The Humility of God (John 1:18)

My book Seeing the Invisible God contains 52 reflections on the biblical references to God’s anatomy—e.g., the face of God, the eyes of God, the ears of the Lord, etc. Tracing these references through Scripture offers a unique perspective of the whole Bible. The biblical authors even mention God’s bosom, but many translations do not make this clear. For example,

No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known. (John 1:18 NIV)

Other translations, however, reveal the divine bosom.

No one has seen God at any time; the one and only, God, the one who is in the bosom of the Father—that one has made him known. (LEB)

This is a powerful verse because it contains two diametrically opposed yet emphatic statements. It begins by resoundingly rejecting any claim to a direct personal view of God. No matter what anyone says, “No one has seen God at any time.” In light of the theophanies (appearances of God) in the Old Testament, this negative assertion must be engaged, which I do in my book. Nevertheless the point is clear: no one really knows God. We are in the dark.

The second part, however, extends hope because there is someone who is not included in the universal darkness. And this one is in the Father’s bosom, which implies that he has not only seen God, but he knows God intimately. Most importantly for our plight, this one “has made him known.” So if we want to know God, there is no one else to turn to. We must go to the one in the Father’s bosom. Note that it doesn’t say “was in the Father’s bosom,” but “is in the Father’s bosom.” He didn’t come out of the Father’s bosom when he entered the world. He remained there while making his dwelling among us.

Since Jesus makes God known to us, what do we know about God from Jesus? Instead of writing a long list, I will highlight one astonishing item—humility. Jesus was arrested, stripped of his clothing, mocked, spit on, slapped, punched, flogged, and crucified. This is the one in the Father’s bosom. This is the one who has made God known.

What kind of God is this?

Les Bridgeman

After graduating from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, I served as a high school Bible teacher in Asia. I enjoy traveling, writing, and playing the drums. My latest book focuses on Paul’s work as a tentmaker and what it means for today.