Top 10 Bible Verse Countdown: #2
We’re counting down the top ten Bible verses of all time, according to research scientists with very large brains who determined how often each verse has appeared in print.
Here’s VERSE #2 . . .
In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
(John 1:1)
Many of God’s biggest mysteries are packed into this beautiful little verse. Let’s try and unpack ‘em a bit.
What — or who — is “the Word”? “The Word” is a translation of the Greek term logos. It had big-time meaning for both Jews and non-Jews.
To Jews, the Word signified a personal, divine communication from God to his people. To non-Jews, the Word was the impersonal “divine reason” that ruled the universe. John chose a term he knew would resonate with both audiences.
John used it here to refer to God’s ultimate living word: Jesus.
What does the rest of the verse mean? A very smart Bible scholar named Merrill Tenney says it speaks of Jesus’ preexistence, distinctiveness and deity. In other words, Jesus (1) was there in the beginning, (2) is a separate and distinct person from the Father and yet (3) is fully God himself.
LISTEN TO THE WORD
