06/06/2026
ARTICLE 1: JOHN 1:1 — WHOSE WORDS ARE THESE?
When reading any passage of Scripture, the first question should not be:
“How popular is this verse?”
but rather:
“Who is speaking?”
Because the authority of a statement depends on its source.
John 1:1 says:
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
Now let us examine the source of this statement.
1. Is this a direct statement from God the Father?
No.
The verse does not begin with:
* “The LORD said…”
* “Thus says the LORD…”
* “The word of the LORD came…”
Therefore, it is not a direct quotation from God the Father as found throughout the Law and the Prophets.
2. Is this a direct statement from Jesus?
No.
The text does not say:
“Jesus said…”
Nor is this presented as a direct quotation from Jesus.
It is a narrative statement written by the author.
3. Was this written by the Apostle John?
Possibly.
Church tradition attributes the Gospel to John, but the original manuscript written by John’s own hand no longer exists.
What we possess today are copies preserved through the centuries.
Historically speaking, the most accurate statement is:
“The Gospel has traditionally been attributed to John.”
Absolute proof is not available.
4. What level of authority should John 1:1 have?
If God’s direct words are considered the highest authority,
and Jesus’ direct teachings are considered the next highest authority,
then John 1:1 belongs to a different category:
A testimony or explanation given by the writer.
Therefore, it should not automatically be elevated above the direct words of God or the direct teachings of Jesus.
5. What is “the Word”?
Many people are taught that:
“The Word = Jesus.”
Yet the verse itself does not explicitly say:
“In the beginning was Jesus.”
Instead it says:
“In the beginning was the Word.”
Therefore, the meaning of “the Word” deserves careful examination.
6. Another possible understanding
The Word may not be a personal name.
The Word may represent:
* a role,
* a function,
* a mission,
* a divine office.
A role involving:
* expressing God’s will,
* communicating God’s message,
* revealing God’s purposes,
* speaking on God’s behalf.
7. What does the Old Testament show?
From Genesis to Malachi, God repeatedly used:
* angels,
* prophets,
* messengers,
to communicate His words.
They were not the source of the message.
They were the bearers of the message.
They represented God.
8. Jesus repeatedly pointed to the Father
Jesus said:
“My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me.”
“I do nothing on My own authority.”
“I speak just as the Father taught Me.”
These statements consistently direct attention to the Father as the ultimate source of truth.
9. Therefore
According to this interpretation:
The Word is not the source of truth.
God is the source of truth.
The Word is the office through which God’s truth is revealed to creation.
Jesus fulfilled that office perfectly.
He spoke what the Father commanded.
He did what the Father desired.
He revealed the Father to humanity.
10. The most important question
Today many debate:
“Who is the Word?”
But perhaps the more important question is:
“Whose message does the Word deliver?”
If Jesus consistently pointed people back to the Father, then our focus should not merely be on titles and theological debates.
The real question is:
Are we listening to and obeying the words of God?
Because Jesus Himself taught:
“Blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it.”
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ARTICLE 2: THE WORD WAS WITH GOD — WHAT COULD THIS MEAN?
John 1:1 states:
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
Many readers immediately assume only one possible meaning.
However, another interpretation may be considered.
The Word was WITH God
The verse first says:
“The Word was with God.”
If one being is “with” another, the text appears to distinguish between them.
The Word is presented as being alongside God.
The Word belongs to God.
The Word serves God’s purposes.
The Word exists in God’s presence.
The Word was God
Traditional Christianity generally understands this phrase as declaring the full deity of the Word.
However, some interpreters understand it differently.
According to this view, the phrase may describe the Word as a divine being belonging to the heavenly realm rather than identifying the Word as the Supreme God Himself.
Under this interpretation:
* The Father is the Most High God.
* The Word is with the Most High God.
* The Word belongs to the divine realm.
* The Word acts as God’s representative.
* The Word carries God’s authority.
* The Word communicates God’s will.
The Word as a Divine Office
Under this understanding, “the Word” is not primarily a personal name.
It is a role.
A mission.
A divine office.
A function assigned within God’s plan.
The purpose of this office is:
* to reveal God,
* to communicate God’s will,
* to speak on God’s behalf,
* to carry out God’s purposes.
Jesus and the Office of the Word
Jesus repeatedly declared:
“I can do nothing of Myself.”
“I do not speak on My own authority.”
“My teaching is not Mine.”
These statements show Jesus continually directing people back to the Father as the ultimate source of authority.
According to this interpretation, Jesus perfectly fulfilled the office of the Word.
He became the complete expression of God’s will to mankind.
The Central Message
The main point is not merely to debate titles or theological formulas.
The main point is that:
God revealed Himself through the Word.
And that revelation was fully displayed in Jesus Christ.
Whether one agrees with this interpretation or not, every reader should carefully distinguish between:
1. What the text explicitly states.
2. What is inferred from the text.
Only then can Scripture be studied honestly, carefully, and thoughtfully.