John 1:9-18 - True Man
- Joshua Carpenter
- May 20
- 4 min read
When you face trials and hardships, look to the Word become flesh.
John 1:9–18 (ESV)
9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
14 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. 15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’ ”) 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.
Canons of Dordt
Point 2 - Limited Atonement
Article 4: Reasons For The Infinite Value of Christ’s Death
This death is of such great value and worth for the reason that
the person who suffered it is—
as was necessary to be our Savior—
not only a true and perfectly holy human,
but also the only begotten Son of God,
of the same eternal and infinite essence with the Father and the Holy Spirit.
Another reason is that this death was accompanied by the experience of God’s wrath and curse, which we by our sins had fully deserved.
Summary
John alluded to the beginning of Genesis in this first chapter of his Gospel account as He affirms that Jesus is one hundred percent God, as we saw yesterday. But Jesus is also one hundred percent man. The same passage that described Jesus as fully God - He Who is from eternity - also shows that He became man, that 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.
Just as God dwelt amidst His people in the Tabernacle in the wilderness wanderings of Israel, Jesus literally “tabernacled” (skénoó - “to pitch tent, encamp; to tabernacle…”), dwelt among us as true man. Jesus took on our flesh, which was absolutely necessary for our salvation, as we’ll talk about tomorrow.
Even though we talk about these two natures separately, it’s so important for us to remember that they are united in one person. Just like various errors arose theologically concerning Jesus’ deity throughout Church history, so also errors arose regarding Jesus’ two natures and their union in Him. Some have believed that because there is both a human and a divine nature, that means there are two people, but that’s not the case.
The Belgic Confession puts it well when it says: “We believe that by being thus conceived the person of the Son has been inseparably united and joined together with human nature, in such a way that there are not two Sons of God, nor two persons, but two natures united in a single person, with each nature retaining its own distinct properties” (Article 19).
Dig Deeper
Just as Jesus being one hundred percent God can and should provide you immense comfort throughout your life, so too should the wonderful truth that Jesus is also one hundred percent man give you comfort. It is truly amazing knowing that He Who is eternal God would willingly come, take on our flesh, and tabernacle among us.
What wonder that He by Whom everything was created would humble Himself to experience our heartache, temptations, ridicule, agony, suffering, loss, and eventually go to the cross for lost sinners, coming to His own who 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… As you face trials and hardships throughout the course of your life, may you ever look to our God, Who took on our flesh and has experienced sufferings and trials too. May you find comfort in and rest knowing that He is walking with you through your trials and difficulties as your Great High Priest. May you rely ever on the grace and strength that He provides for each new day.
ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who sent His divine Son, full of grace and truth, to become man;
ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you live in a way that acknowledges that Jesus has made His dwelling among you;
ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:
Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Romans 4
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