The Incarnation: The Word became Flesh - John 1:14

 The Incarnation: The Word became Flesh

John 1:14

Introduction: As we continue our Advent series this year in the Prologue to the Gospel of John, our focus today will be on a single verse, John 1:14. This is the truth of Christmas in a nutshell, if we can only dig in and bask in the truth it expresses. Our beautiful Christmas music, many other complementary texts, the stories we know and love so well, all illuminate and illustrate this most amazing event, but this verse in itself says more than we can fully comprehend. In the song, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, Charles Wesley expressed some of the shocking depth of truth we’ll see in our passage,

Christ, by highest heav’n adored, Christ, the everlasting Lord:

Late in time behold Him come, Offspring of a virgin’s womb.

Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, Hail th’ incarnate Deity!

Pleased as man with men to dwell, Jesus our Immanuel.

The Eternal Son, who shared the most intimate fellowship in union with the Father and the Spirit from all eternity, the One through whom and for whom everything that was created came into existence, willingly, purposefully, took on a human nature and entered this fallen world in such humility. John Murray was one of the founding professors of Westminster Seminary. Of the incarnation of Christ he said,

"The infinite became finite, the eternal and supratemporal entered time and became subject to its conditions, the immutable became mutable, the invisible became the visible, the Creator became the created, the Sustainer of all became dependent, the Almighty infirm. All is summed up in the proposition, “God became man.”

Another theologian, Herman Bavinck, reflected on the incarnation of the Lord saying,

"The spiritual and eternal clothed itself in the… natural and temporal. God himself, Elohim, Creator of heaven and earth, as Yahweh, God of the covenant, came down to the level of the creature, entered into history, assumed human language, emotions, and forms, in order to communicate himself with all his spiritual blessings to humans..."

God took a human nature, entered into history, ultimately to give His life so that we could have life. He came as a baby, knowing the Way would lead to Calvary. He did it for us! The church has pondered through the ages the amazing truth, and the love that it demonstrates. Why did He do it? It wasn’t a way, but the only way for God to save us. The Son became the God-man. John Calvin said,

"…it was necessary for Him who has to be our Redeemer to be true God and true man. It was his task to swallow up death. Who could do that but life itself? It was his task to conquer sin. Who could do that but righteousness? It was his task to overcome the powers of the air... Who could do that put a greater power than world or air? In whom, then, do life, righteousness and the power of heaven reside, but in God alone? Therefore the Lord, in his great kindness, became our Redeemer when he chose to ransom us."

The BIG Idea: The Eternal Word, God the Son, has graciously become human and drawn near to us, revealing His glory in the Gospel. We’ll take the verse a phrase at a time, 1) The Eternal Son took on a humans nature, “The Word was made flesh”; 2) Our Transcendent God drew near to us in Christ, “and dwelt among us”; 3) He is the revelation of the glory of God, “we beheld His glory, glory as the One and only of the Father”; and 4) We’ll see that Jesus is the embodiment of the Gospel, He is the Good News of Christmas, “full of grace and truth.”

I. The Eternal Son took on a human nature: “The Word was made flesh…” (14a).

       The heart of the Christmas message turns on the amazing truth, that the promise of a deliverer was fulfilled as the Eternal Son of God, the Great I AM Himself, took a human nature. There might have been some confusion about his humanity if God formed a human body for Jesus and He descended from heaven, just as he would ascend after the resurrection. Born of a virgin, it would be miraculous to be sure. But he would be carried in the womb of Mary, and be born, as any other human baby. He would grow and mature in every way. The Word was God… the Word became flesh… He became human. 

       Adam, the first man, representing the human race that would descend from him, willfully sinned, bringing death and the curse. By one man, sin entered the world, and death through sin. Most tragically, it brought separation between humans and God. Jesus came to undo the Fall, as a man He was born and lived in this fallen world, without sin. And so he died as our substitute. Second century Christian apologist Irenaeus said,

Christ caused humanity to cleave to and to become one with God. For unless a human being had overcome the enemy of humanity, the enemy would not have been legitimately vanquished. And again, unless it had been God incarnate who had freely given salvation, we could never have become partakers of incorruptibility. For it was incumbent upon the Mediator between God and humanity, by His relationship to both, to bring both to friendship and concord, and present humanity to God, while He revealed God to humanity.  

It is hard to grasp the humility expressed as the Eternal Son, the One through whom and for whom all was created, chose to bind to His person a human nature. And so he lived, and so he died and rose again, and so He is forever, the God-Man. There were clearly some already in the apostolic period who doubted that God and Man could be joined in one person. They reasoned that Jesus did not have a full human nature, it must be that he only appeared to be human. As John began his first letter it seems he immediately is confronting this heresy,

"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life -  2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us -  3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you…” (1 Jn 1:1-3).

They saw Him and walked with Him, they heard His teaching and saw the miracles He did. After the resurrection, they touched the nail prints in His hands, they even ate with Him. This was no “Spirit,” He had a real, flesh and bones human body. He died as a man and was raised as the firstfruits of the resurrection. To deny that He had come in the flesh was to deny Him. Later in I John 4:2-3 the apostle says,

“By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,  3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God…” 

Jesus was miraculously conceived by the Holy Spirit, and so he did not inherit the sinful nature of Adam, but he was fully human. He grew in the womb of Mary and was born. He was cared for by his human parents, fed and taken care of, as Luke says,  “And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man…” (Luke 2:52). In John’s Gospel we’ll see his human emotions, he weeps at the tomb of Lazarus. We’ll see him tired and thirsty at a well in Samaria, “woman, give me a drink.” Most importantly, we’ll see Him die as our substitute, giving His life so that we could have life. The Big Idea is that, *The Eternal Word, God the Son, has graciously become human and drawn near to us, revealing His glory in the Gospel.

II. The Transcendent God drew near to us in Christ: “…and dwelt among us…” (14b).

       So, “the Word was made flesh…” that is, God the Son took a human nature. And then John says He “…dwelt among us…” The idea is shocking. The Holy One, the all-powerful, transcendent Creator, entered time in space, and lived among us. The verb here translated “dwelt” or “lived” in our English Bibles is only used five times in the New Testament, once here, and four times by John in the Book of Revelation. He wrote in…

NKJ Revelation 7:15 "Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them.” Then, in…

ESV Revelation 12:12a “Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them!"

The last two references in Revelation also include a reference to God’s “dwelling,” from the same root, it refers to the place that God is present with His people.

ESV Revelation 13:6 "It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling,1 that is, those who dwell in heaven."

ESV Revelation 21:3 "And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place1 of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God."

In those last verses, Rev 13:6 and 21:3, the noun based on the same root word is translated “dwelling1 (place).” It is not surprising that this is the term that was used for the Tabernacle in the Septuagint. The writer to the Hebrews uses that same noun as he teaches about Christ as the fulfillment of the Tabernacle and the “house of God” motif in the Hebrew Scriptures. So, just as the Tabernacle, and later the Temple, and most specifically in the Holy of Holies, above the Mercy Seat and between the Cherubim, God was present in the midst of His people. Access was restricted, a heavy veil separated the Holy Place, humans could not come directly and personally come into the presence of God, except the Hight Priest, only on the Day of atonement, and not without blood. John chose His words carefully, under the inspiration of God, “The Word was God… The Word became flesh and dwelt among us…” In Christ, the veil is gone. The Son came, the Lamb of God was given, so that we could be forgiven.  The Eternal Word, God the Son, has graciously become human and drawn near to us, revealing His glory in the Gospel.

III. He is the revelation of the glory of God: “…we beheld His glory, glory as the One and only of the Father…” (14c).

      John began his gospel with an allusion to Genesis 1, “In the beginning.” He then refers specifically to Creation, so that we can’t miss the allusion. Here in 1:14 he mentions the “Word” a second time, inviting us back into the OT context. He then uses this uncommon word, “dwelt,” related to the root word for the Tabernacle in Exodus.  Now he’ll refer to the revelation of God’s glory. Remember in Exod 33:18 Moses said,

18 "Please show me your glory." 19 And he said, "I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name 'The LORD.' And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy…” (Exod 33:18-10).

After this request by Moses the story continues, and we see this amazing scene…

4 So Moses cut two tablets of stone like the first. And he rose early in the morning and went up on Mount Sinai, as the LORD had commanded him, and took in his hand two tablets of stone.  5 The LORD descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD.  6 The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,  7 keeping steadfast love for thousands,1 forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty… (Exod 34:4-7).

There would be no doubt about God’s presence when, in Exodus 40:34 when, “…the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.” The glory of God revealed His presence with the people. Here John says, “…we beheld His glory, glory as the One and only of the Father…” (14c). If you think about God revealing his glory in Christ, what comes to mind? Maybe, like me, after our study in Mark, or your own reading of Matthew and Luke, your mind goes to the transfiguration. 

       Jesus took three disciples up the mountain, they saw him transfigured, the deity of the Eternal Word who was before all things shine through, they saw two prophets from the past appearing with him, conversing with him, a cloud descending, they heard the voice of the Father, “This is my Son, listen to Him!” And then, only Jesus. Remember, John is writing after the other Gospels. And he doesn’t mention that awesome scene. He was one of the three on the Mountain. He simply testifies, “We have seen his glory, as the One and only of the Father…” In John, the words and the works reveal the glorious truth about Jesus. They are signs, speaking the truth about who He is. After the miracle at the wedding in Cana in John 2:11 we read, “This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.”

      Isaiah has a lot to say about the glory of the Lord, and he is often quoted in John, we’ll save that for another day. Let me quote from an oracle of the Lord in Isaiah 42:8,  “I am the LORD; that is my name; my glory I give to no other…” God’s glory is for God alone. Later, in Jesus High Priestly prayer in John 17:5, He prays, “And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.” Yes, The Word was with God, the Word was God. *The Eternal Word, God the Son, has graciously become human and drawn near to us, revealing His glory in the Gospel.

IV. Jesus is the embodiment of the Gospel, the Good News of Christmas: “…full of grace and truth” (14d).

       So, “…the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the one and only of the Father, full of grace and truth." Reflect on those words, “grace” and “truth.” We’ll reflect more on those words next week as we conclude the Prologue, but let’s consider how it ties in with the rest of this verse. It was in the context of the giving of the Law a second time [!] that is, after the people had already fallen into gross sin, even making a golden calf, that God in theophany passed before Moses declaring, "The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness…” “Grace” is not a common word in this gospel. It is mentioned three times here in the prologue, but then never appears again. The word “grace” that is. The truth of God revealing His grace in Christ is at the heart of the story! He came to do for us what we could not do for ourselves. That is grace. 

       “Truth” on the other hand, is a favorite word of John. The language and imagery of the context invites us to think back to the giving of the Law in Exodus. The Law is truth, and the truth was quickly revealed that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” It was quickly evident that no one was going to be declared righteous by keeping the Law. The Law shined a light on human sin, it exposed our desperate need for a Savior. But even as He gave that sin exposing Law, God expressed aspects of His character that offered hope. Yes, He is just and must punish sin, he will by no means leave the guilty unpunished. But he is the LORD, Yahweh, the God of the covenant, that God who is faithful to his promises, merciful and gracious. His justice must be satisfied. Who could have imagined that the Son of God himself would be the Lamb who would take away the sin of the world? This is how God showed His love among us, He sent His One and only Son into the world that we might live through Him (I John 4:9). 

       Later in this gospel Jesus will say, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no one comes to the Father but by Me” (John 14:6). Let’s focus for a moment on the middle term, though they all fit together, the truth is that Jesus is the way to life! So He says here, “I am… the Truth.” As Jesus prays to the Father in His High Priestly prayer he says, “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17). Later in dialog with Pilate he will say, “You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this reason I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me” (Jn 18:37). Confounded, Pilate asks, “What is truth?” All truth is God’s truth. His Word is Truth. Jesus, the Word incarnate, is the Truth. He is the revelation of God, He is the Way for us know God, He came to provide the way to God.

What is God saying to me in this verse? The Eternal Word, God the Son, has graciously become human and drawn near to us, revealing His glory in the Gospel.

What would God have me to do in response?

1. To God be the glory, great things He has done, so loved He the world that He gave us His Son! Praise the Lord! Great our rejoicing in Jesus the Son!

2. Everyone loves Christmas… that is, as long as we keep it secular. Decorations and parties and gifts and gatherings are all good, but mention Jesus, and the sighs and eye rolls start. Seize the opportunity to say a word about the One who is the reason for the season! Jesus is the gift of Christmas – For God so loved the world, He gave His Son…

3. Don’t be distracted by the busyness of the season, let’s live Coram Deo…    AMEN.