Why do some Christians identify the "Word" with the words of scripture when it clearly means Christ.

Question

John 1

I think you can distinguish by the capitalization: "Word" as Christ-spirit compared to "word" as the words of the scripture.

Answer 1

This is a big mix up.

Greeks were trying to understand Jewish spirituality and religious tradition, and it just didn't translate.

This thing called "Logos" has developed a kind of faddish mystique around it and really it's not a part of the body of beliefs Jesus tried to pass on to us.

But it's nearly harmless.

Answer 2

I agree with it meaning Christ, or moreso Christ Consciousness.

The Word is the creative power with which The Christ manifests the creation, or the Divine manifests the creation. The Word became flesh refers to creation.

Under this context it is not an alphabetical meaning of words.

Allot of the Bible is actually symbollic and is taken much too literally.

The Word is a principle. It has nothing whatsoever to do with written scriptures.

Jesus was a man, a human the same as all of us, an Initiate who received Christ. Jesus has nothing to do with the Word itself, other than receiving the principles of the Word, that being the Light of God that shines in all men.

Answer 3

Jhn 1:1 ¶ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.


Jhn 1:2 The same was in the beginning with God.


Jhn 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.


Jhn 1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.


Jhn 1:5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.


Jhn 1:6 ¶ There was a man sent from God, whose name [was] John.


Jhn 1:7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all [men] through him might believe.


Jhn 1:8 He was not that Light, but [was sent] to bear witness of that Light.


Jhn 1:9 [That] was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.


Jhn 1:10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.


Jhn 1:11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.


Jhn 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on his name:

Answer 4

Pastor Billy says: Less than 500 years ago some Christians decided to reject the valid Christian priestly order. In doing so they created a void of authority, as explained by the Eunuch in Acts8:31 to Philip "how can I [understand] unless some one instructs me". To fill this void the newly invented doctrine of "sola scriptura" (bible alone) arose. This idea actually did not fill the instructional void but allowed for the first time in Christian history a validity to individual interpretation of scripture under the guise (now here is the catch) of being led by the Word directly because the Word (Jesus) is the word. This revisionism of terminology has led to the following:

1. a debasement of Jesus
2. false interpretation of scripture
3. lack of unity in the body of Christ
4. loss of sacramental Christianity
5. loss of fullness of faith
6. the list goes on (its early in the day I've not got started to remember them all :D)

You are very correct in asking why has Christ been reduced to mere paper when he is the living Word a person and not a book.

One last point Jesus said to the pharisee "you search the scriptures endlessly and yet you do not know me" and "Mose gave you the law but you are not of Mose for if you were you would know me". There is something called the seat of Mose which was the spiritual teaching authority of the first covenant people. By the time Christ walked the earth there was numerous sects all claiming authority.

The idea of knowing scripture by memorizing it or quoting it or slinging it around at others as proof text for your own interpretation is not enough to in saying you know Jesus Christ. This alone does not prove you to be the greater student of Christ.

Answer 5

I'm not sure... I guess they feel if they say the Bible is the Word then people couldn't possibly question it. With some I have met, they are dangerously close to worshipping the Bible as God... to place that much Faith into a manmade book and then declare that it is Absolutely, 100% Gods Word... Not something I would want to be held accountable for, especially since the Bible itself says that God declared there is No one and Nothing beside him. Yet, people place the Bible next to him all the time. I guess they forgot what it means to follow the Spirit of it and not the letter.

Answer 6

I think it means both. There are clear examples of the Word referring to Christ and God's Word being the Law. God has revealed Himself through His Son and through the Scriptures.

Answer 7

The Word is the word of Christ, His teachings. Not all of The Word came from Christ directly.

Answer 8

The Word of God refers to all that God has revealed.
Hence it is reight to refer to Scripture as the word of God.
But that same Scripture (See John 1) says that the Word became flesh.
No contradiction at all.

Answer 9

It's just a shorthand way of referring to both. Neither one is wrong. Jesus is the Logos Word and the Bible is God's written word. No one who uses "the Word" to refer to the Bible is disputing that Jesus is the Logos Word.

Answer 10

John 1:1 in the begining was the word and the word was with God and the word was God. satisfied???