THE WORD ACCORDING TO THE APOSTLE JOHN

By Charles N. Spence, Jr.

The Gospel of John, supposed to have been the last of the four Gospels, was written to Christians for the purpose that John stated in John 20:31, “[I]n order that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God, and that believing you may have life In His name." Now John did not write to make Christians believe but that they may continue to believe. The aorist active subjective tense of the verb expresses completed action remaining constant, which is hard to express in the English language.

Therefore, the Gospel that bears John's name serves to encourage Christians to continue in the faith that they had previously received. John uses many infallible proofs to substantiate that Jesus is the Son of God. Through the many proofs that John offers, one can become more acquainted with Christ and understand the relationship He has with the Father, creation and mankind. John, in the first chapter of his Gospel, outlines the relationships that Jesus has as the Word of God. It is in this capacity that we will view Jesus in our study.

In John 1, the gospel introduces the audience to the Word (LOGOS). People have studied the LOGOS, its nature and meaning for years. Philo, who believed in the concept of Dualism, viewed the LOGOS as being a link between man and God. Although Jesus is a go between or mediator between man and God, the concept that Philo had did not consist of Jesus as the Word incarnate as much as He was a personification of the Word. Dualism suggested that in as much as God or good was Eternal Spirit, matter or evil was eternal. This concept emanated from the fact that God's nature would not allow Him to have anything to do with the inception of evil. Thus, the Word was used as a go between.

Unlike Philo's philosophy, John states in 1:1, "In the beginning was the Word." The Word existed in the beginning and was with God (John 1:2). In Genesis 1:1 we read of what took place in the beginning: God created. In verse 2 we read of the Spirit moving. However, where is the Word in all of this? In verse 3 we read “Then God said . . .” in verse 6 “Then God said . . .” in verse 9, “Then God said . . .” etc. Undeniably creation came about by the word of God because "God said" (Psalm 33:6-9; Heb. 11:3). John recorded in Revelation 19:13 that Jesus name is “The Word of God.” Now, back in Genesis 1, we see the Word of God active in the creation. Thus, John can say in reference to the Word, “All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made” (John 1:3; see also col. 1:15-18). If everything that was made was made by the Word, then He could not and did not create Himself for the Word was God. Hebrews 1:8-12 further testifies of Jesus' being God. The unfortunate fact, however, is that the One who made the world was not recognized by the world. He came unto His own things and His own people received him not (John 1:10-11).

In Him was life (John 1:4). Jesus taught this in John 11:25-28. Paul taught this in Colossians 3:1-4. John taught this in 1 John 5:11-13. The Word was the possessor and giver of life. John calls Jesus the Word of life in John 1:1-2. The life, which every creature possesses, is that which stems from the Creator. Paul says in Philippians 2:16 that by holding fast the word of life we are able to shine as lights in the world amidst a crooked and perverse generation.

As there is life in the Word, so there is light. "[F]or the life is the light of all men" (John 1:4; also read John 8:12; 1 In John 1:5) John says the light shines in the darkness. Here the Word is the revealer. Light in John's mind is metaphorical for knowledge and darkness, thus, would be the absence of such knowledge, hence ignorance of God. This light was to give light to every man that comes into the world. God created man in His image. In addition, God made declarations through His Word (Psa. 19:7; John 1:18). According to John 3:19-21, the darkness (those in ignorance of God’s truth) did not comprehend it because they hated the light (knowledge). Those, to whom God had given light, both through the declaration of Creation and revelation, suppressed the truth and fell into darkness. Paul attests to this in Romans 1:18-23. In this passage, Paul details how some people had moved from the light to darkness. The psalmist says in 119:105 that the word is light and as such it directs our path.

In Revelation 3:7 Jesus refers to Himself as being true. In Revelation 3:14 He also refers to Himself as being the faithful and true witness. Thus, John sees Jesus in Revelation 19 called not only the Word of God, but also Faithful and True, which are characteristics of the word of God. Jesus expressed this when He prayed to the Father in John 17:17. These characteristics of Jesus as the Word confirm what he said of Himself in John 14:6.

The ultimate nature of the revelation of the Word is found in the incarnation (John 1:14). This is not a personification or the Word, but an incarnation of the word in the person of Jesus. According to Peter in 1 Peter 1:23, the Word lives and abides forever (see also Psalm 119:89). The life of Jesus did not begin at his birth, but came from a pre-existing state. Thus, Jesus is the Eternal Logos, not a physical manifestation of a concept. He existed in the Spirit and, for the redemption of mankind, put on a body. Thus the Word was made flesh.

Unless one has the eternal Word abiding in him, he will be unfruitful and end up as nothing (John 15:5). Without the Word you are still in darkness (John 12:35). Without the Word you cannot find your way and will be lost (Psa. 119:105). Without the Word, you are still slaves (John 8:31-32). Without the Word you have no life (1 John 5:12). Thus Jesus is the way, the Truth and the life (John 14:6). If we intend to come into the presence of Father, we cannot by-pass His Word.