Who Is God? Part I

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. –John 1:1

John is one of the most enigmatic books of the bible.

The first verse begins with what seems like an unsolved puzzle. The riddle of words raises our curiosity and grabs our attention. As Sherlock Holmes says when he eagerly investigates a new case, “The game is afoot!” There is a mystery to solve. Like a good detective we are called to dig deeper into God’s word. But where do we begin? The author gives us a few clues to help us solve the mystery.

The first verse in John tells us that “the Word” was in the beginning. Aha! We have our first clue!  The capital ‘W’ tells us that “the Word” is a noun. Since a noun is a name, “the Word” must be a person, or place, or thing.  Perhaps we can assume that “the Word” is a person who is not God. At first glance this seems reasonable since the first time we see “the Word” is in the New Testament of the bible. But just as we assume we are reading about a new person, John concludes that “the Word was God”. Hmm.

Many years ago, I was confused the first time I read this verse. I was a neophyte in matters of understanding the bible like all of us are when we first begin to read it. For example, I had to learn that chapters and verses are numbered. The numbered verses give us a way to find and compare verses from different areas in the bible.  Thank God there are other verses in the bible that help us understand each verse.  Genesis 1:1 (chapter 1, verse1) tells us that, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth”. This verse helped me to understand John 1:1 more clearly. The first chapter and verse in both Genesis and John teach us that God existed in the beginning. However, John adds new information about God. John 1:1 tells us that in the beginning “the Word” existed and “the Word was God”. Therefore, “the Word” was not someone else who was with God. The Word was God!  But why does John refer to God as “the Word”?

In Greek, “Word” or logos means to reason, order, arrange or speak. The book of John is unique among the gospels. Like the other 3 synoptic gospels it gives us a historical account of Jesus and his ministry. But John also makes a case for the divine nature of Jesus who is both God and man. John begins by asserting that “the Word” is the Creator God we read about in the book of Genesis. In other words, God is “the logos” or “the Word” who divinely reasoned, ordered, arranged, and spoke our world into being in the beginning. If we are still uncertain about the identity of “the Word “who was God in the beginning John makes it clear in John 1:14 which tells us that  “the Word” became a man:

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. —John1:14

Poof! Now what appeared to be separate puzzle pieces of similar verses start to fit together:  The Word, who was in the beginning who was with God and was God in John 1:1, is the same God who is the Logos who spoke the creation into being in Genesis 1:1, and is the same God who became flesh to live among us in John 1:14. Therefore, Jesus is  “the Word”, who is the eternal God who was with God, and is God who always existed since the beginning. Amazing!

Still scratching your head? If it is still not clear do not worry. God promises that his Spirit of truth will guide all who believe that Jesus is God. Jesus promised,

All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”—John 16:15

As you read the bible, God’s Spirit will help you know him more and grow in a deeper relationship to Jesus. In my next blog, Part II of Who is God, I will say more about the trinity of God.

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God gave us the bible to be read as one whole book. God reveals himself through the bible one verse at a time. As we read and think about how the verses fit together God’s Spirit gives us a fuller understanding of who he is.

When I glimpse the beauty of a clear blue sky or hear the roar of a rushing stream, I am reminded that the God of creation is the same God who stepped into time, was born as a mere man and made himself known to all people. Such knowledge humbles me. It makes me bow down with reverence and joy at Jesus’ feet to worship him.

May we always delight in pondering precious truths about God in the bible and seek to know the Word more deeply. May we be filled with awe and wonder and find rest in him every day.

What does it mean to you personally that Jesus is the Word who was God in the beginning?

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