PrevJohn 1:14Next

John 1

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

The same was in the beginning with God.

All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.

He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

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

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.

And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.

For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?

And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.

And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.

Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?

He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.

And they which were sent were of the Pharisees.

And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?

John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not;

He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose.

These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.

The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.

And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.

And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.

And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.

And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.

Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples;

And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!

And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.

Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?

He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour.

One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.

He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.

And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.

The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me.

Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.

Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.

And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.

Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!

Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.

Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.

Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.

And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

What does John 1:14 mean?

Explanation

John 1:14 speaks profoundly about the incarnation of Jesus Christ, a core doctrine of Christianity.

The verse announces that "the Word," a title for Jesus that indicates His eternal divine nature, became human. When it says "the Word was made flesh," it refers to the divine expression of God taking on human form.

The term "flesh" emphasizes the true and full humanity of Jesus.

The verse also highlights Jesus' presence among humans using the phrase "dwelt among us." This could be translated more literally as "tabernacled" or "pitched his tent," referencing the tabernacle in the Old Testament where God's presence dwelt among the Israelites.

This points to the temporary and humble nature of Christ's earthly life.

The reference to beholding "his glory" is connected with the Shekinah glory of God that was manifest in the tabernacle and the temple. In Jesus, people have beheld the glory of God in a new and intimate way.

It is specified as the glory of "the only begotten of the Father," asserting Jesus' unique Sonship and divine relationship with the Father.

"Full of grace and truth" signifies that through Jesus, humans receive both God's unmerited favor and the ultimate revelation of truth about God's nature and the way of salvation.

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

John's Gospel is commonly dated to the late first century AD and reflects the evolving theology and Christology of the early Christian church.

At that time, the concept of the Word (Logos in Greek) was familiar in both Jewish and Hellenistic philosophical circles.

In Jewish thought, "Word" was associated with divine wisdom and revelation.

Hellenistic philosophy considered the Logos to be a reason that governed the world.

John uniquely identified Jesus as this Logos, making a statement that would resonate with both Jews and Greeks by affirming Jesus as the pre-existent divine Word became flesh.

Theological Insights

Theological interpretations of this verse vary across different Christian traditions.

Orthodox Christianity: Emphasizes the mystery of the incarnation and the deification of humanity through Christ.
Catholicism: Focuses on the hypostatic union, the doctrine that Jesus is both fully God and fully man.
Protestantism: Many Protestant denominations stress the concept of grace highlighted in this verse and the belief in Jesus as the ultimate revelation of God's truth.
Liberal Theology: May interpret the verse metaphorically, seeing the "Word made flesh" as an expression of divine principles personified in Jesus.

Practical Applications

This verse encourages believers to:

Embrace the humanity of Jesus as a model for living in humility and compassion.
Reflect on the nature of Jesus as both divine and human, and seek a personal relationship with God through Him.
Accept grace and seek truth in their spiritual journey, looking to Jesus as the ultimate example.

Cross-References

John 1:1: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Colossians 1:19: "For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;"
Hebrews 1:3: "Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;"
Philippians 2:7-8: "But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross."

Language Study

Key words in the original Greek and their meanings:

Word (Logos): Refers to divine expression, reason, or revelation.
Made flesh (Sarx egeneto): Indicates Jesus becoming truly human.
Dwelt (Eskēnōsen): A verb reminiscent of tabernacle or tent, echoing the Old Testament dwelling of God's presence.
Glory (Doxan): Refers to the honor, weight, or presence of God.
Only begotten (Monogenous): Implies unique, one-of-a-kind sonship.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Similar themes of deities taking human form can be found in various mythologies, though the Christian concept of incarnation is distinct:

Greek Mythology: Gods often took human form but without losing their divine privileges or experiencing true human suffering.
Hinduism: Avatars of deities, like Krishna, involve the divine manifesting in the material world, though with different theological implications.

Christian incarnation is unique in asserting that God became fully human without ceasing to be fully divine and did so for the purpose of human redemption.

Scientific Perspectives

The verse does not directly engage with scientific concepts but instead addresses a religious doctrine, the incarnation. Science cannot validate or invalidate the supernatural aspect of such beliefs since science deals with natural phenomena.

Therefore, this verse remains outside the scope of scientific inquiry while providing a meaningful statement of faith for believers.

Commentaries

Commentaries from various scholars and theologians offer insights on John 1:14:

**Raymond E.

Brown**: Emphasizes that "the Word" is a title suggestive of creation, revelation, and salvation, and now this divine Word is present and visible in Jesus.

**F.F.

Bruce**: Remarks on how the ‘dwelling’ of the Word among us recalls the Old Testament tabernacle, signaling a new era of God's communion with humanity.

**N.T.

Wright**: Suggests that John's prologue frames a new Genesis, a new creation story where Jesus is the agent of creation as well as its goal.

William Barclay: Highlights the blend of Jewish and Greek thought and explains that "glory" was a common expression for the presence of God in the world.

John 1

John 1

What does John 1:14 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does John 1:14 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?