John 1:14
It’s somewhat difficult to grasp the meaning here in an absolute sense, the way to rightly think about the implications of this verse. How does a word become flesh? If I speak a word, can it take on a physical form?
As I think about this through my understanding of reality, it’s doesn’t compute. I speak words all the time; not one of them has grown legs, developed eyes and began to walk. Yet here, that’s the image which we are painted with.
It may be tempting to suppose this to be mere rhetoric or poetry; but I trust that’s a dangerous conclusion. No, I think this can be taken quite literally and seriously. The first chapter of the letter to the Colossians speaks in such a way that all of creation is stated to have been created through Him and by Him and for Him—the Word as a being, as it were.
Then what we seem to be dealing with here, is the very power, authority, and / or expression from God which created the world, entering into the expression of itself as itself; yet that power is not an “it,” rather a person. It’s enough to make the brain smoke. If I create a piece of art depicting some strange world with beings in it, I can easily see such as an expression of myself; and in a sense, it is one with me as it came from my somewhere within self. Yet how I can enter that art and dwell among those things and beings depicted; I cannot comprehend. I have no such power conceive of it, let alone do it.
But this is exactly what Scripture is telling us. A living creation and expression (that would be us) from God, was entered into, by God. No longer standing outside of His creation as a mere observer and overseer, God becomes one with us and among us in a world marred by sin and rebellion, not only teaching and showing us the way back to His original intent and design—the way of life—but ultimately redeeming us by the power of His own sacrifice. Jesus
That’s such a deep and thoughtful reflection brother Bryan John 1 : 14 is truly one of the most awe inspiring verses in all of Scripture 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 It’s hard for the human mind to fully grasp how the eternal Word who spoke the universe into existence stepped into His own creation and became one of us yet that’s the heart of the Gospel The Creator became like His creation so He could redeem it Philippians 2: 6 to 8 says Though He was in the form of God He did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped but emptied Himself by taking the form of a servant being born in the likeness of men And being found in human form He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death even death on a cross What a picture of love and humility The One who holds all power chose to lay it down for us Colossians 1 : 16 to 17 echoes this truth 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 This mystery of the Word becoming flesh isn’t just theology it’s the heartbeat of our faith Emmanuel God with us stepped into our brokenness to restore us back to Himself It’s beyond comprehension yet beautifully simple love came down to dwell among us
Sometimes I’m glad I don’t fully understand Him bc then He wouldn’t be God and I think make me complacent not to keep searching and knowing Him.