Who Is The Word?
God or Son? Jesus Is God? THE FOURTH MAN Yahshua: Did He Pre-exist? Yahshua Came Down From Heaven Can A Spirit Being Die?
Yahshua's Glory Before the Foundation of the World Did Our Saviour Pre-exist? Yahshua A Man The Greek Word Logos Yahshua: Son Of Elohim Hebrews 1:12
The 2nd Psalm - Pre-existence? The Pre-existence Yahshua's Pre-existence "One And The Same Being?" ONE LONE YAHWEH Oneness Matthew 28:19 ECHAD And Pre-existence New Covenant And Sabbath
YHWH Did Yahshua Create? Who Is The Word? Who Raised Yahshua From The Dead? The Word of Yahweh The First & The Last Yeshua Is Not Yahowah The Holy Spirit Is An It
Elohim: Singular Or Plural? TWO YAHWEHS? Did The Father And Son Have The Same Name? Are You A Nicolaitane? Should Believers Be Vegetarians? Voy Wilks On STDs
Who Was Cain's Wife? Santa God Sabbath Church Confessions House of Yahweh - Abilene, Texas TRM Wine Or Grape Juice?
The Name Jesus "Jesus IS God!" Links Eternal Virgin? THE TESTIMONY OF THE REFORMERS The Epistle Dedicatory To The 1611 Authorized Version Isaiah 9:6
The 2nd Psalm - Pre-existence?
Yahshua's Glory Before the Foundation of the World
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Revised English Version [REV] Bible - Commentary
John Chapter One
John 1:1 in the Greek reads "God was the word," but most if not all English versions read, "the Word was God." This reverses the phrase, and changes the meaning. To say "God was the word" is not the same as, "the Word was God."
In the Greek, the letter l in logos is not capitalized, even tho when proper, some Greek words are capitalized. But in English versions, the l is capitalized - improperly. Why? To enhance the doctrine of the Trinity, which gave birth to the theory of the Pre-existence of Yahshua.
In verse 3 & 10, the Greek word dia is translated "through." Since Scriptures both in the O.T. and the N.T. tell us that Yahweh (the Supreme Being) (1) created all things, (2) with no help from anyone, and (3) that no Deity was with him in the act of creating, then John 1:3 must agree with these Scriptures, especially with those in the O.T. (since the Messiah and the Apostles proved their doctrine by the O.T.). After all, The N.T. depends on the O.T. for its reason to exist. Please see the paper "Who Is the Creator?"
"Through" is not technically a wrong translation of the word dia, if the message of the sentence indicates this. But just as Hebrews 1:1-2, and Col. 1:15-17, the word dia should be translated "on account of," or "because of." Reason? The message in the sentence demands this. The word dia is often translated "on account of," or "because of."
Thanks,
Voy
WHO IS THE WORD?
(John 1:1)
In John 1:1 the writer is very plain in telling us who the 'word' was. He says the word was God. Now we must find out who God is and we will then know who the word is. Let's see who John says God is. Let's go to v.18 of this same chapter. John tells us that God is the Father, not Jesus the only begotten son. Now if we can believe John that God is the Father let's examine the Scripture back to v.1. We find the word 'God' in v.13 and John said God was the Father. In v.12, we find the word 'God,' and keeping this in context with v. 18, John has said God is the Father, not the son. Now let's go back to v.6. Here we find the word 'God'. Again staying in the context of John 1:18, John has said that God is the Father, not the son.Now let's go to v.2. We find the word 'God' again. Staying in context with John 1:18. John tells us God is the Father, not the son Jesus. Now last of all, let's go to v.1 where we find God two times. Again staying in context with v.18, we find John telling us that God is the Father ,not the son. Since John says God is the Father then the 'word' was God the Father. not Jesus the son. Believest thou this? Since God is made up of His 'word', the 'word' can be with God and be God - not another person. According to John there is only one person mentioned in John 1:1. That one person is God the Father, the Almighty.
In John 1:14, this same 'word' that was God the Father (because the word was in the Father) produced His son Jesus. The 'word' in John 1:14 is not Jesus. The 'word', God the Father, produced Jesus. The word (in God the Father) 'made' flesh or an earthly fleshly tabernacle for Jesus to dwell in. This was not a new thing because the same 'word' in God the Father had produced a fleshly tabernacle for Adam, for Eve, for monkeys, for giraffes, for elephants, and etc. This same thing is shown in 1 Cor. 15:39 where Paul said "all flesh is not the same flesh but there is one kind of flesh for men, another flesh of beats, another of fishes and another of birds. The 'word' with and in God the Father made or produced all of those kinds of flesh and later produced a fleshly body for Jesus.
A deeper understanding of this is that his word or doctrine in God the Father produced the flesh [word or doctrine] in Jesus Christ's mind. We find Jesus' flesh being his word in John 6:51 and 63. We have enclosed an article on John 1:1-18 with lines drawn on it so you can better understand that the 'word' in John 1:1 is God the Father, not Jesus the son.
One other point on John 1:1 is found in John 20:31. "But these are written, that ye might believe Jesus is the Christ, the son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name." This is John's reason for writing this whole book of John. His reason was to prove that Jesus was the son of God and not that Jesus was God. One is completely out of context when saying that John 1:1 is saying Jesus was God. That is the opposite in John's purpose for writing this book of John. Let's stay in context throughout this whole book of John by understanding the three reasons that John give for writing this whole book. 1. That Jesus is the Christ. 2. That Jesus is the son of God. 3. That we might have life by believing what he wrote.
Eddie Baker
Rt. 2, Box 137
Moberly, MO 65270
Ph # 816 263 9709
Yahchanan [John] 1:18 - No man has seen Yahweh at any time; the only begotten son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared [him] (A.K.J.V. - Edited and with Yahweh's Name Restored).
Webmaster's Entry:
Father Yahweh's word is just that, Father Yahweh's word. Father Yahweh's word is not a separate being or person apart from Himself that pre-existed with Him in the beginning or had any part in the actual creation of the heavens and the earth and all things in them. Yahshua is not literally his Father Yahweh's word, but the spokesman of His word IN THESE LAST DAYS and was not a spokesman of His word IN THE BEGINNING, but it is the prophets of old who were as Hebrews 1:1-2 makes perfectly clear. This is why his name/title is called "The Word of Yahweh" in Revelation. Note that this does not say that Yahshua "IS" or "WAS" the word of Yahweh! Nowhere in Scripture does it ever teach that Yahshua "IS" or "WAS" the word of Yahweh or that Yahshua "IS" "God"!
Many are deceived into believing that the "word" (that has been deliberately CAPITALIZED on and PERSONIFIED in translation) spoken of in Yahchanan [John] 1:1 is literally Father Yahweh's word as a separate being apart from Himself that pre-existed as His son Yahshua. This was done to confuse one into believing in a "Triune God".
Note John 1:1 in the following translations which does not give personification of Father Yahweh's word as a separate being apart from Himself:
1. “All things were made by it” (Tyndale, 1534)
2. “The worde ... All things were made by the same” (Coverdale, 1535)
3. “All things were made by it and without it nothing was made” (Matthews’ Bible, 1537)
4. “All things were made by it and without it was made nothing that was made” (The Great Bible, 1539)
5. “All things were made by it” (Taverner NT, 1540)
6. “All things were made by it”(Whittingham, 1557)
7. “All things were made by it” (The Geneva Bible, 1560)
8. “All things were made by it” (Bishops’ Bible, 1568)
9. “All things were made by it” (Tomson NT, 1607)
10. “Nor can anything be produced that has been made without it [Reason]” (John LeClerc, 1701)
11. “The word ... through the same all things were made” (Mortimer, 1761)
12. “In the beginning was Wisdom ... All things were made by it” (Wakefield NT, 1791)
13. “The Word ... All things were made by it” (Alexander Campbell, founder of the Church of Christ, 1826)
14. “The Word ... All things were formed by it” (Dickinson, A New and Corrected Version of the NT, 1833)
15. “All things were made by it” (Barnard, 1847)
16. “Through it [the logos] everything was done” (Wilson, Emphatic Diaglott, 1864)
In the beginning was the LOGOS, and the LOGOS was with GOD, and the LOGOS was God. This was in the Beginning with GOD. Through it every thing was done; and without it not even one thing was done, which has been done.
17. “All things through it arose into being” (Folsom, 1869)
18. “All things were made through it” (Sharpe, Revision of the Authorized English Version, 1898)
19. “All things were made by the Love thought” (Goddard, 1916)
20. “All things came into being in this God-conception and apart from it came not anything into being that came into being” (Overbury, 1925)
21. “All came into being through it” (Knoch, 1926)
22. “The word ... the living expression of the Father’s thought” (Blount, Half Hours with John’sGospel, 1930)
23. “The word was god” (C.C. Torrey, The Four Gospels, 1933)
24. “Through the divine reason all things came into being” (Wade, The Documents of the NT Translated, 1934)
25. “Without it nothing created sprang into existence” (Johannes Greber, 1937)
26. “It was in the beginning with God, by its activity all things came into being” (Martin Dibelius, The Message of Jesus Christ, translated by F.C. Grant, 1939)
27. “Through its agency all things came into being and apart from it has not one thing come to be” (William Temple, Archbishop of Canterbury, Readings from St. John’s Gospel, 1939)
28. “The energizing mind was in existence from the very beginning” (Crofts, The Four Gospels, 1949)
29. “First there was the Thought and the Thought was in God ... He, him” (Hoare, Translation from the Greek, 1949)
30. “In the beginning God expressed Himself ... That personal expression, that word ... He” (J.B. Philips, NT in Modern English, 1958)
31. “All was done through it” (Tomanek, 1958)
32. “The Word was the life principle [in creation]” (William Barclay, NT, 1969)
33. “This same idea was at home with God when life began ... He” (Jordan, Cottonpatch Version, 1970)
34. “All things became what they are through the Word” (Dale, NT, 1973)
35. “Within the Word was life” (Edington, 1976)
36. “It was his last werd. Ony it come first” (Gospels in Scouse, 1977)
37. “By it everything had being, and without it nothing had being” (Schonfield, The Original NT, 1985)
38. “All things were made through the Word” (Inclusive Language Lectionary, 1986)
39. “In the beginning was the Plan of Yahweh. All things were done according to it” (Hawkins, Book of Yahweh, 1987)
40. “All things happened through it” (Gaus, Unvarnished NT, 1991)
41. “In the beginning was the divine word and wisdom ... everything came to be by means of it” (Robert Miller, The Complete Gospels, Annotated Scholars’ Version, 1992
Clearly Yahshua is the spokesman of Father Yahweh's word in this last time period!
http://www.bible.cc/john/12-49.htm
http://www.bible.cc/hebrews/1-2.htm
The man Jesus is not literally his Heavenly Father Yahweh's word but is the spokesman of His word IN THESE LAST DAYS. He was not a spokesman [angel, mediator, prophet] of God’s word IN THE BEGINNING in accordance with Hebrews 1:1-2.
Therefore, Jesus’ titles is called "The Word of Yahweh." Note that Father Yahweh's word is figuratively said to be a sword that proceeds out of Jesus’ mouth in Revelation. When Jesus was here ON EARTH, he said that the word that he spoke was not his own, but the word of his FATHER Yahweh and Almighty One [Elohim, God] Who is IN HEAVEN. Jesus said that his God and Father Yahweh had commanded him what to speak.
God's word and spirit are not persons, beings or entities, but are ITS just as any other's word and spirit are ITS and not a person, being or entities.
John 1 From Natural Israelite Bible: In the beginning was the spoken word, and the words were from Yahweh, and the words were Yahweh's. It was in the beginning from Yahweh. All things were made through Yahweh's word and without it nothing was made that was made. In Yahweh's words were Life, and the Life was the Light of men.. And the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. ... And the word [of Yahweh] did make Him into flesh to dwell among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:1-5,14 - Natural Israelite Bible).
In the beginning there was Wisdom, and Wisdom was with God, and Wisdom was of God. IT was with God in the beginning. All things were created through IT; and nothing was created without IT. In IT was life, and this life provided light for all persons. This light shines in the darkness, yet the darkness cannot possess IT.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and what God was the Word was. This Word was in the beginning with God. Everything came to be through IT, and apart from IT nothing came to be. That which came to be in IT was life. And this life was the light of humankind. And the light shines in the darkness, but the darkness did not overcome IT.
Tyndale's New Testament Translation of John 1:1-5: In the beginning was the word and the word was with God: and the word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by IT and without IT was made nothing that was made. In IT was life and the life was the light of men and the light shineth in the darkness but the darkness comprehended IT not.
In verse 5 the light which is in the world is an it (auto); only in verse 10 is this light turned into a masculine person “him.” That is because the light is Jesus when Jesus is born, and before this Jesus, the Son of God, is not yet in existence. Thus the word is Jesus only after Jesus begins to exist, is born.
... by the word of Yahweh were the heavens made,’ (Psalm 33:6) So shall My word be which goes forth from My mouth. IT will not return to Me void, but IT will accomplish what I please and IT will prosper in the thing for which I sent IT’ (Isaiah 55:11). Isaiah 55:11 clearly says that Father Yahweh's word is an "it” in agreement with Tyndale’s translation of John 1:1-5 and many other translations.
English translations before the 1611 KJV: 1525 - Tyndale Bible, 1535 - Coverdale Bible, 1537 - Matthew Bible, 1539 - Great Bible, 1560 - Geneva Bible, 1568 - Bishops Bible. The Bishops' Bible is an English translation of the Bible which was produced under the authority of the established Church of England in 1568. It was substantially revised in 1572, and the 1602 edition was prescribed as the base text for the King James Bible that was completed in 1611.
[PDF] All English translations from the Greek before the 1611 KJV describe the logos as an “it” and not a “he” in John 1:2-3: “All things were made by it, and without it was made nothing that was made. In it was life, and the life was the light of men” (Tyndale, Matthews’, Great Bible, Taverner, Whittingham, Geneva, Bishops’, and Tomson). Five of these eight translations also do not capitalize “word” in John 1:1.
... but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah [called the Christ], the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name (John 20:31). No. It does not say 'these are written that you may believe that Jesus is God.'
End of Webmaster's Entry
95 Translations of John 1:1: “… and the Word was God.”
Below is a list of 95 English translations of the New Testament verse of the Bible identified as John 1:1. The versions represent the work of scholars from a wide variety of religious groups.
The time frame covered is approximately 700 years with the oldest translation coming from circa 1300 A.D. The translations are presented in alphabetical order based on the name of the Bible version from which they are taken. Please note that The New World Translation, version of this verse where its translators inserted the word “a” into the text, does not agree with these translations of the verse listed below. The actual, original Greek text below is followed with 95 English translations:
John 1:1 Greek Text:
en arch hn o logoV kai o logoV hn proV ton qeon
kai qeoV hn o logoV
American Standard Version: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
American Translation (Beck), An: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
Aramaic New Covenant: “In the beginning the Word having been and the Word having been unto God and God having been the Word . . .”
Archbishop Newcome’s New Testament (Prior to changes by Belsham): “The Word was in the beginning, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
Barclay New Testament: “When the world began, the Word was already there. The Word was with God, and the nature of the Word was the same as the nature of God.”
Basic Bible: “From the first he was the Word, and the Word was in relation with God and was God.”
Bible in Basic English: “From the first he was the Word, and the Word was in relation with God and was God.”
Bible Reader, The: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
Bishops Bible: “In the begynnyng was the worde, & the worde was with God: and that worde was God.”
Common English New Testament: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
Complete Jewish Bible: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
Concordant Literal New Testament: “In the beginning was the word, and the word was toward God, and God was the word.”
Confraternity of Christian Doctrine Translation: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God; and the Word was God.”
Conservative Version, A: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
Contemporary English Version: “In the beginning was the one who is called the Word. The Word was with God and was truly God.”
Coptic Version of the New Testament: “In (the) beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word …”
Coverdale Bible, The: “In the begynnynge was the worde, and the worde was with God, and God was ye worde.”
Darby Holy Bible: “In (the) beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
Documents of the New Testament, The: “In the Beginning there existed the Divine Reason, and the Divine Reason was with God, and the Divine Reason was God.”
Douay-Rheims Bible: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
Emphasized Bible by J.B. Rotherham, The: “//Originally// was /the Word, And //the Word// was /with God; And /the Word/ was //God//.”
Emphatic Diaglott, The: “In the beginning was the LOGOS, and the LOGOS was with God, and the LOGOS was God.”
English Majority Text Version: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
English Jubilee 2000 Bible: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with the God, and the Word was God.”
English Version for the Deaf (a.k.a. Easy to Read Version): “Before the world began, the Word was there. The Word was there with God. The Word was God.”
Geneva Bible, The: “In the beginning was the Worde, and the Worde was with God and that Worde was God.”
Godbey Translation of the New Testament: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
God’s Word (a.k.a. Today’s Bible Translation): “In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
Great Bible (Cranmer 1539): “In the begynnynge was the worde, and the worde was wyth God: and God was the worde.”
Holman Christian Standard Bible: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
Holy Bible in Modern English, The: “The WORD existed in the beginning, and the WORD was with God, and the WORD was God.”
Inclusive Version, An: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
Interlinear Bible (Greene): “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
International Standard Version: “In the beginning, the Word existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
James Murdock’s Translation of the Syriac Peshitta: “In the beginning, was the Word; and the Word was with God; and the Word was God.”
Jerusalem Bible, The: “In the beginning was the Word: the Word was with God and the Word was God.”
John Wesley New Testament: “In the beginning existed the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God.”
King James Version: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
Kleist-Lilly New Testament: “When time began, the Word was there, and the Word was face to face with God, and the Word was God.”
Knox Translation: “At the beginning of time the Word already was; and God had the Word abiding with him, and the Word was God.”
Lamsa Bible: “The Word was in the beginning, and that very Word was with God, and God was that Word.”
Lattimore New Testament: “In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God.”
Letchworth Version in Modern English: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
Living Oracles New Testament, The: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
McCord’s New Testament Translation of the Everlasting Gospel: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
Message, The (a.k.a. New Testament in Contemporary English): “The Word was first, the Word present to God, God present to the Word. The Word was God …”
Modern Reader’s Bible: “IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD: AND THE WORD WAS WITH GOD: AND THE WORD WAS GOD.”
Modern Speech New Testament, The: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
Montgomery New Testament (Helen Brett Montgomery): “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was face to face with God, and the Word was God.”
New American Bible: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
New American Standard Version: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
New Berkeley Version in Modern English, The: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
New Century Version: “In the beginning there was the Word. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
New English Bible: “When all things began, the Word already was. The Word dwelt with God, and what God was, the Word was.”
New Evangelical Translation: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
New International Version: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
New Jerusalem Bible: “In the beginning was the Word: and the Word was with God and the Word was God.”
New King James: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
New Living Translation: “In the beginning the Word already existed. He was with God, and he was God.”
New Millenium Bible, The: “The Word already existed before the world was created. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
New Revised Standard Version: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
New Testament in Plain English: “In the beginning the Word of God was there. And the Word was face to face with God, and the Word was God.
Noli New Testament: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was by God, and the Word was God.”
Norlie’s Simplified New Testament: “The Word was in the beginning; the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
Orthodox Jewish Brit Chadasha, The: “Bereshis (In the Beginning) was the Dvar Hashem (YESHAYAH 55:11; BERESHIT 1:1), and the Dvar Hasem was agav (along with) Hashem (MISHLE 8:30; 30:4), and the Dvar Hashem was nothing less, by nature, than Elohim! (TEHILLIM 56:11(10); yn17:5; Rev. 19:13).”
People’s New Covenant, The: “In the original being the Word, or GOD-Idea existed; and the God-Idea existed in the at-one-ment with God; and the GOD-Idea was GOD-manifest.”
Phillips Revised Student Edition: “At the beginning God expressed himself. That personal expression, that word, was with God, and was God …”
Recovery Version: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
Restoration of Original Sacred Name Bible: “Originally was the Word, and the Word was with YAHVAH; and the Word was YAHVAH.”
Revised English Bible: “In the beginning the Word already was. The Word was in God’s presence, and what God was, the Word was.”
Revised Version: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
Revised Standard Version: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
Riverside New Testament: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
Sacred Scriptures, Bethel Edition, The: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with Yahweh, and the Word was Elohim.”
Scholars Version: “In the beginning there was the divine word and wisdom. The divine word and wisdom was there with God, and it was what God was.”
Scriptures (ISR), The: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with Elohim, and the Word was Elohim.”
Shorter Bible, The: “In the beginning was the divine Wisdom, and the divine Wisdom was with God, and the divine Wisdom was God.”
Spencer New Testament: “In the beginning was the WORD, and the WORD was with God, and the WORD was God.”
Swann New Testament: “In the beginning was the TRUTH, and the TRUTH was with God, and God was the TRUTH.”
Today’s English New Testament: “In the beginning was the Logos. And the Logos was with God. And God was the Logos.”
Today’s English Version (a.k.a Good News Bible): “Before the world was created, the Word already existed; he was with God, and he was the same as God.”
Twentieth Century New Testament, The: “At the Beginning the Word already was: The Word was with God; and the Word was God.”
Unvarnished New Testament, The: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was toward God, and God was what the Word was.”
Webster Bible, The: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
Westminster Version of the Sacred Scriptures: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
Weymouth New Testament: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
The Wiclif Translation (by John Wycliffe): “In the bigynnynge was the word and the word was at god, and god was the word …”
William Tyndale Translation: “In the beginnynge was the worde, and the worde was with God: and the worde was God.”
Williams New Testament: “In the beginning the Word existed; and the Word was face to face with God; yea, the Word was God Himself.”
World English Bible: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
Worldwide English (New Testament): “The Word already was, way back before anything began to be. The Word and God were together. The Word was God.”
Worrell New Testament: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
Wuest Expanded Translation: “In the beginning the Word was existing. And the Word was in fellowship with God the Father. And the Word was as to His essence absolute deity.”
Young’s Literal Translation, Revised Edition: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God; and the Word was God …”
Was the Logos of God a “he” or an “it?”
Unfortunately, perhaps the greatest tragedy in the translation of the Word of God on this topic is the seemingly harmless translation of the pronoun that refers to the LOGOS. The Greek pronoun AUTOS can be translated either “him” or “it” depending on the noun that it is referring to. In KOINE Greek, there were not multiple pronouns used for each type of noun, they did not have a “he”, “she” and an “it” as we have in English. They simply had one pronoun, AUTOS, which was used as a placeholder for all three of these noun types. If referring to a man, AUTOS would be translated “he” or “him,” but if referring to an inanimate object like the LOGOS, “life” or the “light,” then “it” is more accurate. In “The Challenge of Bible Translation” Mark L. Strauss, Professor of New Testament at Bethel Seminary in San Diego confirms:
“Grammatically, pronouns follow their antecedents; they do not govern them…In beginning Greek we teach our students that a pronoun replaces a noun (its antecedent) and gets its meaning from that noun—not vice versa! … We should not impose the male connotations of ‘he’ onto AUTOS unless we are sure they are there. And in most generic contexts, there is no evidence that they are there. Indeed, when AUTOS is preceded by a true generic term, we must assume it, too, is a true generic. It does not mean ‘he’…What some English speakers have trouble comprehending is that, because Greek pronouns such as AUTOS were used for all masculine nouns—whether animate or inanimate—in many contexts this pronoun sounded exactly like ‘it’ sounds to English ears.”-Strauss, Mark L. “The Challenge of Bible Translation”, p128, 130
Although I do agree that it is very difficult to assign an inanimate neutral pronoun like “it” to the living, breathing, active, penetrating truth that is the LOGOS of God, it probably is the most accurate translation of the term AUTOS as it relates to the personified, but still inanimate object of the LOGOS; and that is how AUTOS has been translated every other place the LOGOS is found to be with a pronoun in Scripture. Referring to the LOGOS as a “him” brings with it a large presupposition that potentially was not the original intent of John, and in the process essentially reshapes our entire perception of probably the primary proof text for the deity of Jesus in all of Scripture! The fact that AUTOS is translated “he” and “him” in the Prologue of John numerous times gives us insight into the paradigms and agendas of the translators. It proves that they are speculating that the LOGOS is used interchangeably by John for the term “Jesus,” and you’ll even hear this verse quoted as “obvious” or “certain” evidence that Jesus was in fact referred to as “God.” Whereas the vast majority of scholars obviously presume that it is appropriate to translate AUTOS as “him” rather than “it” in the Prologue of John because the LOGOS is in fact Jesus in their minds, the same scholars would consider it ludicrous to propose the translation of the term LOGOS to the English name “Jesus” because they would consider this a drastic and unacceptable departure from the original words of John. But this is exactly what is inferred with the current speculative translation of the generic pronoun AUTOS. By translating AUTOS “he” and “him” in the Prologue, we are making an implied argument that John uses the term LOGOS as a placeholder for the proper name of IESOUS, which means “Jesus.” They are now no longer “translating” the original Greek, but rather “speculating” based on a theologically based set of paradigms that does not align precisely with the text. I’d rather presume that John references the inanimate LOGOS in his Prologue for a reason. If in fact he meant that “Jesus” was “God,” he would have said IESOUS, not LOGOS. And the LOGOS, in its true inanimate sense, as with the many verses of the Prologue and exclusively throughout the rest of Scripture, it is not a “him,” it is an “it.”
And before you claim this alleged translation bias is an argument from silence because it has little support from the current academic community, if you were to reread John 1:1-5 & 14 the way the primary original translator of the Bible into English and the principal source for many of our modern translations interpreted it in William Tyndale’s first version of the New Testament translated in 1525, our current perception of the verse would be drastically different:
1In the beginning was that word, and that word was with god, and god was that word. 2The same was in the beginning with god. 3All things were made by it, and without it, was made no thing, that made was. 4In it was life, and life was the light of men 5and the light shineth in the darkness, and darkness comprehended it not…14And that word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw the glory of it, as the glory of the only begotten son of the father, which word was full of grace, and verity. - John 1:1-5, 14 {TYNDALE}
And as most are already aware, all modern translators since the KJV retranslate the pronoun AUTOS as “he” or “him” rather than agreeing with Tyndale and translating the term “it.” But now we know that they did so in spite of previously accepted translations rather than because of them. Look how drastic the translation of this one pronoun changes the meaning of a verse, and potentially the “central” doctrine of our religion! But the interesting thing to note, once again, is that even though the above verses seem irregular to us now, the current translations that we have were, at the time they were translated, an intentional deviation from the norm! At the time that the KJV was being translated, the two primary Bibles used were Tyndale’s New Testament and the Protestant Church’s Geneva Bible translated by John Calvin’s brother-in-law, William Whittingham, both of which chose to translate AUTOS as “it” rather than “him” here in John’s Prologue. And this is significant for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is that John Wyclif’s Bible, which is the only English version that preceeded Tyndale’s, translated this pronoun as “he” and “him” throughout the Prologue. So the translation of this term to “it” by both Tyndale and the Geneva Bible must have been an intentional deviation from Wyclif. But the translators subsequent to Tyndale and Calvin are telling us that, even though they choose to use the vast majority of Tyndale’s words identically as he translated them, they disagreed with him almost exclusively with this pronoun and the correct order of the phrase KAI THEOS EN HO LOGOS or “and god was the word.” They speculated that AUTOS should rather be translated “him” because they believed that the LOGOS was in fact a “him” in the beginning prior to it “becoming flesh” where it was presumed to be referring to Jesus. But if AUTOS is by default an “it” unless its antecedent forces it into a gender specific pronoun, these translators are no longer acting as translators, but rather as interpreters that are presuming a meaning that is injected into the words chosen by John. This primary unbiased interpretation is unfortunately only evidenced when we review our earliest English translations prior to our modern interpretive deviations.
But rather than having a disagreement on the correct translation of the pronoun AUTOS, let’s instead, just read the verses using the noun or antecedent that the pronoun AUTOS is intended to replace, so we can remove the bias of interpretation from either side:
1In the beginning was [the LOGOS], and [the LOGOS] was with God, and [the LOGOS] was God. 2 [the LOGOS] was in the beginning with God. 3All things came into being through [the LOGOS], and apart from [the LOGOS] nothing came into being that has come into being. 4In [the LOGOS] was life, and the life was the Light of men. 5The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend [the light] … 14And [the LOGOS] became flesh, and dwelt [EN] us, and we saw [the LOGOS]’s glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. - John 1:1-5, 14 {NASB}
These verses look very different when they are not overloaded with the heavy burden of the translators’ speculative interpretations. Now, for those of you skeptics who are currently accusing me of taking our earliest version of the English Bible and using it as support to prove my interpretation of the original rendering of John. Remember, Tyndale was the father of the English Reformation and all current Bibles relied heavily if not almost exclusively on his interpretation of the original intent of the authors of Scripture. And as already stated, multiple Bibles actually translated AUTOS as “it” prior to the KJV, so it wasn’t only Tyndale who originally interpreted the verse this way. SOURCE
Following is an excerpt from:
In The Beginning Was The Word (John 1)
John's Gospel commences with this statement and goes on to state that this word was with God and was God, and made all things (vv. 1-4). And because the title, Word of God, is applied to the Lord Jesus in Revelation 19:13, it is claimed that these verses in John relate to a pre-existent Christ.
If this were so, however, it would make the Bible appear hopelessly contradictory, for such reference as: "I will be his Father, and He shall be my son," "I will make him My firstborn," "Jesus Christ the son of Abraham the son of David" are at variance with the teaching that represents Jesus as already living.
The Greek term translated "word" is logos. It signifies the outward form of inward thought or reason, or the spoken word as illustrative of thought, wisdom and doctrine.
John is teaching that in the very beginning, God's purpose, wisdom or revelation had been in evidence. It was "with God" in that it emanated from him; it "was God" in that it represented Him to mankind [a similar expression is used by Christ in Matthew 26:28: "This is my blood" -- that is, this represents my blood. Again, in Matthew 13:20: "the same is he" signifies the same, "represents he." "That rock was Christ" (1 Cor. 10:4), it represented Christ]; and it became the motive power of all that God did, for all was made with it in mind, and it presented the hope of life to mankind (see John 1: 3-4).
What John is stating, therefore, is that in the very beginning there existed the wisdom or purpose of God, and that it was revealed unto men to provide a way of life.
What did it proclaim?
The coming of one who would overcome sin and give reality to the hope of life. The promise of this was stated from the beginning in the Word or Doctrine of God (e.g. Genesis 3:15).
This Word, Wisdom or Doctrine found its reality, its substance, its confirmation (Romans 15:8) in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ; therefore John taught:
"The word was made (Greek-ginomai "became") flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14).
The Word was made flesh, or became flesh, as it is expressed in the Greek. The Declaration of Divine wisdom found its substance and reality in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Before his advent, it was a mere Word or Promise, but when he became manifested, it became a person.
The person did not exist before the birth of the child Jesus; but the promise and wisdom of God always existed.
That is the teaching of John. It does away with the embarrassment of teaching that an angel became an embryo in the womb of a woman, as demanded by the theory of a pre-existent Jesus.
We acknowledge that "Word" is personalized as "him", in John 1:4, but that is a common Hebraism found throughout the Bible. Riches, Wisdom, Sin, and other subjects are similarly treated. Sometimes these are used to press the doctrine of pre-existence. For example, on several occasions, Jehovah's Witnesses have drawn attention to such passages as Proverbs 8:22, and applied them to their notion of a pre-existent Jesus. The passage reads:
"The Lord possessed me in the beginning of His way, before His works of old."
The subject matter of the chapter is wisdom which is personified; but, unfortunately for the doctrine of the preexistent son, it is personified as a woman: "She standeth, she crieth" etc. (Prov. 8:1-3).
JOHN 1:1
Semantics Count
By Sidney Hatch
What does John 1:1 really say? We were discussing the person Yahshua when someone said, "'In the beginning was the word, and the word was with YHWH and the word was YHWH.' There, that proves that Yahshua was YHWH."
John 1:1 was the Scripture quoted. It is a common assumption that this teaches the deity of Yahshua. Word" in Greek is "logos." It occurs more than 300 times in the New Testament, and simply means a spoken word, a teaching, a report, etc.
John 1:1 says three things about this "logos," or spoken word:
(1) It was in the beginning.
(2) It was with YHWH.
(3) It was YHWH.
What do these remarkable statements mean?
(1) The phrase, "in the beginning," tells us immediately that John speaks of the creation; the events described in Genesis 1:1.
(2) The spoken word of YHWH was the great force in those momentous days.
(3) To say that the word was "with YHWH" tells us that it was the spoken word of YHWH himself, not that of another person.
Here John answers the Gnostic idea that YHWH is too aloof and remote to have done the creating himself, and so did the creating through an agent. This [thoroughly Greek] idea * penetrated Christianity with the teaching that the second person of a triune YHWH did the creating. (Colossians 1:16 does not say that Yahshua created all things. It says that YHWH created all things because of Him and for Him).
To say that the spoken word was YHWH, is a Hebraic way of saying that YHWH's word was mighty and powerful. The Greek word "theos" is the equivalent of the Hebrew "elohim," which means essentially that something is mighty or powerful.
John 1:3 tells us that the world was created by the spoken word: "All things were made by it; and without it was not anything made that was made." This is confirmed in Psalms 33:6-9, which says YHWH spoke, and it was done, He commanded, and the world stood fast.
Finally, the 14th verse of John 1 tells us this "logos" or spoken word was made flesh, a human being, and dwelt among us. It does not say that YHWH became flesh. It says that YHWH created "flesh." a human being, who would be His messenger or spokesman.
The purpose of the entire message in John 1:1-18 is to prove that Yahshua was YHWH's Messenger, the final expression of His purpose and will to the world. He [YHWH] was the spoken word ... Hebrews 1:1-2 sums it all up when it says in times past YHWH spoke in various and fragmentary ways, especially through the prophets, but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son."
This person (mentioned above) thinks of John 1:1 as though it reads, "In the beginning was Yahshua, and Yahshua was with YHWH, and Yahshua was YHWH." This is indeed a popular understanding of this verse, and Christian people can ** hardly be blamed, because responsibility rest upon the shoulders of religious professionals who teach this. That, however, is not what it says.
An amplified paraphrase of John 1:1 would be as follows: "YHWH's spoken word was in the beginning at creation. It was His word, not the word of another, and it [His spoken word] was mighty and powerful - sufficiently powerful to create all things."
* Voy's note:
"Logos", a Greek word meaning speech, organization, rational order, rational relationship, or rational expression common in Greek philosophical writings" (Encyclopedia. Judaica, article: Logos).
In the "Sixth Letter," sometime attributed to that Greek philosopher, Plato, "the son of the true god is identified as the divine governor and origin of all things present and future" (Ibid).
Does this sound familiar? It certainly does. This is the Christian view of the Nazarene who died on the tree, being son of the Supreme G-d, he (not his Father) is honored as the Creator.
Just as the early Greek and Gentile Christians retained their pagan doctrines of the immorality of the soul, of the Trinity, of the pagan holidays such as Christmas, Ester, Halloween, and Mat Day; they also retained their belief that it was the "son of the Supreme G-d" who did the actual work in creating the universe. Only one step further brought them to the analogy of identifying Yahshua as this Son who created the heavens and the earth.
** Webmaster's Scriptural references:
He also told them this parable: "Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? (Lukyah 6:39; Mattithyah [Matthew]15:13-14).
The Good News According to John Prologue
In the beginning was the word,
and the word was with God, and
what God was, the word was. 2The
same was in the beginning with God.
3All things were made through it,
and without it was not anything
made that has been made. 4In it was
life and the life was the light of men. ...
14And the word became flesh, and
dwelt among us (and we saw his
glory, glory as of the only begotten
from the Father), full of grace and
truth. [PDF] Revised English Version New Testament
In, by and at the beginning, start and origin of the universe was and existed the Word and saying, message and statement, declaration and thought, instruction and teaching, decree, mandate and matter - And the Word and saying, message and statement, declaration and thought, instruction and teaching, decree, mandate and matter was and existed before and corresponding to God* - And the Word and saying, message and statement, declaration and thought, instruction and teaching, decree, mandate and matter was, is and exists as God*. This certain thing was and existed in, by and at the beginning, start and origin of the universe before and corresponding to God*. Every individual and collective thing came to be and exist, arose, appeared and originated through the means of and on the grounds of, on account of and for the reason of, on the basis of and because of Him, and not a single thing that had come to be and exist, arise, appear and originate came to be or existed, arose, appeared or originated without or separate from, independent of or apart from Him. In, by and with Him was, is and exists life and continued existence; and this life and continued existence was, is and exists as the Light, Radiance and Illumination of mankind. And this Light, Radiance and Illumination becomes visible and radiates, is exposed to the eyes and is viewed, shines and revealed, exhibits and disclosed, manifests and clearly seen, known and illuminates, recognized, apparent and appears within the dark and deceitful, ignorant and obscure, ungodly and immoral, blind and worthless place that is void of understanding, and this dark and deceitful, ignorant and obscure, ungodly and immoral, blind and worthless place that is void of understanding did not find out about or comprehend, understand or perceive, grasp or detect, gain control over or seize, learn about or ascertain it.
http://downloads.thewaytoyahuweh.com/pdf/version1/yahuchanonv1.pdf
John 1 From Natural Israelite Bible:
In the beginning was the spoken word, and the words were from Yahweh, and the words were Yahweh's. It was in the beginning from Yahweh. All things were made through Yahweh's word and without it nothing was made that was made. In Yahweh's words were Life, and the Life was the Light of men.. And the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. ...
... And the word [of Yahweh] did make Him into flesh to dwell among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:1-5,14 - Natural Israelite Bible).
John 1 Properly Translated by the Late Professor of the Exegesis of Holy Scripture at the University of Oxford
Some people say, "I don't need scholars. I just read my Bible." This statement contains a hidden fallacy. The Bible you read (unless you are reading the Greek and Hebrew) comes to you via a scholar or scholars who have decided to translate it in a certain way. But you may not know that other equally distinguished linguists and scholars offer a very different understanding.Many think that John 1:1, 2, 14 mean "In the beginning was the Word - that is, the Son of God - and the Son was with God and all things were made by him, the Son…and the Son became flesh."
But here is what John really intended according to other scholars and based on John's very Jewish background in the Hebrew Bible:
"In the beginning was the purpose, the purpose in the mind of God, the purpose which was God's own being… this purpose took human form in Jesus of Nazareth" (G.B. Caird, New Testament Theology, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1995, p. 332).
This translation avoids the appalling complexities of Trinitarianism, which no one can explain. John did not teach that the Son was alive before his birth. What "preexisted" was a Purpose - God's logos, or Purpose - not the Son. The Son first came into being when he was created as the Second Adam in the womb of his mother Mary - by miracle. He is indeed the promised "seed of the woman." The Jewish people believed only in preexisting Purposes, not in preexisting Persons. The capital W on Word in your Bible comes to you because of the decision of a scholar, who expects John to teach that the word was a Person preexisting. There is no such capital letter in the Greek text of John - and no need to think of the word as other than a"word/promise/purpose." Word had occurred 1655 times in the Old Testament and never meant a Person, not once! "As a man thinks, so is he." "As God thinks and plans, so is He." Thus "the word was God and all things came into being through the word."
Yahshua's Name Is Called "The Word of Yahweh"
Revelation 19:13
Many erroneously believe since Yahshua is called or named "The Word of Yahweh" in Revelation 19:13 (http://www.bible.cc/revelation/13-19.htm - broken link) that he is and LITERALLY was the word of Yahweh and that he pre-existed as a separate being apart from his and our Father Yahweh in the beginning. This is not true! Father Yahweh's word is just that, His word. Father Yahweh's word is not a separate being apart from Himself. Yahshua is simply called or named "The Word of Yahweh" because he is the spokesman of his and our Father Yahweh's word in this last time period as Hebrews 1:1-2 makes perfectly clear. Following is a list of Hebrew names and their meanings. Note that the meanings of these names do not mean that they are LITERALLY the meanings of their names:
Hagyah [Haggai]: meaning - 'Feast of Yahweh'
Moadyah [Moadian]: meaning - 'Appointed Feast of Yahweh'
Hagyah and Moadyah were not LITERALLY Yahweh's feasts!
Pelalyah [Pelaliah]: meaning - 'Judgment of Yahweh'
Pelalyah was not LITERALLY Yahweh's Judgment!
Tobyah [Tobiah]: meaning - 'Righteousness of Yahweh'
Yahshaphat [Jehoshaphat, Joshaphat]: meaning - 'Judgment of Yahweh'
Tobyah and Yahshaphat were not LITERALLY Yahweh's Judgment!
Uzzyah [Uzziah]: meaning - 'Strength of Yahweh'
Yliyah [Elijah]: meaning - 'Strength of Yahweh'
Uzzyah and Yliyah were not LITERALLY Yahweh's strength!
Yahshabbth [Jehoshabeath]: meaning - 'Sabbath of Yahweh'
Yahshabbth was not LITERALLY Yahweh's Sabbath!
Zedekyah [Zedekiah, Zidkayah]: meaning - 'Righteousness of Yahweh'
Zedekyah was not LITERALLY Yahweh's righteousness!
Kolayah [Kolaiah]: meaning - 'Voice of Yahweh'
Kolayah was not LITERALLY the voice of Yahweh!
The same is true with Yahshua being called by the name/title "The Word of Yahweh".
Yahshua was not LITERALLY the word of Yahweh! Yahshua most certainly was not his and our Father Yahweh's word in the beginning as a separate being apart from Himself! Yahshua is the spokesman of his and our Father Yahweh's word in this last time period as Hebrews 1:1-2 make perfectly clear. Now concerning the name Yahshua. This name means 'Yahweh Redeems, Delivers, or Rescues'. This name signifies Father Yahweh as our Supreme Redeemer.
Yahshua is not LITERALLY our Supreme Redeemer Yahweh, but he is our redeemer in the sense that we have redemption by or THROUGH (by WAY of) him, since Father Yahweh gave him ALL power (authority) in Heaven and in the Earth and this "ALL" power (authority) most certainly included the power (authority) to redeem mankind from sin and death. This is why Yahshua said "I am the WAY and the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father except THROUGH me" (Yahchanan [John] 14:6).
I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins (Yahchanan [John] Mark 2:10a).
It was FATHER Yahweh Who GAVE His SON Yahshua power (authority) on earth to forgive sin (Mattithyah [Matthew] 28:18).
Also see:
Philippians 2:5-11
By Voy Wilks
1/29/92
OTHER RELATED ARTICLES
John 1:1 Explanation, Interpretation, Meaning
Comparative Verse Study
of John 1:1
The following is an excerpt from the link that follows it:
"Since the word “theos” in the phrase “the Word was God [theos]” is not preceded by the article “ho” (the God), as are the other two uses of theos in verses 1 and 2, it can be understood as an adjective rather than a noun; “the word was mighty”. Theos is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew word “elohim” which can mean “mighty” as in Gen 30:8 and 1 Sam 14:15."
Pre-Existence of the Messiah and Colossians 1:15-20
There can be no denying the fact that MANY people have come to believe that Yeshua the Messiah "pre-existed" simply because FORGERY in the Bible -- the TWISTING of scriptures -- has taken place down through the centuries! Many scriptures have been CHANGED or twisted by PAGAN translators to PAGAN ways of thinking -- Colossians 1:15-20 being one such example. We need to examine this passage closely and REMOVE the corruptions of the translators.
By Juan Baixeras and John D. Keyser
The Pagan Logos - The Story of the Pagan Christian Logos - MANY OF THE SATURDAY-KEEPING CHURCHES OF TODAY TEACH THAT PRIOR TO YESHUA'S EARTHLY MINISTRY THERE WERE TWO GODS. THEY HAVE FALLEN FOR THE SAME DOCTRINES OF ANCIENT PAGANISM WHICH THE TRINITY BELIEVING CHRISTIANS HAVE SUBMITTED TO! TO PROVE THEIR VIEWPOINT, THEY TAKE THE PROLOGUE TO THE BOOK OF JOHN AND ATTEMPT TO SHOW THAT YESHUA PRE-EXISTED PRIOR TO HIS HUMAN BIRTH. UNFORTUNATELY FOR THEM, A UNPREJUDICED STUDY OF THE BIBLE SHOWS HOW FAR FROM YEHOVAH'S TRUTH THESE PEOPLE HAVE WANDERED! - JOHN D. KEYSER
In the beginning was the spoken word, and the words were from Yahweh, and the words were Yahweh's. It was in the beginning from Yahweh. All things were made through Yahweh's word and without it nothing was made that was made. In Yahweh's words were Life, and the Life was the Light of men.. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. …
… And the word [of Yahweh] did make Him into flesh to dwell among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:1-5,14 – Natural Israelite Bible).
[YouTube Video] John 1:1 from an Hebraic Perspective
The Nature of Pre-existence in the Hebraic Mind and the "Logos"
[VIDEO] Early Jewish and Christian Monotheism
[VIDEOS AND ARTICLE] John 1:1 – But what about John 1:1?
Biblical Unitarian
A web site about God & His son, Jesus Christ
[ARCHIVED] A Translation of John’s Gospel from the Greek By Anthony Buzzard [ARCHIVED]
A TRANSLATION OF JOHN’S GOSPEL FROM THE GREEK | THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM (wordpress.com)
[ARCHIVED] De-Mystified Logos-Word in John
By Phil Maxwell July 2000; Revised August 2003
John Chapter 1:1-15, a Translation
Assembly of Yahweh, Cascade
JOHN'S ACCOUNT - The Sacred Scriptures - THE CONCORDANT VERSION
The Good News According to John Prologue - THE REVISED ENGLISH VERSION - Also see: [PDF] Commentary
The Disciple Whom Jesus Loved - Take another look - The Bible has the answer. J. Phillips
Who is the Creator? By John Cordaro
[PDF] THE “LOGOS” IN JOHN’S PROLOGUE - THE LOGOS’ MISAPPLIED
[PDF] John 1 and "The Word" Anthony Buzzard
Is Yahshua the Son of God or is He Not? Part II The Word
In The Beginning Was the Word - The True Meaning Of John 1:1 by Craig Bluemel
Word Became Flesh (Revised) - Sabbath Christian Church
Prologue of John - Truth or Heresy
What Paul is REALLY saying in Colossians 1:15-20 - Torah of Messiah
In the beginning was the λόγος ... (John 1:1)
Following is an emphasized translation done by 'kids in america' (which I have personally edited w/RESTORATION OF NAMES) at: http://www.city-data.com/forum/christianity/1393564-name-yahweh-new-testament-9.html
"We declare to you what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life-- this life was revealed, and we have seen it and testify to it, and declare to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us -- we declare to you what we have seen and heard so that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His son Yahshua Messiah. We are writing these things so that our joy may be complete. This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that Yahweh is light and in Him there is no darkness at all" (1 Yahchanan [John] 1:1-5).
"In the beginning was the word, and the word was with Yahweh, andYahweh was the word. This was in the beginning with Yahweh. All came into being through it, and apart from it not even one thing came into being which has come into being. In it was life, and the life was the light of men. And the lightis appearing in the darkness, and the darkness grasped it not. And the word became flesh and tabernacles among us, and we gaze at his esteem, an esteem as of an only-begotten from the Father, full of favor and truth" (Yahchanan [John] 1:1-5,14).
Yahshua is the spokesman of his and our Father Yahweh's inspired prophetic word in this last time period:
In the past Yahweh spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in this last time period He has spoken to us by His son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and because of whom He made the universe (Hebrews 1:1-2).
Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter." He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of Yahweh Almighty (Revelation 19:15).
In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance (Revelation 1:16).
May the praise of Yahweh be in their mouths and a double-edged sword in their hands, to inflict vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples, to bind their kings with fetters, their nobles with shackles of iron, to carry out the sentence written against them. This is the esteem of all His saints. Praise Yahweh! (Psalms 149:6-9).
He made my mouth like a sharpened sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me into a polished arrow and concealed me in his quiver (Isayah 49:2).
The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life (Yahchanan [John] 6:63).
For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it (Yahchanan 12:49).
Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work (Yahchanan 14:10).
For the word of Yahweh is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart (Hebrews 4:12).
Take the helmet of redemption and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of Yahweh (Ephesians 6:17).
External Links
Heraclites - Logos and the Unity of Opposites
Early usage's of logos was adapted from ancient Greek philosophy!
Catholic Encyclopedia on Logos
Wikipedia article LOGOS
(The Messiah Yahshua) In whom you also trusted AFTER YOU HEARD THE WORD/PLAN OF TRUTH, (which is) the gospel of your salvation, in whom also, after that you believed (in the word/plan/gospel of truth), you were sealed with the holy spirit/disposition of promise. Eph. 1:13
Yahshua/Jesus is NOT the word.
John 1:1 (KJV) - In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God.
3056 logos, 1) of speech
a) a word, uttered by a living voice, embodies a conception or idea
b) what someone has said
1) a word
2) the sayings of God
3) decree, mandate or order
4) of the moral precepts given by God
5) Old Testament prophecy given by the prophets
6) what is declared, a thought, declaration, aphorism, a weighty saying, a dictum, a maxim
c) discourse
1) the act of speaking, speech
2) the faculty of speech, skill and practice in speaking
3) a kind or style of speaking
4) a continuous speaking discourse - instruction
d) doctrine, teaching
e) anything reported in speech; a narration, narrative
f) matter under discussion, thing spoken of, affair, a matter in dispute, case, suit at law
g) the thing spoken of or talked about; event, deed
2) its use as respect to the MIND alone
a) reason, the mental faculty of thinking, meditating, reasoning, calculating
b) account, i.e. regard, consideration
c) account, i.e. reckoning, score
d) account, i.e. an
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
In Modern Western philosophy the focus is on the individual: the me, myself and I. In contrast to this, the Ancient Hebrew/Eastern philosophy always focuses on the whole or the community: the us, our and we. When we read the Bible we must interpret it according to the culture of the Ancient Hebrews and their Hebrew/Eastern philosophy, and not from our own Modern Greco-Roman/Western philosophy.
In the Hebrew philosophy, the goal is the elimination of “self,” or the “ego.” If what I am saying is true, then why, when we read Yeshua's words, do we always see Yeshua centered on himself, in complete opposition to Hebrew philosophy. A perfect example of this is John 14:6. “I am the way the truth and the life, no one comes to the father but through me.” The answer is, we are reading the text wrong. We are interpreting it from a Western philosophy and not a Hebrew one.
To answer this question, we need to take a closer look at John 1:1, a very controversial and, in my opinion, a very misunderstood verse. In the KJV this passage reads, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
In the Old Testament, we are repeatedly told that the words of God are his teachings, which is the Hebrew word torah. God's teachings are his word. If we place the word teachings, within this verse we have, “In the beginning was the Teaching, and the Teaching was with God, and the Teaching was God.”
Then in verse 14 we read “And the teachings became flesh.” According to this passage, Yeshua took on the persona of God's teachings. After all, isn't that what Yeshua did? He came to teach the teachings of God.
Yeshua emptied himself of himself and instead took on the attributes of God's teachings. Therefore, whenever Yeshua speaks, it is not Yeshua speaking, but the teachings. When Yeshua says “I,” the “I” is not Yeshua, it is the teachings.
When we look at John 14:6 again, but with this understanding, we can read this as “the teachings of God are the way the truth and the life.” Interestingly, this is exactly what God teachings teach in the Old Testament.
Exodus 18:20 Teach them the Teachings and make known to them the way they are to go.
Psalm 119:142 Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and your Teaching is the truth.
Deuteronomy 32:47 Through [the Teachings] you may live long in the land.
According to these passages, The teachings of God are “the way the truth and the life,” do you think Yeshua would teach anything different from what God himself taught in his teachings?