Scripture (ESV)
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
(John 1:1, ESV)
Why John Begins Here
John does not begin his Gospel with a birth narrative, a genealogy, or a historical marker. He begins before all of those—before creation itself.
The opening phrase, “In the beginning,” intentionally echoes Genesis 1:1:
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1, ESV)
John is signaling that what follows is not merely a biography of Jesus, but a new-creation revelation. He wants us to understand Jesus not first as a teacher or miracle worker, but as eternal—existing before time, history, and matter.
Everything else in John’s Gospel flows from this opening claim.
“The Word” — God’s Self-Revelation
John introduces Jesus using the title “the Word.”
The Greek word is λόγος (logos), a term rich with meaning for John’s original audience.
For Jewish readers, God’s “word” represented His creative power and self-disclosure:
“By the word of the LORD the heavens were made…” (Psalm 33:6)
For Greek readers, logos referred to the rational principle that gives order and meaning to the universe.
John unites both ideas and declares that God’s ultimate Word is not a concept or philosophy, but a Person. Jesus is God’s final and fullest self-expression. To know Him is to know God.
“Was” — Eternal, Not Created
John repeats a crucial verb throughout verse 1:
“In the beginning was the Word…”
The Greek verb ἦν (ēn) is in the imperfect tense, describing continuous existence in the past. John does not say the Word came into being at the beginning. He says the Word already existed when the beginning began.
This removes any idea that Jesus is a created being. He is eternal—without origin and without beginning.
“With God” — Distinction and Relationship
John continues:
“and the Word was with God…”
This phrase comes from πρὸς τὸν θεόν (pros ton theon), which conveys the idea of face-to-face relationship. This is relational language, not merely proximity.
John teaches that the Word is distinct from the Father and that the Word exists in eternal fellowship with the Father. From the opening sentence of the Gospel, we are introduced to a God who has always existed in loving relationship.
“The Word Was God” — No Dilution
John concludes the verse with a clear and uncompromising declaration:
“and the Word was God.”
There is no softening here. John does not say the Word was “godlike” or “divine in some sense.” He says the Word was God.
Everything true of God—His holiness, eternity, power, glory, and truth—is true of the Word. The Jesus who will walk dusty roads, weep at graves, and die on a cross is none other than God Himself.
Why This Matters for Faith and Life
John 1:1 is not abstract theology. It is deeply practical.
If Jesus is the eternal Word, your life has meaning because it was created through Him. Your suffering matters because God entered the human story. Your faith rests on reality, not sentiment or tradition.
John begins here because belief in Jesus is always a response to who He truly is.
Reflection Questions
- How does John’s description of Jesus challenge common assumptions about Him?
- Why is it important that Jesus existed before creation?
- What does it mean for your daily life that God is relational, not distant?
- How does seeing Jesus as God’s Word shape how you read Scripture?
- Where might God be inviting you to trust Christ more fully?
Closing Prayer
Father God,
Thank You for revealing Yourself through Your Son, the eternal Word. Help us to see Jesus clearly—not as we wish Him to be, but as He truly is. Deepen our faith, anchor our hope, and teach us to listen when You speak. May our lives reflect the light and life that come only from Christ. We ask this in His holy name. Amen.
All for HIS Glory and Blessing.