”In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:1New International Version (NIV)
John 1:1 Devotional
The Word
John, in his Gospel (John 1:1), used “The Word” to refer to Jesus Christ. Consequently, in verse 14, he wrote that: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” Consequently, he focused on the last three years of Jesus’s life, especially His death and resurrection.
Literarily, John began his Gospel much like how Genesis was begun. He used the phrase “In the beginning”, just like it is used in the book of Genesis (1:1).
His clear intention was to connect or relate “The Word” with God the Creator of all things. This was his style of laying the ground for his work.
Consequently, in verse 1 of chapter 1 of his Gospel, John ended up using “The Word” three times. He did this in a descriptive manner as outlined below. He, therefore, described the:
- eternal nature of “The Word” (1:1a).
- distinctive nature of “The Word” from God (1:1b).
- identity of “The Word” as God (1:1c).
Thereafter, he is going to tell his audience the story of what Jesus Christ did and what he taught. He thus focused on the last three years of Jesus’s life. He especially focused on his death and resurrection.
Therefore, the Gospel of John is a book about the life and work of the man Jesus Christ. Its purpose is to help people believe in Jesus Christ and have eternal life. This is clearly stated in John 20:30–31: “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and that by believing you may have life in his name.”
Prayer
Lord, thank You for sending “the Word”, Jesus, to save me so that I can inherit eternal life. This is my thanksgiving in Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Blessing
May you find or embrace or go deep in The Word. Amen.
Daily Bible Reading
Jeremiah 49-50 (see How to Read the Bible in One Year or How to Read the Bible (for Beginners))
