“The word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” — John 1:14

John’s Gospel begins with a beautiful prologue regarding the nature of Christ as the Living Word of God. “In the beginning was the Word…” echoes the eternal status of Christ; “…and the Word was with God…” reflects the relational character of triune God; “…and the Word was God…” confirms the deity of the Word. John expresses the incarnation of this Word in the person of Jesus, one who was “full of grace and truth.”

Grace and truth. Two somewhat opposing concepts. One scholar estimates that John uses the word “truth” some 25 times in his Gospel in reference to Christ. He is the one who opposes the so-called truths of the Pharisees. It is knowledge of His truth that leads to true freedom (8:32). It is His Spirit that will guide his followers into all truth (16:13).

And yet, John also chooses to describe Jesus as a man full of grace. It is this graciousness that is evident in his conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4. Jesus exhibits mercy to yet another promiscuous woman in John 8. She stands before him naked, snatched from the arms of her lover, bare before a bloodthirsty crowd. But it is his mercy that fends away the mob and his words linger still for those with ears to hear: I do not condemn you. Go and sin no more. Grace!

It is with grace and truth that the Incarnate Word comes to us. He speaks truth to us: we are perilously sinful, separated from God by our sin and decadence. And yet, His mercy effectually extends to us, reconciling us permanently and irrevocably to God. This is the necessity of Incarnation. And this Word remains Incarnate today. Truthfully convicting. Gracefully calling. Word become flesh allowing flesh to become Word.

Come to me, O Lord.
Come to me in grace and truth,
Truth and grace.
Make your dwelling in me.
May my flesh become your Word of life
Bearing grace and truth
That I may see Your glory.
To the One and Only…
Amen