The
Word
When you read the Bible and see the word "Word" what does it mean? Is it a personage? Is it the Bible? Is it something God wrote, spoke, or had written? Just what is it?
Lets examine these three possibilities and see what we come up with. First, let's consider whether 'the word of God' means something directly written or spoken by Him, or indirectly preserved by human scribes. This is the most common use of that phrase. Throughout the Bible this phrase is constantly re-iterated time and time again, letting us know that God was the prime mover behind whatever the subject is.
Next lets consider whether it means the Bible you are reading. Throughout the Bible are phrases like 'the word of God ...'. Can this mean the Bible? Generally, no. Why? Because most of these phrases were uttered or written THOUSANDS of years BEFORE the Bible was codified as we know it. Therefore they could not mean the Bible since the Bible as a single book did NOT exist when these words were uttered.
However, by extension, they can mean the entire Bible because the Bible is a collection of utterances of God written down over a long period of time. Today it is common to call these collections of words of God 'The Word of God' or 'The Holy Bible'.
Finally, lets consider whether it is the Name of a Personage! John 1:1 says, 'In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.' Can this mean an utterance of God was with God, was God, etc? No way. It does not make sense. Can this mean the Bible? Again, no way. The Bible has NOT existed since the beginning. In fact, it was NOT even in existence at the time of Jesus! Can this be a personage? Actually, yes. And this DOES makes sense if you think it through.
But HOW can the Word be God and yet be with God? Isn't that stretching the limits of comprehension? Not at all if you look at it as being TWO personages being talked about.
To make this more clear consider this paraphrased analogy. We have two people, Bill Clinton and his daughter, Chelsea. When we insert these Clinton's into the verse it reads like this: 'In the beginning was CHELSEA (Clinton), and CHELSEA (Clinton) was with (Bill) CLINTON, and CHELSEA was CLINTON.' So, what we have here is TWO Personages, 'The Word' and 'God (the Father)'. Both The Word and God the Father are God just like both Chelsea (Clinton) and (Bill) Clinton are Clinton!
So, any time throughout the Bible that you happen across 'The Word', just remember that He is God (Jesus), and He is with God (The Father)!