Why are there four gospels covering the life of Christ? Why not a single composite story of Christ’s life and its meaning for all mankind? Each Gospel presents Jesus in an entirely different character. Matthew portrays the Lord Jesus as the Son of David, the Heir of Israel’s throne, the King of the Jews. Mark emphasizes the manner in which Jesus served God – a perfect workman of God. Luke presents the humanity of Jesus and contrasts his perfect manhood from the sinful sons of men. John shows the divinity of Christ as the Heavenly One come down to earth, the eternal Son of the Father made flesh and communing among men. Matthew started with the birth of Jesus. Mark started with the Baptism of Jesus. Luke started with the conception of St. John the Baptist. John starts with the beginning of all things.

"In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God and the word was God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made." We cannot really comprehend the "beginning" and "word" is often misunderstood. A word is an expression. It is how we articulate our thoughts. The Word of God is how God expresses himself in audible terms. When we refer to Jesus as the Word of God, we mean a visible, audible, touchable expression of God himself. The word of God must have existed from the beginning as did God. This explains our Trinitarian statement – the Son is God. Obviously, nothing existed before God created all things.

In these three verses, John encapsulates all creation at the hand of God and begins to show the relationship between God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Christ is the One who made the incomprehensible God intelligible. If we look at "Word" a little closer, we find it is also a medium of manifestation, a means of communication and a method of revelation. Christ was a manifestation of God, a communication from God and a revelation of God’s intent for mankind. In Revelation 1:8, John tells us that Jesus is the Alpha and Omega. He was with God in the beginning and he is the last spokesman of God.

"In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not." God created all creature life and all spiritual life. Christ brought new spiritual life to mankind. He is the life-giver, the fountain of life. The spiritual life was the light of mankind. All rational people are morally enlightened. This light brings a clearer view of God’s intent and holds every person responsible for the law written on their hearts by Christ. Christ is described as "the word", "the maker of all things", "the life" and finally, as "the light." Jesus Christ is none other than God, the second Person of the Holy Trinity. Every person that comes into this world is lightened by his Creator, but the natural person disregards this light. He repels it and is plunged into darkness. Natural man prefers darkness to the light of Christ.

"There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light; that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light." The reference to John the Baptist is clear. John the Baptist was not a part of the Godhead. He was a man, sent from God to bear witness to the Person of Christ. It is tragic that mankind was so blind the arrival of the Son of God could be ignored. When Christ came into the world, angels sent shepherds to proclaim him. Just before Christ’s public ministry began, John the Baptist appeared to bid Israel to accept him. This witness was not to speak of speculation or of his own opinions. He was sent to testify to the truth. All ministers should be directing their flock from themselves to God’s truth. John the Baptist was the first of us to bear witness of the Light of Christ.

"That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not." Christ is the true light that can never deceive. He is the true light in comparison to false prophets. He is un-derived. He is not a reflection of God – He is God. The true light is the one that can lighteth every man that cometh into the world. Christ was in the world and though he made the world, the world knew him not. For some thirty-three years, Christ communed with men and most refused to recognize him. He came, not as a judge and executioner, he came to save mankind. He came not to be ministered unto, but to minister. He came as a man unto his own and his own received him not.

"But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." God’s purpose was not defeated. God gives salvation to those who receive Christ – those who believe on his name. There is a subtle distinction we should acknowledge. Respecting Christ and personally accepting the truth of God’s word is different from receiving Christ as God’s gift and becoming children of God. We must be born again of God. Being born of blood or the will of the flesh nor the will of man is not adequate. The new birth is a Divine work, accomplished by the Holy Spirit applying the Word in living power to the heart.

"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." The Incarnation is not to be ignored. The Infinite became finite. The invisible became tangible. The Transcendent became imminent. "The word became flesh." He became what He was not previously. He did not cease to be God, but He became Man. The union of his divine and human natures was required of a mediator. God must become flesh before he could die for our sins. He then could be tempted as we are tempted and he provided an example for us to follow.

Jesus was not a momentary glimpse of God’s glory. His followers could see his Divine perfections. Some saw his Transfiguration. All saw his moral glory in the perfection of the God-Man. They saw he was full of grace and truth. They saw the power of his faith and they saw the humility that illustrates God’s love for all mankind. This fourteenth verse is a restatement of the first three verses. The first fourteenth verses are called "The Last Gospel". It is often read at the end of a special service. It is reminds us of Christ’s divine nature and God’s love of mankind in the incarnation.

"John bare witness of him and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me; for he was before me. And of his fullness have all we received, and grace for grace." These two verses declare Christ’s supreme excellency in that He is preferred before John. And he acknowledges that although the incarnation followed the conception of John, Christ existed eternally. "Grace for grace" can be interpreted two ways. It can mean "grace upon grace" and it can mean new grace to replenish old grace.

"For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him." A contrast is drawn between what was "given" by Moses, and what "came" by Jesus Christ. Grace and truth were not given, they came by Jesus Christ in all their fullness and in glorious perfection. The Law was true as far as it went. It showed what was demanded of men by God. It showed attributes God requires of His children. It did not reveal what God is. It did not show God’s grace. It did not show all of God’s truth. That only came in Jesus Christ as the word of God. Christ was a manifestation of God, a communication from God and a revelation of God’s intent for mankind.

In the past, God, in the fullness of his glory, was not manifested. "No man" had seen Him. But now, God is fully revealed. The Son has "declared" Him. Solomon spoke of "clouds and darkness round about God". Moses only saw his back parts. True personality is expressed in our faces. Only Jesus Christ declared the full character of God. Only Jesus Christ can show us the way out of darkness into the light of Christ, which is the light of God.