“In the beginning . . .” These are the words the Apostle John was inspired to use to begin the Gospel that bears his name; however, the book is all about Jesus Christ! Those first three words are reminiscent of the Genesis account of the work of God at creation (Genesis 1:1). John had walked with Jesus and talked with Jesus. He had a close relationship with Jesus, and John knew Jesus was much more than a mere human being! He begins his inspired account of Jesus’ life, and death, and resurrection, by making it clear that Jesus was Divine. John lets his readers know, immediately, that Jesus Christ was God in the flesh; that He was God incarnate. John refers to Jesus as “the Word,” and John points out that the One we know as Jesus, the One who was the Son of God, was not only present “in the beginning” with God at creation, but He truly was God. God the Son was there, as the second person of the Divine Trinity (one God, three persons—God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit). In fact, John went so far as to say everything was made through “the Word”—who was with God and who was God—and that nothing that was made was made without Him. Not only that, but in this passage John talks about Jesus’ incarnation—how Jesus became flesh and how He lived among us, was rejected by His own, and also how those who are willing to accept Him become children of God.
Here we are confronted with some of the foundational truths that make Christianity distinct from other worldviews and that distinguish Jesus Christ from other teachers, philosophers, and religious leaders. We see the truth of creation discussed. Clearly, John understood the universe did not evolve into existence, and it did not just, somehow, spontaneously “explode” into existence. God created it, and God’s Son, Jesus Christ, was part of the eternal Trinity that created it. Even more than that, John understood that God Himself came down to Earth. He didn’t just come down to Earth—but He came down as one of us; He took on human form. He became a human being. His name was Jesus!
Consider the following questions as you post your reflections on this passage of Scripture (and its implications).
- Why does it matter who Jesus is?
- How would you go about sharing with others the ways Jesus differs significantly from other teachers, philosophers, or religious leaders?
- Why did God send Jesus (and why was Jesus willing to come) to Earth and become one of us? In other words, what was the purpose of Jesus’ incarnation?
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