LOGOS and the TAO

In the beginning was the Word; and the Word was with God; and the Word was God. (John 1: 1) These few verses of the Gospel of John have been called The Logos Hymn.  Logos translated into English is word. But the word logos is far deeper in meaning than the English word.  Cynthia Peak, Professor of Classics at BYU said that the word logos in a comprehensive Greek Lexicon fills pages of single-spaced type on ideas that are concepts represented by that one single word.

When the  Bible was translated into Chinese, the word logos was translate tao. Many people are familiar with the word tao in conjunction with Eastern religion taoism, but it signifies that same thing as logo or the Biblical word. 

It signifies the "way," "path," "route," "road," "doctrine," "principle," or "holistic belief." . . . it is the natural order of the universe.1]  Webster defines it as unconditional source and guiding principle of all reality. 2] 

The Joseph Smith translation expands the translation of John 1, lest there be any confusion that word can also mean gospel (JST John 1:1)  Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the light. (John 14:6) His gospel is the doctrine and principle of a Godly life. It is the unconditional source of love, and light, and nourishment3] in the eternities.

In Spanish, word of God is translated verb of God, signifying that His Word is a word of action.  In Genesis 1, every step of the creation begins with the phrase: And God said. . . Let there be light; Let the waters under the heavens; Let the dry land appear. And it was so . . . 

Alma makes reference to the Word or the Word of God or even to his Words, which are all about Jesus Christ. 

Alma told the people of Zarahemla that the Lord did deliver them out of bondage by the power of his word (Alma 5:5).  Alma's father believed the words which were delivered out of the mouth of Abinadi. . . Did he not speak the words of God? (Alma 5: 11)  He told the people of Gideon to pay heed to the words of my mouth, (Alma 7:11).  Later, he would invite the poor among the Zoramites to experiment upon my words (Alma 32: 27) to plant those words and nurture them with a little bit of faith, even if you only have the desire to have faith, and they will grow.

I love to study the scriptures in this way.  Thinking about Jesus as the Word or Logo or Tao, with their multiple layers of meaning, helps me to an infinitesimal glimpse at His Power and Majesty. Knowing all I know of Him, how can I doubt His power to save?

Alma told his people to repent immediately for the end was not far away.  Said he, the ax is laid at the root of the tree (Alma 5: 52).  I used to think such references meant the end of the world and wondered how prophets since Adam had spoken of the imminence of the end?  As I have grown older, I realize that the end for me is the end of my probation, my individual life.   I lost my first husband in an accident that took his life in a nanosecond.  I lost my second husband to cancer, a year of a long and lingering death.  I don't know how and when God will call me home, but I want to ready.  Alma taught: I say unto you, can you imagine to yourselves that ye hear the voice of the Lord, saying unto you, in that day: Come unto me ye blessed, for behold your works have been the works of righteousness upon the face of the earth? . . . I say unto you, can ye look up to God at that day with a pure heart and clean hands? I say unto you, can you look up, having the image of God engraven upon your countenances? (Alma 5: 16, 19)

I want to be able to say, "Yes."

© June 2020 Dr. Kathleen Rawlings Buntin Danielson

1] https://en.wikipedia.org 
2] https://merriam-webster.com 
3] the light of the world, the bread of life, the living water