John 1:1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The phrase "and the Word was God" doesn't mean the Word became God, but that the Word always was God, emphasizing a distinct yet co-equal divine nature with God the Father from before time began. This is crucial because it highlights that the Word, in His eternal essence, possesses the very nature and attributes of God, not just a divine-like quality.
John begins his Gospel by taking us back to the absolute beginning, before creation itself, to introduce Jesus not as a man or even a prophet, but as the eternal "Word." This Word existed with God and was, in fact, God, setting the stage for the entire narrative of God's ultimate revelation to humanity through Jesus. The following verses will unfold how this eternal Word became flesh and walked among us, and the varied reception He encountered.
Before time began, before creation itself, there was the Word. What does it mean for Jesus to be 'in the beginning'?
John opens his Gospel by echoing Genesis, but with a profound difference. While Genesis 1:1 marks the start of creation, John 1:1 declares the Word’s existence before any beginning.
Beyond Time
This isn't about a created being waiting for its moment; it's about the eternal God present before anything else existed.
The Word wasn't just 'there' at the beginning; He was 'with God' and 'was God.' What does this profound connection reveal?
John's statement 'the Word was with God, and the Word was God' is a powerful declaration of both distinction and unity within the Godhead.
Two Sides of the Divine Coin:
This isn't about two separate gods, nor is it about the Word being merely an attribute of God. It's a profound mystery: one God, existing in distinguishable yet unified persons.
Understand the original words
archē · Greek Noun
Refers to the primordial origin of creation. In this context, it points to a time before creation, emphasizing the pre-existence of the Word.
logos · Greek Noun
A divine title for the Son of God, representing the communication, revelation, and creative expression of God to humanity. It identifies Jesus as the embodiment of God's self-revelation.
theos · Greek Noun
The Supreme Being and Creator of the universe. In this context, it affirms the distinct personhood of the Word in relation to the Father, while also asserting his divine nature.
John intentionally echoes the opening words of Genesis ('In the beginning') to show that the Word existed before creation, highlighting His eternal nature as opposed to creation's beginning.
Proverbs 8:22-31This passage personifies Wisdom as being with God before creation, a concept that resonates strongly with John's portrayal of the eternal Word.
John 17:5Jesus Himself speaks of His glory with the Father 'before the world began,' directly supporting the idea of the Word's pre-existence stated in John 1:1.
Colossians 1:15-17Paul describes Jesus as the 'firstborn of all creation,' who existed before all things and through whom all things were created, mirroring John's assertion of the Word's role in creation and His eternal nature.
1 John 1:1John, the same author, revisits the concept of the eternal Word ('that which was from the beginning,' 'the Word of life') in his letter, reinforcing its significance and his understanding of Christ's divine nature.
vincentJohn 1:1: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
In the beginning was (ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν)With evident allusion to the first word of Genesis. But John elevates the phrase from its reference to a point of time, the beginning of creation, to the time of absolute pre-existence before any creation, which is not mentioned until John 1:3. This beginning had no beginning (compare John 1:3; John 17:5; 1 John 1:1; Ephesians 1:4; Proverbs 8:23; Psalm 90:2). This h…
expositorsJohn 1:1: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Chapter 1THE INCARNATION. “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. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that hath been made. In Him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness apprehended it not. There came a man, sent from God, whose name…
The phrase "and the Word was God" doesn't mean the Word became God, but that the Word always was God, emphasizing a distinct yet co-equal divine nature with God the Father from before time began. This is crucial because it highlights that the Word, in His eternal essence, possesses the very nature and attributes of God, not just a divine-like quality.
John begins his Gospel by taking us back to the absolute beginning, before creation itself, to introduce Jesus not as a man or even a prophet, but as the eternal "Word." This Word existed with God and was, in fact, God, setting the stage for the entire narrative of God's ultimate revelation to humanity through Jesus. The following verses will unfold how this eternal Word became flesh and walked among us, and the varied reception He encountered.
John begins his Gospel by taking us back to the absolute beginning, before creation itself, to introduce Jesus not as a man or even a prophet, but as the eternal "Word." This Word existed with God and was, in fact, God, setting the stage for the entire narrative of God's ultimate revelation to humanity through Jesus. The following verses will unfold how this eternal Word became flesh and walked among us, and the varied reception He encountered.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about John 1:1 is available in the Sola app.
John calls Jesus 'the Word' (Logos). What layers of meaning are packed into this title, and why is it so crucial?
The term 'Logos' (Word) was rich with meaning in the ancient world, and John deliberately uses it to reveal Jesus' identity.
More Than Just Words:
By calling Jesus 'the Word,' John presents Him as the one through whom God has eternally communicated, created, and ultimately revealed Himself to humanity.
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." — The phrase "and the Word was God" doesn't mean the Word became God, but that the Word always was God, emphasizing a distinct yet co-equal divine nature with God the Father from before time began.…
