And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
What does John 1:14 mean?
There was great hatred between the Samaritans and the Jews. Christ's road from Judea to Galilee lay through Samaria.
Key themes
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Keep this verse inside John 1:11-14 and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on John 1:14
And the Word was made flesh - The word "flesh," here, is evidently used to denote "human nature" or "man." See Matthew 16:17 ; Matthew 19:5 ; Matthew 24:22 ; Luke 3:6 ; Romans 1:3 ; Romans 9:5 . The "Word" was made "man." This is commonly expressed by saying that he became "incarnate." When we say that a being becomes "incarnate," we mean that one of a higher order than man, and of a different nature, assumes the appearance of man or becomes a man.
Key words
- flesh
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And the word was made flesh,.
Context in John 1
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John 1 belongs to the opening movement of the book, especially the section often described as prologue and book of signs. John presents Jesus in contemplative, symbolic, and theological richness as the Word, Lamb, Light, Bread, Shepherd, Resurrection, Way, Vine, and Son. Read this chapter with the wider themes of incarnation, life, and light in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.
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