Subscription Lists
In the Word
by Chuck Livermore
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. John 1:1-5 NKJV
John begins his gospel with the declaration that Jesus is the Word of God. What did John mean by placing this nomenclature on the Son of God. God spoke the world into existence, but if you think John is referring to Jesus as being spoken into creation, John quickly shows that you are wrong. John declares in first verse that Jesus was not only with God, but He was God. In verse 3, John says that Jesus was integral in the creation and nothing was made without Him. This quickly quiets any foolishness that John means Jesus was spoken into existence by God as the rest of creation was spoken.
So what did John mean that Jesus was “the Word”? We often speak words that flow from a sinful heart. Our words can be critical and damning. Paul cautions us to guard our speech, exhorting us to speak with grace, “seasoned with salt”*. Jesus indicates that hearts of the Pharisees were manifest by the words they spoke. He compared their words to the fruit that indicates whether a tree is good or bad and warns us that our idle words will be judged (see Matthew 12:33-37). If we speak words from the abundance of our hearts, perhaps John indicates that God did the same when He sent Jesus to us in the form of a babe. Maybe Jesus came to us from the very heart of God. “The Word” from God was the very expression of God’s heart toward us.
That Word drives out the darkness of sin in our lives if we would have it. The Greek word translated “comprehend” can actually be translated three different ways. It can mean that darkness can not understand the light, or that the darkness can not control the light, or that the darkness can not eliminate the light. Perhaps the ambiguous translation makes perfect sense as it was originally written. All three are true. The light brought by the Word from God cannot be understood, controlled, or eliminated by darkness. This is the gift that came from the heart of God.
*Col.
*Colossians
Copyright 2006 by Chuck Livermore
Rate it:
Receive the newest devotional each week in your inbox by joining the "In the Word" subscription list. Enter your email address below, click "Go!" and we will send you a confirmation email. Follow the instructions in the email to confirm your addition to this list.