The Word

“In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God.” John 1:1-2

The book of John is all about the life and work of the man Jesus Christ, whom John refers to in these first two verses as the Word. John’s writing is an eyewitness account. He walked with Jesus. He ate with him. He saw him grow tired and hungry. He heard him preach. He witnessed the miracles. John was there when Jesus was crucified. He saw the resurrected Christ.

John had come to know Jesus in such a way that Jesus’s words and his life had become indistinguishable. Jesus Himself said, “I am the truth” (John 14:6). John Piper puts it this way, “What God had to say to us was not only or mainly what Jesus said, but who Jesus was and what he did.” Jesus’ life, death and resurrection was the final and decisive message of God.

But Jesus, the Word, didn’t just appear on the scene or even merely show up in history. He was there in the beginning. He already existed. He was with God and He was God. At the appointed time, the angel Gabriel appeared to a young woman named Mary to announce to her that she would have the great honor of bringing God’s Son into the world. Mary’s humble response was, “Let it be to me according to your word” (Luke 1:48). And so John tells us that the Word, the final and decisive message of God, became flesh and dwelt among us.