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Jesus is the word of God

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I've been thinking about Jesus and his title 'The Word of God', for a while now...here's some notes.

I was first introduced to this as a serious angle of study and major theme of the New Testament ( rather than a nice verse in John 1 ) when I read 'Prayer' by a German theologan named Hans Urs von Balthasar.  http://www.amazon.com/Prayer-Hans-Urs-von-Balthasar/dp/0898700744  This is probably as difficult a book as I've ever read - but it was transformative for me in a variety of ways.  I need to go back and find a copy and see if it stands up after 10 years.

Jesus is represented in scripture as the Word of God - a title that needs to be understood 'as the scripture says', not from the definition our church culture has put on it.  Good evangelical protestant types tend to worship the Bible like it's part of the trinity (usually replacing Holy Spirit).

When we say 'The Word of God' we usually are referring to the Bible.  Now, the Bible is a great gift to us, but if we pay attention to how the Bible uses that phrase 'The Word of God', it's not used as a reference to scripture anywhere (that I'm aware of, at least.  I'm probably wrong...)

Word of God often refers to the spreading of the Gospel, but it's highest, most important usage is in reference to Jesus himself.

Two major passages unpack Jesus identity as the Word - Everyone knows John 1, but Hebrews ch. 1 and 2 are a parallel rendering of the same thoughts.  Hebrews expands upon and elaborates what is a pretty compact presentation of these ideas in John 1.

Here's a map of the relationship between those two passages:

Jesus is the Word, God's primary means of communicating to us
John 1:1
Hebrews 1:1-2

Jesus is God, and the Son of god
John 1:1
Hebrews 1:3

Jesus made the universe
John 1:3
Hebrews 1:2
Note - God SAID let there be light...and it's implied in John, Hebrews, and elsewhere that Jesus was the one that went and did it, performing the activity of creation.

Jesus came to bring many sons into the kingdom.
John 1:12-13
Hebrews 2:10-15

Jesus was God, but came as a man...
John 1:14
Hebrews 2:14

There's lots of cross-references that might inform this topic - Colossians 1:17 is one, another , 
Posted via email from dsayswhat's posterous

Comments

Will De Hart said…
You gotta watch out for those crazy Germans...:D (Did I ever mention I'm a German/Scottish mix?)
September 4, 2010 at 12:57 PM
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