Jesus as God
The Divine Word Becomes Flesh and Reveals God
The language of dwelling evokes God's tabernacling presence with Israel, while 'glory' recalls the visible manifestation of God's presence.
How this passage contributes to the case:
The labels below identify the kinds of evidence for Jesus' divinity found in this passage.
Select a label for an explanation.
Divine Identity
Divine Glory
Pre-existence
Unique Relationship with the Father
Divine Presence
Shares Divine Glory
Claims Eternal Existence
Claims Unique Sonship
Promises Divine Presence
Strength of evidence: Strong.
This passage provides substantial evidence relevant to Jesus' divine identity when read in its literary and historical context.
Scripture
What Was Said or Done
The eternal Word becomes flesh, dwells among humanity, displays divine glory, and uniquely makes the unseen God known.
Historical and Cultural Context
God's glory filled the tabernacle and Temple; Moses asked to see God's glory, yet the fullness of God remained beyond ordinary human sight.
Old Testament Background
Exodus 25:8; Exodus 33:18-23; Exodus 40:34-38 provide the major presence-and-glory background.
Exposition
John does not present Jesus merely as a messenger carrying information about God. The divine Word personally becomes flesh and makes the unseen God known.
Why This Points to His Divinity
The incarnation joins genuine humanity with the divine identity established in 1:1-3 and makes Jesus the embodied revelation of God's presence.