Theme: In the bosom of the Father.

John 1:18 AMP says - No one has seen God [His essence, His divine nature] at any time; the [One and] only begotten God [that is, the unique Son] who is in the intimate presence of the Father, He has explained Him [and interpreted and revealed the awesome wonder of the Father].

How is the reader meant to understand the phrase "In the bosom of the Father"?

John, the author of the book of John is said to be Leaning on Jesus’ bosom. —John 13:23.

One of His disciples, whom Yeshua loved, was reclining at His side.

I would imagine John was that privileged and highly favored disciple!

In the East, objects are carried in the bosom which Europeans carry in the pocket. To have in one’s bosom indicates kindness, secrecy, or intimacy (Gen. 16:5; 2 Sam. 12:8).

So, Sarai said to Abram, “The wrong done to me is because of you! I myself placed my slave-girl in your embrace. Now that she saw that she became pregnant, I am belittled in her eyes. May ADONAI judge between you and me!” Gen. 16:5 TLV

I also gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your bosom, and I gave you the house of Israel and of Judah. Now if that were too little, then I would have added to you so much more. 2 Sam. 12:8 TLV

The beloved Apostle leaned on Jesus’ bosom! The disciple whom Jesus loved to lay upon Jesus’ bosom; but He whom the Father loved, lay in the bosom of the Father; was wrapped up in the very soul of the Father from eternity.

Who shall undertake to speak of the most glorious state of the Son of God, before he humbled Himself to come forth from the bosom of God for the salvation of his people? Who shall describe the blessedness of the Father and the Son in their mutual enjoyment of each other? Jesus, when he was in the bosom of the Father, had not emptied himself of his glory. Jesus had not been made in the likeness of sinful flesh. Jesus had not put himself under the law. He was not then a man of sorrows. He was not then acquainted with grief. He had not then exposed his face to shame and spitting, neither to poverty, temptation, bloody sweat, and the cross.

Jesus went through all these and more. Christ has been in “the bosom of the Father,” i.e., he had the most perfect knowledge of the Father, and had the closest intimacy with him (John 1:18).

The author of the Gospel of John (13:23) shows the disciple “leaning on Jesus’ bosom” at the last supper. Our Lord carries his lambs in his bosom, i.e., has a tender, watchful care over them (Isa. 40:11).

Oh! for hearts to love both the Father and the Son, who has so loved us; that we may be ready to part with all, and forsake all, and die to all, that we may live in and to Jesus, and rest in his bosom forever.

It is time to recline – not in the comfort of our Lazy Boy, but in the Bosom of the Word which is Messiah.

In the beginning, was the Word. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. John 1:1-2 TLV

In the beginning [before all time] was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself. 2 He was [continually existing] in the beginning [co-eternally] with God. AMP

John, by reclining on the Word and resting on more mystical things, was reclining in the bosom of the Word, similar also to the Word being in the bosom of the Father, according to the statement, “The only-begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared him.” (Elowsky, J. C., ed. (2007). John 11–21 (p. 104). InterVarsity Press).

Those pure in heart are most especially near to God and in the highest place of honor. The Savior himself assigns them this obvious honor when he says that the pure in heart shall be blessed for, they shall see God. … To those who keep their mind unstained by the world and from an empty preoccupation with the things of this life, it does seem that Christ reveals his own peculiar glory by a subtle and perhaps unconceivable process, thereby also showing the glory of the Father, which must be what Jesus meant when he said, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.”

(Elowsky, J. C., ed. (2007). John 11–21 (p. 104). InterVarsity Press).

Note that word leaning. It is not strong who lean upon the weak. It is weak who lean upon the strong.

The bosom of Jesus—

I. Is the place of instruction. —St. John was near his Master, and so heard His words, all His words. His ear was close to His mouth. His attitude was this, ‘Speak, Lord; for Thy servant heareth.’ There are millions of souls who are utterly careless about hearing Christ’s words, and yet the words which He has spoken, the same will judge them at the last day. Others, too, are unwilling to be taught by Christ.

The bosom of Messiah…

II. It is the place of friendship. —St. John never calls himself by his own name in his gospel, but always ‘the disciple whom Jesus loved.’ Abraham was the friend of God, and St. John was the friend of Jesus. He belonged, as it were, to the inner circle of His friends. You will need a friend someday. You may be healthy and happy now, but dark clouds will come, voices will be hushed, chairs will be vacant, and hearts will be torn, and hot tears will flow. Your sorrow will lie too deep for humanitarian aid. Then, in that hour of sadness and loneliness, you will need a friend. Seek the Friend of sinners now, and in the hour of your distress He will arise and save you.

In the bosom of Messiah…

III. It is a place of peace. —He says to His people, ‘In the world ye shall have tribulation.’ We have found that true. But He promises that in Him we shall have peace, and when we lean on Him, we find that true too!

In the bosom of Messiah…

IV. It is the place of sweet manifestation. —He manifests Himself to His people as He does not to the world. Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered the heart of a man by nature the things Christ reveals to those who lean on Him.

Lastly, in the bosom of Messiah…

V. It is a place of safety. —Those who are hidden there cannot perish; they are ‘safe in the arms of Jesus.’ ‘Neither shall any pluck them out of My hand,’ said the Savior, and His word cannot be broken, His promise cannot fail. The mountains may depart, and the hills be removed, but nothing can ever destroy the weakest soul that clings to Christ.

O happy life—if life is leaning on Christ’s arm! O gladsome death—if death is sleeping on Christ’s breast!