"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God.”
The Gospel of John is a love letter. It is written on our hearts by the Holy Spirit, not with ink, but with the blood of Christ.
It is a letter meant to be read repeatedly, letting the love of Jesus draw us deeper into the truth each time.
John 1:1 is the opening line of this letter: so simple, yet so profound. John’s words capture the very essence of Jesus.
He is the Word, the Light, and the Life.
John, who referred to himself as the “disciple whom Jesus loved,” was compelled by the love of Christ to write this Gospel. His purpose in writing his Gospel was so that we may believe “that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God” and that, by believing, we “may have life in His name” (John 20:31).
John begins by introducing the Word and later, in John 1:14, affirms that the Word is Jesus Christ. Let us look closely at John’s prologue.
In the Beginning Was the Word
John intentionally begins his Gospel with words that draw us back to the very first words of the Bible, Genesis 1:1 — “In the beginning.” In the very first chapter of Genesis, we read how God spoke the universe into existence, calming chaos and filling the universe with His creation. Later, the Psalmist finds himself in awe of the glory of God’s works, declaring:
“How many are your works, LORD! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number— living things both large and small.” Psalm 104:24–25
John tells us that at the beginning, before anything else, the Word was. That is significant. Remember, John 1:14 reveals that Jesus is the Word.
This means Jesus was in the beginning. He did not just begin to exist. Nor is He a created being. He does not exist within the confines of time. He has always been and will always be.
- Before He walked the dusty roads of Galilee, He was the way.
- Before he began teaching in the synagogues and on the shore, He was the truth.
- Before he healed the sick and raised the dead, He was the life.
But there is more. Jesus wasn’t just present at creation — He was the very power through which it happened.
Declaring Jesus’ supremacy over all creation, Paul writes,
“For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.” Colossians 1:16
For more on Jesus in creation, check out Jesus in Genesis: How Christ was Present at Creation.
John’s description of Jesus as the Word also echoes the very first chapter of Genesis, where God spoke creation into existence — ten times “God said,” and each time creation was (Genesis 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24, 26, 28, 29).
John’s opening statement, therefore, carries layers of meaning. To understand it more fully, we need to look at the word John chose to describe Jesus in the original language.
Now that we understand the connection to Genesis, let’s examine what John means by “The Word.”
What Does “The Word” Mean?
John describes Jesus using the Greek word logos (Word), meaning a message, reason, or expression of thought. By describing Jesus in this way, John was appealing to both the Greek and Jewish mind.
For the ancient Greeks, logos referred to the ordering principle behind the creation of the universe, the rational principle believed to be at the source of all things. Describing Jesus as the Word would have drawn the Greek mind to the very source of existence itself—to the one who created and ordered the universe.
To the Jews, the use of logos or the “Word” also had a deeper meaning. Throughout the Old Testament, writers referred to the “Word of the Lord” to describe God’s divine will or purpose being accomplished in the universe. Psalm 33:6 associates God’s Word with His sovereignty and power:
By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth.
Jesus as the Word means God reveals Himself and accomplishes His will through His Son.
This is made clear in Hebrews 1:2, where the writer boldly declares that, “in the last days he [God] has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he also made the universe”.
For Jew and Greek alike, John’s statement would have been revolutionary — going against conventional thought: the Word became a man, yet the Word is God. This raises an important question: How did the eternal Word become human? For more on the incarnation, The Word Became Flesh – John 1:14 and the Mystery of the Incarnation.
John continues his introduction of the Word, saying, “The Word was with God.” This, like the rest of John 1:1, has weighty implications. God was not alone. The Word was with Him.
The Word Was With God
The Greek word πρός (pros) indicates that Jesus was face-to-face with God. This shows us that the Creator of the heavens and earth, the light of the world, is not distant and unknowable, as in the impersonal logos of Greek philosophy. On the contrary, He is relational.
Although relational, He is also distinct from God. This truth is essential to the Christian doctrine of the Trinity, which is the foundational Christian belief that the one true God eternally exists as three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. For more on the Trinity and why this is important, check out the Trinity series here.
John then takes us even deeper.
The Word Was God
Here, Jesus’ divinity is unmistakably established. Contrary to what some believe, Jesus is not a lesser deity or a created being. Jesus is God.
Colossians 2:9 affirms this. It declares:
“For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form,”
And then in Colossians 1:15, Paul declares that “Christ is the image of the invisible God.”
If that doesn’t convince you, Jesus tells us point-blank He is God.
Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” (John 8:58)
Here, Jesus uses the words ἐγὼ εἰμί (ego eimi)– the very name God used for Himself in Exodus 3:14:
God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”
The religious leaders knew exactly what Jesus was claiming.
The next verse says:
“They picked up stones to stone him” (John 8:59).
What This Means For Us Today
- Knowing Jesus is eternal means that in a world that constantly changes, He never will. When He promises to be with us always, we can trust Him because He has always been.
- Knowing that Jesus is the Word means that in a world where many claim God is silent, God has spoken. Through His Son, He has revealed His character, His will, and His love so that we can truly know Him.
- Knowing that Jesus was with God means that the God of the universe is not distant or impersonal. He is relational. The eternal Son who was face-to-face with the Father stepped into our world as Immanuel — God with us.
- Knowing that Jesus is God means that He is far more than a prophet, a teacher, or a religious leader. He is the eternal Son, the Good Shepherd, the Light of the world, and the Savior of sinners.
John opens his Gospel with a breathtaking truth:
Jesus is the Word.
The One through whom the universe was spoken into existence stepped into human history so that we might know God and have life in His name.
Two thousand years later, the invitation remains the same.
Open the Gospel of John.
Read it slowly.
Read it prayerfully.
Read it as a love letter written by the Spirit of God — revealing Jesus Christ to the world.
Go Deeper into the Gospel of John
If you would like to go deeper into the Gospel of John, I invite you to join me for the Making Him Known 30-Day Deep Dive into John 1. This is a self-paced study designed to help you slow down and engage deeply with the text. Each week includes guided study tools, short teaching videos, and simple steps to help you explore John 1 using the DEEP Bible Study Method.
In this study, we will:
• explore the text of John 1, verse by verse
• learn how to study Scripture using the DEEP Bible Study Method
• trace key themes throughout John’s prologue
• discover what John’s Gospel reveals about Jesus
You can learn more and join the study below.