John 1:1-18

The Eternal "Word" of God is Jesus-- John 1:1-18: Jesus is pictured as "the Word" who was in the beginning with God. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1:1) The Eternal Word is also pictured as the Creator of all things. "All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made." (John 1:3) Upon earth He was the Son of man; He was Jesus of Nazareth. In heaven, from eternity to eternity, Jesus is the Eternal Word. In the Eternal Word there is both light and life. "In Him was life, and the life was the light of men." (John 1:4)

The Eternal Word had a witness. As you read John 1:6-13 a person is introduced as a "man sent from God" who served as a witness to the Eternal Word. The man's name was John. (John 1:6) His purpose was to cause all to believe in Jesus. (John 1:7) John the Baptist bore witness of the fact that: (1) He (John) was not the Light (John 1:8), (2) The Eternal Word was the true Light (John 1:9), (3) The true Light came to His own but was not received (John 1:11), and (4) Those who received the Word were given power to become children of God. "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." (John 1:12) John pictured the Eternal Word as the hope of all mankind.

The Eternal Word became flesh. A study of John 1:14-18 shows how the Word, who was in the beginning with God was made flesh. (John 1:14) Jesus Christ became one of us. John said of the Word, "...This was He of whom I said, He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me." (John 1:15) The Eternal Word dwelt among us as the source of grace and truth. (John 1:17) It is by virtue of the Eternal Word becoming flesh that God has been declared to man. (John 1:18) The Christian hope is anchored in the truth that the Word became flesh and died for all.