In the last issue of this article I indicated that it was important in considering the power of the New Testament (NT), that we consider three things: (1) the Word OF Jesus, (2) the Word ABOUT Jesus, and (3) Jesus AS THE WORD. I would first consider the Word OF Jesus.

The power of Jesus’ Word becomes literally visible with the healing miracles. Evil spirits are exorcized by His Word (cf. Matthew 8:16; Luke 4:36), a word that can heal even at a distance if it is received with faith (cf., Matthew 8:8). By His word, “even the winds and sea obey Him” (cf., Mark 4:41). The nature-miracles attest to His authority over creation itself. Yes, His words, we see, are directed particularly towards men, establishing the criteria for salvation or judgment (cf., Mark 8:38; John 12:48, Hebrews 4:12) and affirming His ultimate authority to forgive sins, a power that only God can exercise (cf., Mark 2:7).

This fact directly relates Jesus to the work of God in creating all things as mentioned in Genesis. We hear in Genesis the description of creation being brought about by God speaking a word. This directly connects Jesus not only to God the Father but also to the act of creation accomplished by simple “words” spoken by God. And God said: “Let there be bright lights in the sky to give light to the earth and to identify the day and the night; they shall bring about the seasons of the earth, and mark the days and years.” And so it was! According to Genesis, God simply spoke what He wanted to bring into existence and, speaking the word, it came into existence.

This is one of the reasons why we say that Jesus is the WORD of God. The Father has the idea! The idea is then expressed in a WORD, which is the Son. And then it actually comes into existence through the POWER of GOD, the Holy Spirit. Each Person of the Holy Trinity plays an integral role in bringing about creation – bringing all things into existence.

Jesus is the WORD, the LOGOS, of God – He is the expressed sounds, in modern thinking, that express the THOUGHT/IDEA that God had/has. But the WORD alone cannot bring the idea into existence. The SPIRIT, the POWER of God is the life-giving force that brings the WORD into existence.

We know that in human language WORDS express what a particular society has agreed to call things that exist. The word of a thing allows others to know to what we refer. Once expressed, things become real.