In [the] beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Ἐν Preposition ἐν 2,752x (+dat) in, with, by, to
In
ἀρχῇ Noun feminine, singular, dative ἀρχή 55x beginning, first
beginning
ἦν Verb 3rd-person, singular, imperfect, active, indicative εἰμί 2,462x to be
was
ὁ Article masculine, singular, nominative ὁ 19,865x the
the
λόγος Noun masculine, singular, nominative λόγος (λόγος , 330x ) Logos, word, speech, principle
Word
|
καὶ Conjunction καί 9,162x and, also, even
and
ὁ Article masculine, singular, nominative ὁ 19,865x the
the
λόγος Noun masculine, singular, nominative λόγος 330x Logos, word, speech, principle
Word
ἦν Verb 3rd-person, singular, imperfect, active, indicative εἰμί 2,462xto be
was
πρὸς Preposition πρός 700x (+gen) for; (+dat) at; (+acc) to, toward, with
with
τὸν Article masculine, singular, accusative ὁ 19,865x the
the
θεόν Noun masculine, singular, accusative θεός 1,317x God, god
God
|
καὶ Conjunction καί 9,162x and, also, even
and
θεὸς Noun masculine, singular, nominative θεός 1,317x God, god
God
ἦν Verb 3rd-person, singular, imperfect, active, indicative εἰμί 2,462x to be
was
ὁ Article masculine, singular, nominative ὁ 19,865x the
the
λόγος Noun masculine, singular, nominative λόγος 330x Logos, word, speech, principle
Word
.
Language
Ἐν ἀρχῇ (In [the] beginning )Ἐν is a preposition meaning “in” or “at,” whileἀρχῇ is the dative singular noun meaning “beginning” or “origin.” “In contrast to1 John 1:1 where John used a similar phrase (‘from [the] beginning’) to refer to the starting point of Jesus’ ministry and gospel preaching, this phrase parallelsGenesis 1:1 where the same phrase is used. John used the phrase in an absolute sense to refer to the beginning of the time-space-material universe” (MacArthur Study Bible Notes).- Genesis 1:1, “In [the] beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”
- 1 John 1:1, “That which was from [the] beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life.”
- Revelation 22:13, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”
ἦν (was )εἰμί ). The imperfect tense is used to describe an action that was ongoing or repeated in the past, without specifying when it ended. In the context of John 1:1, the imperfect tense ofἦν (was) indicates the continuous existence of the Word before and during the beginning of time, emphasizing the eternal nature of the Word.- John 8:58 – “Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.'”
ὁ λόγος (the Word )ὁ is the definite article, indicating a specific and unique entity.λόγος (Logos) is a masculine singular nominative noun with multiple meanings in Greek, including “word,” “speech,” “reason,” “logic,” and “divine revelation.” In John 1:1, it refers to Jesus Christ, the eternal Word who embodies God’s communication and self-revelation. By identifying Jesus as the Logos, John highlights his divine nature and his role as the mediator between God and humanity.- John 1:14, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
- Psalm 33:6, “By the word of the LORD the heavens were made…”
- Hebrews 1:3, “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power…”
πρὸς (with )πρὸς is a preposition meaning “towards” or “with.” It indicates the direction or relationship between the Word and God. While some translations render it as “with,” suggesting the Word’s coexistence with God, others prefer “towards,” implying a dynamic relationship or communication flow between them. This ambiguity adds depth to the verse, allowing for interpretations of both close relationship and distinctness within the Godhead.- 1 John 1:2 – “The life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us.”
τὸν Θεόν (the God )τὸν specifies the distinct entity of God, not a generic deity.Θεόν is a masculine singular noun in the accusative case, denoting the direct object of the preposition, specifying the entity of God with whom the Word is in relationship.- Romans 5:1, “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
“and the Word was God”
or
“and God was the Word”In Greek, the word order is: “and God was the Word” (
καὶ Θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος ), but only the “Word” has the articleὁ (the), which means it should be the subject: “and the Word was God.”Daniel Wallace: “In brief, its emphatic position stresses its essence or quality: ‘What God was, the Word was’ is how one translation brings out this force. Its lack of the article keeps us from identifying the person of the Word (Jesus Christ) with the person of ‘God’ (the Father). That is to say, the word order tells us that Jesus Christ has all the divine attributes that the Father has; lack of the article (before God) tells us that Jesus Christ is not the Father. John’s wording here is beautifully compact! It is, in fact, one of the most elegantly terse theological statements one could ever find. As Martin Luther said, the lack of the article is against Sabellianism; the word order is against Arianism.” (Mounce, Basics of Biblical Greek, 27)
καὶ ὁ λόγος ἦν ὁ θεός
and the Word was the God
(Sabellianism)
καὶ ὁ λόγος ἦν θεός
and the Word was a god
(Arianism / Jehovah’s Witnesses)
Insights
- Christ’s Eternal Divinity: This verse establishes Jesus as the eternal God, existing before creation and not simply a human prophet. This is crucial for understanding the necessity of Christ’s role in salvation and restoration of humanity.
- Jesus as the Logos: The term “Logos” signifies Jesus as the embodiment of God’s wisdom, will, and communication. He is the perfect revelation of God’s purpose and the means through which God interacts with creation.
- Distinction within the Godhead: While emphasizing Christ’s divinity, the verse also distinguishes him from the Father. The phrase “the Word was with God” points towards a distinct personality within the one God, laying the foundation for understanding the Trinity.
- Jesus’ Role in Creation: John 1:1 connects Jesus to the act of creation, highlighting his power and inseparable connection to the origin and existence of all things. This further reinforces his divine nature and pre-eminence.
- Refutation of Heresies: The passage directly confronts heretical views like Arianism and Sabellianism. It refutes the idea of Jesus being a created being and clarifies the distinctness of the Son within the Godhead.
- Importance of Christology: John 1:1 lays the foundation for a robust Christology, emphasizing Jesus’ dual nature as both truly God and truly human (as later verses in John elaborate). This understanding is central to Christian faith and salvation.
- Mystery and Sobriety: While the verse offers profound insights, it also acknowledges the inherent mystery surrounding the nature of God and the relationship within the Trinity. This calls for humility and careful reflection when approaching such theological concepts.
ESV Archaeology Study BibleMany scholars discuss the historical origins of John’s use of “Word” (Gk. logos). Stoic philosophers spoke of the logos as the rational soul of the universe. Philo, a first-century Jewish philosopher in Egypt, employed logos in reference to the primal utterance of God at the beginning of creation. This terminology may also be connected in Jewish literature with Wisdom, who was beside God when he created the world. The Targums (post-NT Aramaic paraphrases of the OT) refer to the Memra (“word”) of God in similar ways. Thus there were historical forerunners and parallels to John’s language. However, John has crafted his use of logos to conform specifically to the person of his incarnate Lord, and thus his usage varies significantly from any historical precursors. God utters his Word to create and to reveal, and now that Word has become a person, incarnated as very God in human flesh.
Cross-References
“The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture itself. Therefore, when there is a question about the true and full meaning of any Scripture (which is not manifold, but one), that meaning must be searched out and ascertained by other places that speak more clearly.” (WCF 1.9)
- Genesis 1:1, “In [the] beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”
- This verse establishes God as the Creator of all things, aligning with John 1:1 which speaks of the Word being with God in the beginning, implying co-existence and co-creation with the Father.
- Proverbs 8:22-31, “The LORD possessed me at [the] beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old. Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before [the] beginning of the earth. … When he established the heavens, I was there …”
- This passage personifies Wisdom, describing it as present with God during creation, similar to how John 1:1 presents the Word (Logos) as being with God in the beginning and involved in creation.
- John 14:9, “Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?'”
- This statement by Jesus affirms His oneness with the Father, reflecting the assertion of John 1:1 that the Word (Jesus) is God, showing the unity of Jesus with the Father.
- John 17:5, “And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.”
- This prayer by Jesus reflects His pre-existence and divine glory shared with the Father, supporting the concept in John 1:1 of the Word’s eternal presence with God.
- 2 Corinthians 4:4, “In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”
- This reference to Christ as the image of God complements John 1:1 by highlighting the divine nature and pre-existence of Christ as the Word.
- Philippians 2:6, “who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,”
- This verse highlights the pre-existence and divine nature of Christ, aligning with the theme of John 1:1 that the Word, who is Christ, was with God and was God from the beginning.
- Colossians 1:15, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.”
- This verse presents Christ as the image of the invisible God and the firstborn of all creation, echoing John 1:1’s declaration of the Word’s divine status and preeminence in existence.
- Colossians 1:16, “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.”
- This verse emphasizes the role of Christ in creation, aligning with John 1:1’s theme of the Word’s active participation in the creation process, affirming His deity and sovereign authority.
- Colossians 1:17, “And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”
- This reinforces the concept of Christ’s eternal existence and sustaining power over creation, complementing the theme in John 1:1 of the Word’s eternal presence and foundational role in all things.
- Hebrews 1:2-3, “… but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, …”
- This text parallels John 1:1 by identifying the Son, Jesus, as the agent of creation and the embodiment of God’s nature, reinforcing the concept of the Word as both distinct from and one with God.
- Revelation 19:13, “He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God.”
- This verse identifies Jesus directly as the Word of God, connecting to John 1:1’s assertion of the Word being with God and being God, underscoring the divine personhood and eternal nature of Jesus.
