The Word Became Flesh

In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
(John 1:1)

Have you ever heard of Jesus being referred to as the Word of God?   

Have you ever heard of Jesus being referred to as the Word of God “made flesh“?  

Sometimes we will hear Jesus referred to as the Incarnate Word of God.  This means God took His very word and made it into flesh.  Doesn’t this mean God made His word into a human being?  

Can you imagine that God is powerful enough to do this?  In what other ways does God show He would be powerful enough to accomplish something of this magnitude?   

The above verse says “And the Word was with God, and the Word was God“.

What point is the Apostle John making about Jesus?   

Returning to  John 1: 2-3

(2) The same was in the beginning with God.
(3)  All things were made through him.
Without him was not anything made
that has been made.

“The same” is referring to “the Word” from the previous verse.  So John is saying “the Word” was with God in the beginning.  Do you agree?  

What conclusions do you come to when you read verse 3?  

In this same chapter, John writes in verse 14:

The Word became flesh, and lived among us.  We saw his glory, such glory as of the one and only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.

What point does John make about “the Word” in this verse?  

What is the relationship between “the Word” and  “the Father”?  

A little background about this Gospel account will help to put the gospel John wrote into perspective.   Most scholars believe the other Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) had been completed by 70 A.D..  It is believed by most that John’s account was completed about 90 A.D..  John was led by the Holy Spirit to write a more spiritual account of the life of Jesus.  Near the end of this gospel, John states his purpose in writing this gospel:

Therefore Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book;  (31)  but these are written, that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.   (John 20:30-31)

Who does John identify as “the Son of God”?  

As you study this lesson, list at least three three things which you think are “profoundly” important that will help you better understand about the person of Jesus Christ.  

 

 

Bible verses used here are from the World English Bible (WEB) unless indicated differently.  The World English Bible is a Public Domain (no copyright) Modern English translation.  That means you may make PDF copies of this lesson.  This version is based on the American Standard Version of the Holy Bible first published in 1901.

Types of Questions:
   Observation          Interpretation
Application

If you have the Quest Study Bible:

On page 1552, in the introduction, read: “Why read this book?”

On page 1553, in the right column read: “Why did John use the Word  as the name of a person?”