Jesus the Eternal Word

John 1:1-18

John 1:1–18 NIV

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ ”) Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

Here in verses 1-2 it says,

John 1:1–2 NIV

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.

First we see the phrase, “In the beginning.” Where else in Scripture do we see this phrase? Yes, in Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” In both places the word “beginning” is absolute, meaning the beginning of all things. The Word, or Jesus, as we will soon discover, was preexistent and was with God. And not only was the Word with God, but the Word was God. We see a special relationship here between the Word/ Jesus, and God the Father. They are two members of the triune God existing as one, but are distinguishable from each other. They enjoy a personal intimate relationship with one another as distinct members of the trinity.

John assigned Jesus the title Word in part due to God’s Word and its work during creation. This is worked out in verse 3,

John 1:3 NIV

Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.

Everything was made through Christ, this passage in Colossians ties this all together nicely.

Colossians 1:15–17 NIV

The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

Jesus, the Son, the Word, spoke all things into existence and He now holds everything together. God speaks, and when He does it is powerful as we see in the creation account. But God spoke all throughout the Old and New testaments too, and His Word was powerful,

Hebrews 1:1–3 NIV

In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.

This verse again proves Jesus is the creator of all things, and that He is the Son of God who is the exact representation of the Father.

Let’s look at verses 4-5 now,

John 1:4–5 NIV

In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

All life comes from Christ, and eternal life is found in Him alone. Jesus is the light of men that shines and overcomes the darkness.

John 8:12 NIV

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

And again Jesus stated,

John 14:6 NIV

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Here we see Jesus as the giver of life and as Savior. It is amazing to think about just how much Jesus has a part in everything. He is Creator, Sustainer, Savior, and true light of the world.

John now transitions to talking about John the Baptist in verses 6-8,

John 1:6–8 NIV

There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.

John the Baptist was sent by God to give testimony regarding the coming Messiah. God’s intentions were to send a true light into the world, Jesus the Son of God, in hopes that through Him all might believe. God,

1 Timothy 2:4 NIV

wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

John made it clear that John the Baptist was not the Light of the world, but that he was only a witness to the light who ushered in the beginning of Jesus’ earthly ministry. And make no mistake, John wanted everyone to know that,

John 1:9 NIV

The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.

Isaiah 49:6 says it this way,

Isaiah 49:6 NIV

“It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”

God has gone to great lengths to make Himself known, both for His glory, and to bring salvation to everyone who would believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Verses 10-11 are really sad when you view them through Jesus’ perspective. They say this,

John 1:10–11 NIV

He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.

Imagine being the creator of everything, and that which you created did not even recognize you as the giver of life. This of course is due to the blinding effects of sin,

Isaiah 53:6 NIV

We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way.

Not only is that so, but Jesus went to His own people, the nation of Israel, and even they rejected Him. Jesus knows and understands rejection on a deep level, and is able to totally relate to us when we too are rejected by others. While many rejected Christ, some did receive Him.

John 1:12 NIV

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

John elaborates on this in his first letter,

1 John 3:1–2 NIV

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

We are God’s children, isn’t this an amazing truth to meditate on!

Ephesians 1:5–6 NIV

he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.

Verse 13 sums this up when it says that we are,

John 1:13 NIV

children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

This birth of a child of God is the work of God when a person accepts Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. Jesus said,

John 5:24 NIV

“Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.

God’s gift of salvation is offered freely to anyone who chooses to believe in Jesus, and this gift is the greatest gift that could ever be received.

John goes on here in verse 14 and says,

John 1:14 NIV

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Jesus the Word, the son of God, became the God-man, fully God and fully human all at once. Christ,

Philippians 2:6–8 NIV

Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!

This is an incredible truth about the Lord Jesus, that He humbled Himself to the point of taking on flesh, and was then obedient to death on a cross. He did this all for you and for me, praise Him!

In verse 15 John again refers to John the Baptist saying,

John 1:15 NIV

(John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ ”)

Jesus’ eternal existence is brought to light because although John was older than Jesus, Jesus existed before John. Jesus had no beginning, he just always was in existence.

John goes on to say,

John 1:16–17 NIV

Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

The phrase “out of His fullness” is important, and Colossian’s explains why.

Colossians 1:19–20 NIV

For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

God’s grace was extended to Israel through the law, and God’s grace and truth was extended to the church through Jesus Christ. We are beneficiaries of God’s marvelous grace and truth through our relationship with Jesus.

Our final verse reads,

John 1:18 NIV

No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

Our final verse (18) reads, “18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.” Again we see the son of God, the Word, being God Himself. This is a book end to verse one that says “the Word is God.” Jesus makes God the Father known, since he is in the closest relationship with Him. Jesus the Word, all powerful Creator, divine in nature, eternally existent, and Savior of the world for those who believe in Him. May these attributes of Christ both grow us in our knowledge of Him, and our love for Him.

I appreciate Paul’s prayer to this end, Ephesians 3:14-19,

Ephesians 3:14–19 NIV

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

God’s love has been and continues to be fully expressed through Jesus Christ. The more we grow in our relationship with Jesus, the more we come to know the fullness of God. Spending time meditating on the Word is the best way to grow in our knowledge of and love for God. Jesus embodied the full revelation of God to man, that is why John gave him the title Word, and that is why we must spend time getting to know Him. It is so encouraging to know that we serve a God who desires to have a relationship with us. A God whose number one desire is that we love Him with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength.

Jesus the Eternal Word

that supremely reveals God to us. Jesus the eternal Word who gives us a genuine knowledge of God, not just knowledge about God.

Jesus the Creator

All things have been created through Him and for Him, He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.

Jesus the God-Man

fully God and fully human all at the same time. He is the radiance of God’s glory, the exact representation of the Father’s being, the full revelation of God.

Jesus the Savior

He draws near to those who have long abandoned Him, and offers reconciliation between sinful man and a holy God.

Praise Him!

We have much to praise the Lord for, let’s take some time and thank Him for the revelation He gives us of Himself. Pray...