Listen to Nancy’s answer recorded live on Moody radio, here:
“Logos” in Greek means “Word” that refers explicitly to Jesus. God made it clear to all that Logos is God’s message and the greatest gift He could ever give to humankind. “In the beginning was the Word (Logos), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God” (John 1:1,2).
The Jews were astonished by the thought that Yahweh is triune by nature. John opened his letter by referring back to Genesis 1: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters” (Genesis 1:1,2). The Hebrew word for God is Elohiym, a singular masculine noun but plural in nature. It was the Jew’s introduction to the Triunity of God: One Being, three persons: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. In Genesis 1:26, the Bible supports this definition by saying,“Let us make man in our image.“
As John penned his letter, he declared the deity of Jesus Christ, who was present with the Father and Holy Spirit before the creation of the world. He was also with the Father when Jesus created the world. “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent” (Colossians 1:15-18).
In John 1:14, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” This was a stunning phrase for the Jews. Throughout the Old Testament, God watched them, guided them with a pillar of fire, talked to them through a cloud, and disciplined them when they sinned. John announces that God is no longer going to be distant.He is becoming one of them in Jesus, the God-Man. The Word, Jesus, did not just appear to be human; He became flesh.
This is not the first time that God had tried to reach the Jews with the hope of His love and redemption. He had spoken through the prophets for centuries, but the message had gone unheeded. Because they could not see him, they disregarded Him, and continued to sin against Him. God knew what He had to do to make them understand; He had to come send His Son to earth to live with them, love them, teach them, and die for them before they would understand the love that God had for His people.
Jesus explained why the Word must become flesh through a parable. “A man planted a vineyard, rented it to some farmers, and went away for a long time. At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants so they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. He sent another servant, but that one also they beat and treated shamefully and sent away empty-handed. He sent still a third, and they wounded him and threw him out.“Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my son, whom I love; perhaps they will respect him.’ But when the tenants saw him, they talked the matter over. ‘This is the heir,’ they said. ‘Let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others” (Luke 20:9-16).
Until Christ returns, our world will remain dark, and fighting against the goodness of God and His Son will continue. Jesus’ supernatural intervention is our only hope; there is no substitute. Contrary to many Christians who live in fear, evil cannot defeat the Word. Amid all the hostility, Jesus loves and calls out to all who will listen to humble themselves, come to Him, and believe that He is the Light, the Hope, the Word, and the Savior of the world.
John 16:33 “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” John 10:9-11, “I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”