Daily Devotions
John
"In the beginning was the Word..."
Text: John 1:1-18
AFTER A LIFETIME OF FAITH AND MINISTRY
Three years directly and personally trained by Jesus, and a whole lifetime of serving Him as an apostle – what did that produce? Impressions and impact, theological and practical reality merged well in John’s life to help him produce a truly fine piece of work that complemented the other three Gospels.
In his first general epistle, John wrote,
“That which was from the beginning,
which we have heard,
which we have seen with our eyes,
which we have looked upon,
and our hands have handled,
concerning the Word of life…”
1 John 1:1
John wrote as an eye-witness. He testified that he was one of the original disciples who had heard, seen, looked upon close-up, and touched Jesus, the Word of life. John was the only Gospel writer who used the first person plural in his writing.
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us,
and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten
of the Father, full of grace and truth.”
John 1:14
As we read the Gospel of John, we must bear in mind this important understanding that the author wrote as one who was personally there when the events happened. Reading the Gospel from this perspective will give us an even deeper appreciation of what John wrote. Once again, we turn to what he wrote in his first general epistle.
“The life was manifested, and we have seen,
and bear witness, and declare to you
that eternal life which was with the Father
and was manifested to us –That which we have seen and heard we declare to you,
That you also may have fellowship with us;
And truly our fellowship is with the Father
And with His Son Jesus Christ.And these things we write to you
That your joy may be full.”
1 John 1:2-4
“BUT WE SEE JESUS” – THE LIVING WORD
John was himself a great preacher and teacher of the Word of God. Luke recorded how they ministered together. They had worked together as fishermen. They were enrolled in Jesus’ school of Disciples at the same time. Together with James, these three disciples were virtually inseparable friends.
Luke recorded an incident when Peter and John were hauled up by the Jewish religious authorities to answer to charges as to why they preached in the Name of Jesus. Luke wrote,
“So they called them (Peter and John)
and commanded them not to speak at all
nor teach in the Name of Jesus.But Peter and John answered and said to them,
‘Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you
more than to God, you judge.
For we cannot but speak the things
Which we have seen and heard. ‘ ”
Acts 4:18-20
We cannot help but note the similar phrases used. There was the constant appeal to “the things which we have seen and heard” (Cf. John 1:14; 1 John 1:1-4; Acts 4:20). He who preached the Word was most conscious of the Person whom he proclaimed with great courage, even if that meant risking his life.
John may have preached the Word of God. Jesus also came preaching the Word of God. What was one outstanding difference between Teacher and pupil? John wrote with a deep sense of awe and profundity and proclaimed that Jesus did much more than preach the Word. He was Himself THE WORD of God .
He was not alone in his view of Jesus. The author of the Book of Hebrews had the same view. In the beginning lines of his book he wrote,
“God, who at various times and in various ways
spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets,
has in these last days spoken to us by His Son,
whom He has appointed heir of all things,
through whom also he made the worlds;
who being the brightness of His glory
and the express image of His Person,
and upholding all things by the word of His power,
when He had by Himself purged our sins,
sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.”
Hebrews 1:1-3
Jesus was God’s special Spokesman. All prophets knew what it meant to say, “Thus says the Lord…” before they went on to preach a word from Him. Jesus stood in that same tradition and more. John declared that Jesus was the Very Word of God Himself.