The Gospel of John Lesson 3 (09-30-2012)

The Gospel of John

Lesson 3 – John 1:14-24

As we begin to take a look at v.14 I feel that it is important to do so as if we were in John’s shoes. If we were to be able to see or be with John when he wrote v. 14 I believe we would have seen him become overcome with emotion as he began to write this verse. In his own mind I believe that he would have had to pause before he penned this verse to examine what he was about to put down on paper. For what he was about to say was literally impossible no matter how you looked at it, I. e. the God of the universe becoming one single man. Impossible one might say, except for God.

Before penning v. 14 he would have had to stop and run through in his mind all or at least many of his experiences to see if what he had experienced would measure up to what he was about to say. John’s desire was to give us an accurate account. Here John lays it all on the line. He is going to make the claim that the One that he walked with was the One and the same as the One he has been describing in the previous verses, the God of all creation. He will eventually share many of his real life experiences backing up this claim found in v. 14, but on this end of his account I believe that he would have had to pause at this point and run through these experiences in his mind before he wrote down what he was about to say.

As he looked back in the past, as he played back through the experience in his mind, the one thing that would have stuck out in his mind above all else would have been the image that he saw of Christ. As he thought through things, if I were John I would have stopped when beholding the image of Christ that I saw in my memory and probably would have held up that image comparing it to what I was about to say. Remember, he was about to compare this image in his mind’s eye with the Word that he had just spoken of in the previous verses, i.e. the God of all the universe. But, John would have many memories that would measure up to what he was about to say and he is going to share them with us as we continue in this account.

Although he would have many memories to examine and think about, there were several of these memories that I think would have taken center stage in his mind right away. He would have probably thought about Jesus walking on the water, and… probably would have flashed back to the feeding of the five thousand. He also probably would have thought about the voice from heaven confirming that Jesus was the One and only the Son of God at Jesus’ baptism.

But the experiences that I think that he would have remembered the most and would have dominated his thoughts would have been those surrounding three events, the Transfiguration, the crucifixion and the resurrection and all of the happenings that surrounded them.

He would remember the bright light and our Lord being transfigured being found discussing future events with Moses and Elijah…the voice also testifying at that time that this was God (Mt. 17). He would have remembered the blackness of the day of the crucifixion (Mt. 27:45), the earth quaking,… the rending of the temple veil immediately following His death, the wind blowing, graves being opened (Mt. 27:50-4). And of course he would have remembered the resurrection and the events preceding and including our Lords ascension.

After running through many memories and replaying the experiences and encounters with Christ he would pen v. 14. There would be no way that it would not add up to what he was about to say. The evidence and the memories of his encounters with Christ would be overwhelming. After telling us in the previous verses Who this God was/is, he now connects the facts by saying that the Word described in vs. 1-5 became flesh, actually becoming a man. Read v. 14.

John after running through his memories of his experiences states that ‘we beheld His Glory, the Glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of Grace and Truth’. It would be something that would play back again and again to him. These events probably would have continually been on his mind. He would not be able to get it out of his head, nor would he want to.

He would repeat v. 14 again in a different way in his next letter that he would write to the Church abroad in I Jn. 1:1-2. In those verses he would again refer to the One he is talking about using the term ‘the Word’ also connecting this Word with all ‘life’ as he does in his Gospel in 1:4-5, 9. After reviewing these memories in his mind he would have no problem writing v. 14. In actuality he would have been compelled to write it after thinking of these things.

He goes on in vs. 15-34 backing up his claim by coming back to the witness of John the Baptist. (Read) By doing this he reminds us that John the Baptist is a significant witness to the truth of Jesus. Jesus had to come through the right door appearing on the scene in the right way at the right time or one would seriously doubt His validity.

Jesus Himself would make this statement in John chapter 10 telling us to make a close examination being sure of Who we are looking at and Who John is asking us to follow. Jesus makes a clear statement in John 10 to take a close look for there are many that will make unfounded claims deceiving also many. Jesus in John 10 tells us that He is the only One that fits this bill using strong language in that passage calling all others thieves and robbers who try to make such claims falsely trying to impersonate Him.

He also in John 10 offers us proof to validate His claim to the throne. Later in John chapter 10 he would tell the religious leaders of Israel the same, telling them to look at the details, telling them that when they look it will all be there. This is important. All false religions have individuals that are not able to back up their claim to the Throne because they enter the wrong way not having all of the details. Jesus tells us to look close at Him and you will find that it is all there. Not one detail can be found lacking or he would be deemed an imposter. He appears with all the details. Not one is missing. John the Baptist was one of those details. A Big one! Without John’s witness one would have serious doubts concerning the Apostle John’s claims.

But, in these verses, vs.15-34, the Apostle John makes it clear that John the Baptist gave the One that he is talking about a ‘Full’ endorsement, also giving us reasons for it. John the Baptist himself could have been voted number one by many if he had been seeking position and was not full of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus Himself eulogizes John in two of the Gospel accounts, Matthew 11:1-19 and Luke 7:18-35 making the comment in Matthew 11:11 that John was on the top as far as righteousness and being a servant of God goes. Jesus says in Matthew 11:11 that there was none greater born among women that lived such a righteous life as John. Matthew also says in that chapter that he was more than a prophet, 11:9. In v. 11:14 Matthew says that he was on the level with Elijah that great prophet. Jesus said that there was none greater in all of history than John. This is/was significant. John’s testimony carries a lot of weight.

The people also knew this to be true about John. They all came out to see John and would have followed him at the drop of a hat. All of the Gospel writers give John prominence in their accounts. 

But, John the Baptist had come with a purpose and he knew what it was. It was not to please himself. Nor did he come to please men. We see in v. 21  of chapter 1 of John’s Gospel that he attracted such attention and interest because of his ministry and righteous living that a delegation of Jewish priests and Levites was sent to question him and check him out wanting to know if he was that Great Prophet that was suppose to come mentioned in Deut. 18:15-19. It says in v. 20 of John’s Gospel that his life was so bold and righteous that they believed that he could have been the Christ talked about in Scripture.

But, John made it plain that he was not the Christ, but was the servant to the One they were looking for. He warned them that they needed to be ready for His appearing telling them that the Christ was about to show up, Jn. 1:15. John goes on to say that he is nothing compared to the One he is bearing witness to, v.23, and confesses that he himself was bringing a simple straightforward message, a message of repentance and commitment. A message that anyone could understand, bringing this message from the back woods so to speak. It was a message that pulled no punches. He will tell it like it is. He, John, will confess that he is nothing compared to the One that he represents not even being worthy to tie His shoe. But, at the same time John will have boldness in his message being fully faithful in the mission given him performing it to its completion.

In vs. 16-8 John the Baptist begins to give an account of the One he represents backing up the Apostle John’s claim. He says in v. 18 that Jesus is a ‘look alike’ to God, in actuality going further saying that Christ is ‘the exact replica’ and in reality going further still saying when you have seen Jesus you have seen God equating Jesus fully with the One and only God.

In vs. 16-7 he will make a differentiation between the Old and the New telling us that the Old through Moses brought the law, the standard of God that was unattainable to man and his efforts, and, the New that was offered to man in a totally different package. On the one hand was the one that man had to earn at a cost that was far too great for man to pay and was way out of man’s ability and league to satisfy. The other, the New, was very costly and precious, however, fully paid by Someone else, offered to man as a gift…grace.

The Apostle John will expound on this later in chapter 3 vs. 17-8 when he states clearly that under the Old because of God’s justice all stand condemned and that the purpose of Christ coming bringing the New was to offer God’s grace to man at His, God’s expense.

In v. 23 John the Baptist tags himself to Isaiah’s prophesy found in Isaiah chapter 40 v. 3. It is good to remember in reading this section that our Lord came to us in ‘humble beginnings’ on purpose, Himself being born in the lowly manger and sending us such a prominent messenger and message coming to us crying from the wilderness. God chose the method He would use to declare this very important message. John would be perfect for the part. It reminds us to be sure to look carefully for God and what He is doing or we may miss Him as we try to follow Him. We see other examples of those that God chose who had humble beginnings using them as they were to declare a great message, i. e. Mary, David, Joseph, Abraham…

I often wonder about the package that we look for God in in the American church of our day. It reminds me somewhat of how the Pharisees as Jews might have expected God to show up or work in they’re day. I am sure that the Pharisees were somewhat perplexed by John’s package and how such a prominent message could come through one like him. Initially I am sure that they probably passed him right by. If it wasn’t for John’s life and his powerful message they wouldn’t have given him a thought. They had been looking for a King to show up not a babe in a lowly manger or a voice that was crying out of the wilderness.

We to in our day need to be careful not to miss God if He is shows up in a simple package. God may show up in our life at an unlikely time through an unlikely source, bringing a word of wisdom or a practical message for us that could be easy to miss. We must always judge the message, this is true. But we must also be careful not to trip over the package that it may come in missing the message altogether. The Pharisees even as blind as they were could not deny that John the Baptist had a message from God that they might want to hear.