What is the Word of God? Is it the New International Version (NIV), a modern English translation based on the Critical Text, or perhaps the King James Version (KJV), an older translation also in English but based on the Textus Receptus? If, instead, we consider the original Hebrew and Greek texts to be the true Word, we encounter a significant challenge: these original texts did not survive to the present day. What we possess are copies, and these copies vary across different traditions and manuscripts.
In Christian theology, understanding who or what the “Word” of God is plays a crucial role. Fundamentalists, many of which are Calvinists, Pentecostals, Baptists, and Evangelicals, often view the text itself as God’s “Word.” This short article will explore the argument that Jesus Christ, rather than the text, is the ‘Word’ of God.
If it’s the Bible, which one?
The original texts of the Bible no longer exist; what we have are copies of copies, and not just one version but several, like the Textus Receptus, the Majority Text, the Masoretic Text, and the Septuagint. These texts differ in various aspects, raising the question: which ones represent the true ‘Word’ of God? Further complicating matters, the vast majority of believers read the Bible in translation. In English alone, there are over 900 translations, each differing in word choice, syntax, interpretative angles, and even theological messages (like Calvinism’s Total Depravity1). This diversity in translations leads to the critical question: which one can be considered the authentic “Word” of God?
Words change their meaning with time, culture, etc.
The Hebrew language, with its rich structure and multiple layers of meaning, poses significant challenges in translation. A single Hebrew word can convey multiple concepts, and these nuances often get lost in translation.2 Additionally, most Hebrew and Greek words have different meanings based on their textual context. This raises the dilemma for translators: should they translate the literal word or its interpreted meaning? This question underscores the complexity of discerning what the “holy” part of the text is – is it the words themselves or the meanings they convey? If words, then no translation can be seen as 100% authentic. If the meaning is, then I never came across a flawless translation.
Jesus is the Word of God
If God’s intention was to communicate with humanity most directly and unambiguously, incarnating as a human seems the most effective method. In Jesus Christ, God did not simply send a message through a prophet or a written letter. Evidently, this wasn’t sufficient. Instead, He became the message, the Word. Jesus’ life, teachings, and actions provide a tangible, relatable, and direct medium for understanding God’s nature and intentions. Jesus, the Word of God, walked and taught on earth before any page of the New Testament was written. This makes Jesus an unmistakable and personal ‘Word’ of God, transcending any written text. This is a great encouragement because interpreting ancient texts is very difficult while observing someone’s life, actions, and teaching through allegories, parables, and stories is universally accepted.
The Bible says Jesus is the Word of God
Without the Bible we couldn’t learn and know about Jesus. However, the Bible itself identifies Jesus as the ultimate revelation of God. John 1:1 states, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.“ John 1:14 further clarifies, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” These verses designate Jesus, not the text, as the ‘Word’ incarnate, suggesting that God’s ultimate revelation and expression are found in Jesus’ life and ministry rather than in texts that we no longer have or translations you can never fully trust.
In addition, Hebrews 1:3 presents Jesus as the perfect representation of God the Father: “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being.” Thus, to know God, one must know Jesus. The scriptures are essential and holy, as they narrate humanity’s journey to understand God, culminating in Jesus Christ, the true Word of God. In other words, you don’t have to understand the Bible perfectly, and your Bible translation needs not to be perfect for you to know the Word of God – Jesus Christ.
Likewise, the Transfiguration of Jesus is a pivotal moment. Jesus, transfigured and appearing alongside Moses and Elijah (representing the Law and the Prophets), is distinguished by God’s voice: “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” This event marks the transition from the Old Covenant to the New, embodied in Jesus Christ.
“Follow me”
Jesus often instructed his audience to follow Him, indicating that all scriptures point to Him (John 5:39-40). Paul echoed this (Romans 10:4; Galatians 3:24-26). This directive suggests that Christian theology should primarily focus on Jesus’ teachings and actions to understand God’s character and ways. Systematic theology, often based on cherry-picking verses from both Testaments, can lead to misconstrued doctrines, as seen in the Calvinistic Total Depravity doctrine. Christians should interpret theology through the lens of Christ’s life and teachings.
2 Timothy 3:16
The Bible never claims to be “the Word of God.” 2 Timothy 3:16, written by Paul, does not declare the Bible as the word of God either; it states scripture (Old Testament in the context of that time – before the existence of a New Testament canon) is given for inspiration, doctrine, etc., indicating its words are inspired by God. Inspiration and inerrancy are distinct concepts. Just like us, considered “living epistles” (2 Corinthians 3:2), the scripture is a manifestation of divine inspiration, as John 1 reveals. Jesus, who became flesh and lived among us, is the ultimate demonstration and revelation of God. However, without the text of the Bible, it’s not possible to know who Jesus was and what He taught.
In conclusion, while the Bible is an essential and sacred text and where we draw most of what we know about Jesus, it is Jesus Christ, the Son of God Himself, who embodies the ultimate ‘Word’ of God.
- Let me provide a quick example. A verse often cited by Calvinists in discussions about free will is Matthew 10:29. If you have used the popular website Bible.org, you have used the NET Bible, a translation primarily done by Calvinists. In it, Matthew 10:29 is translated this way:
“Aren’t two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will.” (Matthew 10:29, NET Bible)
According to this interpretation/translation, a sparrow’s death is seen as God’s will. Extending this concept to a larger scale, it implies that a person’s terminal illness or torturous murder also occurs because God willed it. However, this is not what the original Greek text actually says. The word “will” does not appear in the original text at all; it is an addition added by the Calvinist translators. For comparison, consider how the KJV, a much more neutral translation, translated this verse:
“Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.” (Matthew 10:29, KJV)
The phrase ‘without your father‘ aligns with the original Greek text. The KJV has retained the original wording, while other translations have used the word ‘knowledge.’ For instance, the New American Bible translation states:
“Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s knowledge.”(Matthew 10:29 NAB)
Given the context of this verse, it appears that Jesus was earnestly advising his apostles, who were preparing to depart, not to be afraid, reassuring them that God is aware and knows everything, even when a hair falls off their heads. (This explanation was a copy-paste from my book about Free Will.)
↩︎ - Several examples in this short book. ↩︎
