In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.
What the Lord is Saying: Matthew's gospel begins with, "The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah... (1:1)." Mark begins with, "The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ... (1:1)" and Luke begins in a similar way to Mark, though is more definitive of his time investigating the details of Jesus' life. John begins in a similar manner introducing John in verse 6, however in his introduction He does something the other writers did not do in that he speaks of The Word, states the Word was the pronoun He and then speaks of this special connection He had with God, the Light. John goes beyond the message of the Gospel to link the Word, mentioned as the pronoun He to flesh that came with the same glory of God, "glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth."
Message: The Uncreated Word
Time: Jesus' disciple John, the brother of James, the son of Zebedee was one of the inner circle of Jesus' most trusted companions. It's most likely that John wrote his gospel while he was in Ephesus, and that he wrote it for an audience that lived outside Palestine, perhaps in Asia Minor. John appears to have had in mind members of a Jewish community who had come to believe that Jesus was the Messiah, but who had continued to worship in the synagogue. John most likely wrote between A.D. 85 and 90. John's purpose in writing was, "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:31)."
What the Lord is Saying: Matthew's gospel begins with, "The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah... (1:1)." Mark begins with, "The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ... (1:1)" and Luke begins in a similar way to Mark, though is more definitive of his time investigating the details of Jesus' life. John begins in a similar manner introducing John in verse 6, however in his introduction He does something the other writers did not do in that he speaks of The Word, states the Word was the pronoun He and then speaks of this special connection He had with God, the Light. John goes beyond the message of the Gospel to link the Word, mentioned as the pronoun He to flesh that came with the same glory of God, "glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth."
And so as we follow what is being stated about this one that came, the Word, we see a connection with the Word, with Glory of God and only begotten from the Father.
The Word was "in the beginning." Genesis 1:1 records, "In the beginning God..." and now John records the same sort of phrase to connect beginning with Word/Him/Jesus and God "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Yet, why the Word? If John is speaking of Jesus and it seems clear in following the rest of the text, then why did He start this discourse with the Word and Him and not state Jesus till verse 17? The name God is mentioned several times. And yet there is clearly a clever word choice that John uses to introduce Jesus.
When I think of Jesus, I think of someone that came onto the scene but as I walked this earth, he was begin discovered by men for who He was, His purpose and His reason for being here. There was therefore some sort of mystery in Him or discovery ("the world did not know Him (1:10)"). And yet this Gospel writer wants to remove that mystery. And yet in removing it He uses language of discovery.
God enters our world through words and connects us to Him through the words, "Let there be light (Genesis 1:3)." And these words are creation. And so John bridges Jesus to God with words of creation, with the Word of creation.
Word is the Greek word Logos. It is the Greek translation of the Hebrew word dabar. Dabar refers to God's creative as when He utters words He is creating. And there is a thought or principle with dabar that holds all things together and explains reality. And John states that this principle is Him, the Word, the Light.
Thus, it may appear to be shrouded in mystery, but after reading there is no mystery and all is clear.
There is a reason this text is rejected by Islam as scripture and a reason it gets changed by Jehovah's Witnesses - because it clearly states Jesus is God and created. For other paradigms, these words must be changed because it is clear what is being stated. He's the creator.
Summary: Jesus, the Word, is at creation, with God and was God and was therefore uncreated.
Promise: Jesus is not merely a good teacher or moral example. He is the very God of the universe who is owed all of our worship and praise.
Prayer: O Father, thank you for revealing the truth of Jesus in these words and thank for John and the way He expresses Jesus to us. You are not mystery, but clear. Bring people to a recognition of this. Help people to see You as You are, creator, the Light, with God and God. Keep giving me understanding of You.
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