The Word Was God

In the beginning, says Genesis 1:1, God created the heavens and the earth. In the beginning, says John 1:1, was the Word—and the Word was God. Psalm 33:6 ties these together and tell us that “By the word of the LORD the heavens were made.” John also recognised that what he has seen and heard as recorded in his Gospel was not something new, but the continuation of a story that God started long ago, right back in the very beginning.

But who or what is this “Word”?

John says that the Word became a man and lived an earthly life (1:14), brought grace and truth (1:17), and died a humiliating death on a cross (19:30). Yet this was no ordinary man. Not only was he with God, but he was God!

This is a first century mic drop moment. God had entered human history as a human. But why would He do that? If He is God, why would He make himself less?

It was for us.

In the beginning, humans willingly sinned against God. And so, in the same way that sin came through one man, redemption must also come through one man: the new Adam—Jesus (Romans 5:12–18). As Adam represents all people, Jesus does too, but he can only truly do so if he is also truly human (1 Corinthians 15:20–22).

Jesus’ human nature also means He understands our weakness, suffering and temptations (Hebrews 2:17-18). He can empathise with us because he knows what it is like to be us. And if Jesus, the Word, is God as John 1:1 says, then we have a loving, patient, merciful, gentle, kind and forgiving heavenly Father who fully understands us.

In fact, God has a special love and care for those who are weak and vulnerable. Again and again throughout the Bible we see God’s concern for the poor, the orphan and the widow (Isaiah 1:17). Jesus is the answer to this too. He says in Matthew 11:28, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

When we are burdened by our sin, frustrated or depressed by the state of the world, or feel like we are on our own, we have one who understands. He is both God and man and He loves us, even in our failures and weakness.

And this is why He came: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

Reflection

How can you rely on Jesus more, knowing he understands, when you’re facing challenges in life?

Prayer

Loving Father, thank you for sending your Son Jesus, the Word, for us. When we feel overwhelmed by the sin in the world and our own hearts, we pray that you will remind us that we have one who understands and empathises with us. Thank you for the incredible love you have shown us in becoming one of us and dying for our sakes. We pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.