Day 19
Today’s reading: John 1:1-18
In The Beginning
〰️
In The Beginning 〰️
Reflections
The foundation of our Christian faith rests on the truth that Jesus is God, who came to earth in human form. This concept is profound and often difficult to grasp, and has sparked debates across different religions and sects. Yet, it is a foundational truth that we must fully understand, genuinely believe, and be prepared to defend. The opening chapter of the Gospel of John offers a powerful summary of the Apostle John’s reflections on the person and work of Jesus. He reveals that Jesus existed long before the creation of the world—He is the Word of God. And this Word is, in fact, God Himself. John the Baptist, whom the people revered and followed, testified to this truth when he declared that the One coming after him existed before him.
To understand Jesus as the Word of God, think of it this way: just as our words express the thoughts of our minds, so too does Jesus reveal the mind of God. Jesus is the personification of God’s thoughts, and more than that, He is the revelation of God’s nature (Heb. 1:3). Everything God has ever thought about the world, He revealed in Jesus. The very essence of God was made manifest through the life of Jesus. The Word and the Being cannot be separated; hence, we see that the Word is God.
From this foundation, everything we learn in the following chapters of this Gospel builds on the truth that Jesus is God. To truly know what God is like and to understand His will, we must look to the life and works of Jesus. In the coming chapters, John will emphasize stories and miracles where Jesus, or others, explicitly stated or alluded to His divinity as God.
Study Questions
Who is the author of the Gospel of John, and who was his intended audience? Use a study Bible to explore the background and context of this book.
Based on your reading, what is the central theme and theological purpose of the Gospel of John?
In your own words, how does this passage explain the divinity of Jesus?
What did you learn about God’s nature, His ways and His will from today’s reading?
Highlight
“All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men.” John 1:3-4 ESV
