The Gospel of John-1 – The Word Made Flesh

John 1:1–5

 

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. 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. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” Amen.

 

Suggestions and Recommended Reading for the Exposition of John

After concluding our exposition of Habakkuk, we have now crossed into the horizon of the New Testament to encounter the Gospel of John. To assist your deep exploration of this profound world and to broaden your spiritual reflection, I would like to recommend several literary works.

 

First, I recommend Pastor Young-sun Park’s Exposition of John. This series, which I recall consists of five volumes, may not perfectly align with the progression of this specific lecture series, but it will provide great insight by illuminating the text from various dimensions. Second is Pastor James Montgomery Boice’s The Gospel of John. While the vast four-volume set may feel daunting, it serves as an unparalleled guide for systematic study alongside the scripture.

 

Additionally, for those who are comfortable with English-speaking culture or original texts, I have a unique suggestion. Among the commentaries or sermon collections of John, I recommend the works of Martyn Lloyd-Jones, whose expository style shares a similar texture with Pastor Boice. Unusually, however, I recommend his Exposition of Romans rather than his work on John. This is because the theological context flowing between Romans and John is very closely intertwined. Although the Korean translation alone already spans 11 volumes and the future volume count will be significant, the theological foundation solidified through Romans will serve as a robust basis for understanding John. I am confident that keeping these texts by your side for meditation will be of great benefit in deeply digesting the proclaimed Word.

 

The Depth of John Hidden Behind Familiar Language

The Gospel of John is the book most frequently recommended to those encountering the Bible for the first time or those just beginning their life of faith. This is because it is replete with passages that immediately and deeply revive the soul. The promise of eternal life beginning with “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,” and the poignant comfort of the Lord saying, “Let not your hearts be troubled,” are all recorded in this Gospel.

 

Thus, John approaches us with a very familiar face. In fact, John uses the simplest level of Greek compared to other books in the New Testament. The author intentionally used a restrained vocabulary and concise sentences to allow even those without deep academic training to reach the essence of the Gospel. However, this literary simplicity by no means implies a lightness of truth. The reason John’s commentaries are often published in vast sets of three or four volumes, rather than a single book, is that the depth of truth sequestered beneath those concise sentences is truly profound.

 

For example, when we encounter the words, “I am the vine; you are the branches,” we immediately receive comfort, envisioning the image of abundant fruit. However, if we do not stop there but meticulously trace the biblical symbolism inherent in the ‘vine’ and the implications of the expression ‘remaining in the vine’ within the context of the Old Testament, we encounter a staggering level of theological strata unimaginable to the human intellect. Our attitude toward John must remain at this point as well. It is my hope that we journey together toward the abyss of that unmeasurable mystery hidden within simplicity.

 

Logos: John’s Intent in Borrowing Hellenistic Philosophical Concepts

Today’s text begins with a magnificent proclamation: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” This verse serves as an extremely important foundation for establishing the doctrine of the Trinity. This is because, among the four Gospels, John is the book that most clearly and powerfully defends the deity of Jesus Christ—the fact that He is indeed God. The text refers to Jesus as ‘the Word.’ Why did John choose the unique word ‘Logos,’ a term concentrated with the academic and cultural background of the time, among the numerous expressions describing Christ?

 

There is a precise and strategic intent within this choice. It was a point of contact designed to effectively communicate the Gospel to those dwelling within the Hellenistic framework of thought. Greece, as is well known, is the cradle of philosophy. The ideas of great philosophers—Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle—dominated the intellectual world of that era. I also vividly remember memorizing their names one by one during my school years. In a Hellenistic culture where philosophical reasoning was so highly developed, ‘Logos’ held a very special and metaphysical meaning.

 

The core of the Hellenistic worldview, which encompassed the Near East and Rome, was the contemplation of ‘change.’ While noting that all things are constantly changing, they also asked a fundamental question: “If everything changes, will the world not eventually fall into a state of uncontrollable chaos?” They believed that behind the visible disorder and change, there existed an invisible fundamental principle that maintained the universe in an orderly fashion and operated it rationally; they named this principle ‘Logos.’ Therefore, when the Greeks encountered the declaration, “In the beginning was the Logos,” they would have intuitively perceived that the massive intellectual principle constructing and operating the universe was indeed this ‘Word.’

 

The Incarnation: A Radical Proclamation Transcending Philosophical Limits

Did John borrow concepts from Hellenistic philosophy simply to explain Jesus Christ philosophically? Certainly not. This can be called a kind of ‘holy apologetic point of contact.’ John presents the familiar concept of ‘Logos’ to capture the interest of the Greeks, and then uses that concept as a stepping stone to lead them to the essential truth revealed by the Bible. Had John confined the Logos to a conceptual order or rational principle, we would never have understood the living reality of God’s Word. However, John moves forward here with a radical declaration that shakes human history.

 

John 1:14 proclaims: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” Today, we may calmly accept this verse as a message of comfort that God is with us. However, to those steeped in Hellenistic thought at the time, this declaration was a shocking event that shook their worldview to its core. A fundamental conflict arose: “How can the sublime and holy Logos take on lowly and finite flesh?”

 

To the Greeks of that time, this phenomenal world was merely a shadow of reality. They believed that only the world of Ideals beyond visible objects held true value, while visible reality was considered a fleeting illusion. Within this dualistic worldview, the soul was the immutable essence, while the body was nothing more than a shell or a prison for the soul. Therefore, the salvation they longed for was to cast off the yoke of the flesh and return to the original spiritual home. But John is now making a proclamation that directly defies their philosophical taboos: that the Logos, the fundamental principle of the universe, took on flesh and walked into the specific time and space of history. This was a revolutionary Gospel proclamation that shattered the limits of Hellenistic philosophy at once.

 

The New Genesis: Jesus Christ Completing the Creation of the Old Testament

The declaration that “the Word became flesh” was a radical act that dismantled the foundations of Hellenistic philosophy. John merely borrowed the language of ‘Logos’ to convey this mysterious truth; the essential roots of the ‘Word’ he sought to proclaim lie not in philosophy but in the fertile soil of the Old Testament. The opening of the text, “In the beginning was the Word,” immediately evokes Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” This is an intentional juxtaposition of the magnificent proclamation that opens the first page of the Bible, causing the reader to recall the primordial act of creation.

 

Apostle John’s intent in borrowing the form of Genesis is clear. He sought to contrast the first ‘beginning’ that signaled the start of humanity with the new ‘beginning’ unfolding through Christ. The Gospel of John is not a mere biography but a book recording a ‘New Genesis’ that began in Christ. While the creation account in the Old Testament deals with the physical origin of all things, John now solemnly proclaims that the work of re-creation, which completes and transforms that original creation, has begun. This is a truly wondrous spiritual insight that penetrates the history of salvation.

 

In Genesis 1, the Word of God appears as a dynamic act: “God said.” God’s divine utterance immediately became a phenomenon, and the word “Let there be light” became the actual, existing light. For humans, language is a means of conveying concepts, but for God, the Word is the ‘power’ of creation itself. However, the Gospel of John goes a step further, revealing that the Word is a Person. While the Word was the tool of creation in the Old Testament, in the New Testament Gospel of John, Jesus Christ declares Himself, “I am the Word.”

 

This revelation points to a clear truth. The One who brought light into existence in Genesis now says, “I am the light of the world,” and the One who bestowed life upon all things proclaims, “I am the life.” John testifies that a re-creation far greater and more fundamental than the creation of Eden has been accomplished through the person of Jesus Christ. In other words, he is declaring that the history of a brilliant re-creation, which overwhelms the first creation, has now arrived among us in Christ.

 

The Fundamental Light: True Life Seen within God’s Radiance

To further contemplate the layers of this mystery, please note Genesis 1:3. This verse, which opens the preface of the Bible, records: “And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.” What is the essence of the ‘light’ proclaimed here? Does it refer to the sunlight, moonlight, or the fading starlight we experience daily? When examining the chronological structure of the Bible, that possibility is very low. This is because the celestial luminaries—the sun, moon, and stars—do not appear until verse 14, the fourth day of creation. In other words, the light of the first day is a light fundamentally different in dimension from the astronomical phenomena we know.

 

We clearly recognize that the source of sunlight is the sun. Then, when “Let there be light” was commanded at the prelude of all things, where was the origin of that light? This light does not originate from a visible luminary or an artificial light source. Here, we must pay attention to the divine utterance, “God said.” Before human linguistic systems were established, in what way did God utter His Word? It was not a mere acoustic signal but the origin of the Word, the manifestation of the divine essence. This light is the same. It is the light of which God Himself is the source, the primordial vitality emanating from His glory.

 

In Psalm 36:9, David sings of this holy mystery in truly beautiful poetic language: “For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light.” This is a confession of faith that only within God’s fundamental light can we truly perceive light. Before the sunlight we enjoy, there was the inaugural light created by God, and at the ultimate abyss of all that light, God Himself exists.

 

To aid understanding, we can view this in three stages: the ‘Fundamental Light’ which is the origin of all light, the ‘Light of the First Day’ derived from it, and the ‘Natural Light’ we encounter daily. If this fundamental ‘Great Light’ were absent, no derivative light could exist, nor would the darkness covering the abyss of the universe ever recede. As the confession “In your light do we see light” suggests, without that inaugural light, we cannot witness the truth for even a single moment. I hope you take the majesty of this light deep into your hearts.

 

Faith: A Spiritual Vision Discovering Hidden Reality

The reason the existence of this light holds profound significance for us lies in the unique way it is revealed. The ‘Fundamental Light’ we previously considered can be explained rationally but is difficult to perceive fully because it is ‘hidden’ from us. Although light is meant to be placed on high to illuminate all things and grant the joy of life, why does the Bible say this light is concealed?

 

The Bible emphasizes the principle of this mysterious concealment through Hebrews 11:3: “By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.” The essence of this magnificent proclamation is that the phenomenal world we witness did not originate from visible matter but rather from a hidden spiritual reality. That is, the invisible kingdom of God and the fundamental light served as the foundation for the world we see now to exist. And the spiritual ability to perceive this hidden reality is faith.

 

Faith is often misunderstood as ‘blindly trusting in what is not seen,’ but true faith is rather ‘the perception of a hidden reality.’ Pastor Eugene Peterson explains this clearly by comparing it to the cognitive development of an infant. When a ball an infant is playing with disappears under a piece of furniture, the infant believes that it hasn't just been hidden, but that its very existence has vanished. This is because they remain in a stage of infantile perception where disappearance from view equates to non-existence. However, a mature adult knows that even if an object is not visible, it still exists there. They understand that it is merely hidden for a moment.

 

Our faith follows the same principle. Faith is not a psychological comfort created by imagining an absent object, but a spiritual insight that captures a reality that exists but is temporarily concealed. The absence of visible evidence does not mean the absence of God’s kingdom. Faith is “the ability to be certain of a reality that is not seen and to gaze upon that spiritual world.” Acknowledging that the invisible reign of God richly sustains our lives is the essence of faith.

 

Although theological reflections may be difficult and cause confusion, the core is simple. Faith is never the ‘will to decide to believe in what does not exist,’ but a ‘response that cannot help but be certain because it is real.’ Although not captured by the physical eye, we know through Jesus Christ that the kingdom of God firmly exists. As the testimony of Hebrews states, the kingdom of God has not vanished; it is merely hidden. I hope you, the saints, will clearly behold that hidden light of life through the eyes of faith.

 

The Light of Life Binding Darkness and Proclaiming Victory

The moment we face John 1:1. our hearts should beat with holy tremors. The mystery of creation recorded in Genesis remained veiled and hidden for ages. We could not be witnesses to the magnificent scene when God fashioned the universe, nor could we directly face the sublime trajectory where divine power swept through. However, the Gospel of John proclaims that the reality of creation, which had been so mysteriously concealed, has finally been brilliantly revealed upon the surface of history. It has arrived by our side as a reality that can be sensed and witnessed.

 

Saints, what a wondrous event this is! We often indulge in holy imaginations: “If only I had been at that scene of creation and heard God’s voice, if only I had directly seen the majestic sight of light pouring out when He said ‘Let there be light,’ how much more firm would my faith have become?” But that glory at the time was a hidden mystery not permitted to creatures. Yet, what does the Gospel of John witness? It is the fact that the fundamental light appeared before our eyes through the person of Jesus Christ, with the declaration “I am the light of the world.” The source of that divine utterance, who said “God said” at the beginning, has now become a reality, not a concept, and has come among us.

 

If the light that shone at the dawn of creation was the beginning of an order that separated darkness and divided day and night, the light proclaimed by the Gospel of John possesses a power far more formidable and overwhelming. John declares that this light does not merely coexist with darkness by dividing sections, but binds all powers of darkness and grants ultimate victory to those who follow the light. This light goes beyond removing physical gloom; it breaks the chains of sin that have throttled humanity and at once relieves the existential pressure that weighed down our souls. This is the light of life that sentences death to death. It is like crying out, “O Death, you shall surely see death,” announcing the end of death. The coming of Jesus Christ means that the fundamental power of creation has directly intervened in our lives. The eternal Word, who was with the Father, has now become our neighbor and has come to our side.

 

Immanuel: God Who Comes to Our Side and Suffers with Us

The text contains an even more wondrous revelation that overwhelms the previous proclamations. John 1:14 declares, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” It is the fact that the Word, who enjoyed eternity with God the Father, has now entered into finite time and space to share the place of life with us. Usually, we respond immediately and perk up our ears at news of secular benefits—the increase of assets, the prosperity of business, or the news that a physical illness has been cured. But how can we be so indifferent in the face of this supreme declaration that the Almighty, who created the heavens and the earth, descended to this earth to be with us, His creatures? This is also a sad reflection of how far our spiritual sensitivity has drifted from the essence.

 

The proclamation that “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” is truly the most wondrous event in human history. This is because it means that God does not simply observe us but is present by our side and directly reveals His essence. Every action and trajectory of life shown by Jesus Christ on this earth perfectly reflects God’s character, mercy, and His fundamental attitude toward us. Where could there be a clearer divine evidence than this?

 

When Christ feels compassion for the people, it is the moment when the merciful heart of God the Father is revealed. When the Lord looked at the stubbornness of Jerusalem and wept bitter tears, saying, “How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings,” that moment was the holy watershed where God’s poignant love for us burst forth. Apostle John reminds us of a precious truth through the event of the Incarnation. God is not one who only gives directions and condemnation from the far-off heavens of transcendence, but He is the ‘One by our side’ who took on the same flesh as ours, came to the scene of our lives, participates in our grief, and weeps with us.

 

Invitation to Re-creation: A Blessed Life Walking toward the Light

Saints, today’s text ends with the following sorrowful testimony in verse 5: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it [understood here as 'did not perceive/recognize it'].” This is truly a lamentable thing. Even though the great light, the very source and origin of the creation of all things, personally came among us, the world is still immersed in its own darkness, rejecting and pushing that light away. But never forget. No matter how thick and deep the darkness may be, it can never overwhelm or defeat the light. This is because the Word, the essence of life—Jesus Christ—has already come to our side and begun His holy companionship.

 

Now, saints, who live the history of a new creation unfolding in Christ, I wish to conclude the message. The Gospel of John does not proclaim a severed record of the past, but a ‘New Genesis’ that has begun here and now. If the first creation was an external history of bringing all things into existence by the Word, the second creation, represented by the Incarnation, is the event of re-creation where that Word enters the intimate realms of our lives and newly fashions our broken souls.

 

In the coming week, I hope you hold onto the light of that Word present among us like a lifeline. Though not captured by the physical eye, gaze with the vision of faith upon the kingdom of God that clearly exists and rules over us. With the Lord who empathizes with our weaknesses and weeps with us, with the One who enfolds us under His wings, hold His hand and walk toward the path of brilliant light, breaking through all curtains of darkness. I fervently pray in the name of the Lord that you become such blessed saints.

 

Let us pray.

 

Loving and merciful Lord, we thank You for making us clearly realize through the words of the Gospel of John today that the Word of life, who existed before the ages, is Jesus Christ who has come to us. Before this supreme mystery, where the power of creation that made all things took on lowly flesh and dwells among us, we only bow down in humility.

 

Do not let our hearts be stolen by the vain philosophies of the world or by visible phenomena, but let us look with the eyes of faith at the kingdom of God that is working by our side even at this moment. We fervently pray that You shine the light of life into the deep darkness of our lives. Break the bonds of sin and death, and let the glory of the Lord, who swallowed death and triumphed, become a reality in our ordinary daily lives today.

 

In the journey of the week ahead, let us firmly hold the hand of the Lord who is always present with us and who suffers with us in our smallest groans, and let us walk victoriously as children of light. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, who re-creates us. Amen.