In the Beginning

John 1:1-3

– The Synoptic Gospels start with Jesus’ birth (Matthew & Luke) and with the beginning of His ministry (Mark), but the gospel of John delves into eternity past and tells us three astounding truths about the baby who was born in Bethlehem

I.  The Identity of Jesus as the ‘Word’

1)     The ‘Word’ – logos

a.       Words reveal the content of our mind

• Jesus is the ultimate revelation of God’s mind and heart  (Hebrews 1:1-3)
• “If you’ve seen me, you’ve seen the Father”  (Jn 14:9)

b.      Words are powerful!

• The power of human speech
• The infinitely greater power of divine speech

2)     What’s in a Title??

a.     A Gospel written for the Jews

• God creates by His Word  (Ps 33:6)
• God heals by His Word  (Ps 107:20)
• God rules by His Word (Ex 20)
• God’s Word never goes out in vain  (Is 55:11)
• God’s Word is a fire and a hammer (Jer 23:29)

b.    A Gospel written for the Greeks

• Beginning with Heraclitus (550 BC), Greek Philosophers believed in the logos as an impersonal force which brings order to the universe and holds everything together.
• John uses a well known concept from Greek philosophy instruct the Greeks!

II. The Pre-existence of Jesus

1)     “In the beginning was the Word”

a.     Echoes the opening words of Genesis 1:1

b.    The Word existed before every created thing, indicating the uncreated nature of Jesus

c.     Greek verb translated “was” indicates an ongoing state of being, not a coming into existence

d.    “The world was from the beginning, but the Word was in the beginning”  -Matthew Henry

2)     The new beginning in Bethlehem

a.       Jesus, the eternal Word, created the world and gave life to the first human beings

b.      Jesus, the eternal Word, came into His fallen creation to restore it and to give spiritual life to Adam’s helpless race.

III. The Full Deity of Jesus

1)     “The Word was with God”

a.     John makes a crucial distinction between God and the Word – two Trinitarian persons!

b.    Greek pronoun “with” indicates the relational intimacy that exists within the Trinity

2)     “The Word was God”

a.     Jesus and God (the Father) are of the same essential nature – 1 God in 3 Persons

b.    Teaching of the Jehovah’s Witnesses that Jesus a created being is completely false

Application:   Marvel at the Mystery of Christmas this Advent season.  The Baby in the manger is the eternal Word who spoke the Universe into existence!