John starts off his gospel by saying “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God”. This is a key verse for what many refer to as the Trinity. Jay and Tim discuss an attempt at a simple definition of the Trinity and whether this verse supports it. They then get into looking at what John is truly saying about the Word and Jesus by his use of the principle of personification found in other scriptures and the New Testament concept of a new creation in Christ Jesus.
Key Verse:
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1
Show Notes:
The Trinity in a Nutshell (https://credohouse.org/blog/the-doctrineof-the-trinity-in-a-nutshell)
The Word was God
- The Word is the expression of the thoughts and wisdom of God
- The Word is Who He is, Love is Who He is, Light is Who He is
- God is light (1 John 1:5) – intelligence, understanding, purity, truth, righteousness, life
- God is love (1 John 4:8,16) – reconciling, slow to anger, tender care, rebuke and correction
- It all starts with God. We come to know Him – His love, His light – through the Word.
- Everything that Word is – love and light, grace and truth – was revealed in flesh and blood – when the Word was made flesh.
The Word in the Beginning of Creation
- The Greek word for “Word” is Logos
- The Word is the expression of the thoughts and wisdom of God (Psa. 33:6)
- An appeal to consider Genesis
- “Light” is the first spoken word that the Bible attributes to God! (Genesis 1:1-3)
The Word was with God in the Beginning
- Personification of the word (Isaiah 55:10-11)
- More personification (Psalm 107:20; 147:15; 2 Thessalonians 3:1)
- Personification of the wisdom of God (a woman!), that was WITH God (Proverbs 8:1-2; 22-31)
Christ and the New Creation
- The new creation (Colossians 1:13-20; 2 Corinthians 4:5-7)
- The new beginning (Mark 1:1; Luke 1:2; John 1:12-13)