Jesus is the only true light in the world, a light that shines all the brighter in the darkness, and this light means life for men and women.
According to the apostle John, “life” is found in the “word,” and that life is the “light of men.” And at present, it is “shining in the darkness,” and the darkness “cannot seize” or suppress it. This same “word” has been “made flesh” in Jesus – In him, the glory and life of God have been truly and fully manifested. Moreover, his disciples are summoned to “testify” of the light in this dark world.
The fullness and truth of God are unveiled in the Word made Flesh, namely, Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified Messiah – John 1:14-18.
The prologue to John’s gospel introduces several key themes – Life, Light, Witness, Truth, and Grace. Jesus is the Light of the world, the source of Grace and Truth, the True Tabernacle, the only born Son of God, and the only one who has seen the Father. It concludes by declaring that he is the only one who is qualified to interpret the unseen God.
God’s previously hidden mysteries are now revealed in Jesus, and especially so in his death and resurrection.
The Bible speaks of the “mysteries” of God, His ways that are hidden from human wisdom and defy our expectations. In his teachings, Jesus declared that not everyone can understand the “mysteries of the kingdom.” It is God who reveals the deep and obscure things to whomever He pleases. And in His Son, He has done so for all who have “eyes that can see.”
Jesus is the key that unlocks the Hebrew Scriptures and divine “mysteries” to reveal the nature and purposes of God.
Not only does Jesus play the central role in unveiling God’s purposes, but he is also the very center of all the Father’s plans, especially the redemption of humanity. Only in Christ is the glory of the Creator of all things revealed, and only His Son is qualified to reveal His true nature. In him, all the promises of God find their fulfillment, their “yea” and “amen.”
The fullness and grace of God are found only in the “Word made Flesh,” Jesus of Nazareth – John 1:14-18.
John’s prologue to his gospel introduces its key themes – Life, Light, Witness, Truth, and Grace. Jesus is the Light of the world, the source of Grace and Truth, the True Tabernacle, the only-born Son of God, and the only one who has seen the Father. The prologue concludes by declaring that he is the only one who is qualified to interpret the unseen God.
Jesus is the “word made flesh” and the true tabernacle in which the glory of God is revealed and now resides – John 1:14.
The opening paragraph of John’s Gospel presents major themes that are explicated in the body of the book. For example, Jesus is the “Word made flesh” in whom life and light are found, and the true and final “tabernacle” where God’s “glory” resides. Moreover, John employs imagery from pivotal events in the history of Israel to illustrate what God has done in Jesus.
Disciples Global Network 