WHAT EXACTLY IS THE WORD OF GOD? (SHORT)
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
~Book of John
Within this scripture, is the concept of “Word” ... an inadequate rendering of the original Greek term “Logos,” which was one of the most important concepts of the ancient world. Remember, the New Testament was originally written in Greek, not English. What we have in the modern Bible is Greek, translated down into the less adequate Latin, and THEN translated into English.
In the ancient Greek, “Logos” had many meanings based on a translation of a translation. So the writer of the Gospel of John is not really saying the “Logos” is “the Word” because when the Greek New Testament was translated into Latin, “Logos” became “Verbum;” and when the English King James translation was made from the Latin version, “Verbum” became “Word,” twice removed from the original text. Got it? More than likely, you're rightly confused.
The Greek word LOGOS “Logos” designates the power of “reason,” the pattern or order of things, the principle of relationship, and an organized articulation of something ... the Archetype of something.
“Logos,” as a principle, is the natural order of things, the principle of reason, relation, and harmony, which exists both within the natural fabric of the universe and within the human mind.
The Greek understanding of the “Logos” is mystical and cosmological thought. In early Christian thought, the idea of The “Logos” - in a cosmic sense - encompassed all of these meanings and refers to the underlying Order of the Universe, the blueprint on which all creation is based. In short, the Mind and order of what many would call “God.”
In ancient Egypt, the “Logos” is related to the principle of Nous or Universal Intellect, the basis for all of creation. And as the image of Divine Intellect, humanity is ITSELF the living, incarnate image of the “Logos.” Notice, “humanity” - ALL of it - and not just one person. This is an all-inclusive relationship.
The author of the Gospel of John is saying that in the beginning with God ... was NOT a human or fleshly man ... but a harmony and natural order of things. That in the beginning with God, was an ordered pattern and blueprint for all creation in the Mind of God. And in doing so, there existed a relationship between the invisible realm of pure Spirit and Energy (God/Source) and the realm of physical existence (Matter/Earth). Both, were in absolute harmony.
In the beginning with God was this harmony and order and reason of God that would be manifested later in creation. This “Logos” was not a man, but a emanation from God OF Himself (or, ITself) and an extension of His image that would mediate between the realm of pure Spirit (heaven/unseen) and the realm of matter (mankind/seen). It would be through this “Logos” (masculine) and the “Sophia” (feminine) that God would manifest His invisible presence into the physical and visible world of mankind, and He chose to do it within His creation (mankind).
The Book of John - Chapter One - when referring to “the Logos” is not referring to a human being named Jesus but rather to a Spiritual concept that is found within every person. The Logos which is “Yahweh's Salvation.” Remember also, thats the phrase “God Saves” or “God Is Salvation” was derived from the Hebrew aleph-bet (alphabet) symbolic letters YHWH (Yod Hey Vav Hey). By adding the Hebrew letter/symbol "Shinn" these letters collectively mean "God Is Saviour" ... YHSWH. Consider also: YAHWEH, JEHOVAH, YEHOVA, YAH, YESHUA, JOSHUA, and in Latin IESUS, and in Greek IESOUS. The letter "J" does not exist in Hebrew or Greek and wasn't even created and added to English until the 1500's, hence ... Jesus.
So, in summary, the word “Word” comes from the Greek, “Logos.” The Greeks used Logos for the spoken AND unspoken word, the word still in the Mind, the reason. When applied to the Universe, Greeks were speaking to the rational principle, the Divine reason, or plan, which coordinates the entire cosmos, that governs all things.
Know also the Greek word for God was "Theos", the original writing of the Gospel of John stated:
“In the beginning was the Logos, and the Logos was with Theos, and the Logos was Theos.”
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