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.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
"Whenever any one hears the message of the kingdom, and does not understand it, the Evil One comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. "This is the seed sown by the wayside. And the word, and at once receives it with joy. read more. "But he has no root in himself; he continues for a time, but when trouble arises, or persecutions, on account of the word, at once he stumbles and falls. "And the seed sown among thorns is he who hears the word, but the anxieties of the age and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. "But the seed sown in good soil is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit, and makes now an hundredfold, now sixty, now thirty."
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was face to face with God, and the Word was God.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was face to face with God, and the Word was God.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was face to face with God, and the Word was God.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was face to face with God, and the Word was God. He was face to face with God in the Beginning. read more. All things came into being through him, and apart from him nothing that exists came into being.
All things came into being through him, and apart from him nothing that exists came into being.
All things came into being through him, and apart from him nothing that exists came into being. In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
In him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light is shining in the darkness, and the darkness has not overwhelmed it
And the light is shining in the darkness, and the darkness has not overwhelmed it A man came into being, sent from God, whose name was John. read more. He came as a witness, that he might bear testimony concerning the Light??o that all men might believe through him. He was not the Light; it was to bear testimony concerning the Light that he came into being. The true Light, which enlightens every man, was then coming into the world.
The true Light, which enlightens every man, was then coming into the world. He was in the world, and through him the world came into being, yet the world knew him not.
He was in the world, and through him the world came into being, yet the world knew him not.
He was in the world, and through him the world came into being, yet the world knew him not. He came to his own creation, and his own folk welcomed him not. read more. But to all who receive him, to them he has given the right to become children of God, even to those who trust in his name; who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and tented with us. And we gazed on his glory??lory as of the Father's only Son??ull of grace and truth. John bore witness concerning him, and cried aloud, saying, "This is he of whom I said, 'He who is coming after me has been put before me, for he was before me.'" For out of his fulness we have all received, yes, grace upon grace. For the Law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No man has ever seen God; God, only begotten, who is in the bosom of the Father??e has interpreted him.
No man has ever seen God; God, only begotten, who is in the bosom of the Father??e has interpreted him.
There is no one gone up to heaven, except the One who came down from heaven??he Son of man himself. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up, read more. in order that every one who believes in him may have eternal life. "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever trusts in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. He who trusts in him is not condemned, but he who does not trust has already been condemned, because he has not put his trust in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that Light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one who practices wrong hates light, and does not come to the light, lest his actions be exposed; but he who does what is true, comes to the light, in order that his actions may be shown to have been wrought in God."
"I tell you solemnly," said Jesus, "that unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, you have no life in you. "He who feeds upon my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. read more. "For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. "He who feeds upon my flesh abides in me and I in him. "Just as the living Father has sent me, and I live by the Father, so also that man who feeds on me shall live by me. "This is the bread which came down from heaven; not such as your fathers ate and died, for he who feeds upon this bread shall live forever."
So Jesus cried aloud as he was teaching in the Temple, and said: "You both know me and you know where I am from; and I am not come on my own authority, but he who sent me is trustworthy, and him you do not know. "But I now him, because I am from him and he sent me."
Once more Jesus addressed them. "I am the light of the world," he said; "He who follows me shall not walk in the darkness, but he shall have the Light of life."
In reply Jesus said to them. "Even if I do bear testimony to concerning myself, my testimony is true, because I know where I have come from and where I am going. But you do not know where I have come from, or where I am going.
"Though even if I do judge, my judgment is trustworthy, because I am not alone, but the Father who sent me is with me.
"My Father who has given them to me is stronger than all, and no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand.
Now Jesus, speaking in a loud voice, had said: "He who believes in me believes not in me, but in Him who sent me; and he who sees me sees him who sent me. read more. Like light am I come into the world, so that no one who believes in me may remain in darkness. And if any one hears my words and does not keep them, it is not I who judge him; for I am not come to judge the world, but to save the world. He who rejects me, and does not receive my words, has indeed a judge. The message which I have spoken, that shall judge him in the Last Day, because I have never spoken on my own authority, but the Father himself who sent me gave me commandment what to say and what words to speak. And I know that his commandment is eternal life. So whatever I speak, I speak as the Father has told me."
Jesus answered him. "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No man ever comes to the Father but by me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father too; from now on you know him and have seen him." read more. "Lord," said Philip, "cause us to see the Father, and we shall be satisfied." "Have I been so long among you, and yet you, Philip, have you not recognized me? He who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Cause us to see the Father'? "Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father in me? The words that I speak to you I speak not of myself; but the Father, who ever dwells in me, is doing his own work. "Believe me, all of you, that I am in the Father and the Father in me, or else believe me for the very words' sake.
And now, O Father, glorify thou me with own self, with the glory I had with thee before the world began.
for I have given them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and they have believed that thou didst send me.
"Father, it is my will that wherever I am these also, thy gift to me, may be with me, that they may see the glory, my glory which thou hast given me, because thou didst love me before the foundations of the world.
but these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
and most of the brothers in the Lord, made confident in the Lord through my imprisonment, are much emboldened to speak God's message with free and fearless confidence.
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, though from the beginning he had the nature of God, did not reckon equality with God something to be forcibly retained, read more. but emptied himself of his glory by taking the form of a slave, when he was born in the likeness of men. More than this, after he had shone himself in human form, he humbled himself in his obedience even to death; yes, and to death on a cross. And for this God highly exalted him, and graciously bestowed upon him the name which is above every name; that in the name of Jesus every knee in heaven, on earth, and under the earth should bend, and every tongue confess that "Jesus Christ is Lord," to the glory of God the Father.
For he has delivered us out of the dominion of the darkness, and transplanted us into the kingdom of his dear Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of our sins. read more. He is a visible image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him was the universe created, things in heaven and on earth, the seen and the unseen, thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers; by him and for him all have been created; and HE IS before all, and in him all things subsist. He is the head of his Body, the Church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, in order that in all things he may become preeminent. For in him all the divine fulness chose to dwell; and by him it chose to reconcile all things alike on earth or in heaven to himself; making peace by him, through the blood of his cross.
God, who in ancient days spoke to our ancestors in the prophets, at many different times and by various methods, has at the end of these days spoken to us in a Son whom he appointed heir of all things; through whom also he made the universe. read more. He being an emanation of God's glory and stamp of his substance, and upholding the universe by the utterances of his power, after by himself making purification of our sins, has taken his seat on the right hand of the Majesty on High. He is as much superior to the angels as the name that he has inherited surpasses theirs.
It is of what has existed from the beginning, of what we have listened to, of what we have seen with our own eyes, of what we have witnessed and touched with our own heads, it is concerning the Logos of Life that we are now writing.
For there are three who bear testimony, the Spirit, and the water,
He is clothed in a vesture dipped in blood; and his name is called, THE WORD OF GOD