Joh 1:1-3 | MHM | STEP | The Divinity of Christ Many people have found the opening verses of John’s Gospel very special. Some, like the philosopher Simplicius and the scholar Francis Junius, were deeply moved and even changed by reading these lines. John begins his Gospel by making a strong statement: Jesus Christ is truly God, united with the Father. Let’s look at how John explains this truth. v. 1 : John calls Jesus “the Word” ( ho logos ). This is a unique name that John uses for Christ (1 John 1:1; 5:7; Revelation 19:13 ). In the Old Testament, the Messiah is sometimes called the "Word of the Lord ." The “Word” can mean two things. First, it is like a thought in the mind—something that exists within. Jesus is the eternal wisdom of God, the Son who was always with the Father (Proverbs 8:22 ). Second, the “Word” can mean speech—how we express our thoughts. Jesus is also the one through whom God speaks to us in these last days (Hebrews 1:2; Matthew 17:5 ). He shows us who God is, just as words reveal what is in someone’s mind. John the Baptist was a voice, but Jesus is the Word—the Truth, the Amen, the faithful Witness (Revelation 3:14 ).

‏ John 1:1-3

The Divinity of Christ

Many people have found the opening verses of John’s Gospel very special. Some, like the philosopher Simplicius and the scholar Francis Junius, were deeply moved and even changed by reading these lines. John begins his Gospel by making a strong statement: Jesus Christ is truly God, united with the Father. Let’s look at how John explains this truth.

v. 1: John calls Jesus “the Word” (ho logos). This is a unique name that John uses for Christ (1 John 1:1; 5:7; Revelation 19:13 ^a). In the Old Testament, the Messiah is sometimes called the "Word of the Lord." The “Word” can mean two things. First, it is like a thought in the mind—something that exists within. Jesus is the eternal wisdom of God, the Son who was always with the Father (Proverbs 8:22 ^b). Second, the “Word” can mean speech—how we express our thoughts. Jesus is also the one through whom God speaks to us in these last days (Hebrews 1:2; Matthew 17:5 ^c). He shows us who God is, just as words reveal what is in someone’s mind. John the Baptist was a voice, but Jesus is the Word—the Truth, the Amen, the faithful Witness (Revelation 3:14 ^d).

v. 2: John says, “He was with God in the beginning” (John 1:2 ^e). This means that before anything was created, Jesus (the Word) already existed. He was not only present before time began, but existed eternally, without beginning (Psalm 90:2; Proverbs 8:23 ^f). Jesus was always with God, sharing in his glory and happiness (John 17:5; Proverbs 8:30 ^g). The Father and the Son worked together in the plan to save people, even before the world began (Ephesians 3:9; 1 Peter 3:18 ^h; Zechariah 6:13; Matthew 11:27 ⁱ).

v. 3: John writes, “All things were made by him” (John 1:3 ^j). Jesus was not just present at creation—he was the one who created everything (Psalm 33:6 ^k). God made the world through Jesus, not as an assistant, but as an equal partner (Hebrews 1:2 ^l). Without him, nothing was made. This proves that Jesus is truly God, because only God can create all things (Hebrews 3:4; Isaiah 40:12, 28; 41:4 ^m; Jeremiah 10:11-12 ⁿ). Since Jesus made everything, he is powerful enough to save us and is the right one to bring us to God.