Strangely Moved

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us…” John 1:14a (ESV)

What does it mean “the Word became flesh?” As we answer this question it is important to note that the verb “became” is a different verb than the verb in verse 11. The coming of Christ in the flesh has already been mentioned in verse 11 – “He came to his own...” In verse 11 the viewpoint is his relationship to the land of Israel and to his Jewish countryman. Of course there we see that he is the object of the unbelief of the Jews.

John declares a similar truth but this time from the viewpoint of his relation to faith and mankind. This is why we have two different verbs used – vs. 11 He came and verse 14 He became. Verse 14 declares to us his full entrance if you would into human life. The Word entered into the human mode of being while setting aside his divine mode of being. He remained the same with no change to the essence of his being.

James Boice in his commentary on John makes this poignant observation – see if you can appreciate what he is saying. “I wish it were possible to approach John 1:14 as though reading it for the first time. The verse contains something that we new and quite startling when it was first written, and yet for us who read it nearly two thousand years later is has become common place. This was the great sentence for which the Gospel of John was written. Nevertheless, because we have heard that verse from childhood, we read it and are often strangely unmoved.”

Let’s read this verse in view of the holiday season which we are now celebrating. It can be as Boice stated, very moving. It can be God-exalting worship. Let’s rejoice in the knowledge that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.