Page 7 - Lessons from the Gospel of John Chapter 1 verse 1-5

JESUS: THE WORD IN ETERNITY. IN THE WORLD. IN THE FLESH.

1 In the beginning (that by which anything begins to be | cause) was

the Word, and the Word was with (near | face to face | These words
express the co-existence, but at the same time the distinction of

person. They imply relation with intercourse with. That is to say, “in
the bosom of the Father”. John 1:18, and “Let us make man” of

Genesis 1:26.) “Throned face to face with God) God, and the Word
was (equal in meaning) God.

John 1:1 carries us into the depths of eternity, before time or creatures

were. Genesis and John both start from ‘the beginning,’ but, while
Genesis works downwards from that point and tells what followed, John
tells how time and creatures came into being, and, when they began, the

Word ‘was.’ John makes it clear that the Word is not just the beginning,
but the beginning of the beginning. He was there in the beginning, before
anything was. The Word is. What is it about the Word that that is so

important? Jewish rabbis often referred to God, especially in His more
personal aspects, in terms of His word. They spoke of God Himself as
"the Word of God. " For example, ancient Hebrew editions of the Old
Testament change Exodus 19:17 (Moses brought the people out of the

camp to meet God) to "Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet
the word of God. " In the mind of the ancient Jews, the phrase "the word
of God" could be used to refer to God Himself. To Christian theologians

it a derivative divine power, coordinated with the Father. The Greeks used
the word as the organizing principle of change. In the context of Ancient
Greek philosophy, logos was a divine principle which transcended the
world of mortals. a life-giving force hidden within things, a power

working from above on the sensible world. John says to both Jews and
Greeks: "For centuries you've been talking, thinking, and writing about
the Word (the logos). Now I will tell you who He is. The Word is “with”

God and the Word “was” God. The Word of God is where it all begins
and the fact that the Word was there in the beginning—it was the point of
origin. At the same time--the distinction of person. Do you believe What