1. Introduction
The Prologue of John’s Gospel (John 1:1–18) famously opens with:
“In the beginning was the Logos, and the Logos was with God, and the Logos was God.”
This use of Logos has generated scholarly debate about its origins, particularly:
- Greek philosophical backgrounds (Stoic and Platonic).
- Hellenistic Jewish interpretations (notably Philo of Alexandria).
- Hebrew biblical and wisdom traditions.
2. Greek Philosophical Contexts
2.1 Stoic Philosophy
2.1.1 Logos as Cosmic Reason
- Stoics (3rd century BCE onwards) taught Logos as the divine rational principle pervading and ordering the universe, immanent within creation (Long, 1974).
| Key Ideas | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Immanence | Logos is a rational force animating all matter. |
| Determinism | Logos underpins cosmic order and fate. |
2.2 Platonic Philosophy and Middle Platonism
2.2.1 Logos as Mediator or Demiurge
- Plato’s Timaeus: The Demiurge uses eternal Forms to create the material world.
- Middle Platonism (1st century BCE – 3rd century CE): Logos concept developed as an intermediary principle bridging the transcendent One and material multiplicity (Dillon, 1996).
3. Hellenistic Jewish Context: Philo of Alexandria
3.1 Philo’s Logos Doctrine
3.1.1 Logos as Divine Mediator
- Philo (20 BCE – 50 CE), a Jewish philosopher in Alexandria, heavily influenced by Greek philosophy, used Logos to describe:
- God’s Reason (Divine Mind).
- Agent of creation: The Logos as the “instrument” by which God created the world.
- Intermediary: The Logos as a bridge between transcendent God and creation, described as the “first-born of God” and “high priest.”
3.1.2 Logos as Personification
Philo personifies Logos in some passages but retains Platonic abstraction; Logos is not an independent hypostasis or incarnation (Runia, 1986).
4. The Hebrew and Jewish Scriptural Context
4.1 Logos as Dabar (Word) and Wisdom Traditions
| Hebrew Background | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Genesis 1 | God creates by speaking His Word. |
| Psalm 33:6 | “By the Word (Dabar) of the LORD the heavens were made.” |
| Proverbs 8:22–31 | Wisdom personified as pre-existent agent in creation. |
| Isaiah 55:11 | God’s Word accomplishes His purpose. |
John’s Jewish readers would recognise Logos language as echoing God’s powerful, creative, revelatory speech.
5. John’s Use of Logos: Synthesis or Innovation?
5.1 Similarities with Philo and Greek Philosophy
| Aspect | Similarity |
|---|---|
| Cosmic principle | Logos as agent of creation (John 1:3) aligns with Stoic and Philonic usage. |
| Pre-existence | Logos existing before creation (John 1:1–2). |
| Light and reason metaphors | Common to Stoic, Platonic, and Philonic thought. |
5.2 Radical Differences and Christological Reinterpretation
5.2.1 Logos as Fully Personal and Incarnate
- John 1:14: “The Logos became flesh and dwelt among us,” a concept unthinkable in Stoicism, Platonism, or Philo, where Logos remains impersonal or abstract.
5.2.2 Logos is Fully God
- John 1:1: “The Logos was God.”
- For Philo, Logos is a subordinate intermediary, not God Himself.
5.3 Theological Purpose of John’s Logos
- John uses Logos as a bridge term to engage Hellenistic Jewish and Greek readers but radically redefines it:
The Logos is not merely cosmic reason or divine speech personified, but Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, fully divine, who became incarnate to reveal the Father and redeem humanity.
6. Scholarly Perspectives
| Scholar | Viewpoint |
|---|---|
| Dodd (1953) | John draws from Jewish Wisdom/Word traditions with minimal Greek philosophical influence. |
| Morris (1995) | Logos combines multiple backgrounds (Jewish, Greek philosophical, Philonic) but is reinterpreted Christologically. |
| Hurtado (2003) | John’s Logos theology is a radical innovation: worshipful identification of Jesus with the one God of Israel, not merely Hellenistic borrowing. |
| Runia (1986) | John knows Philonic concepts but transforms them in light of Christian revelation. |
7. Summary Table
| Context | Logos Concept | John’s Reinterpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Stoic | Rational principle immanent in creation. | Logos is personal Creator, not impersonal reason. |
| Platonic/Middle Platonic | Mediating principle bridging transcendent God and material world. | Logos is God Himself who became incarnate. |
| Philo (Hellenistic Jewish) | Divine reason, agent of creation, mediator, yet not personal incarnation. | Logos is Jesus Christ, fully divine, personal, incarnate. |
| Hebrew biblical | God’s creative, powerful Word; personified Wisdom. | Logos is God’s eternal Word become flesh, fulfilling and surpassing OT expectations. |
8. Conclusion
The Gospel of John’s use of Logos draws upon Greek philosophical vocabulary and Hellenistic Jewish concepts (including Philo), but radically redefines them in a unique Christological framework:
- Logos is not an abstract principle or semi-divine mediator.
- The Logos is Jesus Christ, God the Son, eternal, personal, incarnate, revealing God fully and redeeming humanity.
Thus, while John engages his cultural and intellectual context, his Logos theology remains distinctive, theologically revolutionary, and rooted in Hebrew revelation fulfilled in Christ.
9. References
- Dodd, C. H. (1953). The Interpretation of the Fourth Gospel. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Dillon, J. (1996). The Middle Platonists: 80 B.C. to A.D. 220. London: Duckworth.
- Hurtado, L. W. (2003). Lord Jesus Christ: Devotion to Jesus in Earliest Christianity. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.
- Long, A. A. (1974). Hellenistic Philosophy: Stoics, Epicureans, Sceptics. London: Duckworth.
- Morris, L. (1995). The Gospel According to John. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.
- Runia, D. T. (1986). Philo of Alexandria and the Timaeus of Plato. Leiden: Brill.