He is: The Word
John1:1-14 The Word John begins his gospel with “In the beginning was the Word “
A word, in the English language is simply a label, an arbitrary term for something to identify it. In Hebrew this is not the case. In Hebrew a word is a specific term that describes and demonstrates the very essence of the thing it is describing. In fact, the Hebrew word DABAR means word but also means a deed, a matter and an object – a thing. The Word of the Lord first appeared to Abram in a vision. Abram was seeing the Word of God. Every Hebrew letter has a specific meaning and the meaning of a word can be derived from the letters contained in that word. Dabar is composed of a Dalet a Bet and a Resh. The meaning of a Dalet is a door; the Bet is a house and the Resh is a head. Therefore, the meaning of “word” in Hebrew is the access to the habitation of the mind, the door to the dwelling of the head. The word is the access to the imagination, thoughts ideas of a man, the expression of his actions and his being. A Hebrew word for son is Bar (eg, Simon Bar Jonah). A Dalet we know is a door, so DaBAR the Word ... also holds the meaning – the door, the son. Jesus is the Word made flesh (the object of God’s thoughts) but also the doorway to God.
In the Greek language, word (LOGOS) is something said, a thought, a reasoning or motive. The expression of something.
John in his gospel was communicating with both Jews and Greeks. Just as Paul, in the midst of Mars Hill speaking to Greek philosophers, pointed out “I found an altar to THE UNKNOWN GOD”. John here is engaging the Greek and Jewish attention.
In fact, the Greek philosophers held an interesting cosmology. To them the divine nature was known as the LOGOS: the productive, active or creative feature of the world permeating everything with a creative FIRE with the immanent rational principle guiding the world’s changes, being a form of fire that has a kind of life-giving breath - the PNEUMA. John then begins his communication of the gospel to this Greek and Hebrew society with “In the beginning was the Word” - LOGOS. The Jews hear Genesis 1 “and GOD SAID…”, The Greeks hear “LOGOS”, “And the Word was with God and the Word was God. All things were made through Him. In Him was life and the Life was the light of men, and the light shines in the darkness (John has certainly got their attention) -Genesis 1 again … darkness was on the face of the deep and the Spirit of God (Pneuma, Ruach Elohim) hovered over the face of the waters. AND GOD SAID LET THERE BE LIGHT (energy, fire, creation begins). Now that we all understand each other John makes it personal. The Light of the world, the divine force of creation who made the world was in the world, but you did not receive Him. But if you receive Him, if you can see and experience the word of God, the creative power of God can create you no longer as a son of Adam, but now a Son of God, a new creation! The Word became flesh and dwelt amongst us, and we beheld His glory, full of grace and truth. When the Word of God, the thoughts, ideas and plans in the mind of God are manifested in the world, in your world, there you have a revelation of the grace of God, the light of the world: Jesus the Word of God. When God’s Word is reflected in your life and your deeds, your very existence, there you find truth.
Michael Colthorpe