The one who exegeted God

devotions from Jefferson Vann # 2373

John 1:14-18

Joh 1:14 The Word became flesh and lodged among us. We took notice of how bright he shown, the brightness that the one and only Son from the Father can show, full of grace and truth.
Joh 1:15 (John testified about him and exclaimed, “He was the one of whom I said, ‘The one coming after me ranks in front of me, because he existed before me.'”)
Joh 1:16 Because, we have all received grace after grace from his fullness,
Joh 1:17 Because the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
Joh 1:18 No one has ever seen God. The one and only Son, who is himself God and is at the Father’s side– he has explained him.

The one who exegeted God

When a preacher studies a passage deeply enough to unfold its meaning with clarity and care, that preacher becomes an exegete—someone who draws out what the text contains and lays it before the hearers. John tells us that this is exactly what Jesus has done for humanity. No one had ever seen God. No prophet, no patriarch, no visionary had ever stood within the full radiance of God’s presence. But Jesus had. He had been at the Father’s side from all eternity, sharing the very life and glory of God. He alone truly knows what God is like, because He is the Father’s unique Son.

So when Jesus came into the world, He did not merely speak about God; He exegeted God. John uses the verb ἐξηγήσατο—a word that means to unfold, to narrate, to interpret, to make known. Jesus did not offer secondhand descriptions or partial glimpses. He revealed the Father’s heart, character, intentions, and purposes with perfect accuracy. Everything He said, everything He did, every act of compassion, every word of truth, every moment of obedience—each one was an exposition of God Himself.

In Jesus, the invisible God became visible.
In Jesus, the unknowable God became knowable.
In Jesus, the distant God became near.

This means that the search for God’s character does not begin in speculation or philosophy. It begins in Christ. Anyone who wants to know what God is like must look at Jesus. Anyone who wants to understand God’s will must listen to Jesus. Anyone who wants to grasp God’s love must watch Jesus give Himself for the world.

Jesus is not merely a messenger from God; He is the explanation of God. He is the Father’s self‑interpretation, the living commentary on divine love, holiness, mercy, and truth. Through Him, the mystery of God has stepped into the light.

Thank you, Lord, for explaining who God is, and what He wants.