We Beheld His Glory

Meditations in John's Gospel

John 1:1-18

We have often said, in connection with the Gospel of John, that it is in a peculiar sense the gospel for the Church. That does not mean that the other three gospels are not for the Church, but they have their own specific line of emphasis, as you know. When we come to this gospel, however, we move away from anything that is in any sense particular, as to its application among men on the earth, and we immediately find ourselves in what the apostle Paul would call, "the heavenlies." It is not the note of Matthew, which was peculiarly a note to the Jews in the first instance; and it is not the note of Mark nor of Luke, which have their sectional application in the first instance; but with "John" it is the note of what is not in time but in eternity, not on earth but in the whole universe. Every kind of local limit and application is transcended when we come to John, and we find ourselves very quickly in the realm of the letters to the Ephesians and Colossians. The atmosphere of John is that atmosphere, the range of John is that range, and the accent of John is that. If you listen to the tones of John you find there is something wonderfully and strangely akin to the tones of the apostle Paul, especially in those two letters which I have mentioned. And it is in that sense that we see that this gospel by John is peculiarly the gospel for the Church.

Two Main Features

1. The Person of Christ

There are two main things through this gospel. The one is the Son of God, Christ Himself in person. That is the first note and that runs all the way through. It is struck as the key-note in the very first sentence of the gospel. To that key-note the whole of the gospel is brought into harmony, it takes its harmony from that key-note, and with the closing notes of the gospel we know that the key-note once again is heard distinctly, and in a sense exclusively: "...these are written, that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God." That is where he commenced; he finishes there, and the whole of his gospel is tuned to that key-note, Christ the Son of God. That fixes the object of the gospel.

2. Union with Christ

The second thing running throughout this gospel is union with Christ. That comes up very early in the gospel. In the first chapter you have not got past the introduction before it is brought in concerning those who received Him, and, receiving Him, were given the right to become children of God. Then the nature of that relationship is manifested, showing that it is an organic union, on the basis of birth from above. On from those early verses, all the way through right up to the close, you have the thought and truth of union with Christ. These are the two dominating notes or emphases of John's gospel.

Two Features of Christ in Manifestation

And then there are two main features of Christ as the Son of God in manifestation, and they are grace, and truth. "He tabernacled among us full of grace and truth." I take the word "tabernacled" as it is used there as being a better word in a sense than the word in our translation, "dwelt." It is to enter into a tent, and a tent is always a symbol of transience, the opposite of permanence; and the implication here clearly is that He came for a time, not to abide forever. He came for a time as in a tent, in a transient way, and yet in Hi transient sojourn among us there was a manifestation of God in Him, and that manifestation of God was along the line of grace and truth. The two man features of Christ in manifestation are grace and truth.

Now these are the two features which, by reason of its union with Him, the Church is elected to represent. If this gospel is peculiarly the gospel for the Church, if Christ manifested as the Son of God and union with Him are the two main things of this gospel, then we want to know what is the object of the manifestation and of the union, for they both go together; they are held together all the way through. These are two things which God has joined together; the manifestation of Himself in Christ, with a view to bringing a company into union with Him in that manifestation: two parts of one eternal thought. Then, what is the object of that two-fold revelation - Christ in Person as the Son of God manifested, and union with Christ revealed? The answer is that what He came to show forth of God in Himself is to be shown forth in and through those who come into that union with Him, and that is grace and truth. The Church is eternally elected to be unto Him, by reason of its union with Him, the means of the universal manifestation of grace and truth. Carry that into Ephesians: "...the church, which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all." Then it is to be to Him, the vehicle for making known the manifold grace of God. There is your "grace," but the other thing is running parallel all the time. "... As truth is in Jesus." The Church is called for the display of grace and truth as it is in Jesus. (This is only working toward the object of our meditation. I trust it is a helpful foundation for our coming into our place in the eternal purpose of God.)

~T. Austin-Sparks~

(continued with # 2 - "A Living Testimony Amidst Religious Death")