, the Lord!

2 God of God, Light of Light, lo, He abhors not the virgin's womb; very God, begotten not created; [Refrain]

3 Sing, choirs of angels; sing in exultation; sing, all ye citizens of heav'n above! Glory to God, all glory in the highest![Refrain]

4 Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, born this happy morning; Jesus, to Thee be all glory giv'n! Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing! [Refrain]