In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
The ancient Greeks had a philosophical concept of all of the collective wisdom of the gods being manifest in human form. It was called the Logos (capital g). The Logos is translated into English as "the Word." It wasn't something they
necessarily believed -it was more a teaching device to put all of their
spiritual and philosophical wisdom in one place.
The writer of the third gospel (the Gospel of John), however, makes use of this teaching device to clarify something about Jesus to the early church spread throughout the Greko-Roman empire. There really is such a person. He did not contain the collective wisdom of "the gods"; rather, He was Himself God. He was the author and creator of everything that exists, and He became human and lived among us to teach us things we did not understand about God.
He (the Logos/Word) was the creator and in Him was life. Apart from Him, there is no life -either spiritually or physically. He is the source of life (physical) and light (spiritual). The point is that whether people believe this is true or not, does not change the reality of the situation. Our belief is not what makes it so.
He was not just the originator of life, He is the continuing source of life; everything and everyone that exists, exists at His command. He is the continuing source of light; He is the source of love, joy, peace, goodness, mercy, justice, faithfulness, justice, grace, gentleness, etc. He continues to shine in the darkness (evil, hatred, bigotry, perversion, etc.), and the darkness does not overcome it.
Jesus, in a world of darkness, today let me reflect Your light genuinely and accurately. Amen.
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