John 1:14 – the Message puts it like this: The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, Generous inside and out, true from start to finish.
To begin with, the Word is Jesus. If you scroll back 13 verses to the beginning of chapter one, you will read the statement, “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word
was God! Another way we know that the Word refers to Jesus is right here in verse 14: the Word became flesh and blood. He became a human being. We know of only one who has made this claim and it is the person of Jesus Christ. That alone is a staggering thought that we can not even begin to comprehend. To be infinite, all powerful, all knowing, everywhere simultaneously, to be able to speak creation into being, to live outside of time, to be surround by perfection and beauty… And then to give all that up to become a limited, finite, time-bound human being born into a poor family in a tiny village… Eventually scorned, rejected and put to death by the very people to whom he came to share the light of truth and good news of salvation. What a choice he made. We can’t even imagine the loss he must have felt for those 33 years he was on the earth, but this choice – becoming one of us – was necessary for Him to take upon himself the punishment for our sin. It was the divine plan of the Father that the shedding of the blood of Hs beloved and only Son would cover the sins past, present and future of those who would only accept a marvelous gift. This is the good news! Christ, the Word, died for our sins so that we can live.
The Message says, “moved into the neighborhood.” Other versions say, “dwelt among us.” Either way it is stated, the point is that Jesus was a part of the community. He worked with His father, Joseph as a carpenter until he was thirty years old. He probably told stories, repaired wobbly table legs for old ladies, threw his little brothers and sisters up on his shoulders or tickled them ’til they squealed in laughter, went on adventures with his buddies… He lived as a boy and then a man on the earth. He was a normal Jewish boy in Nazareth at that time in history. The only difference was that he experienced all these situations of life without sinning! How wild is that? The Bible says that he was tempted in all ways as we are, yet without sin. In doing so, He became an example to us how we should live.
The verse goes on to say that the eyewitnesses, those who lived with Him, saw this life of glory, saw the truth that He lived and said He was generous inside and out, from start to finish. Luke 2:52 says that “Jesus grew in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man.” This verse is a confirmation of what John says here in 1:14. People saw Jesus and the way He lived His life. They experienced His generosity…His life of selfless giving. The NLT translates it as, “He was full of love and faithfulness.” His character was evident in both His words and actions. And the amazing thing about Jesus is that He is never changing… His character is constant, pure, blameless, holy. What an honor that he chose to come to earth as a man to save us. His name be praised for eternity!