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In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.
The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:14 ESV
Professor David Ford in his commentary on John describes the Prologue (John 1:1-14) as “perhaps the single most influential short passage in the history of Christian theology.” Richard Burridge in his People’s Commentary writes, “The opening of John’s Gospel is one of the most magnificent pieces of religious literature ever written.”
So, we are clearly on holy ground as we allow the words of this passage to swirl around us and inspire us with new and renewed thoughts and insights. This passage is at the same time very familiar and very awe inspiring. Where do we start and how can we cope? The great thing is that we can take one or two ideas each time we read it, and God by his Holy Spirit will speak to our hearts and lives.
The first words of course take us back to Genesis 1: In the beginning was the Word… and the Word was God…in him was life and that life was the light of everyone… the darkness can never extinguish it. This is all about Jesus, the source of all life and the source of all light; and the darkness can never suppress the light. The darkness can never win.
Then the tone changes completely: There was a man. I love that. God the Father is interested in this man, in all men and women. There was a man; there was a woman and that’s why Jesus came, to bring life and light to men and women. John was not the light, but he was a witness. We are not the light, but we are witnesses.
Jesus was sent to a dark world, but the darkness has not totally disappeared. The darkness continues. And we are called to be part of this cosmic battle of light against darkness, always keeping in mind that Jesus is at the centre of this conflict.
Pause to think of where the darkness is around you. I don’t know how the news from around the world affects you. It’s very hard to see videos of people in war zones, suffering, without shelter and food, especially the children whose families have been shattered, parents have been killed. So much darkness, so much evil. We feel it and it causes suffering. We also see darkness and sadness when relationships break down, caused often by selfishness, pride, and greed. There’s darkness in disease and pain and I’m sure we all have friends and family who are in that terrible pit.
There was a man, a witness to the light. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness never overcomes the light.
But the passage goes on. It’s not just about the man, John, who was a witness. It’s about the Word, about Jesus. And the greatest miracle of all is that the Word was made flesh and made his home among us (14). Flesh is an interesting word in the New Testament. It is used often to describe everything that works against God, contrasted to spirit (Galatians 5:16-21). But Jesus shared our flesh (sarx – same word) and what flesh means here for John is fragility and finitude, limitation and susceptibility to pain, sorrow, grief, rejection, oppression, and death. Jesus is the Word through whom everything was made, and yet he empties himself of his glory, becomes human so that we can share in his glory, his fullness.
We are called to meet Jesus (the word, the life, the light) and travel with him into the dark places. So let the light shine into the very core of your being; let the light in to your relationships, your family, your community; by prayer bring the light to the dark places of the world.
Walk with him in prayer to a dark and hopeless world and to a church that so needs his light, his wisdom and his presence.
