Only when we voluntarily restrain and humble ourselves for the sake of loving and saving even one soul will the world witness through us the character of Jesus Christ, the true Light.
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. John testified about Him and cried out, saying, ‘This was He of whom I said, “He who comes after me has surpassed me because He existed before me.”’ For from His fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; the only begotten God, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has made Him known” (John 1:14–18).
(1) As I meditate today on John 1:14–18 in both the Korean Bible and the Greek text, the first statement that particularly draws my attention and that I would like to meditate on in greater detail is: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” [ὁ Λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο, καὶ ἐσκήνωσεν ἐν ἡμῖν (ho Logos sarx egeneto, kai eskēnōsen en hēmin)] (v. 14). Three things in particular caught my attention. First, since the “Word” mentioned in verse 14 is the same “Word” already mentioned by the Apostle John in verse 1, I began to wonder: What is the difference between the “Word” in verse 1 and the “Word” in verse 14? Second, I became interested in the precise meaning of the Greek word ἐγένετο (egeneto), “became.” I became curious about this because the Apostle John uses this word frequently throughout his Gospel. Third, I became interested in the Greek word ἐσκήνωσεν (eskēnōsen), “dwelt.” I wanted to understand how this word relates to the theological expression that “God tabernacled among us.”
(a) The declaration in John 1:14, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us,” stands at the very heart of the Christian faith and forms the magnificent climax of the prologue to the Gospel of John. The three questions I have raised are also precise and profound theological keys that open up the mystery of the Incarnation. The following is an explanation, based on the meaning of the original language and the redemptive-historical context, presented in a concrete and understandable way.
1. The difference between the “Word” in John 1:1 and the “Word” in John 1:14: From “eternity outside time” into “history within time”
The “Word” used by the Apostle John in verse 1 and the “Word” in verse 14 are ontologically the same divine Son. Yet the two verses reveal an enormous redemptive-historical transition in the state in which He appears and in the historical moment in which He stands.
John 1:1 → The Transcendent Word
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God …”
At this stage, the Word exists beyond time, space, and the material universe. He is divine and has eternally existed with God the Father. He is the Word dwelling in the realm of glory that created beings could never reach by their own power.
John 1:14 → The Immanent Word
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us …”
The eternal and transcendent Word has now personally entered human history, human time, and finite human space. This is the astonishing event in which God became man.
The essential distinction is this: Verse 1 emphasizes the Word as God the Creator, whom we must look up to in worship, while verse 14 emphasizes the Word as Jesus Christ the Savior, who humbled Himself so that human beings could see Him with their eyes and touch Him with their hands. It is the unfolding of divine love in which the infinity of eternity voluntarily entered the finitude of human flesh.
2. The specific meaning of “became” [ἐγένετο (egeneto)] and its use in the Gospel of John
The Greek word ἐγένετο (egeneto), “became,” is the aorist form of γίνομαι (ginomai), meaning “to become,” “to come into existence,” “to happen,” or “to be born.” The way John uses this word reveals an important theological distinction.
The contrast between “was” [ἦν, ēn] and “became” [ἐγένετο, egeneto]
In John 1, the Apostle John carefully distinguishes these two verbs.
When he speaks of God and the eternal existence of the Word, he uses ἦν (ēn), “was,” indicating continuous preexistent being (vv. 1, 2, 4, 10).
By contrast, when he speaks of created things coming into existence, he uses ἐγένετο (egeneto), “came into being/became.” Verse 3 says: “All things came into being [ἐγένετο] through Him.”
The astonishing significance of “became flesh” in verse 14
This makes clear that Jesus did not eternally exist as flesh, that is, as a human being. Rather, He who eternally existed as God entered, at a particular point in history, a new mode of existence that He had never before assumed: human flesh.
Not a change of essence, but the addition of a human nature
This does not mean that God abandoned His deity and was transformed into a human being. Rather, while fully retaining His deity, He assumed a true human nature. Thus He became fully God and fully man. This is one of the central Christological declarations of the Gospel of John.
3. “Dwelt” [ἐσκήνωσεν (eskēnōsen)] and the Old Testament Tabernacle
The Greek word translated “dwelt” in verse 14, ἐσκήνωσεν (eskēnōsen), comes from σκηνόω (skēnoō), meaning “to pitch a tent,” “to dwell in a tent,” or “to tabernacle.” This word is directly connected with the Old Testament tradition of the Tabernacle.
The relationship with the Old Testament Tabernacle in Exodus
When Israel journeyed through the wilderness, God commanded them to build the Tabernacle in their midst, and there He manifested His presence in glory. When the Israelites looked at the Tabernacle, they could visibly recognize: “God is dwelling among us!” In the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament, the tabernacle is called σκηνή (skēnē).
The Incarnation is the appearance of the true Tabernacle
Therefore, when the Apostle John says that Jesus “dwelt [ἐσκήνωσεν] among us,” literally that He “pitched His tent among us,” he is declaring that the human body of Jesus Christ is the true Tabernacle that God pitched in the very midst of humanity. The wilderness Tabernacle was a temporary tent made of fabric, and God's presence was hidden within the Most Holy Place. But now, through the personal Tabernacle of Jesus Christ—who possessed real flesh and blood—God has come and pitched His tent completely among us. We therefore no longer meet God merely through a temple building. We encounter God directly through Jesus Christ and receive the grace of beholding His glory.
One-sentence summary of today's meditation:
The Word who transcended all things from eternity past (v. 1) entered human history by assuming unprecedented human flesh (egeneto), and, like the Tabernacle in the wilderness, personally pitched His tent in the very midst of our lives (eskēnōsen), thereby bringing the grace of Immanuel to its fulfillment.
Even today, that Lord dwells within the tent of our lives. He knows all our weaknesses and personally sympathizes with us.
(i) Here I began to ask: What does it concretely mean to say that the “transcendent Word” became the “immanent Word,” and that this was the unfolding of a love in which the infinity of eternity voluntarily restricted itself within the finitude of human flesh? And how should we, as disciples of Jesus, put this self-restraining love into practice? The concept of “love that voluntarily restricts the infinite within the finite” beautifully expresses the Christian theological mysteries of Christ's Humiliation and Kenosis, or self-emptying. What does this love specifically mean, and how can we practice it in our lives as disciples of Jesus—an incarnational way of living?
a. The specific meaning of “self-restraining love”
This love means that the Creator God who rules the entire universe voluntarily limited His rights and power in order to save human beings, His creatures.
The limitation of time and space: The infinite God, who existed from eternity and fills the entire universe, became man and entered the restrictions of a small geographical region—first-century Judea—and the human limitation of twenty-four-hour days. By becoming truly human, He voluntarily entered the spatial and temporal limitations of human existence.
The limitation of physical weakness: The God who never grows weary took a human body and experienced hunger. He became tired and slept in the stern of a boat. Ultimately, when He was scourged, He bled, and on the cross He fully experienced physical suffering. He entered these limitations not because He lacked power but because He chose to enter our condition in order to sympathize with humanity and save us.
The restraint of sovereign rights: Although Jesus possessed the authority to summon angels and destroy those who came to arrest Him (Mt. 26:53), He silently endured the mockery and spitting of sinners and submitted Himself to judgment by His own creatures. This love, therefore, is love that does not exercise all the power available to itself. It is humble love that voluntarily lays down rights and power in order to descend to another person's level.
b. How we can concretely practice this love as disciples
In Philippians 2:5, the Apostle Paul exhorts us: “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus.” He challenges us to imitate our incarnate Lord by practicing self-restraining love in everyday life.
① Restraining our words: laying down “the right to say everything”
Situation: At home, at work, or in church, there are times when I may be completely right and the other person wrong. Or someone may misunderstand me unjustly. At such times, we naturally want to use all our knowledge and verbal power to defeat the other person or defend ourselves.
Practice: At that moment, a disciple of Jesus voluntarily restrains his or her lips. I may possess the ability and right to say sharp but factually correct words that would embarrass the other person, or to pour out harsh words expressing my emotions. Yet for the sake of building up and embracing that soul, I choose silence or offer only a gentle word, surrendering my right. This is the incarnation of our speech.
② Restraining time and energy: surrendering “the territory of my schedule”
Situation: Modern people want complete control over their time for self-development, rest, hobbies, and personal plans. We strongly dislike having someone intrude upon our time and energy.
Practice: The life of a disciple, however, involves voluntarily limiting and giving our time and energy for the sake of other souls. Even when tired and wanting to rest, we make time to listen to a discouraged brother or sister. We restrict the comfort of our weekend in order to place ourselves in situations where we can serve the church and our neighbors. Just as the Lord pitched His tent in the midst of our lives, we move the tent of our lives into the pain of another person.
③ Restraining emotions and attitudes: descending to “the level of the weak”
Situation: When we encounter someone weaker than ourselves—a person weak in faith, younger in age, or lower in position—we can easily impose our standards or expect special treatment.
Practice: Just as the Lord became “flesh” and descended to the level of sinners like us, we must voluntarily lower our standards in order to bear with another person's weakness and immaturity. We seek to understand that person at his or her level. We do not boast about our knowledge or experience. Instead, we take the posture of a servant, humbling ourselves so that the other person can feel safe and at ease.
Conclusion of this meditation:
The Incarnation of Jesus was not an event in which He was confined because He lacked power. He voluntarily entered finitude because He loved us. Today, although we may have the power to defend our pride and the ability to assert our rights, when we voluntarily restrain and humble ourselves solely for the purpose of loving and saving even one soul, the world will witness through us the character of Jesus Christ, the true Light.
(2) Second, I would like to meditate together on these two statements: “We beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth” [ἐθεασάμεθα τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ, δόξαν ὡς μονογενοῦς παρὰ πατρός, πλήρης χάριτος καὶ ἀληθείας] (Jn. 1:14), and “Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” [ἡ χάρις καὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐγένετο] (v. 17). I especially want to meditate on these two verses together because the expression “grace and truth” [χάρις καὶ ἀλήθεια] is repeated in both. What does it mean?
(a) The Apostle John's repetition of “grace and truth” in verses 14 and 17 is a key summary of the Gospel of John because these two qualities reveal both the divine identity of the incarnate Jesus Christ in verse 14 and the perfect accomplishment of His work in verse 17.
1. The perfect fulfillment of the Old Testament: the manifestation of Yahweh's “steadfast love and faithfulness” — hesed and emet
In the Old Testament, especially Exodus 34:6, when God passed before Moses and revealed His own character, He proclaimed Himself to be compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love [hesed, חֶסֶד] and faithfulness [emet, אֱמֶת].
Thus, when John declares that Jesus is “full of grace and truth,” he is proclaiming that the essential character of Yahweh God, long treasured by Israel, has now appeared visibly and perfectly in the incarnate Jesus Christ.
2. The supremacy of grace revealed through the structural contrast: the gospel beyond the Mosaic Law
John 1:17 states: “For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” The Law given through Moses exposed human sin and brought sin to light, but it could not by itself fundamentally give life to sinful humanity.
Grace and truth, however, came through Jesus Christ. Grace reveals God's love that forgives sinners apart from their merit, while truth points to the ultimate reality by which Christ deals completely with sin and brings sinners to God. Jesus Christ is the One who fulfills salvation.
3. From “essential fullness” in verse 14 to “historical outflow” in verse 17
Verse 14 describes Christ's being: Jesus Christ is full [πλήρης, plērēs] of grace and truth.
Verse 17 describes His saving work: That grace and truth have now entered human history through Jesus Christ.
The divine beauty that is eternally full in Christ has overflowed toward us through His coming into this world and has become the saving reality that we can receive and experience.
One-sentence summary and lesson:
The steadfast love and faithfulness promised by the God of the Old Testament—grace and truth—were given in their perfect reality in human history through Jesus Christ alone, and the treasure that is full in Him has now become the saving power of the gospel for us.
When we look at Jesus, we see both the warm embrace of God's grace and the unwavering reality of His truth.
(3) Third, I want to meditate on the meaning of John 1:16: “For from His fullness we have all received, grace upon grace” [ὅτι ἐκ τοῦ πληρώματος αὐτοῦ ἡμεῖς πάντες ἐλάβομεν, καὶ χάριν ἀντὶ χάριτος].
(a) This verse proclaims both the inexhaustible riches of salvation flowing from the incarnate Jesus Christ and the overwhelming privilege of believers who receive that grace.
1. “From His fullness”: receiving from an inexhaustible divine source
The Greek word πληρώματος (plērōmatos), “fullness,” describes complete fullness—something lacking nothing.
Jesus Christ possesses an inexhaustible fullness of divine mercy, life, love, and wisdom. Everything we need for salvation, daily Christian living, and spiritual life comes from this inexhaustible fullness. Our human resources are finite. The resources of Jesus Christ from whom we receive are inexhaustible.
2. “Grace upon grace”: the continuing waves of grace
The Greek phrase is: χάριν ἀντὶ χάριτος (charin anti charitos). Literally, it can carry the idea of “grace in place of grace” or one grace succeeding another. The preposition ἀντί (anti) can mean “in place of” or “in exchange for.”
The picture, therefore, is not merely of grace accumulating layer upon layer, but of one grace continually being succeeded by another. It resembles standing on a beach where one wave passes and another immediately comes rolling in. God's grace never ceases.
3. Three powerful lessons for us
① “For God's children, there is no exhaustion or shortage of grace.”
When material resources are scarce, our health grows weak, or people wound us, we may become discouraged and ask: “Why is my life so dry and full of lack?” But today's Word declares that we are people who continually receive “from His fullness.” When my physical and emotional resources are exhausted, I must look again to the Lord who is the inexhaustible source of my supply.
② “We cannot live today on yesterday's grace. New grace comes to us today.”
The great grace and spiritual experiences we received in the past cannot substitute for today's dependence upon God. Like Israel gathering fresh manna every morning in the wilderness, believers need the Lord's fresh mercies each day. Therefore, expect the Lord anew today.
③ “We must become channels through which the fullness we have received flows back into the world.”
The Lord did not fill us so that we alone could remain full. John says, “we have all received.” The waves of grace must flow through the church, the community of believers, and each one of us into the world. If I continually receive “grace upon grace” from the Lord, my neighbors and family should also experience something of the Lord's grace through me. I must become a channel through which the wave of love that has reached me waters another person's dry heart.
My final confession from today's meditation:
“The cup of my life overflows today because of the Lord's inexhaustible fullness, and upon the shore of my life new waves of His grace continue to arrive day after day.”
No matter how enormous today's problems or anxieties may appear, before the eternal fullness of Jesus Christ they are only small castles of sand. May we live today with courage and peace through the faithful and unceasing “grace upon grace” that He supplies to us moment by moment.
(4) Fourth, I would like to meditate on John 1:18: “No one has ever seen God; the only begotten God, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has made Him known” [Θεὸν οὐδεὶς ἑώρακεν πώποτε· μονογενὴς Θεὸς ὁ ὢν εἰς τὸν κόλπον τοῦ Πατρὸς ἐκεῖνος ἐξηγήσατο]. As I meditate particularly on the expression “the only begotten God” [μονογενὴς Θεὸς], I also wonder how it relates to the expression in verse 14: “the glory as of the only begotten from the Father”
[δόξαν ὡς μονογενοῦς παρὰ πατρός].
(a) John 1:18 is the final and magnificent conclusion to the prologue of the Gospel of John (1:1–18). Verse 14's “only begotten from the Father” and verse 18's “only begotten God” form a closely related pair of Christological confessions identifying who the incarnate Jesus Christ truly is.
1. The perfect unity of identity: the “only begotten” is God
The reading μονογενὴς Θεός (monogenēs Theos), “the only begotten God,” is attested in several important early manuscripts.
John introduces Christ in verse 14 as the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. Then, as he concludes his prologue in verse 18, he identifies this unique Son as God. Thus the identity of the Son in verse 14 connects directly with the declaration of verse 1: “The Word was God.” Jesus Christ is the divine Son who uniquely reveals the Father.
2. The perfection of intimacy: from “from the Father” to “in the bosom of the Father”
Verse 14: παρὰ πατρός (para patros) emphasizes that the only begotten One comes from the Father.
Verse 18: ὁ ὢν εἰς τὸν κόλπον τοῦ Πατρὸς speaks of the One who is “in the bosom of the Father.” The word κόλπον (kolpon), “bosom,” expresses the deepest intimacy, love, and personal communion eternally shared between the Father and the Son.
The expression ὁ ὢν (ho ōn), “the One who is,” uses a present participle, emphasizing His continuing relationship with the Father. Because the only begotten One comes from the Father, He perfectly knows the Father's heart, love, and mysteries.
3. The perfect Interpreter: from “beholding” the glory to “interpreting” the Father
Verse 14 uses: ἐθεασάμεθα (etheasametha) — “we beheld.” Through Jesus who came in human flesh, we beheld God's glory.
Verse 18 uses: ἐξηγήσατο (exēgēsato) — “He made Him known,” “explained Him,” or “interpreted Him.” This Greek verb is related to the word from which the English theological term “exegesis” is derived. It carries the sense of explaining, recounting, or making something known.
No one has ever seen God, but the only begotten God who is in the Father's bosom has made Him known. Therefore, the reason we can behold God's glory in Jesus is that Jesus has perfectly revealed the invisible God's character, love, and saving purpose through His entire person and life. Jesus is the perfect revelation and interpretation of God.
Final theological summary of John 1:1–18:
The eternal Word who was with God beyond time and space in John 1:1 became flesh and tabernacled among us in verse 14, and in verse 18 He is revealed as the only begotten God who perfectly makes the invisible God known to the world.
(i) This leads me to ask: How should we seek to understand and receive this “only begotten God” who has perfectly made the invisible God known?
a. We must resolve to understand God through “the lens of Jesus”
Because of the limitations of human reason and the distortion caused by sin, we cannot discover the invisible God's character and purpose by ourselves. Therefore, we must look at God through Jesus Christ, God's perfect revelation.
When we encounter difficult passages in the Old Testament or suffering in our lives, we should interpret them through the light of Jesus' cross and love. Whenever we ask, “What is God really like?” we should look at the words, actions, compassion, and character of Jesus in the Gospels and say: “Ah, this is what God is like!” Jesus is the face through whom the Father is made known.
b. We must receive as our own the intimate relationship of love found “in the Father's bosom”
The only begotten God continually exists in the Father's bosom. Jesus' revelation of the Father is not intended merely to give us theological information. He invites us into communion with God. Having received Christ and become children of God, we are invited to draw near to the Father through the Son.
When we pray, therefore, we should not remain at a distance as though God were merely a terrifying Judge or remote Creator. We may draw near in Christ with the confidence of children who are loved by their Father.
c. We must now live as “channels that interpret God” to the world
Verse 14 says: “We beheld His glory.” Verse 18 says: “He made Him known.” Jesus revealed the invisible God through His entire life. Those who have received Him are likewise called to make the character of Christ visible through their lives.
Many people in the world do not read the Bible and do not recognize Jesus, the true Light. Therefore, our lives can become living testimonies through which they encounter something of His character. Through honest speech at home and at work, through yielding even when it costs us, through forgiving even our enemies, and through humble, self-restraining love, we can demonstrate that the invisible God is truly living.
Final confession and resolution:
“Since I have come to know the invisible God most clearly through Jesus Christ, I will abide in the embrace of His love and become a faithful channel through which the character of the Lord is translated into life before the world.”
All the pieces of John 1:1–18 ultimately lead to this glorious confession: “Because the only begotten God, the true Light, lives in me, I will now walk as a child of light, overcoming the world through His power.”
(5) Fifth and last, I want to meditate on John 1:15: “John testified about Him and cried out, saying, ‘This was He of whom I said, He who comes after me has surpassed me because He existed before me.’” [Ἰωάννης μαρτυρεῖ περὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ κέκραγεν λέγων· Οὗτος ἦν ὃν εἶπον· Ὁ ὀπίσω μου ἐρχόμενος ἔμπροσθέν μου γέγονεν, ὅτι πρῶτός μου ἦν.]
(a) The declaration made by John the Baptist in John 1:15—"He who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me"—stands as a powerful highlight, marking the first official proclamation by human lips of the majestic Christology (the nature of Jesus Christ) found in the prologue of the Gospel. A meditation on the tenses and structure of the original Greek reveals that this brief verse encapsulates both the attitude of a true witness and the transcendent mystery of Jesus Christ. Here are three powerful spiritual lessons drawn from this passage, summarized by AI (Internet):
1. The eternity and pre-existence of Jesus beyond time and space
John makes a paradoxical statement that overturns ordinary human chronology.
Biologically, John the Baptist was born approximately six months before Jesus (Lk. 1:36), and his public ministry also began earlier.
In that historical sense, Jesus truly was “He who comes after me.” Yet John declares: “He existed before me.” The word πρῶτος (prōtos) points here to Christ's priority.
Jesus was not merely a great man who happened to appear in history. Before John was born, before the universe was created, from the beginning of John 1:1, He existed as the eternal divine Word. John understood this spiritual reality and therefore boldly proclaimed the transcendent identity of Christ.
2. The calling and passion of the witness: “testified and cried out”
The Greek word translated “cried out,” κέκραγεν (kekragen), is a perfect form of κράζω (krazō), “to cry out.” It portrays a cry whose force and testimony continue to resound.
John did not speak vaguely or timidly about who Jesus was. Because he possessed a deep conviction concerning the truth of Christ, he publicly bore witness to Him. Those of us who prepare the way for the returning Lord likewise need a living conviction about the gospel and a faithful willingness to testify to Christ.
3. Recognizing Christ's absolute priority: “He has surpassed me”
John declares that Jesus stands “before me” [ἔμπροσθέν μου γέγονεν].
John had many followers and considerable influence in Jewish society. He could have become proud or tried to preserve his own following. Instead, he clearly acknowledged the relationship between himself and Christ: “He is greater than I. Although He comes after me in history, He must stand before me as the central Person and Lord of my life.” This is an attitude of genuine self-denial.
Final personal application:
“Lord, in every plan and every moment of my life, let Jesus always be the First and the One who stands before everything else.”
Reordering the priorities of my life: With our lips, we confess that Jesus is King. Yet in the actual priorities of money, time, success, plans, and pride, we sometimes push Him behind us. Today I want to make John the Baptist's confession my own: “Your Word, Lord, must always go before my thoughts and my schedule.” I want to surrender every area of sovereignty to Him.
Recovering the proclamation of the gospel: May the joy of salvation in Jesus Christ remain so vividly alive within me that, through the character of my life and through warm but unmistakably gospel-centered words, I may faithfully bear witness to the Lord before the people I meet today.