| Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος, καὶ ὁ λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν θεόν, καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος. (NA27) | In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (ESV) |
Ἐν ἀρχῇ – In the beginning. Before all things, in eternity past. John opens his Gospel by taking us back to before there was time. By using this phrase, which is a quotation of Genesis 1:1 in the LXX, he seeks to reveal to his audience that all of human history starts here. The beginning of the Gospel, the beginning of creation, it all began with the Word.
ἦν ὁ λόγος – The Word was. Before all things, in eternity past. The Word existed. If the Word was there in the beginning, he existed before the beginning. Such is the unfathomable, ineffable existence of the Word.
καὶ ὁ λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν θεόν – and this Word was toward God. The preposition prós indicates that the subject moves toward or is directed toward the associated accusative. The Word is not just with God but is oriented toward God. The Word has existed from eternity past in face to face union with God. He must thus be eternal like God, but must also be distinct from God. Additionally, the implicit reciprocation is true, that God is toward the Word.
καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος – And the Word was God. The presence of a definite article helps us understand that the Word is the subject of this predicate nominative. The Word possessed the essential quality of “God.” Whatever can be said of God, can be said of the Word. Before all things, in eternity past. The eternal Word, who was with God, also was God.