The title of this book, taken from John 1:14, is normally taken to refer to the notion of ÔincarnationÕ, which understands Ôthe wordÕ as a pre-existent Son of God and Ôbecoming fleshÕ as the transformation of this ÔwordÕ from a heavenly, divine existence to the life of a human being. Against this conventional interpretation the author argues that JohnÕs use of the term ÔwordÕ really does refer to an act of speaking, GodÕs expression of His will, and that Ôbecoming fleshÕ describes the realisation or embodiment of His intentions, from creation onward, in a form perceptible to human senses, not only in the ÔfleshÕ of Jesus but also in historical reality in the world of men. This has implications for other aspects of JohnÕs Gospel, including its historicity, its literary form, and its relationship to the Old Testament, and leads to very different conclusions about the central issue in JohnÕs Gospel, the person of Jesus and his relationship to God the Father and to those who believe in him.