Answer
1. Introduction
The Prologue of John’s Gospel (John 1:1–18) begins:
“In the beginning was the Word (Logos), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”
This choice of Logos has been interpreted as bridging Jewish scriptural theology and Greek philosophical thought, while redefining both in the incarnate Christ.
2. Logos in Jewish Context
2.1 Hebrew Dabar (Word)
In Hebrew theology:
- Genesis 1: God created by speaking: “And God said…”.
- Psalm 33:6: “By the word of the LORD the heavens were made.”
Here, dabar (word) conveys:
| Aspect | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Creative power | God’s Word as the agent of creation. |
| Revelation | God’s communicative self-disclosure to humanity. |
| Efficacy | God’s Word accomplishes His will (Isaiah 55:11). |
2.2 Wisdom and Memra Traditions
In Second Temple Judaism:
- Proverbs 8: Personified Wisdom present at creation.
- Aramaic Targums: Use Memra (“Word”) as a circumlocution for God acting in the world (McNamara, 2002).
- Philo of Alexandria (Jewish-Hellenistic thinker): Developed Logos as an intermediary between God and creation, though retaining philosophical abstraction.
3. Logos in Greek Philosophical Context
3.1 Stoic Philosophy
For Stoics:
- Logos referred to the rational principle ordering the cosmos, an impersonal force pervading all things (Long, 1974).
3.2 Heraclitean Usage
- Heraclitus (6th century BCE): Used Logos for the unifying principle behind change and order in the universe.
3.3 Middle Platonism
- Integrated Logos as a mediator or demiurge, bridging the transcendent divine realm and material reality (Dillon, 1996).
4. John’s Reinterpretation in Christ
4.1 Radical Redefinition
John transforms Logos from:
| Context | Meaning | John’s Redefinition |
|---|---|---|
| Jewish | God’s creative, revelatory Word. | That Word is now personal and incarnate in Christ. |
| Greek | Rational ordering principle or mediating reason. | The ordering Logos is not impersonal, but the eternal Son who became flesh (John 1:14). |
4.2 Christological Theological Significance
4.2.1 Eternal Pre-existence
- John 1:1: “In the beginning was the Logos…” affirms Christ’s eternal existence before creation.
4.2.2 Divine Identity
- “…and the Logos was God” asserts full deity, rejecting any merely created or impersonal interpretation.
4.2.3 Incarnation
- John 1:14: “The Logos became flesh and dwelt among us.”
- God’s creative and rational Word entered human history as a real person, revealing God’s glory fully.
4.3 Uniting Jewish and Greek Thought
John’s Logos:
- Affirms Jewish theology: God’s Word is powerful, revelatory, and now incarnate.
- Engages Greek thought: The rational ordering principle is personal and relational, not abstract.
- Reveals a new truth: The Logos is Jesus Christ, God made flesh, the ultimate bridge between Creator and creation.
5. Scholarly Perspectives
| Scholar | Viewpoint |
|---|---|
| Dodd (1953) | John draws primarily from Jewish Wisdom and Word traditions, secondarily adapting Greek concepts. |
| Morris (1995) | Logos is polyvalent: Jewish Word, Wisdom, and Greek rational principle, redefined Christologically. |
| Hurtado (2003) | John’s Logos is a radical innovation – not merely philosophical, but worshipfully identifying Jesus as God. |
6. Conclusion
John’s use of Logos bridges Jewish and Greek concepts, but redefines both in a unique Christological revelation:
- The Jewish creative and revelatory Word becomes incarnate.
- The Greek rational Logos is shown to be personal, divine, and relational.
Thus, in John, Logos is not merely theological or philosophical vocabulary; it is a radical claim that Jesus is the eternal God, the source, meaning, and redeemer of all creation.
7. 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.
- McNamara, M. (2002). Targum and Testament Revisited. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.
- Morris, L. (1995). The Gospel According to John. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.