John 1:14 Examining the Relationship Between God and Jesus
John’s opening verses have often been interpreted to mean that Jesus himself is the Word, and therefore God in the flesh. Yet a closer reading shows something different. John writes: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). Later he adds: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).
Notice that John does not equate Jesus with God outright. Instead, he describes the Word as grace and truth, which then came through Jesus Christ (John 1:17). In other words, the Word—God’s thoughts expressed—dwelt in Jesus and was revealed through him. This aligns with Bahá’u’lláh’s teaching of Progressive Revelation, where Manifestations of God embody divine attributes and make God’s will known, but are not God Himself.
John reinforces this in verse 18: “No one has ever seen God. The only Son… he has made him known.” If thousands witnessed Jesus break bread, he cannot be the invisible God. Rather, he revealed God’s Word to humanity. The Greek term Logos literally means “thoughts expressed in words.” Thus, John’s testimony can be understood as: God’s thoughts came to dwell with us in Jesus, who expressed them so they could be known.
Closing Thoughts About the Word
Understanding Jesus as the bearer of God’s Word rather than God Himself opens the way to recognizing the ongoing stream of divine revelation. Just as the Word was expressed through Christ, so too it has been revealed progressively through other Manifestations across history, each bringing grace and truth suited to their time and solutions to the problems facing the people of the world they appeared too. This perspective honors Jesus while situating him within the larger unfolding of God’s plan—a plan that continues to guide humanity at the close of this age, reminding us that the Word is eternal, and its expression is renewed in every generation.
If you would like to know more about all nine of the Manifestations, as well as the return of Jesus, I recommend reading this Article about the Kabballah.