And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The phrase "dwelt among us" isn't just about Jesus living on earth; it uses the word "tabernacled," a powerful image of God's presence dwelling among His people in the Old Testament. This hints that Jesus' earthly life was meant to be a visible, intimate continuation of God's very dwelling place with humanity.
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The prologue of John's Gospel has been explaining the divine identity of Jesus, the eternal Word. After describing the Word's role in creation and as the light of humanity, John now focuses on the pivotal event: the Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us. This section culminates in the personal testimony of John and other disciples who witnessed His unique glory.
What does it truly mean for the eternal Word of God to 'become flesh'?
This isn't just about Jesus being born as a baby. The phrase 'became flesh' (Greek: sarx egeneto) signifies a profound, irreversible assumption of human nature. The Eternal Word, who existed before time, didn't just put on a human body like a costume; He became something He was not before – fully human, with all the limitations and experiences that entails. This didn't erase His divinity; rather, His divine nature united with human nature, creating a singular, unified person: Jesus Christ. It was a descent from the infinite to the finite, a step from glory into humility, all for humanity's sake.
Why use the imagery of a 'tabernacle' for God's presence?
The phrase 'dwelt among us' uses the Greek word eskēnōsen, literally meaning 'tabernacled.' This is a powerful Old Testament allusion to the Tabernacle in the wilderness, where God's visible presence (the Shekinah) resided among His people. By 'tabernacling,' Jesus made Himself accessible, intimately present, and a tangible dwelling place for God among humanity. It signifies not just a temporary stay, but God choosing to live with and among us, fully sharing our human condition, a stark contrast to the distant, unapproachable deity of some other beliefs.
What kind of 'glory' did they witness, and what does it reveal about Jesus?
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The glory witnessed was not the overwhelming, unapproachable radiance of God's absolute divinity, but a glory that could be seen and experienced by human eyes – the glory of God perfectly embodied in human form. This glory was characterized by 'grace and truth.' Grace signifies God's unmerited favor, His loving kindness and willingness to extend forgiveness and blessing. Truth refers to His steadfast faithfulness, the reality of His being, and the revelation of His divine counsel. Jesus, as the Word made flesh, was the ultimate, overflowing source of both God's boundless grace and His perfect, unchanging truth.
Understand the original words
Logos · Greek Noun
The second person of the Trinity, the eternal manifestation of God's self-revelation who took on human nature to redeem humanity.
sarx · Greek Noun
The physical, mortal nature of humanity, emphasizing the incarnation where the eternal God assumed a human body and nature.
doxa · Greek Noun
The manifestation of God's presence, majesty, and character, revealed uniquely in the person and life of Jesus Christ.
charis · Greek Noun
God's unmerited favor, kindness, and enabling power toward those who do not deserve it; it is the basis of salvation.
alētheia · Greek Noun
The quality of being in accordance with fact, reality, and the faithfulness of God's promises; it is inherently revealed in Jesus Christ.
skēnoō · Greek Verb
To live, tabernacle, or dwell; metaphorically, it recalls God's presence dwelling in the Old Testament tabernacle, now fulfilled in Christ's incarnation.
The concept of God dwelling with His people, symbolized by the Tabernacle and Temple, finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus, the Word made flesh, who 'tabernacled' among us.
c. 1500 BC
The Tabernacle is built
The Israelites construct a portable sanctuary, the Tabernacle, in the wilderness, which becomes the dwelling place of God's visible presence (the Shekinah) among His people.
c. 1000 BC
Solomon builds the Temple
King Solomon builds a permanent Temple in Jerusalem to house the Ark of the Covenant and the manifest presence of God, replacing the Tabernacle.
c. 700 BC
Prophets speak of God's Presence
Prophets like Isaiah and Ezekiel speak of God's glory filling the Temple and foretell future manifestations of God's presence among His people, even in times of exile.
c. 1st Century AD— this verse
The Logos appears on Earth
The eternal Word of God, the Logos, becomes fully human in the person of Jesus Christ, born of the Virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit.
c. AD 30
Jesus is Transfigured
On a mountain, Jesus' divine glory is revealed to Peter, James, and John, who witness Him speaking with Moses and Elijah, appearing in radiant light.
c. AD 90-100
John writes his Gospel
The Apostle John writes his Gospel, recording the life and teachings of Jesus, culminating in this declaration of the Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us.
This passage describes Jesus as the image of the invisible God and the firstborn over all creation, echoing John 1:14's declaration of the Word's divine nature and role in creation before His incarnation.
Philippians 2:5-8It parallels the humility of the Word 'becoming flesh' by describing Christ Jesus, though in the form of God, emptying himself and taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
1 John 1:1-3John the Apostle, an eyewitness, speaks of what he has 'seen,' 'heard,' and 'handled' of the Word of Life, directly connecting to the experience of those who 'dwelt among' Him and 'beheld His glory' in John 1:14.
Hebrews 1:1-3This passage highlights God speaking through His Son, who is the radiance of His glory and the exact imprint of His nature, mirroring the 'glory' of the 'only Son from the Father' in John 1:14.
Exodus 34:6-7The description of God's character as 'merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,' directly parallels the 'full of grace and truth' of the incarnate Word in John 1:14.
vincentJohn 1:14: "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."
And the Word (καὶ)The simple copula as before; not yea, or namely, or therefore, but passing to a new statement concerning the Word.Was made flesh (σὰρξ ἐγένετο)Rev., "became flesh." The same verb as in John 1:3. All things became through Him; He in turn became flesh. "He became that which first became through Him." In becoming, H…
clarkeJohn 1:14: "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."
And the Word was made flesh - That very person who was in the beginning - who was with God - and who was God, John 1:1 , in the fullness of time became flesh - became incarnated by the power of the Holy Ghost, in the womb of the virgin. Allowing this apostle to have written by Divine inspiration, is not this verse, taken in connection…
The phrase "dwelt among us" isn't just about Jesus living on earth; it uses the word "tabernacled," a powerful image of God's presence dwelling among His people in the Old Testament. This hints that Jesus' earthly life was meant to be a visible, intimate continuation of God's very dwelling place with humanity.
The prologue of John's Gospel has been explaining the divine identity of Jesus, the eternal Word. After describing the Word's role in creation and as the light of humanity, John now focuses on the pivotal event: the Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us. This section culminates in the personal testimony of John and other disciples who witnessed His unique glory.
The prologue of John's Gospel has been explaining the divine identity of Jesus, the eternal Word. After describing the Word's role in creation and as the light of humanity, John now focuses on the pivotal event: the Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us. This section culminates in the personal testimony of John and other disciples who witnessed His unique glory.
"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." — The phrase "dwelt among us" isn't just about Jesus living on earth; it uses the word "tabernacled," a powerful image of God's presence dwelling among His people in the Old Testament. This hints that…
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Last reviewed October 2026