Incarnation - Part 1

We begin today by looking at the Philosophical implications of the incarnation from that majestic treatise of the subject in the Prologue to John’s Gospel. 

John 1:1–4, 14 (ESV)

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 

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.

John’s Gospel was the last of the 4 Gospels to be penned. About 70% of John’s narrative is unique to John. So in some ways John is filling in the blanks left by the other Gospel writers. 

Also, by the time John wrote - there were two major stream of thought that were influencing the Church, Hebrew and Greek. 

The concept of WORD, or LOGOS was fundamental to both groups. 

Hebrew Thought

The concept of logos was extremely important to the Hebrews. 

They traced their roots back to a man named Abraham to whom God spoke the Word directly. 

They believed that the Universe was created via the Word (Logos) of God. 

According to Isaiah the Word (Logos) would not return to God void. 

In Hebrew thought Logos was the God spoken Word of God. It was separate from God but it came from God. 

They thought the Logos/Word was the key to life itself. 

Remember Jesus said in John 5:39 (NASB95)

39 “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me;

The Greek Thought

Greeks in John’s day outnumbered the Hebrews 100,000 to 1.  

Heraclitus was the Father of Greek Philosophy and thought. Heraclitus was to the Greeks what Abraham was to the Hebrews. 

He taught that the universe is operated according to a set of constant principles. The term he gave to that ordered set of principles was “Logos.” 

This idea became prevalent throughout practically all Greek Philosophers, whether it was Plato or Aristotle… that the Logos was the one overarching principle that, if rightly understood, could make absolute sense of life. 

*You see, the Greeks debated at the Philosophical level what every thinking person has thought about at the informal level, and that is this – What am I living for? What is life for? Out of their debates came different schools of thought – stoics, epicureans. 

The problem was there was not an authoritative way to comprehend or communicate Logos. It was unknowable. So there were eternal principles, and there was meaning to life, but you can’t know it, so why bother? 

So John is writing to that world comprised of Hebrew Thought and Greek thought, both valuing the concept of Logos or Word. 

John 1:1-5

1 In the beginning was the Word, (Logos) – the point to human life, the logic to human life.

Everyone would agree that the logos preceded human history it was eternal.

1b. and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 

Greeks believe in a multiplicity of gods, and Hebrews viewed Logos as separate from God. But John says that the LOGOS was GOD. 

2 He was in the beginning with God. 

A God with God? John introduces the concept of the Trinity. 

3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.

John presents logos, as an agent in the creation

 4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. 5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

Everything up to this point is roughly familiar to the Hebrews and the Greeks. Logos is eternal, it is powerful, it is complicated, but notice what John does in verse 4 - he gives logos a personal pronoun. 

IN HIM WAS LIFE. Logos is a person a man. Not only that - Logos is not just some mysterious concept that exist up in Heaven… He has come into our world. He has shown in the darkness. 

THINK OF IT - the very reason for your existence has come down to earth. That is incredible news! You can know and understand why you were created.

John will sum up the LOGOS as being the AUTHOR of life and the AUTHORITY of life. 

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Maximum Life is the Media Ministry of Pastor Zach Terry.

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