The Word of life is not only mysterious, but is also tangible because of being incarnated.

[jidong xiao]

约壹一章一节的话是永远的娄格斯（Logos），神的彰显。我们从约翰一章一节、十四节知道，这话，就是生命的话，成了肉体，且显现于肉体。并且，这话乃是“从起初”原有的。

我们再读一遍一章一节：“论到那从起初原有的生命之话，就是我们所听见过的，我们亲眼所看见过的，我们所注视过，我们的手也摸过的。”这一节指明生命的话已经具体且摸得着的显现出来，因为这话是使徒们所听见过、看见过、注视过、也摸过的。这里的顺序是听见过、看见过、注视过（指有意的注视）、以及摸过，就是用手触摸过。这些辞句指明，生命的话不仅是奥秘的，并且因着成为肉体，也是摸得着的。这奥秘的生命之话，不仅在他复活以前，在祂的人性里被人摸过，（可三 10，五31，）也在祂复活以后，在祂属灵的身体里（林前十五44）被人摸过。（约二十17，27。）约翰写这书的时候有一种异端，否认神的儿子成为肉体，（约壹四1～3，）因此需要这样有力的辞句，指明主在祂可摸的人性里实在的本质。

The Word in 1:1 is the eternal Logos, the expression of God. We know from John 1:1 and 14 that this Word, the Word of life, was incarnated and manifested in the flesh. Moreover, this Word was "from the beginning." 

Let us read 1:1 once again, "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we beheld, and our hands handled concerning the Word of life." This verse indicates that the Word of life has been manifested solidly and tangibly, for the Word was heard, seen, held, and handled by the apostles. The sequence here is "have heard," "have seen," "beheld" (gazing with a purpose), and "handled," that is, touched by hands. These expressions indicate that the Word of life is not only mysterious, but is also tangible because of being incarnated. The mysterious Word of life in His humanity was touched by man, not only before His resurrection (Mark 3:10; 5:31), but also after His resurrection (John 20:17, 27) in His spiritual body (1 Cor. 15:44). At the time of John's writing there was a heresy that denied the incarnation of the Son of God (1 John 4:1- 3). Hence, such strong expressions to indicate the Lord's solid substance in His touchable humanity were needed.