Advent and the Table

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14

This verse is often read as if referring to Jesus being born of Mary, that John is speaking about the incarnation. The sentiment is beautiful, and certainly the Word did become flesh in the manger! However, in this part of the opening prologue to his gospel John may actually be making a different point, one which ultimately speaks about Advent, but in a way other than Jesus’ birth.

To understand what John is saying in verse 14 we need to note that he has already spoken of Jesus being in the world (1:10), and coming to his own, though they did not accept him (1:11). He is not only making reference to Jesus’ birth but alluding to his death. Then, he describes how those who believe in him are born of God (1:12-13), recalling both the beginning of the church on Pentecost and our baptism into Christ in which we are born again. So is he now, in verse 14, returning to the incarnation, the birth in the manger, or saying something else?

Perhaps, a better reading is that when John speaks of the Word becoming flesh, he is anticipating the words of Jesus which he will record later in his gospel.

“I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh.” John 6:51

The Word becoming flesh of John 1:14 is less about Jesus being conceived in Mary’s womb and born in Bethlehem, and more about Jesus being the bread of life, and becoming that life-giving flesh to us through the cross. This is his flesh which is given for the whole world’s life.

“For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.” John 6:55-56

Once Jesus, the Light, comes to his own and they reject him, those who do believe are born of God through baptism. Now, for the whole world, the Word became flesh to be the true, spiritual food in which we have life. Jesus became this life-giving flesh, which is the bread of life, the sacrament we receive in the Lord’s Supper. John seems to be focusing on the worship and sacraments of the church, and speaking about Eucharist.

Now the order of the first chapter makes sense. The Light came into the world but was not received by his own creation (1:10-11). Those who do receive him become children of God by faith and are born by God’s will through baptism (1:12-13). The Word has become flesh, that is, the bread of life we receive in communion (1:14).

This verse, the one with which we began, goes on to say that he who became flesh “dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth” (1:14). Here is our continuing Advent, our waiting for his appearing, not in the manger, but to us each time when we come to his table. In the bread and cup we have the spiritual food of his abiding with us, and in us. We behold his glory, the glory of God, in the simple earthly elements of the bread and cup, which mystically are the body and blood of Christ.

The Son who appeared as a babe in the manger now appears as the bread of life wherever people of faith seek him. The One who is the fullness of grace and truth, became the sacred flesh that we receive as the spiritual food for our true life. Each gathering of fellowship around the table is His appearing, our Advent!