1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word was made 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.
15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.
16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
18 No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
19 And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?
20 And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.
21 And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.
22 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?
23 He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.
24 And they which were sent were of the Pharisees.
25 And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?
26 John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not;
27 He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose.
28 These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.
29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
30 This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.
31 And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.
32 And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.
33 And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.
34 And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.
35 Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples;
36 And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!
37 And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.
38 Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?
39 He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour.
40 One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.
41 He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.
42 And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.
43 The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me.
44 Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.
45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
46 And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.
47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!
48 Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.
49 Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.
50 Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.
51 And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.
John 1:1 in my opinion is the most important verse in the entire gospel of John. When you understand what John 1:1 means you will see that it shapes the lens by which you must look at Jesus throughout the rest of the book. One of the most important truths about who Jesus is and the character and nature of God appear in these few words.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1).
This one verse establishes the Word as being both divine and eternal in nature. Everything you read after this must be filtered through this reality that the Word was God. Take every action, every miracle, every teaching, and everything Jesus does and view it with this truth and you will understand why John 1:1 means so much.
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Manusapon Kasosod
What Does It Mean That «in the Beginning Was the Word?»
The opening stanza of John 1:1 is exactly the same as Genesis 1:1. Both begin with “in the beginning.” John says “in the beginning was the Word” while Genesis says “in the beginning God.” The first thing John is establishing is Christ’s presence during creation, which points to the eternal nature of Jesus. He didn’t just show up when Mary gave birth, he existed from eternity past. To an audience that had long held to God being creator, John is now putting Jesus on the same level. He is giving him a place of equality with God. This term “in the beginning was the word” is therefore a statement of equality. Jesus is not just the Word, he is the creator, equal with God.
When you think about Jesus being called the Word, consider how it plays out in creation. Do you remember how God created the heavens and the earth? He spoke words and creation happened. Genesis 1 is filled with God saying the words “let there be” and when he spoke the Word what he spoke happened. He used words to bring forth creation. I want you to consider that truth in light of John 1:3:
“Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.”
When you read this, it is clear to see that not only was Jesus present at creation, Jesus was responsible for creation. Jesus was the Word that was responsible for bringing forth everything that was made in creation.
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/valio84sl
What Else Does John 1:1 Establish?
There is something else you will discover which helps us understand more of what John 1:1 means. When you look at this verse you see that it establishes a relationship between God and the Word. They are separate yet they are equal and connected to each other. John says the Word was with God. And he doesn’t say this once, he actually says this twice.
“He was with God in the beginning” (John 1:2).
Let’s begin to put this together a little more. We see clearly that the Word was both with God and also was God. This is a statement of co-existence and one of co-equality. In essence, John was saying in the beginning, God was with God. This ties back to the nature of who God is and is clarifying and pointing to the triune nature of God. I want to show you a simple comparison between these first two verses of John 1 with the first two verses of Genesis 1.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning” (John 1:1-2).
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters” (Genesis 1:1-2).
When you put these verses together, God’s triune nature is on display. Please notice who was present at creation. God the Father was present. John tells us the Word or Jesus was present. Genesis 1:2 shows us the Holy Spirit was present. Here we see three distinct aspects that point to God’s triune nature. If you are not familiar with that term, it simply means that there is one God, yet he is revealed in three persons.
These three are distinct yet they are one, which is known as the doctrine of the trinity. In the introduction to God in Genesis and the introduction to Jesus in John, we are directed to consider the true nature of who God is.
Photo credit: ©SparrowStock
What Is the Context of ‘In the Beginning Was the Word’?
To give more context to this verse it is important to understand who John is writing to. His audience was most likely Jewish Christians. If they were Jewish converts, they would know and understand that the Old Testament clearly states there is only one God. Yet, here is John identifying Jesus as God and they were not confused, nor did they reject the idea. As you move further down into John you get to verse 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” (John 1:14).
This verse works beautifully with John 1:1 because this Word who was present at the beginning and who was God now has appeared in the flesh and dwelt with us. Jesus taking on human flesh did not cause him to lose his divine nature. He was able to be fully God and fully man while he walked the earth. In fact, he carried in him the fullness of Godhead.
“For in Him all the fullness of Deity (the Godhead) dwells in bodily form [completely expressing the divine essence of God]” (Colossians 2:9, AMP).
What this means is that Jesus – who is the Word, God in flesh – was the full package. He carried in him the nature of God, the power of God, and the authority of God simply because he was God. John was not trying to hide this but was making it abundantly clear, and this is at the heart of what John 1:1 means.
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/monkeybusinessimages
What Does ‘In the Beginning Was the Word’ Teach Us about the Nature of God?
When you read through the Bible it is clear that God has never attempted to hide who he is. He has been very clear in defining his character and his nature. To the people of Israel, God showed that he is the one and only God.
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4).
“You were shown these things so that you might know that the Lord is God; besides him there is no other” (Deuteronomy 4:35).
The Bible is clear there is only one God and there is no God beside him. Yet the Bible clearly identifies Jesus as God in John 1. The Holy Spirit is also defined as God; you can see one instance of this in Acts 5:1-4. These instances make it clear to know there is one God revealed in three persons. They are all distinct yet equal and are eternal in nature and essence.
When you think about what John 1:1 means, it is about Jesus and it is also about the true nature of God. Jesus is established as God from his first introduction in this book, and as I said at the beginning, you must look at everything after it through this divine lens. God has revealed who he is, in the person of Jesus and as John says “we have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).
Photo credit: Unsplash
Clarence L. Haynes Jr. is a speaker, Bible teacher, and co-founder of The Bible Study Club. He is the author of The Pursuit of Purpose which will help you understand how God leads you into his will. He has also just released his new book The Pursuit of Victory: How To Conquer Your Greatest Challenges and Win In Your Christian Life. Do you want to go deeper in your walk with the Lord but can’t seem to overcome the stuff that keeps getting in the way? This book will teach you how to put the pieces together so you can live a victorious Christian life and finally become the man or woman of God that you truly desire to be. To learn more about his ministry please visit clarencehaynes.com.
-
Contributing Writer -
2021
12 Mar
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” – John 1:1
The Gospel of John opens with the same three words that the book of Genesis opens with. In the beginning. There is so much theology in this one verse so let’s jump right in and start unpacking it.
What Does the ‘In the Beginning Was the Word’ Mean in John 1:1?
This verse is very clear, and it is making a simple comparison. The Word, who we will define in a moment was present at the beginning. This Word was with God or co-equal with God. This Word was God. What John is establishing is the fact that the Word was present from the very beginning. This is making a statement of equivalency that lines up with Genesis 1. Genesis 1:1 says in the beginning God. John 1:1 says in the beginning was the Word. John in making this comparison is simply saying that the Word who was present at the beginning was God. This is what it means that the word was in the beginning.
Who Is the Word?
At this point, all we know is that the Word was present in the beginning and that the Word was God. This leads to an important question. Who is the Word? If you look further in the same chapter you get the answer.
«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.» – John 1:14
We know that the Word who became flesh is Jesus Christ. He is God who took on human flesh or human form. He did that as a way to reveal the Father, which John mentions just a few verses later.
«No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.» – John 1:18
3 Important Reasons That the Word Was in the Beginning
There is a significant importance to the Word being present in the beginning. There are some very important characteristics related to who Jesus Christ really is. Let’s mark three of them.
1. Christ as Creator
Because the Word was in the beginning, this establishes Jesus as Creator. In the very next two verses, John proceeds to say this.
«He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.» – John 1:2-3
Jesus was not only present at creation, but he was also responsible for creation. This also points to the triune nature of God which we see from the opening pages of Scripture. Let me take you back to Genesis for a moment.
«In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.» – Genesis 1:1-2
When you put together Genesis 1 and John 1 notice who was present at creation. God the Father was present. God the Son, Jesus, was present. Also present was God the Holy Spirit. This is all presented in the very first two verses of Scripture. God reveals who he is from the very beginning. What John says in John 1 confirms what is present and happening in Genesis 1. Jesus is responsible for creation. Paul later confirms this again in Colossians.
«The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.» – Colossians 1:15-16
Many people have a difficult time understanding this triune nature of God and because they don’t understand it they choose to reject it. However, when you return to the Scriptures this truth becomes evident and it was there in the beginning.
2. Christ as Eternal
The second thing we learn from the Word being present in the beginning is Jesus’ eternal nature. Jesus did not begin when he was born of the virgin Mary. He had existed eternally before that. How else could be called Creator if he did not exist before the creation of the world? The Bible further points to Jesus’ eternal nature. One example is found in the book of Revelation. I want you to pay attention to the declaration made at the beginning and the end of the book.
«I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.» – Revelation 1:8
«Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.» – Revelation 22:12-13
These two verses are not only statements of equivalency, but they point to the eternal nature of Jesus. He was there in eternity past and he will be there in eternity future. This is why in John 8:58, Jesus can refer to himself as I Am. Before the world was created, he was I Am. After the world was created, he was I Am. In this very moment, he is I Am. For all eternity he will be I Am. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He has been and always will be because he is eternal in nature.
3. Christ as God: Equal but Distinct
The last thing that John establishes in John 1:1 was that the Word was in the beginning, and the Word was God. This clearly points to the divine nature of Jesus. Again this is revealing the triune nature of God. It is further evidenced because in John 1:1 he says that the Word was with God in the beginning. The Word was God, meaning co-equal and at the same time, the Word was with God, meaning distinct. If you haven’t figured it out yet this is why it is sometimes referred to as the mystery of the Godhead. God is revealed in three distinct persons yet there is one God. It is a mystery, yet it is a truth revealed in Scripture. Christ is the Word, which is God, that became flesh and in him dwelt all the fullness of God, which is what Paul attests to.
«For in Him all the fullness of Deity (the Godhead) dwells in bodily form [completely expressing the divine essence of God].» – Colossians 2:9 (AMP)
I will admit this is challenging for many to figure out but this is how God has revealed himself in Scripture. I don’t know if we will figure it all out in our limited capacity on this side of eternity but be careful of making the mistake of thinking that since you can’t figure it out it must not be true. Not being able to understand a truth does not cancel out that truth.
Why Does John Call Jesus the Word
As you can see John 1:1 is a short verse that packs a lot of punch. It means a lot that the Word was in the beginning. Jesus is God, co-equal yet distinct. He is the Creator who willingly took on human flesh to become like those he created so he could redeem those who were lost. He is the one who stepped out of eternity into time to rescue those bound by time and destined to be separated from him for all eternity. He is the Word who was there at the beginning. He is the Word, who is God who will be there when at the end. I leave you with this portion of Scripture from Hebrews.
«But about the Son he says,
‘Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.’
He also says,
‘In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will roll them up like a robe; like a garment they will be changed. But you remain the same, and your years will never end.’” – Hebrews 1:8-12
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/artisteer
Clarence L. Haynes Jr. is a speaker, Bible teacher, and co-founder of The Bible Study Club. He is the author of The Pursuit of Purpose which will help you understand how God leads you into his will. He has also just released his new book The Pursuit of Victory: How To Conquer Your Greatest Challenges and Win In Your Christian Life. Do you want to go deeper in your walk with the Lord but can’t seem to overcome the stuff that keeps getting in the way? This book will teach you how to put the pieces together so you can live a victorious Christian life and finally become the man or woman of God that you truly desire to be. To learn more about his ministry please visit clarencehaynes.com.
This article is part of our larger resource library of popular Bible verse phrases and quotes. We want to provide easy to read articles that answer your questions about the meaning, origin, and history of specific verses within Scripture’s context. It is our hope that these will help you better understand the meaning and purpose of God’s Word in relation to your life today.
«Be Still and Know that I Am God»
«Pray Without Ceasing»
«Fearfully and Wonderfully Made»
«All Things Work Together for Good»
«Do Not Fear»
The Bible is the story of God’s plan to redeem His people. It reveals who He is and who we truly are in Him.
The whole of Scripture tells the story of Jesus Christ, the ultimate expression of God’s love for us. When John refers to Jesus as “the Word,” he speaks of the Word that was made flesh, and came to live among us (John 1:14). This Word, manifested in the person of Jesus Christ, is the fulfillment of the covenant God made with His people, giving them and all who believe the promise of life with Him.
God is not a God of coincidence or chaos, and Jesus was no coincidence. John’s words show us that Jesus was with God in the beginning. He is God, one with God, and the life He came to live on this earth was a part of a glorious plan from the beginning.
What Was The «The Beginning»?
The Greek word John used here means “the first to do something, to begin.” This teaches us that God is the great initiator of all we know. As the Creator of the World, God was there in the beginning, making a way for us.
“Then He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around Him.” (John 13:5)
Another understanding of the Greek origin of the word ‘beginning’ is “to be chief, to lead, or to rule.” Jesus flipped preconceived notions of leadership when He, the teacher, knelt to wash His followers’ feet. The daily accumulation of dust on the soles of our feet is rinsed and removed by the tender care of Christ. From the beginning, God planned to renew and restore us through His Word, Jesus. The most important cleansing, the war for our souls, required a spotless sacrifice.
Jesus Christ alone lived a spotless, sinless life. To be lifted high by the Father, He bent low. John the Baptist humbly baptized the one he had been preparing the way for! Jesus led with an assertive humility, confident in who He was.
From the beginning, God went before us. He aims to gather each precious sheep, shepherding us home to heaven—a path we could never pave for ourselves.
What was «The Word»? (and how was it «with God»?)
“For the LORD God is a sun and shield…” (Psalm 84:11a)
God spoke the world into existence. “Let there be light” was His first command (Genesis 1:3). It separated light from darkness.
“Philosophers employed logos, or ‘word,’ for the divine reason that orders the universe” (NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible).Jesus is the light of the world (John 8:12), forever removed from the shadows.
The Greek translation of ‘word’ is logos, meaning word, message, or report. “According to John, this logos was in the beginning, was with God, and was God himself” (Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary).
The Spirit of God hovered over the waters (Genesis 1:2), and “the Word was with God”(John 1:1). The triune God, from the very beginning, was present at Creation. The NIV Study Bible Notes say this of Genesis 1:1-6: “God’s ‘separating’ and ‘gathering’ on days 1-3 gave form, and his ‘making’ and ‘filling’ on days 4-6 removed the emptiness.”
He who made us fills us, removing our emptiness through salvation in Christ. Every note of creation reflects God’s love for us.
Jesus, the ultimate expression of that love, is evident from the very beginning. Matthew Henry’s Commentary states that “The plainest reason why the Son of God is called the Word, seems to be, that as our words explain our minds to others, so was the Son of God sent in order to reveal his Father’s mind to the world.”
“Light is necessary for making God’s creative works visible and life possible.”(NIV Study Bible Notes, Genesis 1:3)
“Light has come into the world.” (John 3:19)
Jesus, the Word, illuminates the Truth of Scripture, by which we learn the character of God. Jesus, Himself, said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). The Holy Spirit, available to us through Jesus’ death on the cross, allows a brightened perspective, enlightened by the Word of God—Jesus.
“For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of the darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:6) Through us, the light of life shines to others! We stand out, shine bright, and illuminate. Each life is purposed for work in the furthering of the gospel. The gifts written on our hearts by the Word bring God’s love and light to the world. All we are and all we do is to honor Him.
«The Word was God»
“He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” (Colossians 1:17)
God is omnipotent and sovereign, two characteristics addressed in the cross-reference in John 1:1. The Word, Logos, Jesus Christ, is before all things and holds all things together. The Son of God is the fulfillment of God’s covenant with His people:
“For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be by people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and his brother, saying ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” (Jeremiah 31:33-34)
The law within us, written on our hearts, is the Word of God—Jesus Christ. By Him, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us from salvation, we interpret God’s law. Through our Christ-centered lives, the Great Commission to spread the gospel truth (Matthew 28:16-20) illuminates the world. The Word is before all things, holding all things together.
John 1:1 powerfully inaugurates John’s eyewitness and Holy Spirit-inspired account of Christ’s life. “In the beginning” is “a deliberate echo of Genesis 1:1 to link God’s action on behalf of the world through Jesus Christ with his first work, the creation of the world” (NIV Study Bible Notes).John’s testimony is especially tender, because of his friendship with Christ. He was the only one left at the foot of the cross with Mary and Christ’s best friend on this earth. John’s kinship with the one, triune God seeped into his bones and leapt out of his heart. Though omnipotent and sovereign, our God is a personal God.
In the words of John Piper, “Christ was not made. That is what it means to be God. And the Word was God.”
“Megs” writes about everyday life within the love of Christ. She stepped out of her comfort zone, and her Marketing career, to obey God’s call to stay home and be “Mom” in 2011. From that step of obedience her blog, Sunny&80, was born, a way to retain the funny everyday moments of motherhood. Meg is also a freelance writer and author of Friends with Everyone. She loves teaching God’s Word and leading her Monday morning Bible study, being a mom, distance running, and photography. Meg resides in Northern Ohio with her husband, two daughters, and Golden-Doodle—all avid Cleveland Browns fans.
This article is part of our larger resource library of popular Bible verse phrases and quotes. We want to provide easy to read articles that answer your questions about the meaning, origin and history of specific verses within Scripture context. It is our hope that these will help you better understand the meaning and purpose of God’s Word in relation to your life today.
«Be Still and Know that I Am God»
«Pray Without Ceasing»
«Fearfully and Wonderfully Made»
«Faith Without Works is Dead»
«Trust in the Lord with All Your Heart»
«All Things Work Together for Good»
«Be Strong and Courageous»
Photo Credit: Unsplash/Denis Degioanni
В нача́ле бы́ло Сло́во — первая строка книги Нового Завета Евангелие от Иоанна. Существует множество её переводов, о которых возникают многочисленные религиозные трактовки и споры.
| Вариант Библии | Ин. 1:1 |
|---|---|
| Оригинал | Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ Λόγος, καὶ ὁ Λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν Θεόν, καὶ Θεὸς ἦν ὁ Λόγος.[1] |
| Вульгата | In principio erat Verbum et Verbum erat apud Deum et Deus erat Verbum. |
| Церковнославянский | В началѣ бѣ слово и слово бѣ къ Богу и Бог бѣ слово. |
| Синодальный перевод | В начале было Слово, и Слово было у Бога, и Слово было Бог. |
| Радостная Весть | Изначально был Тот, кто называется Словом. Он был с Богом, и Он был Бог. |
| Еп. Кассиана | В начале было Слово, и Слово было с Богом, и Слово было Бог. |
| Перевод о. Евгения Лутковского | В начале было Слово, и Слово было с Богом, и Слово было Бог.[2] |
| Библия короля Якова | In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. |
Первый перевод этой строки на славянский язык осуществили переводчики Святого Писания Святые Равноапостольные Константин-Кирилл Философ и его брат Мефодий, именно они понятием Слово переводили греческое понятие Логос. Далее под Логосом подразумевали и закон всемирного развития, и некую Высшую Силу, управляющую миром. Позднее, в трудах ранних христианских мыслителей, сам Логос отождествлялся с Сыном Божиим, Иисусом Христом, «ибо Логосом-Словом спасал Господь грешный мир»[3]
Правильнее всего стоило бы переводить «Логос» как «интеллект», или «разум».
Понятие о Божественном Логосе восходят к древнегреческим философам школы Платона[4].
Также стоит помнить, что Божественный Логос в старославянском еще назывался Божественный Глагол (лат. Verbum).
Философия объективного идеализма и Логос
|
|
Возможно, эта статья содержит оригинальное исследование.
Добавьте ссылки на источники, в противном случае она может быть выставлена на удаление. |
Гераклит — диалектик, объективный идеалист, один из плеяды объективных идеалистов, таких как Пифагор, Сократ, Платон и Гегель. Признавая мир материальным, объективные идеалисты, в том числе и Гераклит, признавали первичность абсолютной Идеи (Абсолюта, Бога) в основе которой лежит Логика — Логос. Для Гераклита огонь — это разумное начало, оно управляется силой, которую Гераклит назвал Логосом. Благодаря Аристотелю и его последователям Логос был забыт, и человечество стало использовать его логику. Все признаки, утраченного человечеством, Логоса тем не менее прочитываются в философии Востока и Запада. Но когда евангелист Иоанн захочет поведать нам о тайне Христа, Божественного Слова, он напишет в первых строках своего Евангелия: «Эн архэ эн о Логос» — «В начале было Слово». С позиции объективного идеализма корректнее было бы говорить: «Вначале был Логос (Логика)…»
Только через почти двадцать столетий Логос был вновь воссоздан великим объективным идеалистом Георгом Гегелем. Однако современная наука до сих пор не может освоить «Науку логики» Гегеля — возрожденный Логос.
Примечания
- ↑ [en arχɛː ɛːn ho logos kaːi ho logos ɛːn pros ton tʰeon kaːi tʰeos ɛːn ho logos]
- ↑ Евангелие от Иоанна. Перевод о. Л. Лутковского
- ↑ Взято из Перевезенцев С. В., В начале было слово…
- ↑ взято из Вальд В. В., Эн архэ эн о логос
Виктор Плыкин в своих исследованиях обратил внимание на то, что любое слово — это носитель информации. Получается, что: в начале была ИНФОРМАЦИЯ, и информация была у Бога, и была эта информация всеобъемлющей. Данные выводы Виктор Плыкин описал в своей книге «След на воде или вначале было Слово»
См. также
- Логос
- Филон Александрийский
- Евангелие от Иоанна