The Gospel of John: John 1.14c

Read and meditate on John 1.14.
The Word “pitched His tent” among us – He tabernacled among us – as God in flesh. It only makes sense that such things as glory, grace, and truth would accompany that dwelling among us. John says “we beheld His glory.” What does it mean to behold the glory of God? Should we expect to behold God’s glory in our day? Indeed, we should.

¹⁴The Word of God, the Light and Life of men,
Creator of all things in earth and heav'n,
took flesh unto Himself, became a Man, 
and dwelled among us in this ancient land.
And we have seen His glory, glory as of
the Only Begotten of the Father’s love,
and full of grace and truth.

- John 1.14

Reflect
1.  John insists that he (and others) beheld the glory of the Word made flesh as He tabernacled in their midst. What is glory? Think of some times in Scripture when people are reported to have beheld glory? How did they respond? Why? In what ways is glory like a weight (cf. 2 Cor. 4.17)? Lord, when I encounter Your glory…

2.  What is grace? If the glory of the Word is full of grace, what did John see as he beheld the glory of the Word become flesh? What forms or expressions did that full-of-grace-glory take? How do you suppose John and others felt as they beheld that grace and glory? How were they affected by it? I need Your grace today, Lord, so that…

3.  John says the glory of the Word was also “full of truth.” What is truth? What makes something true as opposed to false? What effect does truth have on people? Why should we expect truth to be related to grace and glory? What does this suggest about this Word-become-flesh? Your grace warms, comforts, and prepares me, Lord, and Your truth…

4.  Which glory did John behold in the Word-become-flesh? The Word is here described as the “only begotten of the Father.” Does that mean the Word was not eternal, but had a beginning at some point? Could the Word be God if that were the case? How might you explain the “only-begottenness” of the Word? Is this another mystery? Explain. Lord Jesus, You are the Father’s only-begotten Son, and I…

5.  Meditate on John 14.9. Why, given what John tells us in 1.14, does this make sense? If we behold the grace-and-truth-glory of the Word, what are we beholding? How should that affect us (cf. 2 Cor. 3.12-18)? Bring together your brief prayers from questions 1-4 into a single prayer.

Summary
“For he became Son of man, who was God’s own Son, in order that he might make the sons of men to be children of God. For when the high associates with the low, it does not touch its own honor at all. Instead, it raises up the other from its excessive lowness. So it was with the Lord. By no means did he diminish his own nature by his condescension, but he raised us, who had always sat in disgrace and darkness, to unspeakable glory.” John Chrysostom (ca. 344-407)

When the Word dwelled in the midst of people as a flesh-and-blood human being, many saw Him as the incarnation of the grace, truth, and glory of God. John wants to encourage us to see Him that way, too. He and others beheld the glory of the Word-become-flesh; he reports that to us, so that we might receive the Word and believe in Him (v. 12). What does that mean? How can we know when we have received and believed in the Word?

Closing Prayer
Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us,
But to Your name give glory,
Because of Your mercy,
Because of Your truth.
Why should the Gentiles say,
“So where is their God?”
But our God is in heaven;
He does whatever He pleases.
Their idols are silver and gold,
The work of men’s hands.
They have mouths, but they do not speak;
Eyes they have, but they do not see;
They have ears, but they do not hear;
Noses they have, but they do not smell;
They have hands, but they do not handle;
Feet they have, but they do not walk;
Nor do they mutter through their throat.
Those who make them are like them;
So is everyone who trusts in them.
O Israel, trust in the LORD;
He is their help and their shield.
O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD;
He is their help and their shield.
You who fear the Lord, trust in the LORD;
He is their help and their shield.

Psalm 115.1-11

Psalm 115.1-3, 9-11 (Plainfield: Nothing but the Blood of Jesus)
Not to us, O God, not us,
  But unto Your Name give glory!
For Your love and faithfulness,
  Ever to Your Name be glory!
Why should the nations cry, “Where is their God on high?”
You rule us, Lord, on high –
  Ever to Your Name be glory!

All who trust in Jesus yield –
  Ever to Your Name be glory! –
Find in Him their help and shield –
  Ever to Your Name be glory!
O Israel, trust the Lord! He helps us evermore!
Fear Him! Obey His Word –
  Ever to Your Name be glory.

T. M. Moore

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing adapted from The Ailbe Psalter. All quotations from Church Fathers from Ancient Christian Commentary Series IV a and b: John, edited by Joel C. Elowsky, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006. Verse translation of John by T. M. Moore.