The Logos
(Part 1)
By Jonathan Mitchell
A Meditation on Some Significant Statements
This study will focus on the context of Jn 1:1ff in its connection with its antecedent context of Gen. 1:1ff. Jn. 1:1-3 can be seen as both a synopsis of, and a commentary on, Gen. 1:1-2:4, while shedding further light on the construction of "the heaven and the earth" that is narrated in this Genesis passage. Since the Septuagint (LXX) opens with the identical Greek phrase that opens the Gospel of John, en arche (In a beginning; etc. - see the optional renderings of Jn. 1:1, in the JMNT), we will use this version of the OT.
In the "creation/construction/production" of the "sky and the Land (or: the heaven and the earth)" as recorded in Gen. 1:1, we observe that the Actor (the One doing the action) is God (ho theos). In the synopsis given in Jn. 1:1-3, we observe that the Actor (the One doing the action) is The Logos. Let us now read these two opening statements, first considering Gen. 1: 1,
"Within the midst of a beginning (or: In [the] Origin, in union with Headship and centered in Sovereignty), God produced (or: formed; constructed) the heaven and the earth (the sky and atmosphere as well as the land, territory, ground and soil)" (LXX, JM).
And now, Jn. 1:1-3,
1. Within the midst of a beginning (or: In [the] Origin, in union with Headship and centered in Sovereignty) there was, and continued being, the Logos (the Word; the Thought; the collection of thoughts; the Idea; the Reason; the discourse; the speech and communication; the verbal expression; the Message; the reasoned, laid-out and ordered arrangement). And the Logos (the idea; the thought; the expression; the Word) was, and continued being, facing, [directed, and moving] toward, (or: continued being face to face with) God. And the Logos (the Word; the thought; the idea; the reason; the expression) continued being God.
2. This (or: This One) was continuing in existence, within a power of beginning and in union with Headship and Sovereign principle, facing [directed, and moving] toward (or: staying with) God. (or: This [situation?] was existing {or: continued being} within the midst of Arche(Source; = Father), [aimed; progressing; being; moving] toward, and thus [to be] face-to-face with, God.)
3. All things happened and came to be (or: occur and come to be; were birthed) by means of It, or Him (or: He at some point gives birth to all humanity through It), and apart from It (or: Him) not even one thing comes into being (occurs; was birthed; came into being; happens) which has come into being (which has occurred; which has happened)."
In John's explanation, vs. 1 gives us the subject of 1:1-14, the Logos. Verse 3 explains that the Logos is the One that "produced, formed and constructed" everything - i.e., "the heavens and the earth (or: the land and the sky)." Following this correlation, we can understand why Jn. 1:1 ends with the Logos being identified as God, since Gen. 1:1 informs us that it was God that brought this all about.
Although Gen. 1 does not use the term Logos, if we consider the parenthetical expansion of this term in Jn. 1:1, above, we can see its connection with Gen. 1:3, 3. Later on God said,
"Light, be born (or: Let light come into existence)!" And so light was birthed (or: at once came into existence)" (LXX, JM).
Notice:
"God said..." We find this again in vs. 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24, 26, 29, and then in 2:3 we read that "God spoke words of goodness, ease and well-being to (or: blessed)..."So, throughout this narration of creation (forming; constructing; producing), God's Word was involved, even though the term logos was not used in this passage. But we do find the participle legon, "proceeding in saying," in vs. 28, when God blesses the male and the female that He had "produced; formed; constructed." Before moving on, let me explain my use of the term "It," in reference to the Logos, in Jn.1:3 (and on through Jn. 1:4-14): the Greek pronoun is masculine because it corresponds to the term logos, which is masculine; however, translated into English, the term "Word" does not have a gender associated with it. I also offer the pronoun, "Him," in vs. 3 and in the rest of the passage, but that is a theological interpretation, based upon vs. 14, where we read:
(or: became flesh; came to be [in] flesh; came into existence being flesh; = God's thought, the ground of all real existence, became projected into creation as an immanent power within the world of mankind, inhabiting flesh),
and lives in a tent, within us (or: set up a tent and tabernacled among us), and we view (attentively gaze at; looked at so as to contemplate) Its (or: His) glory and assumed appearance
(Its manifestation which calls forth praise; Its appearance which creates and effects opinions in regard to the whole of human experience; His imagination; = His manifest presence): a glory (= prestige and importance; reputation and opinion-forming appearance) as of an only-begotten person (or: like One that is an only kin, of a solitary race, in a by-itself-class) at a father's side (or: in the presence of, and next to, [the] Father), full of grace and truth (filled and replete with joy-producing favor, as well as reality and genuineness).
That being said, the subject of this entire passage, in Jn. 1, is "The Logos," as we clearly see, in vs. 14. While accepting the traditional interpretation that vs. 14 refers to the "incarnation (enfleshment)" of the Logos as Jesus, the focus of this essay will continue on the topic of the term and concept of the Logos, as such.
Returning to Gen. 1, it seems logical to conclude that each time that "God said..." we perceive the Logos in whatever it was that He was saying. Those "sayings" WERE the Logos: "the Word; the Thought; the collection of thoughts; the Idea; the Reason; the discourse; the speech and communication; the verbal expression; the Message; the reasoned, laid-out and ordered arrangement."
"Because, forth from out of the midst of Him, then through the midst of Him (or: through means of Him), and [finally] into the midst of Him, [is; will be] the whole (everything; [are] all things)! By Him (In Him; To Him; For Him; With Him) [is] the glory (the assumed appearance; the manifestation of that which calls forth praise; the reputation; the notion; the opinion; the imagination; the credit; the splendor) on into the ages" (Rom. 11:36).
The Subject (the Him) of Rom. 11:32-35 is God, the LORD (Yahweh). Everything came from out of the midst of Him (no creation ex nihilo, "out of nothing," here) by means of the Logos. This entire journey of all things is by means of, and through the midst of, the Logos. It (He) is the Alpha and the Omega; the Beginning and the End (Goal; Finished Product). This is why John said that the Logos
"was, and continued being, facing, [directed, and moving] toward God" (Jn. 1:1)
, because God was the Destiny of all that God spoke. Isa. 55:11 affirmed,
"Thus, in this way, will continue being My gush-effect (the result of the flow from Me; My spoken words and utterances), which would at any point issue forth from My mouth: It can by no means be turned back (or: return) until as much as (or: whatever) I would will (intend; desire) would be accomplished (fulfilled; finished; brought to its goal)..." (LXX, JM).
The "Idea" (creation, and all that this implies) was spoken forth toward God. Everything that exists came to be via the Logos. The Logos was, and is, an expression of God. The creation is the embodiment of the Logos, and is thus the embodiment of God. J. Preston Eby has said regarding the creation, "God expressed out of Himself a different form of Himself" (paraphrased, as best as I can remember hearing him).
"And the Logos became flesh..."
In Gen. 2:7 we read a more detailed account about the origin of the humans:
"Then (or: And so) God formed (molded and fashioned) the human being (or: humanity) - soil (loose, moist earth) from the ground (earth; land; territory; dirt) - and then He breathed into his face a breath of life (or: a wind from Life), and the human being (or: humanity) was birthed into a living soul (or: came to exist being a living person)" (LXX, JM).
No wonder Jesus said to Philip,
"The person having discerned and seen Me has seen, and now perceives, the Father!" (Jn. 14:9).Adam had God's Life breathed into Him. As the Second Humanity (the Last Adam; 1 Cor. 15:45-47), Jesus had the Father's Life breathed into Him.
"He Whom God sends forth with a mission... God is habitually (or: continuously) giving the Spirit (Breath-effect) [and] not from out of a measure (= not by a measured portion or limit; = without measure and without limitation)" (Jn. 3:34).
In Lu. 24:49, Jesus told His followers:
"And so, look and take note: I Myself am now progressively sending forth the Promise from out of the midst of, and from, My Father (or: am out from within repeatedly sending forth My Father's promise, as an Emissary; [with other MSS: From where I now am, I now continuously send off the Promise, which is My Father]) upon you people..."
Then is Acts 1:8a, He said to them:
"you folks will progressively receive power and will continue taking to yourselves ability: a sudden (point of time) added, full coming [= Parousia] of the Set-apart Breath-effect (the Holy Spirit and Sacred Attitude) upon you folks..."
John 6:63 records Jesus saying:
"The Spirit (or: Breath-effect; or: spirit; Breath) is (or: continues being) the One continuously creating Life (or: repeatedly making alive; habitually forming life)... The declarations (gush-effects; spoken words; sayings; results of the Flow) which I, Myself, have spoken to you folks are (or: continue to be) Spirit (or: spirit; Breath-effect) and they are (or: continue being) Life."
There seem to be "dots" that can be connected here. In Acts 4:4 we read:
"many of the folks presently hearing the word (message; information; the LOGOS) trusted and believed."
A new creation was happening...
In Acts 4:31 we are instructed concerning Christ's followers:
"Later they kept on speaking God's Logos (the message and information from God; the Word of, and which is, God) with a citizen's right of complete freedom from constraint."
We will end this meditation here. It could continue on in many other verses, and in many other directions. But those will be for the following Parts 2, 3 and 4...
Jonathan
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