Names of Jesus: The Word

Jesus has many names that speak of Him as the Son the God, the Son of Man, and also as the Truth. One of the primary names for Jesus that teach us about His identity as the Truth is Jesus as the Word. The book of John opens up with this name, telling us that the Word was in the beginning, was with God, and was God. What does it mean that the Word was in the beginning with God, and was also Himself God?

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was in the beginning with God. ³ All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. ⁴ In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. ⁵ And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not ^[a]comprehend it.

John 1:1-5 NKJV

This name is attributed to Jesus many times throughout both the Old and New Testaments. In Greek, the word used for “Word” is logos. In John 1:1, it is used to speak of both Jesus Christ as well as the Word of God. All over scripture logos is used and several meanings can be found, but all of them relate directly back to Jesus Christ and His unity with God in various ways.

1. The Word – G3056 – logos
   1. of speech
      1. a word, uttered by a living voice, embodies a conception or idea
      2. what someone has said
         1. a word
         2. the sayings of God
         3. decree, mandate or order
         4. of the moral precepts given by God
         5. Old Testament prophecy given by the prophets
         6. what is declared, a thought, declaration, aphorism, a weighty saying, a dictum, a maxim
      3. discourse
         1. the act of speaking, speech
         2. the faculty of speech, skill and practice in speaking
         3. a kind or style of speaking
         4. a continuous speaking discourse – instruction
      4. doctrine, teaching
      5. anything reported in speech; a narration, narrative
      6. matter under discussion, thing spoken of, affair, a matter in dispute, case, suit at law
      7. the thing spoken of or talked about; event, deed
   2. its use as respect to the MIND alone
      1. reason, the mental faculty of thinking, meditating, reasoning, calculating
      2. account, i.e. regard, consideration
      3. account, i.e. reckoning, score
      4. account, i.e. answer or explanation in reference to judgment
      5. relation, i.e. with whom as judge we stand in relation
         1. reason would
      6. reason, cause, ground
   3. In John, denotes the essential Word of God, Jesus Christ, the personal wisdom and power in union with God, his minister in creation and government of the universe, the cause of all the world’s life both physical and ethical, which for the procurement of man’s salvation put on human nature in the person of Jesus the Messiah, the second person in the Godhead, and shone forth conspicuously from His words and deeds.

Some uses speak of logos as the teachings of God, while others speak of the reasoning and explanations of God, and others refer specifically to the commands and spoken word of God. Logos, the Word, is literally the Word of God in all aspects: physical, ethical, and spiritual.

From the beginning the Word was with God and was God

Looking back at the very beginning of scripture, the book of Genesis tells us about the moment of creation before proceeding to tell us about the creation of humanity, while the book of John opens up with creation and then proceeds to teach about eternity.

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Genesis 1:1 NKJV

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 1:1 NKJV

• In the beginning – G746 – archē
  • beginning, origin;
    • used absolutely, of the beginning of all things

• with – G4314 – pros
  • it is used of close proximity
    • equivalent to with, with the accusative of a person, after verbs of remaining, dwelling, tarrying, etc. (which require one to be conceived of as always turned toward one)

• was – G1510 – eimi
  • to be, to exist

At the absolute beginning of all created things, God created the heavens and earth. The Word was there, too. He dwelled with God and literally existed as God. The Word is God’s reasoning, teachings, instructions, commandments, wisdom, and power manifested in the person of Jesus Christ and in the written Word of God which is created, as all things are, through, by, and for Jesus Christ. By His Word God commanded creation into being. His Word came from His lips, dwelling there with Him over all things, and the Word was also God’s very nature, being, and power.

The Word made everything

In Christ, all things were made. For Christ, all things were made. By Christ, all things were made. Everything was made by and through the Word of God, who is Jesus Christ, for the purpose of glorifying God and being in communion with Him.

¹⁶ For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or ^[a]principalities or ^[b]powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. ¹⁷ And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.

Colossians 1:16-17 NKJV

⁶ By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,
And all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.

Psalm 33:6 NKJV

1 God, who ^[a]at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, ² has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the ^[b]worlds;

Hebrews 1:1-2 NKJV

Being made for His purposes, we were all made to draw near to the Word, to live and display the Word, and to proclaim the Word so that others may be drawn to the Word also. Those who believe in the Word are commissioned to go out and tell others about Him so that they may also receive the free gift of salvation through faith in the Word of God by the grace of God.

• Read more: Warning Signs: Don’t Neglect Your Salvation
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¹⁸ And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹ Go ^[a]therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” ^[b]Amen.

Matthew 28:18-20 NKJV

The Word became flesh

Jesus Christ is both fully man and fully God. He needed to be in order to fulfill God’s plan to redeem mankind. He, the Word of God, needed to willingly humble Himself to become like us so that He could be the spotless, perfect sacrifice to pay for our sins. The Word became flesh in order to die in our place so that those who believe in the Word would gain the promise of eternal life, never to be separated from God again.

¹⁴ And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:14 NKJV

⁵ Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, being in the form of God, did not consider it ^[a]robbery to be equal with God, ⁷ but ^[b]made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. ⁸ And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

Philippians 2:5-8 NKJV

¹⁴ Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, ¹⁵ and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

Hebrews 2:14-15 NKJV

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Life, grace, and truth come from the Word

The written Word of God is living, sharp, discerning, penetrating the very soul of the reader because it holds the breath of life, is the very essence of Truth, and is a gift by the grace of God alone. All things are created for the purposes of Christ the Word, and His purpose is to give eternal spiritual life to the one who hears the Truth of the Word and believes it.

¹² For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Hebrews 4:12 NKJV

⁶ yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live.

1 Corinthians 8:6 NKJV

1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life— ² the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us— ³ that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.

1 John 1:1-3 NKJV

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The Word of Life

The Word gives spiritual life to those who hear and believe, and the promise of eternal life is given by the grace of God through the salvation of Jesus Christ obtained through the sacrifice of His own life on the cross. Those who believe in the Word are given freedom and new life and are set free from their old lives in bondage to sin. Believe in the Word by faith and you will spend your eternal life in the presence of God where there will be no more curse of sin.

²⁶ For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, ²⁷ and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man.

John 5:26-27 NKJV

²⁵ Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. ²⁶ And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

John 11:25-26 NKJV

¹¹ And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.

1 John 5:11 NKJV

The Word of Light

When we receive the spiritual life granted through faith in the Word, the Word fills us with His holy light. His light is a guide to our lives. When we live by the light of the Word we walk in the path of righteousness, drawing nearer to God, and we shine His light on those around us. By shining His light on others, we draw them closer to the Word also.

¹² Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

John 8:12 NKJV

⁵ As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

John 9:5 NKJV

¹⁰⁵ Your word is a lamp to my feet
    and a light to my path.

Psalm 119:105 NKJV

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The Word of Grace

We are given the Word purely by the grace of God. We could never receive Him, draw near to Him, understand Him, or be in a relationship with Him if it were not for the holy and precious grace of God. By grace, we are saved through faith in the Word, and by grace, we are blessed, guided, strengthened, taught, led, convicted, and come closer to Him every step.

⁹ And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

2 Corinthians 12:9 NKJV

⁸ For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not of works, lest anyone should boast.

Ephesians 2:8-9 NKJV

¹⁶ Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Hebrews 4:16 NKJV

²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴ being justified ^[a]freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, ²⁵ whom God set forth as a ^[b]propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, ²⁶ to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Romans 3:23-26 NKJV

The Word of Truth

The Word is completely Truth. The Word is what we should live our lives according to, and live our lives for. By living according to the Word of God we are sanctified, being made holy throughout our lives and walk with the Lord. We are called to abide in the Word and we will know Truth, and in this Truth we will find freedom.

¹⁴ And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:14 NKJV

¹⁷ Sanctify^[a] them by Your truth. Your word is truth.

John 17:17 NKJV

³¹ Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. ³² And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

John 8:31-32 NKJV

⁶ Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

John 14:6 NKJV

The Word prepares us for eternity

The Word is the only way to the Truth, and the only way to true life. Through the Word come life, light, grace, and truth for our lives, our very souls, and to prepare us for eternity with the Father. All of us are called to believe in the Word, abide in the Word, and share the Word. He will teach us in all of these things, and strengthen us to do His will, drawing us and those around us closer to Him by His Word.

¹² For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Hebrews 4:12 NKJV

¹¹ Your word I have hidden in my heart,
That I might not sin against You.

Psalm 119:11 NKJV

³⁵ Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

Matthew 24:35 NKJV

²⁸ But He said, “More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”

Luke 11:28 NKJV

How to abide in the Word

To abide in the Word we must first have faith and believe in the Word, accept His Truth, and receive His life. Once we accept Jesus as our personal savior, we should be actively growing in our faith and understanding of the Word every day, making Him the top priority of our life and days. Some ways we should be abiding in the Word are:

• Make time for God every day. Schedule time to read your Bible daily. It is great to start your day with God to help your focus be on Him throughout the day.
• Make time for prayer every day and learn to pray scripture. Prayer is your personal communication with God and learning to set your heart, intentions, and focus on Him helps you grow closer to Him and His calling.
• Get a study Bible that applies to you. There are so many options out there it can be hard to know which one is right for you. Pray over your search and let God lead you to the right one for you.
  • This post and this post might be of some assistance to you.
  • Check this category for Bible reviews, too.
• Incorporate prayer, Bible study, and Bible reading plans into your daily life. You can do this with the help of faith planners, prayer journals, and Bible study journals.
  • Check my Etsy shop for some ideas and options.
  • Find some tips for making your own in this post and this post.
• Join a Bible study group with friends, at church, with us, or somewhere else. Studying with others is actually something we are called to do as well. It really helps to study with godly people to help us all grow in godliness.
  • Email me for an invite to our Discord servers! We do studies on Wednesdays for the whole community, and a special private ladies-only study on Wednesday nights!
• When you are feeling stressed, anxious, afraid, and uncertain train yourself to turn to the Word and prayer. Pray for guidance, peace, stillness, and for help trusting Him in this moment and in your circumstances. Lean into the Word for help and do not lean on yourself and your own understanding of the situation.
• When you are excited, peaceful, happy, joyful, and feeling blessed praise God for it. Don’t just seek God when things feel wrong, but seek Him when things are going well. Thank Him and glorify Him. Acknowledge His hand in these moments as well.

What are some ways you have learned or are learning to abide in the Word? Please share with us in the comments or on Discord what has worked for you to help encourage others and provide some perspective that others may learn from.

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