Page 7 - BV18

Colossians 1:15-20 7

“May denote an internal reasoning process, plan, or intention, as well as an external word,
speech, or message.”

In Greek, the word “logos” according to Vine’s Expository Dictionary means:

Logos — The expression of thought. As embodying a conception or idea.

According to Liddell and Scott Greek Lexicon, it also means:

Logos — the inward thought which is expressed in the spoken word.

This, unfortunately, is not what it meant to Greek philosophy. In Greek philosophies such
as Stoicism, and Neo-Platonism, “logos” was considered divine. To a Stoic, logos means “the di-
vine principle of life.” This is basically a definition of God. In Gnosticism “Logos” was the actual
name of one of the intermediary gods. Someone educated in one of these philosophies would inter-
pret John 1: 1 in the following manner —

“In the beginning was the divine principle of life, the divine principle of life was with
God, and the divine principle of life was God.” Verse 14. “The divine principle of life be
came flesh.”

Now you have God in heaven and in the flesh at the same time. The explanation came in the
form of a dual-natured Messiah who is fully God and fully man at all times (This definition of
Yeshua is in the Creed of Chalcedon which is the Trinitarian creed of all Trinitarian denomina-
tions). Thus the trinity.

How you can be fully of two different things at the same time is a mystery in itself. You can
be part Italian and part French at the same time, but you cannot be fully Italian and fully French at
the same time. This is why people explaining the trinity always end up saying that it’s a mystery.

To a Hebrew like John, the phrase “word of God” According to Vine’s Expository Dictio-
nary of Old and New Testament Words means, “The revealed will of God.” In other words, “A
message from God.” In 2 Kings 3:12 when it says:

“He has the word of the LORD.”

it means that YEHOVAH God revealed His will to him. We can also compare other verses to verify
this definition:

2 Peter 3:5: “that long ago by God’s word the heavens existed and the earth was formed
out of water.”

Revelation 4:11: “for you created all things, by your will they came into being.”

Sirach 42:15: “At God’s word were His works brought into being.”

The Berean Voice November-December 2002