There are several ways of understanding this term.
First, we do understand it to be Jesus by the verses that come later in the chapter, as Heart2 Soul has already explained. But why this term?
Second, the most common interpretation is the greek
logos as meaning 'word' or communication. God is communicating to us in and through Jesus. Jesus came to show us the Father, literally and physically. It was not only through his verbal teaching but through his life as a demonstration. You could say that Jesus was the Father's "body language" - and his conduct, his behaviour, his "walk" was 100% consistent with his words, his verbal message.
With Jesus came the amazing combination of "grace and truth." We often have a hard time being both "honest" and truthful. Jesus in his communication did not shy away from speaking the truth, but to those who were willing to accept this truth (about themselves) he was wonderfully gracious. With those who refused to acknowledge the plain truth about themselves, he showed only the hard truth. We need to learn to display grace and truth to one another as human beings.
Third, there is an additional angle. The word
logos also gives us the English word "logic" with all its associated meanings of "reasoning" "rationale" the entire concept of "cause and effect." All things were created "
by Him and FOR Him." Jesus shows us God's purpose, he displays the "rationale" of the Father, he follows automatically from the Father's overall logic. He is the source of the Father's reasoning, thinking, and he is its goal. He is
our goal - the Father intends to transform us to be like his first born from the dead - Jesus. He becomes our rationale, the basis for our way of living, our behaviour, our "becoming-character;" he is our purpose. He presents us with the Father's whole reasoning behind his (the Father's) desired relationship with us.
In Christ, the Father shows his identification with us, in our life, in our joys and sorrows, in our struggles, in our temptations (though without falling for those temptations), in our death, and in our hopes for resurrection to a better life. I could go on and on... He has identified with us, and he invites us to identify with him ... in resurrection and in the defeat of everything "death" means, in close relationship with the Father and with each other, in a whole new dimension of life. And much more.
