The four
gospels
The Gospels in the New Testament are accounts of
the life, teaching, works, death and resurrection of Jesus. There are four
different gospels. But none of them separately provide a complete life story.
They are written by four different persons: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Among
them, Matthew and John were among the 12 disciples of Jesus. While Mark and
Luke did not belong to the group. Matthew was a tax collector, and John was a fisherman.
(Matthew 9:9; 4:21). They both were Jews. Mark also was a Jew. He was a follower
of Apostle Peter. Luke was a gentile physician or a Hellenised Jew. He was with
Apostle Paul. Matthew and John gave firsthand accounts of what they saw, heard
and understood directly from Jesus. Mark and Luke wrote based on testimonies of
those who witnessed the life of Jesus.
Their targeted readers were different. Some scholars and early Christian writers (such as Irenaeus, Origen, and Jerome) suggest that Matthew wrote his gospel originally in Hebrew or Aramaic for the Jewish Christians and later translated it into Greek. But modern scholarship argues that the Gospel was written directly in Greek, possibly using earlier sources like the Gospel of Mark. His purpose was to prove that Jesus was the promised Messiah, the “Son of David”. He used the genealogy and the Old Testament prophecies for this purpose.
Most modern scholars believe the Gospel of Matthew was composed directly in Koine Greek, a common language across the eastern Roman Empire, to reach a wider audience. The polished Greek style of the text doesn't show signs of translation from another language. The existence of a Hebrew or Aramaic original is still debated, and no surviving manuscript of such a text has been found. A compromise view suggests that the canonical Gospel was written in Greek, incorporating earlier materials in Hebrew. Thus, the canonical gospel may be a developed version of a Hebrew or Aramaic original.
Mark's Gospel was written based on the apostolic
preaching of Peter. So it is a record of the gospel as Peter perceived it. Mark
wrote for the gentile audience, most likely for those who lived in Rome,
originally written in Koine Greek. It contains some Aramaic words and phrases.
Mark presented Jesus as the suffering servant, one who came “not to be served
but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45, ESV).
Luke is the only Gentile author of the New Testament. He wrote in Koine Greek, in a sophisticated and literary style. He was a diligent historian whose intent was to write down a historically factual, reasonable, and orderly account of the life of Christ, gathered from eyewitnesses (Luke 1:1-4). He wrote addressing a person called Theophilus (Luke 1:3). But no details about Theophilus are available. He might have been a gentile and Roman official. Luke’s intent is to show that Christian faith is based upon historically reliable and verifiable events. He shares many details that are not found in other gospels.
The Gospel of John, written by John the apostle, is distinct from the other three Gospels. It is not a historical book but a theological treatise. It was written for both Jews and non-Jews living in the Roman Empire. The Gospel of John was originally written in Koine Greek. John used simple and clear Greek vocabulary. The text is not a translation and shows a deep fluency in Greek and specific ambiguities in the Greek language to convey meaning.
Each author had a unique viewpoint and chose specific stories to emphasise, resulting in distinct portraits of Jesus. The four Gospels together provide a complete and multifaceted picture of Jesus's life and ministry, from different perspectives. They are not contradictory but complementary and are equally accurate accounts of Christ. The four Gospels work together to present a fuller theological picture of who Jesus is and what He came to do. The differences, such as the varying accounts of Jesus's birth or crucifixion, prove that they are reliable, independent and truthful accounts and not a contrived narration by a single source.
The
Gospel of John
Historical background
The first three gospels, written by Matthew, Mark and Luke, are biographies of Jesus. But John’s gospel is a rational, metaphysical, mystical, philosophical and logical writing. It focuses not on the seen Jesus but on the mysterious person of Jesus. Unlike others, John’s gospel does not begin with the birth of Jesus. He does not describe the early life or the earthly ministry of Jesus. He is attempting to prove the deity of Christ and emphasise Jesus’ humanity. It is a gospel written with a definite purpose, which he states in chapter 20:30-31.
John 20:30-31
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.
John wrote so that we may believe that Jesus is Christ, or the Messiah. By believing in Jesus, we may have eternal life. To convince with his arguments, John blended Jewish prophecy about the Word and Messiah with the Greek philosophical concept of Logos, which is the supreme Reason. He proved that Jesus is the eternal Word, God's revelation, and the eternal reality. He explained Christ’s unique relationship with the triune God. For this purpose, John used philosophical and spiritual languages and concepts from both Hebrew and Greek traditions.
The Gospel of John is the last Gospel written (c. AD 90-100/70-110). John wrote it while he was in Ephesus, a major Roman city in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). The gospel addresses a diverse Greco-Roman audience. The theme is Jesus as the divine Messiah.
John wrote to a church in turmoil. Christians were
facing many challenges against their faith after the destruction of the
Jerusalem Temple. Christian tradition says that Christians in Jerusalem escaped
the tribulations in Jerusalem and fled to Pella in the region of the Decapolis,
east of the Jordan River, just prior to the destitution during 68-70 AD.
The Roman Emperor Nero came to power in 54 AD (54 -
68 AD). “The Great Fire of Rome” happened in July 64 AD, starting on the night
of July 18th or 19th, burning for six days, and destroying much of the city.
Nero falsely blamed Christians for the fire and persecuted them. Four emperors
followed Nero, namely, Galba (7 months, June 8, 68 - January 15, 69 AD), Otho
(3 months, January 15 - April 16, 69 AD), Vitellius (8 months, April 19 -
December 20, 69 AD) and Vespasian (69 - 79 AD). Emperor Vespasian is not known
for persecuting Christians. He was followed by his eldest son, Titus (24 June
79 - 13 September 81 AD). After the sudden and unexpected death of Titus, his
brother Domitian became the emperor (81-96 AD). His reign witnessed the worst
persecution in Church history.
By the time John wrote the Gospel, the Apostles and
the first-generation Christians who were eyewitnesses to the ministry of Jesus
were dying, and a new generation was taking over. Some of the Christians were
starting to lose their faith. Some were venturing back to the Jewish laws to
please the Jewish community. During this precarious period, John’s gospel
provided comfort, hope and assurance about Christ.
Prologue
John 1:1-18 is a prologue to the gospel according
to John. John introduces “Logos” in the first verse of the prologue, goes on
defining and explaining and concludes in the last verse of the prologue. John
1:14 and 1:18 declare that Jesus is the complete revelation of God.
John 1:1
In the
beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:14
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.
John 1:18
No one has ever
seen God; God the only Son, who is at the Father's side, he has made him
known.
The Word
“The Word” is used four times in the first chapter
of John. The context explains four concepts:
•
The eternality of “the Word" – “In
the beginning was the Word” (1:1a)
•
The distinction of “the Word” from God –
“the Word was with God” (1:1b)
•
The identity of “the Word” as God – “the
Word was God”. (1:1c)
•
Identify the person described by the
phrase “the Word” (1:14) – “the Word became flesh”. He is Jesus Christ.
John 1:14
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.
Hebrew concept
For the Jews the Word of God is the creative and
communicative acts of God. “the Word” is not merely a sound or writing. He is a
personality. The Word is not "it"; the Word is “He”.
Psalm 33:6
By the word of
the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host.
The Hebrew concept about God is that He is a
spiritual being with no physical form.
John 4:24
God is spirit,
and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
In this verse Jesus is telling the Samaritan woman
that God has no physical form, and He must be worshipped in spirit. Jesus is
rejecting the idea that He must be worshipped in a particular geographical
place. God is pleased with a personal, spiritual and truthful worship.
Jesus is not presenting here a new concept about
God. The Hebrew and Aramaic traditions do not attribute any physical form to
God. Attributing physical bodies to gods is a gentile concept. But the God of
Israel has no physical form. He took the physical form of humans to appear as
Jesus Christ, lived among us and died as an atonement.
John 1:14
And the Word
became flesh and dwelt among us….
Philippians
2:6-8
who, though he
was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,
but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the
likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming
obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Hebrews
2:14-17
14
Since therefore the children share in
flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, ….
17
Therefore he had to be made like his
brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high
priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.
1 John 4:2
By this you
know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come
in the flesh is from God,
1 Timothy 3:16
Great indeed,
we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh,
vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations,
believed on in the world, taken up in glory.
But there are many verses in the Bible which speak
of God’s hands, ears, eyes or back.
1 Peter 3:12
For the eyes of
the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the
face of the Lord is against those who do evil.
Psalm 34:15
The eyes of the
Lord are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry.
Isaiah 59:1
Behold, the
Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it
cannot hear;
These mentions of physical body parts are only
figurative language used by the writers to convey a mystical idea. Attributing
human form and characteristics like emotions, behaviours, and personality traits
to God is only a human psychological tendency. This literary device is known as
anthropomorphism. They are used in scriptural writings to help humans
understand God's actions and power in relatable terms. Texts that use human
imagery to describe God are interpreted metaphorically.
To counter the human tendency to attribute human
physical features to God, ancient Jewish and Aramaic traditions used “the Word
of God” to refer to God. The ancient Jews thought the "Word of God"
was not just a speech or writing but a dynamic manifestation of God's own self
and power in action.
Word
“Word” is “dabar” in Hebrew, which means to speak,
declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing, commune, pronounce,
and command. The following verses from the Old Testament are examples.
Genesis 11:1
Now the whole
earth had one language and the same words. (words- dāḇār, daw-baw')
1 Samuel 3:21
And the Lord
appeared again at Shiloh, for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by
the word of the Lord. (Word - dāḇār, daw-baw', from Root word - dāḇār, daw-bar)
Genesis 15:1
After these
things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am
your shield; your reward shall be very great.” (word - deḇer, deh'-ber, Root
word - dāḇār, daw-bar).
Numbers 7:89
And when Moses
went into the tent of meeting to speak with the Lord, he heard the voice (qôl,
kole, voice, sound, noise) speaking to him from above the mercy seat that was
on the ark of the testimony, from between the two cherubim; and it spoke (dāḇar,
daw-bar') to him.
The Hebrew word "dabar", in different
forms, appears 261 times in the Hebrew Old Testament in connection with God’s
name, Yahweh. It is translated most typically as “the word of the Lord".
The phrase establishes a foundational connection between God and His personal
interaction with His creation. Not only that everything was created by words
(Genesis 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24, 26), but God continues to interact with
those creations by words (2 Timothy 3:16–17). The creative word and the
communicating words are “the Word” in John 1:1.
In Jewish and Aramaic traditions, the phrase
"the word of the LORD" (Hebrew: davar YHWH; Aramaic: Memra d'YHWH or
simply Memra) was used as a metonymy* for God Himself. The phrase is used to
describe God's active, personal presence in the world. The purpose of using the
phrase is to avoid pronouncing the sacred name YHWH directly. This usage is
seen both in the Bible and in later interpretive traditions like Targums.
(*Metonymy is a figure of speech where a word or
phrase is substituted for another closely associated word or concept, creating
a more vivid or concise expression, relying on close association. Example: "the
crown" for the monarchy or "the White House" for the U.S.
presidency).
Aramaic
Aramaic is a 3,000-year-old
Northwest Semitic language originating around the 11th century B.C. It was
the lingua franca of the Middle East from 700 B.C. to 600 AD. It
was the daily language of Jesus, used for parts of the Bible (Daniel, Ezra) and
the Talmud.
“Semitic” refers to a group of Afro-Asiatic
languages spoken in the Middle East and North Africa. The term is derived from
Noah’s son Shem but is used to classify languages. The term "Semitic"
was coined in the 18th century by German historians. The term refers to
historically significant languages like Hebrew, Arabic, Amharic, and Aramaic. Ancient
Semitic languages included Akkadian (Assyria/Babylonia), Phoenician, Canaanite,
and Amorite.
The Arameans (Aramaeans)
were a nomadic people. Their origin is traced back to around 1500–1200 BC.
Later, during the early Iron Age (c. 1100–800 BC), they established several
independent, powerful states in modern-day Syria and southeastern Turkey, such
as Damascus and Hamath. They were renowned for their language, Aramaic. Eventually
Aramaic replaced Akkadian as the dominant language of trade and diplomacy in
the region, becoming the lingua franca of the Near East. Later the Arameans
were conquered by the Assyrian Empire.
By the 1st century AD, Aramaic was firmly
established in Palestine, while Hebrew remained the learned and sacred
language. Today specific Christian ethnic groups in the Middle East –
particularly in Israel, Lebanon, Syria, and Turkey – trace their ancestry to
the ancient Aramean people.
Targums
The word “Targum” is Aramaic and originally means
"translation" or "interpretation". The word indicated a
translation of the Old Testament in any language. But later its usage was
limited to the translations of the Hebrew Bible or portions of it into the
Aramaic language. There were several Aramaic translations of the Hebrew Bible
available.
The earliest Targums date from the post-Babylonian
Exile period (beginning around 538 BC). Aramaic was used more than Hebrew as
the spoken language of the Jews in the Palestine area. Targums were written for
the unlearned Jews to whom the Hebrew of the Old Testament was unintelligible.
The Babylonian Exile of Judea happened during 586-538
BC. Synagogues began among those who were deported to Babylon. Inscriptions
about them from the 3rd century BC in places like Alexandria, Egypt,
are available. The Solomon’s Temple of Jerusalem (First Temple) was
destroyed in 586 BC by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. So synagogues
arose as places for community gathering, prayer and study of the Torah. Private
houses were temporarily used for public worship and religious instruction. By
the 1st century AD, after the destruction of the Second Temple in AD
70, synagogues became the central Jewish institution. Synagogues in Greek is
“synagogos”. In Hebrew they are called by three synonyms, “bet ha-tefilla”
(house of prayer), “bet ha-kneset” (house of assembly), and “bet ha-midrash”
(house of study).
In synagogues, the Old Testament was read aloud to
the gathering, with translations and interpretations in the Aramaic language.
The translator was called “meturgeman” (Hebrew/Aramaic for interpreter). The
translator tried his best to be truthful to the original text. At the same
time, he aimed to convey the correct meaning and interpretation of the sacred
text, intelligible to the common Jew. So, his translations often became a
paraphrase and commentary. To avoid misunderstandings, he expanded the obscure passages,
presented the past incidents against a present-day situation, and emphasised
the moral lesson. Targums are the written records of these oral translations
and expositions. They were considered authoritative throughout the Talmudic
period (70 AD to 638 AD) and the early Christian era.
The best known and possibly the earliest Targum is
the Targum of Onkelos on the Pentateuch. Its final revision appeared in
the 3rd century AD. Other Targums include the Targum of Pseudo-Jonathan,
the Samaritan Targum, and the Targum of Jonathan ben Uzziel.
Memra
The Aramaic Targums frequently use the term 'Memra'
(Mem-ra, Word) as a direct substitute for the divine name 'YHWH' (the LORD).
Examples from the Targums:
Genesis
28:20, 21 (ESV)
20
Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me in
this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear,
21
so that I come again to my father's house
in peace, then the Lord shall be my God,
Genesis
28:20, 21 (Targum
Onkelos)
20
Yaakov made a vow, saying, If the Word of Elohim
(Memra) will be with me (my support), and guards me on this path that I
am going, and gives me bread to eat and clothing to wear;
21
And if I return in peace to my father’s
house, and the Word (Memra) of Adonoy will be my God;
Deuteronomy
31:5 (ESV)
And the Lord will
give them over to you, and you shall do to them according to the whole
commandment that I have commanded you.
Deuteronomy
31:5 (Targum Jonathan)
And the Word of the Lord
will deliver them up before you, and you shall do to them according to
all the commandment that I have commanded you.
Psalm 119
Psalm 119 is the longest psalm and chapter in the Bible,
with 176 verses. The author is anonymous, but tradition credits it to King
David. Modern scholars suggest other writers like Ezra, Daniel, Jeremiah, or
even a post-exilic writer living in the days of Nehemiah or Ezra.
The whole psalm is an exhortation to live in obedience to the Lord, who is a God of order, not of chaos. It profoundly focuses on God's Word in extensive detail. In almost every verse, the Word of God is mentioned. The Word of God is all-sufficient. 119:105 is an example.
Psalm 119:105
Your word is a
lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
The immediate reference is to God’s word as
expressed in the Torah. The mystical meaning is that the divine truth and
wisdom behind the Law is a safe and perfect guide to life.
John 1:1 says that the mystical and philosophical
truth mentioned in Psalm 119 is Jesus. Jesus is the Logos that became flesh.
Greek concept
“Word” is Logos in ancient Greek. Though “Logos” is
used to denote the written word, the Greek philosophical concept is different.
The word “Logos” encompasses concepts like "reason", "message",
"expression", or "the rational principle behind the
universe". For the Greek philosophers, Logos was the “Ultimate Reason”
that controlled all things. The Logos is that "principle of divine reason
and creative order." It is the reason, thinking, or mind of divine
authority. Logos is the power that puts sense into the world. Logos brings to
the world perfect order and keeps it in perfect order. Logos is the opposite of
chaos. The absence of logos is chaos.
According to the Greek mythology about gods, the
whole universe was once a chaos, without light, form, matter or any living or
non-living things. It was just a vast dark silence. This is chaos. Earth formed
itself from this chaos, beginning the creation of order. This order is Logos;
it is the ultimate reason that created and controls the universe and everything
in it.
Logos conveys God’s inner mind and communicative
action. It is God’s intelligible self-expression, the way God makes himself
known and brings order into being. The Logos acts; it is not merely a concept:
“All things were made through him.” The passage treats the Logos as an agent
involved in creation and revelation.
The word “Logos” has been used since the pre-Socratic time. It was coined by Heraclitus and expanded upon by Plato in his system of philosophy. John lived in Ephesus (Heraclitus's hometown) when he wrote the gospel. John was trying to communicate the Gospel to the philosophers of his day.
Summary
John used the term "Word", or “Logos” in Greek,
to signify a philosophical principle of order, reason and structure. For John
though, logos wasn’t just a “conceptual framework within God"; it was
incarnated as the man Jesus of Nazareth. All the inner rationality that created
the universe and held it together was focused on the historical personage of
Jesus.
This is similar to Paul's teaching in his letter to
the Colossians 1:15-17:
Colossians 1:15-17
He is the image
of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were
created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or
dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for
him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
In John 1:1–3 “Word” (Logos) signifies the pre-existent, divine self-expression and creative agent through whom God reveals, orders, and redeems creation. It is both the divine reason/power that brings reality into being and the personal, relational medium (later identified with Jesus) by which God makes himself known to humanity.
In the
beginning
John begins his gospel with a philosophical
statement that contained Hebrew and Greek insights. John’s logic may be stated
as follows:
John 1:1
In the
beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
This verse has three parts:
·
In the beginning was the Word
·
The Word was with God
· The Word was God
In the beginning (The time of His existence)
The
Gospel of John begins like Genesis, the “book of beginnings". The Greek
word for Genesis is “génesis” (γένεσις), which means "origin",
"birth", "source" or "creation". “In the
beginning” in Hebrew is “be-rē'šîṯ” (בְּרֵאשִׁית, be-ray-sheeth). In the Septuagint
translation (Greek Old Testament), Genesis 1:1 reads, ἐν ἀρχῇ ἐποίησεν ὁ θεὸς τὸν
οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν. It may be read as, en archē (In [the] beginning) epoiēsen
(made/created) ho theos (the God) ton ouranon (the heaven/sky), and 'kai tēn gēn'
(and the earth). It is frequently rendered in modern English as "In the
beginning, God created the heavens and the earth" (ESV).
The Gospel of John reads in Greek as, Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ
λόγος, καὶ ὁ λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν θεόν, καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος. It is read as, 'En
archē (In [the] beginning) ēn ho logos (was the Word), kai ho logos ēn pros ton
theon (and the Word was with [the] God), kai theos ēn ho logos (and God/divine
was the Word). In English it is, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word
was with God, and the Word was God.”
Both the verses, Genesis 1:1 and John 1:1, start
with the same words in Greek, 'En archē' ('In [the] beginning'). Genesis 1:1 is
speaking about the God of Israel. John 1:1 is relating “the Word” with the same
God. The God of Israel is the creator of all things. This connection is further
explained in John 1:3.
John 1:3
All things were
made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.
John begins his Gospel by locating Jesus Christ,
the Son of God, in relation to time, namely, before time. Logos is presented as
existing “in the beginning” with God and as distinct yet fully participating in
divine being.
Genesis 1:1
In the
beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
John 1:1
In the
beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The phrase “In the beginning” is common in Genesis
and John, but with different meanings. Genesis is indicating the beginning of
the created universe. John is writing about a time beyond that. Before there
was any created matter, there was the Word.
The statement “In the beginning was the Word” (John
1:1a) encapsulates the eternality of the Word, the creating power of the Word,
and the revelatory nature of the Word. In Genesis 1:1, “in the beginning” is
the beginning of everything that we see and do not see. It is the beginning of
all that exists. It is the beginning of time. “In the beginning” in John 1:1 is
timeless eternity. It is not the beginning of the Word. It is beyond time,
space and matter. John is telling us that since Jesus Christ created the
universe (John 1:3), He was there before the beginning of the universe.
Jude exults in this truth in His great doxology:
Jude 1:25
to the only
God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion,
and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.
2 Timothy 1:9
who saved us
and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his
own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began,
1 John 1:1: "That which was from the beginning (archē), which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the word (logos) of life".
“was the Word” (The existence of Logos)
All the other gospel writers begin with the incarnation
of Jesus Christ. But John did not write about the conception, nativity, and
growth of Jesus. He begins with the eternity of Christ Jesus.
John 1:1
In the
beginning was the Word ….
“was the Word” states that there is a Being known
as the Logos. He is the “Ultimate Reason”. He is the “Word”. The Word did not
come into existence in the beginning; He was there in the beginning. John is
not saying that the Word began in the beginning. He is not saying that the Word
came into existence in the beginning. He does not mean that the Word was
created in the beginning. John says that the Word existed before anything
began. The Word was there before anything was. The Word was not created by
another being, because He existed in the beginning. He existed before
everything was created. Thus, the existence of the Word is traced beyond the
beginning of all that began.
John did not write about the beginning of the Word,
nor did he write about the ending of the Word. Because the Word has no
beginning and ending. He is eternal, having no beginning and no end. The Word
was not the beginning; He was the beginning of the beginning. There was no time
when the Word was not existing, and there will be no time when the Word stops
existing.
Everything was created and exists by “the Word”. He
is the creator of all things that are seen and unseen. Without Him nothing can
exist. He is not just a sound, not some alphabets, nor the writings, but a
personality. If everything is created by the Word, He must exist before all
creations.
Logs, or the Word, is not a creature; He created all
creatures.
Colossians 1:16
For by him all
things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether
thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through
him and for him.
Romans 11:36
For from him
and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.
John 1:3
All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Anything created was created by Christ. Therefore, Christ is not a created being. Because before you exist, you can’t bring yourself into being. In the original Greek, John deliberately associates the Greek concept with God’s creative power in the Jewish theology. This verse connects Jesus Christ to God's creative power, as God created the universe through speaking things into existence in Genesis.
The Word was with God (His relationship to God)
John 1:1b
and the
Word was with God
The second part of John 1:1 defines the relationship of “the Word” with God. God the Father is a distinct Person from the Word, since John says, “the Word was with God”. The Word is not all God but a separate personality, closely related with God. The church father Chrysostom explained these words as, “Not in God but with God, as person with person, eternally.” "With God” also explains to us that “the Word” was eternally with God. “the Word” exists eternally.
The Word was God” (The essence of his identity)
John
1:1c
and the
Word was God.
The three parts of John 1:1 are a logical argument
with a conclusion. Beginning with the existence of the Word (In the beginning
was the Word – John 1:1a), John proceeds to the close association of the Word
with God (and the Word was with God – John 1:1b). The third part is the
conclusion. Since the first two arguments are true, John declares that the Word
was God (and the Word was God – John 1:1c).
That means the Being, Logos, or the Word is God
because of two conditions: He existed in the beginning, and He was with God.
Establishing His divinity, John comes to a logical conclusion: the Logos, or
the Word, is the eternal God – "the Word was God” (John 1:1c).
John wrote that the Word was God, not that God was
the Word. Everything that is true about God the Father is true in the same
degree with the Word. In Him, God the Father is known.
Trinity
“The Word was with God.” This is the heart of the
great historic doctrine of the Trinity. Tertullian, in the early third century,
used this verse in developing his views on the Trinity. The Word was God, and
He was in the presence of God. The phrase "the Word was with God, and the
Word was God" is central to the Christian doctrine of the Trinity, emphasising
both the unity and distinction of Jesus Christ with God the Father.
By His eternal existence, the Word is God. He has a
relationship with God; the Word, Jesus Christ, was with God. And He is God; He
is the image of God, perfectly reflecting all that God is. Hence there is one
divine essence and three persons. The third in the Trinity is the Holy Spirit.
The Word became flesh (His relationship with the world)
John 1:14 and 18 explain His relationship with the
world.
John 1:14
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.
John 1:18
No one has ever
seen God; God the only Son, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.
The Word, who created the universe, became flesh
and dwelt among us. God was acting through the Word. He is still communicating
and intervening with the world through the Word. Because the Word is God.
The Logos bridges the transcendent God and created
reality. Through the Logos the invisible God becomes knowable, and He acts in
history. John identifies Logos more specifically as Jesus of Nazareth: “the
Word became flesh” (1:14), making the mediation concrete in a human life.
The Logos is not only the Creator but also the
source of life and light. The prologue links Logos to “life” and “light” that
enter the world, opposing darkness and enabling salvation. The final clause
(“the Word became flesh”) frames the Logos’ ultimate purpose as intimate,
redemptive presence among humans.
John 1:4
In him (the
Word, Jesus Christ) was life, and the life was the light of men.
John 1:7-9
He (John the
Baptist) came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might
believe through him. He (John) was not the light, but came to bear witness
about the light. The true light (Jesus), which gives light to everyone, was
coming into the world.
John explicitly states the Logos’ role in creation.
“All
things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was
made.” (John 1:3). The Logos is therefore not merely a message but the creative
presence by which the cosmos comes to be.
In Jesus dwells all the wisdom, glory, power, love, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth of the Father. Jesus Christ was and is God (John 1:14).
The
Greek Article
Scholars dispute over how to translate the Greek
word "theos" in John 1:1c. The verse is translated in two ways. The
usual translation is "the Word was God”. Another translation is "the
Word was divine" or “the Word was a god”. The basis for the second
translation is the argument that the grammatical structure of the Greek does
not identify the Word as the Person of God but indicates a qualitative sense.
Hence, the Jehovah’s Witness and Muslims argue that the correct translation is
'the Word was a god’ or 'the Word was divine', in a metaphorical, exalted
sense, rather than the Supreme God Almighty.
Two issues affect the translation of the verse. One
is theology, and the second is the grammatical rules of the Greek language. In
theology, Jesus is God, and hence the translation must be “the Word was God”.
The opposing theory does not accept Jesus as God. For them Jesus is a creature subordinate
to God and only God’s chief agent in the redemptive process. This view
concludes that John 1:1c must be translated as "the Word was a god"
or "the Word was divine”. To support this translation, the proponents
depend on the grammatical rules of the Greek language.
But conservative Biblical scholars disagree with
the argument that “theos” means "a god" or "divine" in
a metaphorical, exalted sense. In John 1:1c, the verse kai theos ēn ho logos
(and the Word was God) contains an anarthrous theos (no definite article
"the" before theos). This grammatical structure in the Greek language
typically emphasises the qualitative nature of the noun, indicating that the
Word shares the same nature, essence, or character as God, rather than being
identical to the person of "the God" mentioned previously in the
verse (John 1:1b).
John 1:1c
and the Word
was God.
(Καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ
λόγος, Kaì (and) theòs (God) ên (was) ho (the) logos (Word)).
Christian scholars argue that the word order “theos”
before the verb "ēn" places emphasis on theos. In Koine Greek, a
predicate noun preceding the verb “was” often lacks an article, focusing on the
quality rather than the identity. "Theos" in John 1:1c describes the
nature of the Logos as divine or having the same essence as God.
In John 1:1b, “and the Word was with [the] God” (kai
ho logos ēn pros ton theon), the phrase “pros ton theon” means "with (the)
God”. “ton” is a definite article, and it is used before “theon”. So the word
identifies the Father God in the Trinity. The lack of a definite article before
“theos” in John 1:1c distinguished the Word from the Father while asserting
their shared divinity.
The Greek word “theos” could also be translated as
"divine", as the construction in John 1:1c indicates "a
qualitative sense for theos". The Word is not God in the sense that He is not
the same person as the theos mentioned in John 1:1b:
John 1:1b
and the Word
was with [the] God
(kai ho logos
ēn pros ton theon)
The point being made is that the Logos is of the
same uncreated nature or essence as God the Father, with whom He eternally
exists. But He is not God the Father or the Trinity. This verse is echoed in
the Nicene Creed: "God (qualitative or derivative) from God (personal, the
Father), Light from Light, True God from True God... homoousion with the
Father." “Homoousion” means "same in substance or essence" or "consubstantial".
In the translation "the Word was God",
the term "God" is being used to denote His nature or essence and not His
person. But in normal English usage "God" is a proper noun, referring
to the person of the Father or corporately to the three persons of the Godhead.
But the Word is neither the Father nor the Trinity. “the Word” is the same
essence of God which makes Him God.
The rendering as "a god" is justified by
some non-Trinitarians by comparing it with Acts 28:6, which has a similar
grammatical construction.
Acts 28:6
They were
waiting for him to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But when they had
waited a long time and saw no misfortune come to him, they changed their minds
and said that he was a god.
The counter argument by the Trinitarians is that
the words must be understood against the context. The Hebrew words "El",
"HaElohim" and "Yahweh" (all referring to God) were
rendered as "anarthrous theos" (without a definite article “the”) in
the Septuagint, at Nahum 1:2, Isaiah 37:16, 41:4, Jeremiah 23:23 and Ezekiel 45:9,
among many other locations. In the New Testament, 'anarthrous theos' was used
to refer to God in verses like John 1:18a and Romans 8:33. Therefore,
anarthrous or arthrous constructions by themselves, without context, cannot
determine how to render it into a target language.
So we may affirm that the Word is not “a god” but
is the same essence as God without being the exact same person as God the
Father. John was a monotheistic Jew, and he implied that the Word is "God
in essence" or "fully God". The context does not offer another
interpretation.
Coram Deo
Jesus is the Logos that the Jews and Greeks have
been searching for centuries. He is the "Logos", the Word, the
“Ultimate Reason”. He is the Eternal God, Creator and Redeemer, who
condescended from Heaven and identified himself with us. The Incarnation is the
“Logos made flesh”. He paid our debt of sin and gave us undeserved redemption. Thus,
John presents the eternal and physical life of Christ. His goal was that people
of all religions would realise who Jesus was and believe in Him.
The first eighteen verses of John are considered as
a prologue to his gospel. It counters many false beliefs about God. It also
states that God, who existed from the beginning, created all that exists. The universe
is not eternal, but it had a beginning. Logos, who is Jesus Christ, is the
Creator. Logos is the God.
John defines the Word as Jesus in verse 1:14–18.
This is the purpose of the Gospel of John, “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.” (John 20:31). Jesus is the revelatory and actual
eternal Creator. He is not simply a representation of God, but He is God, and
He has always been so: “In the beginning was the Word.” The remaining chapters
of the Gospel of John endeavour to show this statement to be true.
John’s arguments establish the concept of the Trinity, where God is one being in three distinct persons. The Father and the Son (the Word) are equally God, yet distinct in their Person. The Father is not the Son, and the Son is not the Father. Yet they are equally God, with God the Holy Spirit making one God in three Persons.
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