this likeness that Adam was created (Gen. 1: 26). The Word was then the visible God and

was the God of Israel seen by Moses and the 70. The invisible God humbled Himself by

taking visible shape. But even then His glory was veiled, for unveiled it was too much

for the human body to endure. Read Ezekiel's description in chapter 1: of this God of

glory and how he was at a loss to describe it--there were no human similes to set forth

the vision. He could only say He looked like this, or like that, in earthly terms which

utterly failed to represent Him adequately.

Moses too asked God to show him His glory; but unmediated, this was impossible,

for God said "man shall not see Me and live" (Exod. 33: 20). He added, "I will cover

you with My hand until I have passed by; then I will take away My hand, and you shall

see My back, but My face shall not be seen" (Exod. 33: 22, 23). Instead of the word

"back", one translation beautifully renders it, "you shall see My after-glow", that is after

it had passed by, which must have been wonderful indeed.

In the fullness of time the One Who was the Image of the invisible God, left all that

glory, stooped down and humbled Himself by becoming man and the obedient Servant of

the Father, carrying out His will in every respect. Not only this, He stooped further and

died the death of a criminal by crucifixion. Was there ever such humbling on the part of

anyone? But all this was necessary for the penalty of sin to be paid and put away and

salvation achieved.

In our context the weight of textual evidence favours the reading monogenes theos,

"God only-begotten", or "the only begotten, God", and this agrees with John 1: 1 that the

Word was God, and no one who respects the inspired Word of God will ignore it or seek

to explain it away. The incarnate Son is "in the bosom of the Father", and this is similar

to 3: 13,

The translators have supplied the word "home" to make the meaning clearer. Christ,

as the Son of man has gone back "where He was before" (John 6: 62), and it is as the

only-begotten Who is in the bosom of the Father that John 1: 18 now speaks of Him. He

has taken back all the glory that He left to come to the earth (17: 5) with all the evidence

of redemption accomplished. The only other reference to "bosom" in this Gospel is in

13: 23 describing the disciple whom Jesus loved, leaning on Jesus' bosom (as they

reclined at the table). This was not only a place of warm affection, but one where

confidences could be received.

The incarnate Word has declared the Father (1: 18). Exegeomai is used only by Luke

elsewhere, and means to tell or narrate. He is the true "interpreter" of God to man. He

came from heaven to show us what the invisible God the Father was like, and as He said

"He that has seen Me, has seen the Father" (John 14: 9). Now we know what the love of

God is, because we have seen it manifested in Christ. We know the patience, the peace,

the mind, the will of the Father, for the only-begotten Son has given a complete

exposition of Him. He is the One Who has shown us the Father.