The Word Became Flesh: The Divine Tabernacle Among Us
In the opening chapter of the Gospel of John, we encounter one of the most profound theological declarations in Christian scripture:
“The Word became flesh and dwelt (ἐσκήνωσεν) among us” (John 1:14).
This moment is not merely an abstract theological concept, but the literal, historical manifestation of God’s presence among humanity. The Greek term used for “dwelt” here is ἐσκήνωσεν (“eskēnōsen”), which is derived from the verb σκηνόω (“skénoó”), meaning “to pitch a tent” or “to dwell,” and is related to the word σκηνή (“skéné”), meaning “tent,” “booth,” or “tabernacle.” Understanding this term illuminates a deeper theological connection to God’s presence in the Old Testament and its fulfilment in the person of Jesus Christ.
The Tent of God’s Presence: A Biblical Foundation
In the Old Testament, God’s presence was visibly manifested in the tabernacle — a portable sanctuary where God would descend in a cloud during the day and in fire at night, guiding and dwelling among His people. This is seen in Exodus 33:7-11 and 40:34-38 of the Septuagint, where Moses sets up the skéné (the tabernacle), and the glory of God visibly descends, representing His dwelling among Israel. In this context, God’s presence was contained within a physical structure that symbolized His nearness to His people, though still set apart and difficult to approach.
This imagery is crucial when we turn to the New Testament and see the profound claim that the Word became flesh. John 1:14, in its original Greek, literally says that Jesus “pitched His tent” or “tabernacled” among us. By becoming incarnate, Jesus Himself became the new skéné, the new dwelling place of God on earth. The full presence of God, which once resided in a tent of meeting or the temple, now resided in the body of Jesus. This echoes the Jewish hope that God’s presence would one day dwell fully among His people, but in a new, unexpected way.
The Flesh of Jesus: A New Tabernacle
To further understand the significance of this, we must reflect on how John frames the idea of God’s presence in the flesh of Jesus. In the Gospel, John contrasts the old temple in Jerusalem with the new “temple” of Jesus’ body. In John 2:19-22, Jesus famously says, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” While His audience misunderstood this as referring to the physical temple, John makes it clear in the next verse that Jesus was speaking about the temple of His body. Through His incarnation, Jesus becomes the new tabernacle, the living temple where humanity can encounter God in His fullness. To contain God in His fullness, one must absolutely pure and perfect.
Additionally, this idea links with Colossians 2:9, which declares that in Jesus “all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily.” Just as the tabernacle in the wilderness served as a place where God’s glory could be seen, Jesus in His incarnate state becomes the true, perfect revelation of God. Through His body, He becomes the new skéné — the ultimate meeting place between God and man.
The Glory of God in Jesus
One of the most striking aspects of John 1:14 is the phrase, “We have seen His glory, the glory of the only begotten Son.” The “glory” referred to here is the doxa of God — the visible manifestation of God’s nature, holiness, goodness, and majesty. This is the same glory that once descended upon the tabernacle, and later filled the temple, as described in Exodus 40:34-35. In that account, God’s glory appeared so powerfully that Moses could not even enter the tabernacle. Yet, in the person of Jesus, that same glory is not only seen but is fully embodied in human form.
Luke’s Gospel also highlights this theme of God’s glory filling the new temple, as seen in the account of the Annunciation. When the Holy Spirit comes upon Mary, Luke 1:34-35 says that the power of the Most High will overshadow (ἐπισκιάσει, “episkiasei”) her. This term, overshadow, has Old Testament roots, where it was used to describe the visible manifestation of God’s glory overshadowing places or people, such as in Exodus 40:34-35 or in the cloud that covered Mount Sinai in Exodus 24:15-16.
Mariology Implications
For a time, Mary’s body was also part of this divine dwelling. During the pregnancy of Mary, the eternal Word took on human flesh, with His blood, bones, and body formed from her own. So, for a season, Mary’s body became the temple, tabernacle, or tent in which God indwelt and was made manifest, just as God’s glory once filled the tabernacle in the wilderness. In this context, Mary’s body becomes the new, temporary tabernacle, the place where God’s glory dwells fully and visibly in the person of Jesus. If, as we said before, God’s glory appeared so powerfully that Moses could not even enter the tabernacle., how much more holy and perfect and sinless does Mary have to be to not only approach God, but to fully contain, in her womb, the uncontainable one for 9 months? Moses, of whom scripture says, “Moses was the most humble person in all the world.” (Num 12:3), couldn’t approach the fullness of God’s glory for a second, yet Mary contained the fullness of God’s glory in her very womb. Hail, O holy Theotokos.
History Repeating Itself: The Cloud of Glory
The parallels between the Old Testament and the New Testament are rich and profound. In Exodus 24:15-16, we read that the cloud of God’s glory covered Mount Sinai, where God called Moses to enter and receive His law. Similarly, in Matthew 17:1-5, at the Transfiguration, Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up a mountain, and “a bright cloud overshadowed them.” From the cloud, God’s voice declares, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” The glory of God, once seen in the cloud and fire that led Israel in the wilderness, now manifests in the person of Jesus on the mountain. This is no coincidence; it’s a reminder that the glory of God is no longer limited to a physical building or distant mountain but is now revealed fully in Jesus, the new temple.
The End of the Old Temple: The New Dwelling Place of God
One of the remarkable implications of this theological development is that, with the coming of Jesus, the old temple in Jerusalem becomes obsolete. The Jewish temple, once the central place of worship and the dwelling of God’s presence, was destroyed in 70 AD — a clear indication that the new temple, the body of Jesus, had taken its place. John’s Gospel, with its deep understanding of the incarnation, points to this transformation. No longer is God’s presence confined to a structure made with human hands. In Jesus, the eternal Word, the fullness of God’s presence is now accessible through the body of Christ, and this presence continues to dwell with His followers through the Holy Spirit.
Conclusion
In Jesus, we find the culmination of all the promises of God’s presence with His people. The Word became flesh and “pitched His tent” among us, revealing the glory of God in a new, personal, and intimate way. Through His incarnation, death, and resurrection, Jesus not only fulfils the Old Testament hope of God’s dwelling with His people but also transforms it, offering believers a new way to encounter God’s glory — in the very person of Jesus Christ. The body of Christ is now the temple where we meet God, and it is in Him that we see the fullness of God’s glory. The historical reality of the incarnation is a testament to the ongoing, living presence of God among His people.