“The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:12-13)
Like the writer of the Letter to the Hebrews, John enlightens and encourages us with several fundamental truth about Jesus. He proclaims that Jesus is the Word of God. This means that He is the fullness of God’s revelation to man, the fullest expression of God’s love. If we want to know what God is like, we look at Jesus. He came into the world to speak the truth that brings the light of God into a world darkened world by sin, violence and oppression. He is the Messiah who was promised to the Jews.
John also tells us that Jesus is God incarnate, in the flesh. Yet He existed always; He created all things; He holds all things together by His power. What John is saying is that if we want to know what God is like, what He expects of us, we must listen to the Words of Jesus. We must observe His life as proclaimed in a he gospels. There we find hope for God in Christ is mercy, love, compassion, lovingkindness, peace n truth. The good news of Christmas is that Jesus came into the world as truth but also as the Lamb of God, the sacrifice which would atone for the sins of all mankind.
The apostle John’s purpose was to convince his readers that Jesus is Who He says He is. Not all would agree, then or now. The rulers of the Jews, the ones who held religious authority and administered the Law of Moses would reject him as do many now. Though they claim to walk in the light they dwell in spiritual darkness. The Messiah not what was expected, a suffering servant who was executed like a criminal. Those who they oppressed would accept Jesus. They would no longer dwell in darkness, but in the light of God’s truth revealed in the Word.