“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

The Gospel of John opens by declaring the Lord Jesus Christ as the Eternal Word: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God” (John 1:1–2). He did not have a beginning but always existed. The word was, used in the first two verses, is in the imperfect tense, which means it describes continuous action. This means that the Eternal Word continually was what He had always been—the Eternal Word and the Eternal Son. In verses 1 and 2, we see Him as the Pre-existing Word.

In verse 3, we read of Him as the Creative Word: “All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.” It was through His Son that everything was spoken into existence: “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” (Heb. 1:1–2). As Creator, “He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast” (Ps. 33:9). He is the Creator and Sustainer of all things, “upholding all things by the word of His power” (Heb. 1:3).

These verses, along with verses 4–5, also teach us that the Lord Jesus is the Self-existing Word: “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” This refers to more than simply physical life; it also speaks of spiritual life. As the Son of Man, He was the life of men; as the Son of God, the darkness could not comprehend Him.

This blessed One, who is the Pre-existing Word, the Creative Word, and the Self-existing Word, became the Incarnate Word. This One who was—who continually remained what He had always been—became what He had not been before. How could this be? It was because “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

This was promised long ago, and it came to pass through the work of the Holy Spirit (Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:18–25; Luke 1:26–38). He was God’s greatest gift and His final message to mankind (Heb. 1:1–4). This truth is worthy of our deepest consideration and bold proclamation, causing us to say, “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” (2 Cor. 9:15).

Anchor For Today:
The Son in whom the fulness dwells, Through whom all glories flow,
Thou hast a servant’s form assumed That creatures God might know;
Our spring, our Head, we Thee adore; Worthy art Thou for evermore.