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. (ESV)

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (NIV)

So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son. (NLT)

Dive Deeper:

Throughout history, mankind has come up with worldview after worldview, and philosophy after philosophy to answer the deepest questions in life. Questions like what is truth? What is the meaning of life? What is the ultimate reality behind all things? In the ancient Greek world, they termed this objective reality, or truth itself as logos. In this week’s verse, “Word” is translated from the Greek word logos. So when John says, “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us,” he is making a truly baffling statement that is unlike any worldview in the Greco-Roman world at the time. He is not only claiming to know what the logos is, but who He is. John is claiming that meaning and reality itself has been made manifest in the person of Jesus. 

What sweet truth is found here! That which made life and gives meaning to everything, is not some far off deity that is disinterested with its creation, nor rules it with a tyrant’s fist. Instead, our God, the one true God, invites us into a personal relationship with Him. And He doesn’t wait for us to come to Him, He pursued and came down to us in human flesh and still pursues us today. He isn’t cruel or harsh, but “full of grace and truth” for those who place their hope in Him. He came to serve not to be served. 

“who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.”

- Philippians 2:6-7

The deepest questions in life can cause the deepest turmoil in our souls when left unanswered. For the Christian, these answers have been revealed to us by God through the sending of His son, Jesus. In Him we find hope, rest for our souls, and ultimate truth. In Him we find meaning and purpose. Look for any of these elsewhere and the satisfaction they bring will always slip away, forever fleeting. The promises they utter will fail to be delivered on.

“but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” 

- John 4:14 

Written by Keaton Hewitt