A "word" is a way to communicate. When people use "words," they usually mean speaking. However, when God "spoke" over the centuries, God communicated in different ways (Hebrews 1:1). The most complete and perfect example of God's communication is God's Son, Jesus Christ.
The Importance of Words
In societies where most people could not read or write, the spoken word was extremely important in areas like law, trade, religion, marriage, and reputation. Written documents like receipts, agreements, and records were not as useful. Honest speech and personal integrity were essential for communication and for maintaining relationships. Because of this, the words of poets, prophets, storytellers, and teachers were carefully remembered and passed down.
People paid close attention to the truthfulness of words. Foolish words, flattery (insincere praise), lies, and harmful speech were recognized as wrong. Oaths (promises) were very important in business, law, and community life. Once a blessing was spoken, it had power and could not be taken back (Genesis 27:30–38; Matthew 10:12–13). The same was true of:
Vows (Judges 11:34–35)
Curses (Genesis 27:12–13)
Words of command, especially from priests, judges, or kings, also had great power (Ecclesiastes 8:4).
This respect for words continued into the New Testament. Words reveal what is in a person’s heart, so every careless, hurtful, or deceitful word will be judged (Matthew 12:34–37; 5:22), as will disrespectful speech about God (blasphemy, Luke 12:10). Paul (Ephesians 4:29; 5:4) and James (James 3:1–12) kept this Hebrew respect for the spoken word.
The Words of God
God’s spoken word has been kept in the Scriptures. His word came to and through the prophets (1 Kings 12:22; 1 Chronicles 17:3; compare Luke 3:2), who spoke and acted “by the word of the Lord.” God's word also came in the law, which God “spoke” on Sinai (Exodus 20:1). So, there are many legal synonyms for God's "word" (see Psalm 119):
“Statutes”
“Commandments”
"Precepts”
When there was no divine communication, it was like a "famine" (1 Samuel 3:1; Amos 8:11). Along with warnings and commands, God's words included promises. All of God's words were trustworthy (Isaiah 31:2), fixed in heaven (Psalm 119:89; Isaiah 40:8), and supported by divine oath (Jeremiah 1:12; Psalm 110:4; Ezekiel 12:25, 28). God's word, which expresses God's mind, was not meant to be burdensome or difficult to follow. Instead, it was a source of joy, hope, and protection against sin (Psalms 1; 119; Jeremiah 15:16). People could live by God's word (Deuteronomy 8:3; Matthew 4:4).
God's word has the power to carry out God's will. It will not return to God "empty" but will accomplish what God intends (Isaiah 55:11). By God's word alone, God created the world, and God's word sustains it (Genesis 1; Psalm 33:6; compare Heb 1:2; 11:3; 2 Peter 3:5). Eventually, this divine revelation was written down, making the Bible "the word of God" (Mark 7:13; compare Luke 16:29–31; John 5:39).
Jesus spoke the word of God. God was "powerful in speech" (Luke 24:19) and taught with authority (Mark 1:22, 27). His words had power over nature, sickness, demons, and even death (Matthew 8:8, 13). His "word of the kingdom" is like a living seed that, when planted in willing hearts, grows and produces good fruit for God (Matthew 13:19; Mark 4:14). The word that Jesus gives to his followers cleanses them and sets them free (John 8:31; 12:48; 15:3; 17:14). The word of faith that the church preaches (Romans 10:8–9, 17) is described in various ways:
The word of salvation
The word of grace
The word of reconciliation
The word of the gospel
The word of righteousness
The word of life
The Word of God
At the beginning of his Gospel, John calls the Son of God "the Word." As "the Word," the Son fully reveals and communicates with God. The Greek term for "word" is logos, which was used in two main ways by the Greeks. It could mean the thought or reason inside a person, or it could refer to the expression of that thought, which is speech. In Greek philosophy, logos also meant the principle of the universe or the creative energy that made the universe.
In both Jewish and Greek thought, logos was connected with the idea of beginnings—the world began through the Word (Genesis 1:3 and following, where the phrase "God said" is repeated). John might have had these ideas in mind. Still, he most likely created a new term to identify the Son of God as God's divine expression in human form (John 1:14).
The Son is the image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15). He is the exact representation of God’s being (Hebrews 1:3). In the Godhead, the Son reveals and makes God known, which is a key theme throughout John's Gospel. John uses a similar title in his first letter: "the Word of life" (1 John 1:1–3). In Revelation 19:11–16, Jesus is shown as the King of kings and Lord of lords, with a name: "the Word of God."