Although the prologue of the Gospel of John is all about the Word, for the first time since verse-1 the Gospel narrator specifically mentions the Word in John 1:14. We are told the Word, who was in the beginning, vis-à-vis the One responsible for the Old Covenant, the Word who was also with God in the beginning (John 1:1-2), inferring that both God and the Word were equally responsible for the creation of Old Covenant, this Word, who was also God, became flesh (John 1:14)! One needs to pause in order to imagine the impact of such a statement! The God of the Old Covenant, the God who spoke with the fathers (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob), the God who spoke with Moses, who led Israel out of Egypt and parted the Red Sea, that very God became flesh and dwelt among his people (John 1:14).
The text claims the Word became (G1096) flesh. Some translations say he was made (G1096) flesh, so what, exactly, occurred when the Word came to be flesh? The Greek has several inferences. The first understanding is that he came to be or came into existence, but this cannot be its intent here, because the Word already existed prior to his becoming flesh. The Greek also has the sense of a miraculous occurrence, or coming to pass (like an unnatural event), but the sense that seems to fit best is the Word appeared in public, meaning: he appeared in history or came upon the stage. In other words, the Word of John 1:1 came upon the stage of human history, appearing in flesh, and he dwelt openly with man. So, the Word didn’t come into existence as a man in John 1:14, neither was he created or recreated as man. Instead, his appearance changed. As is suggested in John 1:1, the Word and God were in the same form, which was Light (1John 1:5), and the Word is the true Light (John 1:9). However, the Word, being in the form of God (Philippians 2:6), emptied himself out of that form, or we might say: he set aside that form and took upon himself or poured himself into the form of a servant, vis-à-vis flesh (Philippians 2:7). In other words, the Word actually set aside the form, in which he was equal with God, and he did this by assuming a particular form or body of flesh that was born of a woman (Luke 2:6-7).
Philosophy often looms large in theology, where the opinions and traditions of men are believed over the word of God. We are told by many that the Word didn’t merely assume flesh, but he also assumed human nature entirely (whatever that means), and proof of this is he took on a human soul (John 12:27) and a human spirit (John 13:21). Therefore, one has to wonder, where, exactly in this schizophrenic being, did God (the Word) leave off and the man begin? Is God above being troubled in is soul and his spirit (cp. Numbers 14:11-12, 21-24, 26-34; Ezekiel 18:31-32; 33:11)?
If sola scriptura is true and important, then we must believe what the scriptures tell us, and adding to them or taking from them is wrong. If that is done, then we are no longer seeing and believing scripture (the word of God), and, instead, we are seeing and believing philosophy or opinions (the word of men). Strictly speaking the Word, who was Light; light being the body/form of God, set aside that body/form of God and took flesh (John 1:14) or the body/form of a servant (Philippians 2:6-7). We are not told anything more. This transfer of forms or bodies says nothing about the soul of God or spirit of God. Therefore, the Word in John 1:14 was in the body/form of flesh, but retained who he was in essence: vis-à-vis the soul of God and the spirit of God.
Nevertheless, the Word in John 1:14 was as much human as he was God. Being human is to have a body of flesh. The soul and the spirit react to the desires and/or needs of his flesh. The spirit of man contains the data that makes him who he is. This is understood through Job’s experiences. He claims his Redeemer lives, and in the latter days he shall stand “out of” his flesh, meaning out of his body of flesh, which had long ago decayed and vanished, yet, **he** and not another would stand and behold his Redeemer (Job 19:25-27). Man has been created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), but his flesh is discarded at death (Job 19:25-27). Therefore, whatever the image of God is, it is not man’s body of flesh. Moreover, just as the soul and the spirit of man was clothed in flesh, so the soul and spirit of God became clothed in flesh (John 1:14).
Smoodock's Blog 