He was in the world, and the world came to be through him, but the world did not know him. 11 He came to what was his own, but his own people did not accept him. 12 But to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to those who believe in his name, 13 who were born not by natural generation nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision but of God. 14 And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth.
Jesus, the eternal Word, who is the agent of creation (cf. Jn. 1:3; Col. 1:16-17), through the Incarnation, comes into the world he created, a world now marred by the consequences of the Fall (cf. Genesis 3), where humanity was living in estrangement from God due to sin. However, the world, in its spiritual blindness and rejection of its Creator (cf. Rom. 1:21-23), does not recognize him. He entered the world as a member of the Jewish people, God’s chosen nation (cf. Deut. 7:6-8), but despite their privileged position of having the law, the prophets, and the covenant (cf. Rom. 9:4-5), many rejected him as the Messiah.
Jesus granted those who were spiritually reborn by the Holy Spirit (cf. Jn. 3:6) and who believed in him through faith, the power to become children of God through the transformative gift of supernatural grace (cf. Rom. 8:14-17; Gal. 4:4-7). Divine sonship is entirely a work of God’s grace, originating in His initiative and not dependent on human effort, natural ability, or biological descent.
The eternal Word (cf. Jn. 1:1) "became flesh," fully assuming human nature while remaining fully divine. This mystery of the Incarnation is central to the Christian faith, as it signifies God’s intimate engagement with humanity. The phrase "made his dwelling" can be translated as "pitched his tent," evoking the imagery of God’s presence in the Tabernacle during Israel's desert journey (cf. Ex. 40:34-35). This reveals that Jesus is the new and definitive presence of God among His people, fulfilling the Old Testament anticipation of Emmanuel, "God with us" (cf. Is. 7:14; Mt. 1:23).
"We saw his glory" refers to the visible manifestation of divine majesty revealed through Jesus' life, teachings, miracles, and ultimately His Passion, Resurrection, and Ascension. This glory is proper to the Father’s "only Son," signifying Jesus’ unique and eternal relationship with the Father (cf. Heb. 1:3).
Jesus, "full of grace and truth," embodies the covenantal faithfulness of God, fulfilling the promises of the Old Covenant and making the fullness of God’s revelation accessible to all (cf. Col. 2:9; Ex. 34:6). Through him, divine grace is extended to humanity, and the truth of salvation is fully revealed.
Almighty God, we thank You for sending Your eternal Word to dwell among us, full of grace and truth. Open our hearts to recognize Jesus, the light of the world, and grant us the grace to live as Your children, reflecting his glory in our lives. May we always rejoice in the gift of the Incarnation and grow in faith and love through Him, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen!
Sources
- McSorley, Joseph. An Outline History of the Church by Centuries (From St. Peter to Pius XII). 2nd ed., B. Herder Book Co., 1944.
- Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
- Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
- Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: New Testament Expanded Edition. Four Courts / Scepter, 2008.
- Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Prentice Hall, 1990.
- Charpentier, Etienne. How to Read the Old Testament. Translated by John Bowden, 1981.
- Komonchak, Joseph, et al., editors. The New Dictionary of Theology.
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