Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing!

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

Many people around the world will read or hear this Scripture for the first time today. And regardless of nation, race, culture or tongue, most will respond in the same profound way: there will arise above their heads a collective question mark. Someone will have to explain it to them.

To the Jews and Greeks of John's day, however, “the Word” had meaning. To the Greeks, it denoted a divine reason or plan. To the Jews, God’s word was the means by which he executed his will. And into these partial understandings, John spoke revelation and clarity, for “the Word” was more than means to an end and much more than a notion.

Perhaps you’ve heard it said that “The Old Testament is the New Testament concealed, and the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed.” In this sense, John was perfectly consistent in building his gospel on a familiar foundational phrase: “In the beginning.” The difference was only a matter of revelation ...

For in the beginning, God created by speaking a word: “Let there be ...” And John revealed that this creating Word was a person – a “he,” not an “it” – and that he existed in the beginning.

In the beginning, God said “Let us make man in our image.” And John confirmed that the Word, this person, was with God and that all was created through him.

In the Genesis creation story, the Hebrew word translated “God” was “Elohim,” which is a plural noun, yet mainly used with singular verb forms, adjectives and pronouns. And John clarified for all time that the Word who was with God, actually was God.

The Word has a name; his name is Jesus. It is the Greek translation of the Hebrew name, Joshua, which means “the Lord saves.” For, just as the world was created through the Word in the beginning, so it would be saved by him in the end. And as the Word who was unseen created all that is seen, so he also became flesh, so we would be restored in spirit.

God is a marvelous God. His wisdom is unsearchable. His ways are beyond our comprehension. Yet he reveals them to us.

Ours is simply to worship him, for he is good. He is good to us.

Yea, Lord, we greet thee,
Born this happy morning;
Jesus, to thee be glory given!
Word of the Father,
Now in flesh appearing!
O, come, let us adore him,
O, come, let us adore him,
O, come, let us adore him,
Christ, the Lord.

From "O, come, all ye faithful"
John F. Wade