A Different View Of An Old Classic (concluded)

Now, we would like to share one more substitution.  With this substitution, we would like to combine all that we have discovered thus far.

In the beginning was the Word (the Logos, the Son, and the one called Jesus), and the Word (the Logos, the Son, and the one called Jesus) was with God (the Father), and the Word (the Logos, the Son, and the one called Jesus) was God (the Father).  The same (the Word, the Logos, the Son, and the one called Jesus) was in the beginning with God (the Father).

As you can see, this substitution makes for a very complex interpretation of the Word, who has been label the Logos, the Son, and the one called Jesus.  While the Trinitarians are not the only ones who have made this passage the cornerstone of their belief system, the substitutions appear to present more questions than answers.  It would appear that we are no closer to solving the mystery than before.

A Different View Of An Old Classic (con't)

Recently, we examined two very controversial verses.  At the center of the controversial verses is the interpretation of the phrase, the Word, translated from the Greek word logos.  We have been taught that this Greek word logos, which was translated into English as the Word, was later made flesh (John 1:14) and came to be known as Jesus the Christ.  However as the Strong’s Complete Greek and Hebrew Lexicon pointed out, this Greek word was first used by a Greek philosopher named Heraclitus.  At the end of the 6^th century B.C., Heraclitus made the word logos a central concept of his Greek philosophy where he believed the term was the underlying substance of the universe, the power behind the order in the world, and the order itself.  He was the first to believe that this logos or a rational divine intelligence gave life to the world.  He believed this rational divine intelligence, which today is referred to as being the mind of God in some scientific circles, produced the order and pattern in the things we encounter every day.  He believed this divine force was similar to human reasoning where no man had a soul of his own, but each shared in a universal soul-fire.  He even believed his own thoughts partook of this rational divine intelligence.  He became famous for his doctrine of change being central to the universe and the unity of opposites where existing things were characterized by pairs of contrary properties.  He believed that all things existed in accordance with this logos that was the coordinator of the changing universe.

A Different View Of An Old Classic

There exists a passage that has been interpreted to imply that Jesus was there in the beginning with God when he created all that was created.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  The same was in the beginning with God (John 1:1-2).

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  The same (the Word) was in the beginning with God.  These two verses have created more controversy than any other verses in the Bible.  While it is true that there are many misinterpreted passages from the Bible, many have their foundations based on the interpretation of these two verses.  At the center of the controversy is the phrase, the Word, translated from the Greek word logos.  This word has been analyzed, examined, investigated, scrutinized, evaluated, questioned, explored, considered, and reconsidered resulting in no concrete determination as to the true interpretation or meaning of the phrase.  Below is an insert taken directly from the Strong’s Complete Greek and Hebrew Lexicon.  Examine the many different definitions and see if you can determine the true interpretation or meaning of the phrase.