John 1:1, 14

Each of the Gospel writers (Matthew Mark, Luke, and John) focuses on a different aspect of the Person and Work of Jesus Christ. One of the purposes of the Gospel written by John is to set forth the Deity of Christ. This he begins with his very first verse: “the Word was God.”

This is an all-important statement, as it leaves absolutely no question as to the fact of Christ’s Divine Nature. Those who deny the Deity of Christ erroneously change this verse to say that the “the Word was a God”; reducing Jesus to a God-like person.

The literal translation however, tells us that “the Word was God” – the One, the Only, the God. John follows this bold declaration of the Word’s Nature by identifying the Word in verse 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).”

Thus, with specific clarity, John points his readers to Jesus Christ as the Word who is God. The Word is Jesus Christ.

But what does it mean to say that Christ is the Word of God? In order to answer this, we must understand that there is an intimate connection between Christ as the living Word of God and the Bible as the written Word of God. Speaking to the Jewish religious leaders of His day, Jesus said:

“Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” (John 5:39)

The whole of Scripture – from Genesis to Revelation – testifies and point to Jesus Christ. Scripture gives expression to God as His written Word. In this same way Jesus is the expression of God as the Living Word.

“The Word was God” does not indicate that Christ somehow divested Himself of His Deity. Neither are we left to think that Jesus was a man who became God. Rather, before His Incarnation, Jesus Christ was God. And after His incarnation, Jesus Christ was still God, as the full expression of His Being. However, the Incarnation itself was a manifestation of the Word of God:

“Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But … took upon him the form of a servant…” (Philippians 2:6-7)

To accomplish the plan of salvation, Christ had to do more than appear to be human. He had to take upon Himself human form. He had to be like us. He had to be our Kinsman-Redeemer. For the purpose of fulfilling the redemption of His people, Christ had to become us (Hebrews 7:26). This He accomplished when “the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). But there was no diminishment of His Divinity. Jesus Christ – the Word – was and is God.

“Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God …” (Hebrews 11:3)

“…upholding all things by the word of his power…” (Hebrews 1:3)

At the outset of Creation, we are told, “God said…” (Genesis 1:3). Thus, God spoke the world into existence (Psalms 33:6, 9). When John tells us that “All things were made by him” (John 1:3); we are given to know without any question that Christ – the Word – is the One Who spoke all things into existence. “For by him were all things created” (Colossians 1:16). Such is the force of the Word of God that no part of Creation came into being without the Word; the expression of God as Creator.

What do we gain from the expression of God as Creator? Chiefly, because the Word is the expression of God, and nothing came into existent apart from the Word, there is an intimate relationship possible between the Creator and the Creature. But this is only so through the medium of the Word.

As Jesus tells us: “no man cometh unto the Father [or has knowledge of Him], but by me [the Word of God]” (John 14:6). And so, knowledge and communion with God comes by Way of Christ, the Word.