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Writer's pictureEdward D. Andrews
3 days ago9 min read

How Are We to Understand the Meaning of Logos in John 1:1?


The term "Logos," as used in John 1:1, is foundational to understanding the identity of Jesus Christ and His relationship to Jehovah God. The Greek word logos (λόγος) derives from the verb legō, meaning “I say,” and in this context, it is often translated as "Word." However, the term carries much more profound implications than a simple spoken word; it encompasses the ideas of speech, reason, principle, or a fundamental explanation of reality. John's use of the term reflects the concept of the Logos not merely as an abstract philosophical principle but as a divine Person, eternal and intimately involved in the creation and salvation of the world.


John's Gospel begins with the words, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1). This unequivocal declaration of the deity of Christ is essential for Christian theology. John identifies Jesus as the Logos—the eternal Word of God who was both distinct from Jehovah God and yet fully divine. This profound statement immediately dismisses any notion that Jesus was a mere created being or a lesser emanation from God, as some early heretical views, such as Arianism, later claimed. Instead, John is clear that "the Word was God," leaving no room for ambiguity about Christ's full deity.


The significance of the Logos in John 1:1 goes beyond abstract theological speculation. For John, the Logos is not merely a divine principle but a personal Being who took on flesh: "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us" (John 1:14). This remarkable event—the incarnation—underscores the unique role of Christ in salvation history. It was not a disembodied principle that entered the world but the very Word of God, clothed in human flesh, to redeem fallen humanity.



Logos in Contrast to Greek Philosophy


It is important to note that while the term logos was used in various ways by Greek philosophers, John's usage of the term differs substantially from how it was understood in Greek thought. Greek philosophers such as Heraclitus, Anaxagoras, and the Stoics understood the logos as an impersonal force or principle that governed the universe. For Heraclitus, the logos represented the rational order underlying all of reality. The Stoics saw it as the principle of reason pervading the cosmos. For Anaxagoras and Plato, it was more akin to an abstract intelligence or nous.


However, John does not use the term logos in this impersonal, abstract sense. Instead, he presents the Logos as a living, personal Being who was both with God and was God. This contrasts sharply with the Greek philosophical view, which could never conceive of the logos as a personal entity, much less one who would take on flesh. For the Greeks, flesh and matter were often viewed as inherently corrupt or evil, as seen in Gnostic and Platonic thought. The idea that the divine logos could enter the physical realm and become human was unthinkable to them.


Yet, the apostle John, rooted in his Jewish understanding of Jehovah’s interaction with His creation, presents the Logos not as a distant, impersonal force but as the very means through which God created and sustains the universe. Genesis 1:3 declares, "And God said, 'Let there be light,’ and there was light." The Word of God is creative and active, bringing forth life and order. This same Word, according to John, became incarnate in the person of Jesus Christ. The Old Testament’s concept of God speaking and creating ex nihilo (out of nothing) provides the theological foundation for John's teaching about the Logos, not Greek ideas or pagan philosophy.



Logos in the Old Testament Context


John's portrayal of the Logos is deeply rooted in the Old Testament and Jewish thought. Throughout the Old Testament, the Word of Jehovah is depicted as a powerful, active force. In Psalm 33:6, it is written, “By the word of Jehovah the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host.” Here, the Word of God is associated with creation, demonstrating its divine power to bring the cosmos into being. Similarly, in Isaiah 55:11, Jehovah declares, "So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose." The Word of Jehovah is effectual, accomplishing His will in creation and in history.


John's Gospel continues this biblical theme by showing that Jesus, as the Logos, is the ultimate expression of God's creative and redemptive Word. Through Him, the world was created (John 1:3), and through Him, the plan of redemption is brought to fulfillment. The fact that Jesus is identified as the Logos aligns with the Old Testament’s portrayal of God’s Word as not only powerful and creative but also intimately involved in the lives of His people.


In contrast to the Greek idea of the logos as a distant principle, the Hebrew understanding of the Word of Jehovah was personal and dynamic. For the Jewish people, Jehovah’s Word was an extension of Himself, active in history, delivering His people, and communicating His will. John’s use of logos fits within this Jewish framework, presenting Jesus as the ultimate fulfillment of Jehovah's self-revelation.



The Logos as Fully Divine


John's declaration that "the Word was God" is perhaps one of the most direct affirmations of Christ's deity in all of Scripture. Some early heresies, such as Arianism, attempted to deny the full deity of Christ, claiming that He was a created being, inferior to God the Father. However, John leaves no room for such an interpretation. The Logos is not presented as a lesser divine being or an intermediary force. Rather, John clearly states that "the Word was God," affirming that Jesus shares the same divine essence as Jehovah.


This is consistent with other New Testament passages that affirm the deity of Christ. In Colossians 2:9, Paul writes, "For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily." Jesus is not a lesser emanation from God, as some Greek philosophers might have conceived of the logos, but is fully divine, possessing the fullness of God in human form. This mystery of the incarnation—how Jesus could be fully God and fully human—is at the heart of Christian theology and is vital to understanding His role in salvation.


Further evidence of the Logos' divinity is found in John 8:58, where Jesus declares, "Before Abraham was, I am." Here, Jesus invokes the divine name revealed to Moses in Exodus 3:14, identifying Himself as the eternal, self-existent God. This claim of eternal preexistence and divine identity confirms that the Logos is not a created being but Jehovah Himself, come in human flesh.


Explore a fresh perspective on Jesus's use of I AM in John 8:58. Uncover insightful interpretations and implications.


Logos and the Incarnation


The incarnation of the Logos is a central tenet of the Christian faith. John 1:14 proclaims, "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." This statement encapsulates the mystery of the incarnation—that the eternal Word of God took on human nature and lived among humanity.


The significance of the incarnation cannot be overstated. In taking on flesh, the Logos entered into the human experience, not as an abstract principle or distant deity, but as a personal Savior. The incarnation demonstrates Jehovah’s love for His creation and His willingness to enter into the brokenness of the world to bring about redemption. As Hebrews 2:14 states, "Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil."


By becoming flesh, the Logos did not cease to be God. Rather, He added human nature to His divine nature, becoming fully God and fully man. This is known as the doctrine of the hypostatic union—the belief that in the one person of Jesus Christ, two natures (divine and human) are united without confusion, change, division, or separation. The incarnation allows Jesus to serve as the perfect mediator between God and humanity, fully representing both parties.


The idea that the Logos could become flesh was contrary to Greek philosophical thought, which often viewed the material world as inherently corrupt or inferior. Gnosticism, for instance, taught that the material world was evil and that salvation came through escaping it. In contrast, the Christian doctrine of the incarnation affirms the goodness of creation and the body, demonstrating that Jehovah values the material world so much that He entered it in the person of Jesus Christ.



Logos as Creator and Sustainer


John 1:3 asserts that "all things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made." This verse identifies the Logos as the agent of creation, echoing the Old Testament's teaching that Jehovah is the Creator of all things. In Genesis 1, we read that God spoke the world into existence. The Word of Jehovah was the means by which creation came into being, and John affirms that this Word is none other than Jesus Christ.


The Logos is not only the agent of creation but also the sustainer of all things. Colossians 1:17 declares, "And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together." Jesus, as the Logos, upholds the universe by the power of His word (Hebrews 1:3). This means that the very existence of the universe depends on the sustaining power of Christ. Far from being a distant or detached deity, the Logos is actively involved in the ongoing preservation of creation.



The Logos and the Revelation of God


In John 1:18, we read, "No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known." This verse highlights the role of the Logos as the ultimate revelation of Jehovah. While God had revealed Himself in various ways throughout the Old Testament—through theophanies, visions, and the words of the prophets—Jesus, as the Logos, is the final and fullest revelation of God.


As Hebrews 1:1-2 affirms, "Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son." Jesus, as the incarnate Logos, reveals the very nature and character of Jehovah to humanity in a way that no previous revelation had. To see Jesus is to see Jehovah, for He is "the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature" (Hebrews 1:3).


The concept of the Logos in John’s Gospel is a profound affirmation of the deity of Jesus Christ and His role in creation, redemption, and the revelation of Jehovah. Rooted in Old Testament theology, rather than Greek philosophy, John presents the Logos as the eternal Word of God, who became flesh to dwell among humanity and accomplish salvation. The Logos is fully divine, fully human, and intimately involved in the ongoing work of sustaining the universe and revealing Jehovah to the world.


The Christian faith rests on the identity of Jesus as the Logos—the Word made flesh—through whom all things were created, by whom all things are sustained, and in whom all things are redeemed.



About the Author

EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored over 220 books. In addition, Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).


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