What Was The Logos?

[Michael The Disciple]

Modern Oneness teachers by and large teach it was just Gods "thought" or a "plan" or spoken word. I would like to quote the Oneness teacher Jason Dulle as an introduction to this discussion.

According to Philippians 2:6, Jesus was in "the form of God" before the incarnation. "Who being in the form of God" is translated from hos en morphe theou huparchon. Huparchon, translated as "being" is from two Greek words, hupo, "under," and arche, "a beginning." It involves existence both before and after conditions mentioned in connection with it. In this case it is speaking of the preexistence of the "form of God." Morphe, referring to the preexistent "form" of God speaks of "that external form that represents what is intrinsic and essential. It indicates not merely what may be perceived by others, but what is objectively there."27 The emphasis is primarily upon the essence behind the form, but recognizes the visible form also.. Theou is in the genitive case, indicating possession. This form was God’s form. The word is also anarthrous, thus emphasizing God's person. In this context, then, Paul was pointing out that this existing visible form of God was His essential deity.

What exactly this form that God possessed was, we are not told. Nevertheless, it was existing in eternity probably until the incarnation, or possibly the ascension, at which time Jesus' body would have replaced the need for the visible form of God. From John we might gather that this form of God was the logos that was with God.

This form was at least visible to the heavenly host, for they presented themselves before God in some manner (I Kings 22:19; Job 1:6). Since God is omnipresent, there could not be any specific location at which to gather, unless, that is, God appeared in some type of visible, albeit spirit form. So the logos was the visible expression of God’s invisible essence. "The Word was not merely an impersonal thought existing in the mind of God but was, in reality, the Eternal Spirit Himself clothed upon by a visible and personal form..."28

God was always speaking His Word in the OT. It was through His Word that the worlds were created (Hebrews 11:3). Just as a man’s words, or his reason are not a separate person from him, the logos is not a separate person from the Father (theos). We can distinguish between God and His Word in that the Word was the thought of God, and had a visible form, but there is no Biblical evidence that the logos is a distinct person or personality in the Godhead.

I take it he believes the Logos was not limited to the explanations so common in todays Oneness teaching. Rather it either was or at least contained the concept that God had a visible form in the Tanakh.

To me this is a very important subject and the limiting of Logos to thought, plan, or spoken word hinders our understanding rather than helps. Note that Jason says we are not told exactly what this form was.

I want to try and demonstrate that scripture DOES tell us what the form was. First off John 1:1-2

1: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2: The same was in the beginning with God.

The word or Greek "Logos" was both with God and was God. I will show what in the Tanakh was both with God and was God. In doing so we can understand what John understood.

Jacob encountered something that both was "with God" and also "was God".

24: And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.
25: And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.
26: And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.
27: And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.
28: And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.
29: And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there.
30: And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. Gen. 32:24-30

Jacob had a life long relationship with this "man" he wrestled with and who changed his name to Jacob.

We see some clarifying of this man who Jacob believed was God in the book of Hosea.

2: The LORD hath also a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his doings will he recompense him.
3: He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and by his strength he had power with God:
4: Yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed: he wept, and made supplication unto him: he found him in Bethel, and there he spake with us;
5: Even the LORD God of hosts; the LORD is his memorial. Hosea 12:2-4

The "man" Jacob wrestled here is called an angel. Angels are "messengers" in scripture. A messenger is WITH GOD. Yet this special messenger or angel is said to BE GOD.

The Logos was with God. But the Logos was God. Remember?

On his deathbed Jacob said this angel was his God.

15: And he blessed Joseph, and said, God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me all my life long unto this day,
16: The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth. Gen. 48:15-16

Very directly Jacob says his God was the angel who appeared to him through his life. As a messenger the Angel was with God. Yet Jacob says the Angel WAS HIS GOD.

The Logos was with God. The Logos was God. The Logos was the form of the omnipresent invisible God who filled the Universe. There was a form. The form was The Angel Of YHWH.