Clearly John 1.14 refers to the Lord Jesus as the incarnate, pre-existing Divine Son of God, by Whom the world was made, as it says earlier in the chapter: 'All things were made by Him'; He spoke and it was done.
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'In the beginning was the Word...' (John 1.1)
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Yes, that was a given in my post, but perhaps not stated clearly enough...sorry if not.
The question I have is, can we say Jesus is God, Jesus IS the Word?...the Word made flesh...clearly we can, the text does. What does this all mean?...looking deeper. We know the Word judges the thoughts and attitudes of a man...that is to say, there is power in the Word, making a man react for or against in short time or long.
Just something to reflect on.
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NJA
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My 2p worth ...
"word" is logos in Greek, from where we get logic.
Words are for communicating information, understanding and wisdom.
"with God" implies a communion, as Genesis 1:26 says:- "God said, Let us make . . ."
All things were created by Jesus Christ (Col. 1:16, Rev.19:13), the Son. "The Word was God" shows his deity.
The use of words to make shows:
A mind: code is language so the code for natural life (DNA) is a language, a design, not just a pattern.
Use of physical & chemical laws is also required to create life.
A heart: there had to be a will, a desire to bring life into existence and make an environment.
Matter and energy alone don't show these things.
Entropy shows decay, in the beginning was design, which indicates designer.
Creatures didn't evolve those intricate irreducible designs and functions that engineers imitate today. He wasn't learning as he went along, he possessed wisdom from the start. (Proverbs 8:22).
"word" is logos in Greek, from where we get logic.
Words are for communicating information, understanding and wisdom.
"with God" implies a communion, as Genesis 1:26 says:- "God said, Let us make . . ."
All things were created by Jesus Christ (Col. 1:16, Rev.19:13), the Son. "The Word was God" shows his deity.
The use of words to make shows:
A mind: code is language so the code for natural life (DNA) is a language, a design, not just a pattern.
Use of physical & chemical laws is also required to create life.
A heart: there had to be a will, a desire to bring life into existence and make an environment.
Matter and energy alone don't show these things.
Entropy shows decay, in the beginning was design, which indicates designer.
Creatures didn't evolve those intricate irreducible designs and functions that engineers imitate today. He wasn't learning as he went along, he possessed wisdom from the start. (Proverbs 8:22).
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Brings one to Genesis 1:3-4... Light . Judged good , in picture , looks like 1 Corinthians 13:4-7.
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Yes, Jesus IS the light of the worlg! ...He was not created though.
Baby in picture...soooo precious and yes, the personification of LOVE.
Psalm 127:3-7:
Children are a heritage from the Lord,
offspring a reward from him.
Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
are children born in one’s youth.
Blessed is the man
whose quiver is full of them.
They will not be put to shame
when they contend with their opponents in court.
Enjoy that precious child!!
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Me too
.When we shut down the TV, Iphone, Radio, etc... and prepare the "closet/self" wonderful things start to be perceived . 1 verse has brought me to my knees in tears many times when one "absorbs" (Like that describer
Brinn Brinn 
) it . Your post reminds me of John 5:39-40 . Like you, I have run through verses in quantity not quality, for me, while the radio was playing or TV running and missed the whole point because I never prepared the closet/self. Closet is silence and prayer is to remove "self" out of the way to receive, Proverbs 3:5 
.Lately , I have been referring to the Spirit as a whisper and hooking 1 Corinthians 13:4 (Concentration on vaunteth not)to it, for picture format, to those that hear. The Spirit/whisper must be prepared to receive for it will not shout over the physical TV, Radio, etc... as it is written in above verse. If ya wonderen how this connection is, it stems from 1 John 4:16 (Concentration on, "God is Love"
) then the question arises in my mind what is Gods love? Why, 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 . Something to pray on for truth .
It is said that to "cherry pick" and take verses out of context is no good. One begs to differ on that note. In our individuality/selves with different coulters and upbringings define the individual/self. Thus, one may know love but another does not for situational/physical realities has shown, no, or an abundance of love. Take me as an example. Guilt was the , Southern Baptist, way . Go to church and feel guilty. No love/God in guilt for the Spirit/whisper does not dwell there. Yet, it is a good motivator to be saved
. However, once saved and baptized the message of the church still piled on guilt (See where this is leading?). The church can not provide Spiritual guidance to ??? Individuals/selves, that is the realm of God to absorb to selves what love is and for me, 25 years after being saved I was following a gate of hell (Matthew 16:18) and soaking/absorbing guilt for my master was the preacher . Thus, in time, my baptism in the Holy Spirit was forgotten and sin was my first love. The ultimate pew warmer I was. All that to say , there are two kinds of knowledge. John 5:39 that involves context of scripture then there is John 5:40 that involves self and Love/Agape/Holy Spirit/absorption of Gods love to selves/individuality (Yet same knowledge of Spirit verse 40) with no doubt about it for we applied the Word to self (differently with same result in 1 John 4:16 and/or the whole chapter) and prepared the closet to fix selves where we are lacking = cherry picking scripture to align us with the Spirit in our different lacks. Hope this makes sense
. to the hearers and the deaf a double for yous guys .
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John was a Hebrew and thought as a Hebrew even though he was using Greek as a written tongue. Some concepts just do not translate well in a word for word literal translation. To the Hebrew thinker the concept of the "Word of God" described a personae of YHVH...God manifest in a seeable hearable form. It has nothing to do with His speaking, or writing, or even His mind or knowledge...it is God Himself manifest in the flesh...this is what it meant to a Hebrew when they wrote or used this phrase...."Logos" was merely the closest Greek word that he could use to convey this meaning along with the further explanation ((John 1:1-14 being required to get across the full meaning)
When the Targumim expressed the concept in Aramaic no further explanation was necessary because in Hebrew and in Aramaic the meaning is received immediately...
When the Targumim expressed the concept in Aramaic no further explanation was necessary because in Hebrew and in Aramaic the meaning is received immediately...
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This translation is suspect because it is not an accurate translation from the original Greek scriptures.
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I heard preaching which compared the language and themes of John's Gospel with those of John's First Epistle: very helpful and instructive!
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Deadworm
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We need to state the precise theological meaning of "Logos" in John 1:1, 14. The Johannine hymn adopts a term from contemporary Greek philosophy. Used philosophically, "Logos" means "the rational self-expression of God" as opposed to God in His unknowability. English words like "psychology" and "biology" derive from this understanding: hence, the rational study of the human psyche or of life. The point? The unknowable dimension of God is expressed by God's reluctance to give His name to Jacob, when he finds himself wrestling with God (Genesis 32:29), to Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3:14), and to Samson's parents, when the imminent birth of their son is revealed (Judges 13:18-19).
We know nothing about God apart from highly limited special revelation that leaves the mystery of God otherwise untouched. The correct attitude in response to our ignorance is expressed in the oft repeated sentiment of Proverbs 1:7: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom." The Hebrew word for "fear" here implies both fear and reverential awe in the face of the mystery of God behind our limited but revealed pictures of God in Scripture.
Deep meditation can lead to an encounter with the divine presence that produces a wonderful fear, a fear that senses God's love and an intimate connection with Him, yet also senses aspects of God of which we are just dimly aware. Such experiences are among the most precious of my life.
We know nothing about God apart from highly limited special revelation that leaves the mystery of God otherwise untouched. The correct attitude in response to our ignorance is expressed in the oft repeated sentiment of Proverbs 1:7: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom." The Hebrew word for "fear" here implies both fear and reverential awe in the face of the mystery of God behind our limited but revealed pictures of God in Scripture.
Deep meditation can lead to an encounter with the divine presence that produces a wonderful fear, a fear that senses God's love and an intimate connection with Him, yet also senses aspects of God of which we are just dimly aware. Such experiences are among the most precious of my life.
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The chapter is so searching, in one sense so simple but in another so deep.
'True image of the infinite,
Whose essence is concealed,
Brightness of uncreated light,
The heart of God revealed.'
'True image of the infinite,
Whose essence is concealed,
Brightness of uncreated light,
The heart of God revealed.'
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Archie the Preacher
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Please forgive me, Mark. What translation is suspect? What would be an accurate translation?
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John was explicit but not confusing.
He did not say "In the beginning was Christ", for the pre-incarnate Christ cannot be associated with Jesus- who was christ in the flesh- in that manner of timeline- and cannot be named Jesus before He was born or 'made flesh'. Thus the "Word" and later "the Word made flesh"-> whom we now call by a name->Jesus who is the Christ.
The Word is the pre-incarnate christ, God in nature (was God) but distinct from God (with God).
He did not say "In the beginning was Christ", for the pre-incarnate Christ cannot be associated with Jesus- who was christ in the flesh- in that manner of timeline- and cannot be named Jesus before He was born or 'made flesh'. Thus the "Word" and later "the Word made flesh"-> whom we now call by a name->Jesus who is the Christ.
The Word is the pre-incarnate christ, God in nature (was God) but distinct from God (with God).
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But not only was the Word with God, the Word was God (John 1.1).
Hebrews 1.8 tells is concerning the Lord Jesus: 'But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever'.
Hebrews 6.18-20 says:
"...
by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:
19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;
20 Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec."
Hebrews 7.1-3 says:
"For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;
2 To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;
3 Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually."
There never was a time when the Lord Jesus was not God; He is indeed gloriously the Son of God from eternity.
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The way that I have been able to make sense of this... Scripture says that God is spirit (John 4:24), and spirit needs expression. "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." There was God in spiritual form and there was God in expression form, just as people have ideas that need to be expressed. I have an idea in my mind; it is part of me. Nobody can know that idea until I express it. The idea and the expression are two parts of the same thing but they can be described differently. So God the Father is spirit and God the son is the expression of that spirit. What are your thoughts about this?
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Considering this definition, John 1:1 is therefore contradictory because someone who is with another person cannot be the same as the other person at the same time; and, the “spirit” is not a person even though it may be personified in the bible. Most importantly, the translation is not grammatically correct. The ancient Koine Greek did not use indefinite articles such as “a” and “an.” English grammar requires the use of these articles for the proper context and meaning to be understood. In other word, the grammatically correct translation should be rendered: “…the Word was a god.” The indefinite articles are inserted before “god” in Acts 12:22; 28:6. In comparison, several other scriptures that are grammatically and structurally the same are translated with such indefinite articles. See Mark 6:49; 11:23; John 4:19; 6:70.
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Archie the Preacher
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When I was a young convert I remember singing,'Thou Art the everlasting Word,the Father's only Son. God manifestly seen and heard and heaven's beloved one. Worthy,O Lamb of God art Thou,that every knee to Thee should bow' (J Conder)
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It goes on:
'True image of the infinite,
Whose essence is concealed,
Brightness of uncreated light,
The heart of God revealed.
But the high myst'ries of Thy Name
An angel's grasp transcend,
The Father only - glorious claim -
The Son can comprehend.'
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