The Word of God

John the beloved reaches out to the humble seekers of truth in his first chapter! He opens his gospel writings with a summary of who Jesus is, and what his mission on earth means to us. It is one of the best explanations of Christ’s mission in the scriptures, and worthy of close examination.

John 1

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

2 The same was in the beginning with God.

The Word is the word of God. It is the gospel of the salvation of mankind. It is the word of truth. When God speaks, His commandments are also his word.

We are all sons and daughters of God, but there is only one who, from the beginning, heard and obeyed perfectly every word of God. That is Jesus, the Christ. Thus, Christ is sometimes called “The Word”, because he follows the word of God to perfection. When God the Father wanted the gospel preached on earth in the meridian of time, who better to send then “the Word”?

“In the beginning” is also used in Genesis 1:1 when referring to the creation of this earth. So what John is saying is that in the beginning, when the earth was being created, Jesus was there with God the Father, and that he was one with the Father, doing his will in the creation of the earth.

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

Being the best “doer of God’s word”, Christ was the obvious choice to perform each task required to make all things associated with this earth. He made all things as directed by the Father, and nothing was made without Christ’s presence. But rest assured, nothing was made without Heavenly Fathers approval.

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

As the supreme teacher of the gospel, Christ brought mankind hope in looking forward to a perfect life, and news of this life was and is the light of mankind. Each baby is born with this light. It can be seen in their eyes. We feel it when in their presence. It is a small portion of godliness, allocated to every newborn in hopes that they will touch the lives of those whom they contact.

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

Light is truth, and when Christ brought it to the earth, it shone in the darkness. The humble followers of Christ enjoyed being in the light. There were many though, who preferred darkness, and desired to extinguish the light, for it illuminated life, exposing their evil doings, making their wicked exploits known to man, destroying their evil plans.

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

Christ had a second cousin who came to be called John the Baptist. His miraculous birth was just six months prior to our Lord’s. He was the Elias, or preparer of the way, for Jesus the Christ. He taught repentance, and baptism as the prerequisite to entering the kingdom of God. He was a Levite, and therefore held the priesthood of Aaron, past on from father to son.

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

His primary mission was to prepare the way for Jesus’ coming, but he was also a witness, for it had been foretold to him that the Savior of mankind would come to him for baptism, and that he was to testify of the mission of the Son of God. This John did from the time of Christ’s baptism till the day John died.

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

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

Many thought that John was the Messiah, he who was to come and free the Jews from bondage. But he denied this, directing all of his followers to go and follow Jesus. John knew that Jesus was the anointed one who brought light and life to all men on earth. And though he was the older cousin, yet he knew that Jesus was preferred, and the one with the more important mission from God the Father. John stated that Christ was, in the beginning, before him.

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

Jesus, the Son of God, was born and raised in the world that he had created before he was born. But the majority of the people who saw him on the earth knew him not! Many scorned him and called him blasphemous when he referred to his godly powers.

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

Christ was born a Jew, a son of David, and the rightful heir to David’s thrown. Both Mary and Joseph could trace their lineage to the greatest of Israel’s kings. He came to teach the Jews the fullness of the gospel, and did so exclusively. It had been their promise from God since times of old that they would be the first. Yet, in fulfilling that promise, he was rejected, hated, and eventually murdered for his efforts.

  12 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:

The true followers of Christ who believed in his teachings, in the higher law that he gave, and were obedient to them will be greatly blessed. They were and are worthy to be accepted as both sons and daughters of God the Father. Once again it is emphasized that these blessings are predicated on believing in the name of Jesus Christ and his power to save.

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

This is better translated to “He was” rather then “Which were”, for it is referring to Jesus. The Immaculate Conception was not of blood, nor was it of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man. Jesus was born by the power of God, which is why he has the power to help us become sons and daughters of God the Father. Verse 13 is explaining how verse 12 is possible.

  14 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.

The Word of God, Jesus, was in spirit form, as we all were. But through the blessed Mary, God the Father directed the Holy Spirit to create a body of flesh for Jesus to abide in. Though he was of flesh, his countenance could not be hidden. All who were receptive to righteousness beheld him, and knew he was special. He was full of grace and truth. He displayed knowledge beyond his years, as witnessed at age twelve when in the temple. His humble yet confident ways were evident through his daily walk in life.

John the beloved testified that Jesus, before his birth, was with the Father, and that the Father directed him to create the earth that we live on. Jesus was a witness to the many generations of Adam and Eve’s children, all the while waiting for his turn to gain a body and come to this earth. When he did, he was not recognized by the unrighteous while he spent his three year mission teaching the words of his Father.

He was and is the light and the way, but many have rejected this. Those who accept him for who he is and try to follow his words, the words of his Father, are on the path to eternal life. Those who reject his words have rejected that life he has planned for us, and in so doing, have rejected eternal joy.

I pray that we might receive him as the one who he is, the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. That grace is sufficient to save. That truth is ample to light our way throughout eternity.