With a puzzling introduction, what is the apostle John saying in the opening of his gospel? How would you go about solving this conundrum? Grab your magnifying glass Sherlock Holmes!

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. (John 1:1-4, LSB)

1. Using imagery, John 1:1-4 seems to associate "the Word" with Jesus. Does the immediate context of the passage (surrounding verses) confirm this initial impression? What evidence do you have?

2. One method that Sherlock Holmes would use is to investigate "the Word." Since we're using the Legacy Standard Bible translation, go to "lsbible.org" and search "the word." Limit your search to the gospels when Jesus was alive on earth. What do you observe from this concordance search? List any verses that might help you understand the association with Jesus and "the Word."

Here are some examples of what you might find with this search. Whenever you do this, it helps your study when you include some context to the results of the search. Try it yourself and share your observations!

Testimony from the last Old Testament prophet John the Baptist (Luke 3:2):

For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for He gives the Spirit without measure. The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand. (John 3:34-35, LSB)

The words of Jesus:

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and does them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain descended, and the rivers came, and the winds blew and fell against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. And everyone hearing these words of Mine and not doing them, may be compared to a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain descended, and the rivers came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell⁠—and great was its fall." Now it happened that when Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were astonished at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes. (Matt 7:24-28, LSB)

And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? For what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels." (Mark 8:34-38, LSB)

The Spirit is the One who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. (John 6:63, LSB)

Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us." Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you all so long and have you not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father'? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak from Myself, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. (John 14:8-10, LSB)

Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our dwelling with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father's who sent Me. (John 14:23-24, LSB)

3. Now reexamine John 1:1-4. There are at least three statements that the apostle John is stating. What are they? What does this all mean? Does it help to know the meaning of Jesus' name?

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. (John 1:1-4, LSB)