THE GLORIOUS CHRIST

(John 1:1-2) “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.”

In Bible study we need to be aware of words. The word “God” comes from a Greek word “theos” which means deity or divinity. So, reading the verse literally it would sound like this: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with deity, and the Word was deity. The same was in the beginning with deity.” Jesus possessed deity just as the Father possessed deity.

But verse 14 says, “... 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 was Christ and Christ was deity but deity became flesh. We do not know what form (substance) deity has but whatever that form, it underwent change. His form changed from whatever form deity has into the form of man -- deity “became flesh.” But, he lost none of the glory of deity for John says, “we beheld his glory.” The “we” in this verse evidently refers to the apostles so John puts it like this in 1 John 1:1: “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)”

We too, must see him for what he is, so to that end we hear John again in John 20:30-31 saying, “And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.” They “beheld his glory” by personal contact. We behold his glory through their words which “are written.”

Return to Daily Devotionals