In the first verse of his Gospel, John the Apostle uses a striking word, full of meaning and recognizable to any Greek person at that time.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1
John’s “Word” is translated from the original Greek “Logos”.
Dane Ortlund explains that the term “Logos”: “…referred in Greek thinking to Reason with a capital ‘R’, the great organizing principle of the universe, the impersonal rationality behind all that happens, that which injects coherence and stability into the universe.”
John purposely uses this pregnant word to describe Jesus Christ. He was stating that this all-powerful Logos was not just an “organizing principle” but very creator God.
Furthermore, much of Greek philosophy thought that there was a major distinction between what is material and what is spiritual. The material was evil and the spiritual was good – and never the twain shall meet.
John shocks them again when he says in verse 14: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us…”
Here in a stunning and counterintuitive move, the Logos (that which is spiritual) came to earth and took on flesh and blood (that which is material). This was no “impersonal rationality” but a very personal God. Such a notion would wreak havoc and wonder on the understanding of the day.
“The Greeks wished to shed the flesh and fly up to heaven; John says that heaven put on flesh and came down to earth.” (Ortlund).
Not only is this Logos the creator God but he has also taken on flesh and dwelt with humanity – and would soon suffer, die and rise again to redeem them.
John takes an enormous Greek thought and uses it to share the Gospel of Jesus in a thrilling manner. In this gospel, the Logos is far more than a principle, He is a Person; not just a rationality but a Redeemer.
