God is Made Known - John 1-2

John 1:18 (ESV)

No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.

The essence of the book of John is to reveal to us the Son of God. That was the purpose of John writing the book:

John 20:30-31 (ESV)

The Purpose of This Book

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

There was a rising teaching in the church to deny that Jesus was the Son of God.  So John is writing this entire book to make sure the church stays on track doctrinally.   The above passage is a key element in understanding John’s argument and our need to know who Jesus is.   No one has ever seen God.  But, through Jesus and in this gospel, He has made Him known.   John had just stated that Jesus was the living Word and ...

John 1:14 (ESV)

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Jesus became the Word in flesh.  He was the Son of God.   God sent him to make Himself known. The word known in the text has this meaning:

(Word Biblical Commentary) The term ἐξηγήσατο is related to the English term "exegesis"; in Josephus it is the technical term for the exposition of the Law by the rabbis. The object of the exposition from the Logos-Son is the Father. This "exegesis" is peculiarly authoritative by virtue of the unity of the Son with God, expressed in the phrase "who is in the bosom of the Father," i.e., in closest fellowship with him (cf. 13:23). The prime reference is to the relationship to God of the Son in his life of flesh and blood, but it naturally extends to his pre-existent and post-Resurrection relationship to the Father. The finality of the revelation of God through the Logos-Son could hardly be more strongly expressed.

We can know the Father because we can know the Son.  Knowing the Son is knowing the Father.   That is the purpose of Jesus’ coming to earth and His reason for dying, and raising from the dead.   He has come to make God known.