In
the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:1, Modern English Version (MEV)
Greek philosophers were keenly interested in the whole idea of primary, or first, causes. They sought to discover that one cause that was not itself caused by something else. In other words, they were searching for the beginning, the first cause, of all things. This is exactly the answer that the Apostle John is providing in the beginning of his record of the Good News that was Jesus the Christ. He is saying that there is no need to waste our time searching any further because he is about to reveal Who that first cause is. Most of us already know what John is revealing, but many of us may not realize the implications of the revelation that was given to him.
The Word, Greek "Logos", as used here by the Apostle John, is a radical shift in the traditional understanding of the Greek philosophers who generally understood it as meaning the governing principle of reason. In Judaism this governing principle was personified in the "Wisdom" of Proverbs. Here, John takes it to its ultimate meaning, which we know as God incarnate in Jesus the Christ. This takes the understanding of the Greeks to a whole new level, one that the Apostle Paul used with great effectiveness during his stay in Athens (Acts 17:16-34). In Part III we'll see just how far John took his radical new understanding.
Just so that no one misunderstands what he is saying, the Apostle John makes it clear by stating that, not only was this Word, Jesus, with God at the beginning, but that he IS God. That is the point at which Jews and Gentiles alike stumbled. For us, as believers, this is crucial to what we believe. We may not fully understand how it all works, but Jesus was, and is, both fully human and fully divine. Take away either and everything crumbles into meaninglessness.
John 1:1, Modern English Version (MEV)
Greek philosophers were keenly interested in the whole idea of primary, or first, causes. They sought to discover that one cause that was not itself caused by something else. In other words, they were searching for the beginning, the first cause, of all things. This is exactly the answer that the Apostle John is providing in the beginning of his record of the Good News that was Jesus the Christ. He is saying that there is no need to waste our time searching any further because he is about to reveal Who that first cause is. Most of us already know what John is revealing, but many of us may not realize the implications of the revelation that was given to him.
The Word, Greek "Logos", as used here by the Apostle John, is a radical shift in the traditional understanding of the Greek philosophers who generally understood it as meaning the governing principle of reason. In Judaism this governing principle was personified in the "Wisdom" of Proverbs. Here, John takes it to its ultimate meaning, which we know as God incarnate in Jesus the Christ. This takes the understanding of the Greeks to a whole new level, one that the Apostle Paul used with great effectiveness during his stay in Athens (Acts 17:16-34). In Part III we'll see just how far John took his radical new understanding.
Just so that no one misunderstands what he is saying, the Apostle John makes it clear by stating that, not only was this Word, Jesus, with God at the beginning, but that he IS God. That is the point at which Jews and Gentiles alike stumbled. For us, as believers, this is crucial to what we believe. We may not fully understand how it all works, but Jesus was, and is, both fully human and fully divine. Take away either and everything crumbles into meaninglessness.
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