John 1:1-14
The Word Becomes Flesh
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that
has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Matthew 1:18-25
The Holy Spirit Impregnates Mary
18 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).
24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. 25 But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.
Luke 2:51-52
Jesus Grows in Wisdom and Stature
51 Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.
John 14:1-7
Jesus Comforts His Disciples
1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”
5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
1 Peter 3:17-22
Jesus Proclaims Victory to Imprisoned Spirits
17 For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. 18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. 19 After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits— 20 to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, 21 and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.
In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word is God...Jesus was with God in the beginning...Through Jesus all things are made; without Him nothing was made that has been made...In Jesus is life, and that life is the Light of all mankind...The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it...There was a man sent from God whose name was John the Baptist...John the Baptist came as a witness to testify concerning that Light, so that through him all might believe...John the Baptist was not the Light; he came only as a witness to the Light, and be a messenger of the Light...The true Light that gives Light to everyone was coming into the world...Jesus was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him...Jesus came to that which was His own, but His own did not receive Him...Yet to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God...
Jesus is very much a Mysterious Man...God brought His Son into this world in a most unique way...He was born to a virgin girl, that was impregnated with the Holy Spirit ...And wouldn't God, do something like this, to show us His Son's uniqueness...So this Baby would be part Man and part the Holy Spirit of God...So the Word became flesh and Jesus became human and made His dwelling among us, and He up as a Boy, who was obedient to His parents......And the Disciples got to see His glory, the glory of the One and Only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth...So we know that He is full of grace and full of Truth...And as Jesus grew up and aged, He became wiser...Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature as a Man would...So as Jesus advanced in age He did gain more wisdom, and He grew in favor with both God and man...
But questions came up and still come up, such as is Jesus Fully God and Fully Man?...Is Jesus Totally God and Totally Man?...Or is He Truly God and Truly Man?...Saying He is Truly God and Truly Man is easier to defend than the previous two questions...And there have been different religious councils who have tried to explain these types of questions about Jesus...
There has been controversy over the nature or natures of Jesus and did He have one or two natures...Was He a Man?...Was He God?...How could He be God in the flesh?...But St. John says that Jesus, the Word, became flesh...So was He both God and Man?...If He was only a Man we could not worship Him, because that might be idolatry...Is He only Divine and not Human at all, or is He both Divine and Human?...Could have His Divine Nature be in such a way that He really was not Human, at all?...Is their both Divinity and Humanity in our LORD, or is He only Divine?...These questions have been around for many years and the Council of Chalcedon in the year 451 a.d. took up this question, about His one or two natures...This council back in 451 were to decide if Jesus was simultaneously both Divine and Human...What a task!...
The Council of Chalcedon in 451 a.d. declared that He has two natures, He is One and Only One an undivided Man, and that He has two distinct natures One Divine and One Human...The council emphatically declared Jesus had two natures in One Person...The One Man is the second Person of the Godhead of the Trinity...We have the three natures of God the Father, Jesus the Son (this second Person), and the Holy Spirit...The Council said that after the Union of the Incarnation (of Jesus becoming both the Word and being Flesh) Jesus natures were not in two differing natures...The two natures became united into one nature without separation, without confusion and without change...Thus Jesus was at the same time and a part of Both Natures, Perfect God and Perfect Man...This is the Union of the natures in the Incarnation...After the Union Jesus is no longer two persons or two natures...He is now but one Person, one incarnate Nature of God the Son, with one will, but being at once divine and human....The Council of Chalcedon resolutely affirmed these two natures were separate over the one nature argument and also over His natures were inseparable, without any alteration, without any confusion, saying that Christ had two inseparable natures in one person...
In all of this thinking and the explanation of the council, there is still the Great Mystery of Jesus (at least for me)...Jesus was the Perfect Man...Somehow after His death on the cross, (in one of the few verses about Him after His death) Jesus spoke to those spirits in prison — to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built...Talking to Spirits, shows His Divinity...Then He would come back to earth over a period of forty days...A Man who was tempted by sin, and know the full meaning of sin...A Man who was sinless so He could take away our sins, and be able to forgive us of our sins...By being the Perfect Man He is our Mediator between humanity and God...He is the Way to heaven and to God...The Only Way...