Question:
I have a question. In one of the previous questions, you had answered that Jesus was in the OT.
But according to John 1:1 Jesus never was in the flesh before John 1:1. Can you please explain me this.?
Answer:
You brought up the question about Jesus not being in the flesh until John chapter 1. That is true. Jesus was never in the flesh (a body of flesh and blood) until He came to earth and was born of the virgin Mary. “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14). Jesus’ appearances in the Old Testament were not in a literal body of flesh and blood, but we know from Scripture that even angels can appear in the form of a body when they so desire, and can even do some of the things that a body of flesh can do.
We know that angels are spirit-beings. “But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool? Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?” (Hebrews 1:13,14).
Angels are spirit-beings, but they have often appeared in the form of a body. In Genesis 18:1-8, the Bible says, “And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day; And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground, And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant: Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree: And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said. And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth. And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetched a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it. And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.”
In the above passage, the Lord and two angels appear unto Abraham. He not only sees them, but offers them food, which they then go ahead and eat. There are many, many examples in the Bible where people see angels. They are spirit-beings, but they can appear in the form of a body, and do many things which the human body can do.
That is not the type of body that Jesus came with when He was born of the virgin Mary. “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For verily HE TOOK NOT ON HIM THE NATURE OF ANGELS; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.” (Hebrews 2:14-16). But in the Old Testament, He appeared in a bodily form many times.
What should this truth cause us to do? It should cause us to live holy lives, because God is invisible. He sees everything that we do, no matter where we are. It should also cause us to lift up the Lord Jesus Christ to a lost and dying world. For He is God in the flesh. “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and FROM HENCEFORTH YE KNOW HIM, AND HAVE SEEN HIM.” (John 14:1-7).
Do you know Jesus, the true and living God, as your personal Savior? “And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.” (I John 5:20).