John 1:14 - The Word became flesh

1:14

This is the first time since v1 that the term “the Word” reappears, and the emphasis is on the Word becoming flesh. Jesus was not recognised by His own, yet He still came and made His dwelling among us. In 1 John the primary test of orthodoxy is acknowledging that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh (1 John 4:2). Heb 1:1m2 sees this as the supreme revelation. The two extremes of human error are to go purely to the intellectual, or purely to the mystical. The former misses the point of who God is, He is a person, and makes Himself known to us as a person. There are logical statements that describe something of what and who He is, and these can be used to detect error. But God is far more than an abstract concept. There is a mystical side to knowing God, but without the constraints of the ration description these ideas will go all over the place, and almost certainly into the wrong places.

“Made His dwelling among us”. A more literal translation would say “pitched his tent amongst us”. This would remind those familiar with the Old Testament of the tabernacle of the Exodus. God has chosen to dwell among the people in the most personal way possible. There are also allusions to the shekinah glory, hence the phrase “We have seen His glory”. Jesus is the true representation of the glory of God. “one and only Son” is translated “only begotten Son” in older translations. Both ways are representing the idea that Jesus is the unique Son of God, there is no other. Jesus came from the Father. The origin of true Christianity is God. We must start with God, any other starting point will inevitably lead to error. The glory of God is “full of grace and truth”.  Moses wanted to see God and to see His glory (Ex 33:18), but was not allowed to for it would lead to his death. But in Christ we can see the glory of God. Although the glory of God was revealed in Christ, it was not perceived by everyone.