Week 3 · Day 1: The Character of Christ
The Word Made Flesh
God did not send a message. He came.
What the labels mean
- Scripture explicitly says
- This states what the biblical text itself says, in the passage being read.
- Direct quotation or allusion
- One part of Scripture quotes or clearly alludes to another. The citing reference is named so you can check it.
- Canonical theme
- A connection across the whole Bible. The passages develop the same theme; one is not quoting the other.
- Interpretive conclusion
- A conclusion drawn from the text. The reasoning is given so you can weigh it against the passage.
- Application
- A step, prayer or question for the reader. Not a claim about what the passage states.
Today’s verse
Loading John 1:14…
John 1:14
Today’s focus
The truth of the day
John has just spent thirteen verses on the Word who was with God and was God, and through whom all things were made. Then comes the sentence that no other religion says: the Word was made flesh.
Two things are held together here and Christian faith depends on both. Full of grace, so He can be approached. Full of truth, so He cannot be reshaped to suit us.
Today’s reminder
Scripture explicitly says- Jesus is God with us, not God's messenger about Himself.
- Grace and truth are never opposites in Christ.
- God's glory was seen in an ordinary human life.
Deeper insight
What the passage says in its own setting
The word translated dwelt means to pitch a tent. Any Jewish reader would hear the tabernacle of Exodus 40, where the glory of God settled in a tent in the middle of the camp. John is saying the tabernacle has become a person.
Verses 17 and 18 finish the thought: the law came by Moses, grace and truth by Jesus Christ, and no one has seen God at any time, but the Son has declared Him. John's claim is not that Jesus teaches about God well. It is that Jesus is the one place God has made Himself visible.
Word study
dwelt
Interpretive conclusionskenoo · Greek
to pitch a tent, to tabernacle
Skenoo comes from the noun for tent, the same root used in the Greek Old Testament for the tabernacle. It returns in Revelation 21:3, where God tabernacles with humanity forever. John 1:14 and Revelation 21:3 are the two ends of one promise.
Christ connection
Where this leads to Jesus
Canonical themeThis day is the Christ connection. Everything else in the week is a description of the one described here, and every Old Testament promise of God dwelling with His people leads to this verse.
Reflection
ApplicationWhat do you assume God is like that the person of Jesus would correct?
Today’s action
ApplicationRead John 1:1-18 slowly and write down every statement it makes about who Jesus is. Keep the list this week.
Today’s prayer
ApplicationLord Jesus, You did not stay at a distance. Thank You for coming into flesh and time. Let me see Your glory today in the words of Scripture, and let grace and truth both do their work in me. Amen.
Another layer