Source/Author: Dr Michael Dalseno

The opening sentence of John’s Gospel punctuates for all time the indissolvable link between God and His Word ...

“In the beginning was the Word ...”

Dr  D

The opening sentence of John’s Gospel punctuates for all time the indissolvable link between God and His Word; “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1.1). The Greek word used here for “Word” is “Logos,” and is repeated three times in succession. There is good reason for this.

Firstly, “In the beginning was the Logos...” Here John vividly declares that the Lord preceded and predated everything that exists. He was existing at the time of the Creation in Gn.1.1 and is fundamental to our doctrine of pre-existence, that is, God always existed. The opening words also define for us that the Logos, His Word to us, was existent long before man uttered his first words and devised his first plans.

Secondly, “... and the Logos was with God...” Here, John reveals the personal nature of the Logos. God and His Word are inextricably the same, full with His Person, and unable to be separated. When you see God, you see His Word; when you see the Word, you see God. The Word of God, therefore, is far more than a piece of well-written literature; far more than mere devotion and a guide for life. Represented in the Logos is God Himself in a very personal way.

Thirdly, “... and the Logos was God.” This really seals the issue. There is no mistaking that the Logos shares the same divine essence with God. There is nothing inferior about the Logos, nothing lacking or missing from what He aims to declare to all creation and all mankind. You can utterly trust the Word and depend on it.

In the opening words of John, therefore, we move from His eternal existence, to His distinct personality, to the superior nature of the Logos itself. Little wonder they deserve to be read, studied, meditated-on, prayed through, and applied in the life of the believer.

Believers don’t always fathom the depth and import of the Logos both for their own lives and for the extension of God’s Kingdom. In an age described by some as “the most Bible illiterate generation in history,” where believers have access to Bible resources that our forebears only dreamed of, something is seriously amiss. Could it be that we are so distracted with temporal things, focused so intently on other priorities, and so caught up in the popular culture and values of our time that the Logos is subtly being diluted or drained from our lives?

John 1.1 is a timely reminder that the Logos precedes everything, punctuates everything, and will still be around when we, and the world with all its attractions and priorities, are long gone. What will we do with the Logos spoken to us? Lets study it like never before, as if our lives totally depend on it!