λόγος (Logos)

MEANINGWord: something said, together with the thought it carries. Strong's G3056: 'something said (including the thought)', and 'specially, (with the article in John) the Divine Expression (i.e. Christ)'. In John the Word is God Himself, speaking.

GRAMMARG3056, from legō (G3004), to speak. Masculine noun, nominative all three times in John 1:1. The creation verses set it beside four prepositions: ex (G1537), from; dia (G1223), through; en (G1722), in; eis (G1519), for.

SIGNIFICANCECreation's grammar is in its prepositions. Paul gives the Father and the Son one each: 'one God, the Father, of whom are all things', and 'one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things' (1 Corinthians 8:6). Of whom is ex, from the Father; by whom is dia, through the Son. John has the same dia: 'All things were made by him' (John 1:3). And by the Spirit, who 'moved upon the face of the waters' (Genesis 1:2). John writes 'the Word was God' (John 1:1) before he writes 'by him', so through the Son is the order of God's working, not a lower rank. The Maker is the King the story moves toward: His 'name is called The Word of God' (Revelation 19:13).

KEY VERSE / SCRIPTURESJohn 1:1-3 (the Word was God; all things were made by him); 1 Corinthians 8:6 (of whom, by whom); Colossians 1:16 (by him, and for him); Revelation 19:13, 16 (The Word of God; KING OF KINGS).

CROSS-REFERENCESדָּבָר dābār (H1697) · ἐν αὐτῷ en autō (G1722) · John 1:1-3 · 1 Corinthians 8:6 · Colossians 1:16

MEANINGThe Word in whom all things are held. Colossians 1:16 says creation was made in Him, not only through Him, and the next verse says it stays there.

GRAMMARColossians 1:16 uses three prepositions of the Son: the first 'by him' is en (G1722), in; the second is dia (G1223), through; 'for him' is eis (G1519), for.

SIGNIFICANCEThread 6 hears the first 'by him' of Colossians 1:16, which is en: all things were created in Him before they were made through Him, and 'by him all things consist' (Colossians 1:17). The creation is held in the same Him who holds the believer (see en autō). The world and the saints have one address.

KEY VERSE / SCRIPTURESColossians 1:16-17 (all things were created by him, and for him; by him all things consist).

CROSS-REFERENCESἐν αὐτῷ en autō (G1722) · Colossians 1:16-17 · Colossians 3:3-4