Reference: Logos
Hastings
In classical Greek logos signifies both 'word' and 'reason,' but in the Septuagint and the NT it is used, with few exceptions, in the former sense only. When it is God's word that is spoken of, it denotes the declaration or revelation of the Divine will, and specifically the Christian gospel as the utterance of the Divine plan of salvation (e.g. Mt 13:19-23; Php 1:14). But in the Prologue to the Fourth Gospel (Joh 1:1 [3 times] 14, with which cf. 1Jo 1:1 [1Jo 5:7 of AV is spurious; see RVand Re 19:13) 'Logos' (English Version Word) is applied to Jesus Christ, and is used to set forth His peculiar glory as the only-begotten Son of God, who is also the Life and Light of men. It is with this Johannine Logos that we have now to deal, and in doing so it seems necessary to consider (1) the content of John's Logos doctrine; (2) its sources; (3) its place in the Fourth Gospel; (4) its theological significance.
1. Content.
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By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the army of heaven by the breath of his mouth.
The Lord made me as the start of his way, the first of his works in the past. From eternal days I was given my place, from the birth of time, before the earth was. read more. When there was no deep I was given birth, when there were no fountains flowing with water. Before the mountains were put in their places, before the hills was my birth: When he had not made the earth or the fields or the dust of the world. When he made ready the heavens I was there: when he put an arch over the face of the deep: When he made strong the skies overhead: when the fountains of the deep were fixed: When he put a limit to the sea, so that the waters might not go against his word: when he put in position the bases of the earth: Then I was by his side, as a master workman: and I was his delight from day to day, playing before him at all times; Playing in his earth; and my delight was with the sons of men.
So will my word be which goes out of my mouth: it will not come back to me with nothing done, but it will give effect to my purpose, and do that for which I have sent it.
When the word of the kingdom comes to anyone, and the sense of it is not clear to him, then the Evil One comes, and quickly takes away that which was put in his heart. He is the seed dropped by the wayside. And that which went on the stones, this is he who, hearing the word, straight away takes it with joy; read more. But having no root in himself, he goes on for a time; and when trouble comes or pain, because of the word, he quickly becomes full of doubts. And that which was dropped among the thorns, this is he who has the word; and the cares of this life, and the deceits of wealth, put a stop to the growth of the word and it gives no fruit. And the seed which was put in good earth, this is he who gives ear to the word, and gets the sense of it; who gives fruit, some a hundred, some sixty, some thirty times as much.
From the first he was the Word, and the Word was in relation with God and was God.
From the first he was the Word, and the Word was in relation with God and was God.
From the first he was the Word, and the Word was in relation with God and was God.
From the first he was the Word, and the Word was in relation with God and was God. This Word was from the first in relation with God. read more. All things came into existence through him, and without him nothing was.
All things came into existence through him, and without him nothing was. What came into existence in him was life, and the life was the light of men.
What came into existence in him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light goes on shining in the dark; it is not overcome by the dark.
And the light goes on shining in the dark; it is not overcome by the dark. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. read more. He came for witness, to give witness about the light, so that all men might have faith through him. He himself was not the light: he was sent to give witness about the light. The true light, which gives light to every man, was then coming into the world.
The true light, which gives light to every man, was then coming into the world. He was in the world, the world which came into being through him, but the world had no knowledge of him.
He was in the world, the world which came into being through him, but the world had no knowledge of him.
He was in the world, the world which came into being through him, but the world had no knowledge of him. He came to the things which were his and his people did not take him to their hearts. read more. To all those who did so take him, however, he gave the right of becoming children of God--that is, to those who had faith in his name: Whose birth was from God and not from blood, or from an impulse of the flesh and man's desire. And so the Word became flesh and took a place among us for a time; and we saw his glory--such glory as is given to an only son by his father--saw it to be true and full of grace. John gave witness about him, crying, This is he of whom I said, He who is coming after me is put over me because he was in existence before me. From his full measure we have all been given grace on grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and the true way of life are ours through Jesus Christ. No man has seen God at any time; the only Son, who is on the breast of the Father, he has made clear what God is.
No man has seen God at any time; the only Son, who is on the breast of the Father, he has made clear what God is.
And no one has ever gone up to heaven but he who came down from heaven, the Son of man. As the snake was lifted up by Moses in the waste land, even so it is necessary for the Son of man to be lifted up: read more. So that whoever has faith may have in him eternal life. For God had such love for the world that he gave his only Son, so that whoever has faith in him may not come to destruction but have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to be judge of the world; he sent him so that the world might have salvation through him. The man who has faith in him does not come up to be judged; but he who has no faith in him has been judged even now, because he has no faith in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the test by which men are judged: the light has come into the world and men have more love for the dark than for the light, because their acts are evil. The light is hated by everyone whose acts are evil and he does not come to the light for fear that his acts will be seen. But he whose life is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his acts have been done by the help of God.
Then Jesus said to them, Truly I say to you, If you do not take the flesh of the Son of man for food, and if you do not take his blood for drink, you have no life in you. He who takes my flesh for food and my blood for drink has eternal life: and I will take him up from the dead at the last day. read more. My flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. He who takes my flesh for food and my blood for drink is in me and I in him. As the living Father has sent me, and I have life because of the Father, even so he who takes me for his food will have life because of me. This is the bread which has come down from heaven. It is not like the food which your fathers had: they took of the manna, and are dead; but he who takes this bread for food will have life for ever.
Then, when he was teaching in the Temple, Jesus said with a loud voice, You have knowledge of me and you have knowledge of where I come from; and I have not come of myself; but there is One who has sent me; he is true, but you have no knowledge of him. I have knowledge of him because I came from him and he sent me.
Then again Jesus said to them, I am the light of the world; he who comes with me will not be walking in the dark but will have the light of life.
Jesus said in answer, Even if I give witness about myself, my witness is true, because I have knowledge of where I came from and where I am going; but you have no knowledge of where I come from or of where I am going.
Even if I am judging, my decision is right, because I am not by myself--with me is the Father who sent me.
That which my Father has given to me has more value than all; and no one is able to take anything out of the Father's hand.
Then Jesus said with a loud voice, He who has faith in me, has faith not in me, but in him who sent me. And he who sees me, sees him who sent me. read more. I have come as a light into the world, so that no one who has faith in me will go on living in the dark. And if any man gives ear to my words and does not keep them, I am not his judge: I did not come to be judge of the world but to give salvation to the world. He who puts me on one side and does not take my words to heart, is not without a judge: the word which I have said will be his judge on the last day. For I have not said it on my authority, but the Father who sent me gave me orders what to say and how to say it. And I have knowledge that his order is eternal life: so that the things which I say, I say them even as the Father says them to me.
Jesus said to him, I am the true and living way: no one comes to the Father but by me. If you had knowledge of me, you would have knowledge of my Father: you have knowledge of him now and have seen him. read more. Philip said to him, Lord, let us see the Father, and we have need of nothing more. Jesus said to him, Philip, have I been with you all this time, and still you have no knowledge of me? He who has seen me has seen the Father. Why do you say, Let us see the Father? Have you not faith that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words which I say to you, I say not from myself: but the Father who is in me all the time does his works. Have faith that I am in the Father and that the Father is in me: at least, have faith in me because of what I do.
And now, Father, let me have glory with you, even that glory which I had with you before the world was.
Because I have given them the words which you gave to me; and they have taken them to heart, and have certain knowledge that I came from you, and they have faith that you sent me.
Father, it is my desire that these whom you have given to me may be by my side where I am, so that they may see my glory which you have given to me, because you had love for me before the world came into being.
But these are recorded, so that you may have faith that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and so that, having this faith you may have life in his name.
And most of the brothers in the Lord, taking heart because of my chains, are all the stronger to give the word of God without fear.
Let this mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus, To whom, though himself in the form of God, it did not seem that to take for oneself was to be like God; read more. But he made himself as nothing, taking the form of a servant, being made like men; And being seen in form as a man, he took the lowest place, and let himself be put to death, even the death of the cross. For this reason God has put him in the highest place and has given to him the name which is greater than every name; So that at the name of Jesus every knee may be bent, of those in heaven and those on earth and those in the underworld, And that every tongue may give witness that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Who has made us free from the power of evil and given us a place in the kingdom of the Son of his love; In whom we have our salvation, the forgiveness of sins: read more. Who is the image of the unseen God and existed before all living things; For by him all things were made, in heaven and on earth, things seen and things unseen, authorities, lords, rulers, and powers; all things were made by him and for him; He is before all things, and in him all things have being. And he is the head of the body, the church: the starting point of all things, the first to come again from the dead; so that in all things he might have the chief place. For God in full measure was pleased to be in him; Through him uniting all things with himself, having made peace through the blood of his cross; through him, I say, uniting all things which are on earth or in heaven.
In times past the word of God came to our fathers through the prophets, in different parts and in different ways; But now, at the end of these days, it has come to us through his Son, to whom he has given all things for a heritage, and through whom he made the order of the generations; read more. Who, being the outshining of his glory, the true image of his substance, supporting all things by the word of his power, having given himself as an offering making clean from sins, took his seat at the right hand of God in heaven; Having become by so much better than the angels, as the name which is his heritage is more noble than theirs.
That which was from the first, which has come to our ears, and which we have seen with our eyes, looking on it and touching it with our hands, about the Word of life
And the Spirit is the witness, because the Spirit is true.
And he is clothed in a robe washed with blood: and his name is The Word of God.