Fresh Bread - 5/27

Daily Bread

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

These are the first three words of Genesis 1:1, "In the beginning." The connection is made between the one who created all things and the one who has redeemed all things, "And you, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the works of Your hands," Heb. 1:10 also see Colossians 1:16. The whole world, all of creation, was created by Jesus Christ and He claims both personal ownership and power over it (John 1:10, Romans 11:36; 1 Corinthians 8:6). The pre-existence of Jesus is declared 7 times in the first chapter of John (John 1:1, 2, 3, 14, 15, 27, 30). The Greek word 'logos,' takes on a new dimension of meaning by its association with the Eternal God who was made flesh. The usage of logos here is that of a title instead of an act. Hebrews 11:3 refers to the action of God speaking wherein "the world was framed by the word (rhema) of God." The Hebrew equivalent for 'logos' is 'emrah' which is used for the word of God in the Torah as in Deuteronomy 33:9, and 'davar' which is used as the spoken word of God as in Exodus 4:28. The use of the Word as a title implies the revelation of God. The title given to Jesus Christ as the Word is not limited to a revelation at the time of redemption for the Word is not only eternally existing in the past as God and with God but also in the future as revealed in Revelation 19:13, "his name is called the Word (logos) of God." The fact that the Word was with God makes Him distinct from the Father and the Holy Spirit who are also identified many times throughout the scripture as God and unique from Jesus Christ. In fact in the New Testament there are 152 scriptures that specifically state a unique difference between Jesus Christ and the Father proving that they are two different individuals (Mt 2:21; 10:32, 33; 11:25, 27; 12:50; 15:13; 16:17; 18:10, 19, 35; 24:36; 25:34; 26:39, 42, 53; Mk 8:38; Lk 10:21, 22; 22:29; 23:34, 46, 49; Jn 4:21; 5:17, 19, 30; 6:32, 65; 8:16, 19, 28, 38, 42, 49, 54; 10:15, 17, 18, 29, 30, 32, 37; 11:41; 12:26, 27 13:1; 14:1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 20, 23, 24, 26, 28, 31; 15:1, 2, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 23, 24, 26; 16:3, 10, 15, 16, 23, 25, 26, 27, 28, 32; 17:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26; 18:11; 20:17; 20:21; Rom 1:7; 15:6; 1 Cor 1:3; 8:6; 2 Cor 1:2, 3; 11:31; Gal 1:1,3; Eph 1:2, 3, 17; 3:14; 5:20; 6:23; Php 1:2; 2:11; Col 1:2, 3; 3:17; 1 Th 1:1, 3; 3:11; 2 Th 1:1,2; 2:16; 1 Ti 1:2; 2 Ti 1:2; Tit 1:4; Phm 3; Heb 1:5; 1 Pe 1:2, 3; 2 Pe 1:17; 1 Jn 1:3; 2:1; 2:22; 2 Jn 3; Jude 1; Rev 2:27; 3:5, 21). In the gospel of John, Jesus refers to God as His Father 87 times. There are 25 scriptures that show a distinction between Jesus and the Holy Spirit as unique individuals (Mt 1:18; 3:16; 4:1; Lk 4:1; 14; Jn 3:5; 7:39; 14:16, 17, 26; 15:26; 16:7, 8, 13, 14, 15; Acts 1:16; 2:38; 7:55; 10:38; Rom 8:11; 15:16; 1 Cor 12:3; 2 Cor 13:14; 1 Peter 1:2). There are four unique dimensions of Jesus Christ the Eternal Word revealed in this opening statement: 1- Jesus as the Word was there in the beginning. 2- He was with God and as such distinct from God. 3- He also was God, which both makes Him eternal and equal with God. 4- He was not only in the beginning of creation but was in the beginning with God, which further emphasizes both His eternalness and His uniqueness from the Father and the Holy Spirit. Jesus as the Word is the one who spoke all things into being (Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 11:3. According to 1 John 1:1, 2, He is the Word of life who was manifested to reveal the glory of God to all mankind. He has always existed because He is God (Micah 5:2; Colossians 1;17; 1 John 1;1; Hebrews 13:8; Genesis 21:3; Isaiah 40:28). The preexistence of Jesus is further proved by His own testimony that He existed before Abraham (John 8:58). John the Baptist announced Him as the one who existed before him; a preexistence not as man nor an angel but as God. In the incarnation God, the Word laid aside His position and power and took on the form of a human being (John 1:14; Philippians 2:7-8). After His resurrection He was again glorified with the same glory that He had with the Father before the world came into existence (1 John 17:5, 20:28; Revelation 1:8, 22:12-13, 16; Matthew1:23; 1 John 1:2; Hebrews 1:3, 8; Acts 10:36; Titus 2:13; 1 Corinthians 2:8; Psalms 24:8-10; Isaiah 9:6). After Jesus the eternal Word redeemed everything that He had created the Father highly exalted Him above everything and gave Him a name that is greater than all other names yet He is still called the Word (Ephesians 1:21; Acts 2:33; Revelation 19:13). Jesus is definitely distinct from the Father for Jesus Himself said, "the Father is greater than I" (John 14:28; 1 Corinthians 15:24, 27-28; John 20:17; Acts 7:55-56; Ephesians 1:20). Jesus also made it clear that He was going to return to the Father and called the Father His God (John 17; 20:17; Matthew 26:64).

Blessings

Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
www.abidingplace.org