Bible Dictionaries
Word

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

denotes (I) "the expression of thought," not the mere name of an object, (a) as embodying a conception or idea, e.g., Luke 7:7; 1 Corinthians 14:9,19; (b) a saying or statement, (1) by God, e.g., John 15:25; Romans 9:9; 9:28 , RV, "word" (AV, "work"); Galatians 5:14; Hebrews 4:12; (2) by Christ, e.g., Matthew 24:35 (plur.); John 2:22; 4:41; 14:23 (plur.); 15:20. In connection with (1) and (2) the phrase "the word of the Lord," i.e., the revealed will of God (very frequent in the OT), is used of a direct revelation given by Christ, 1 Thessalonians 4:15; of the gospel, Acts 8:25; 13:49; 15:35,36; 16:32; 19:10; 1 Thessalonians 1:8; 2 Thessalonians 3:1; in this respect it is the message from the Lord, delivered with His authority and made effective by His power (cp. Acts 10:36 ); for other instances relating to the gospel see Acts 13:26; 14:3; 15:7; 1 Corinthians 1:18 , RV; 2 Corinthians 2:17; 4:2; 5:19; 6:7; Galatians 6:6; Ephesians 1:13; Philippians 2:16; Colossians 1:5; Hebrews 5:13; sometimes it is used as the sum of God's utterances, e.g., Mark 7:13; John 10:35; Revelation 1:2,9; (c) discourse, speech, of instruction, etc., e.g., Acts 2:40; 1 Corinthians 2:13; 12:8; 2 Corinthians 1:18; 1 Thessalonians 1:5; 2 Thessalonians 2:15; Hebrews 6:1 , RV, marg.; doctrine, e.g., Matthew 13:20; Colossians 3:16; 1 Timothy 4:6; 2 Timothy 1:13; Titus 1:9; 1 John 2:7;

(II) "The Personal Word," a title of the Son of God; this identification is substantiated by the statements of doctrine in John 1:1-18 , declaring in verses John 1:1,2 (1) His distinct and superfinite Personality, (2) His relation in the Godhead (pros, "with," not mere company, but the most intimate communion), (3) His deity; in John 1:3 His creative power; in John 1:14 His incarnation ("became flesh," expressing His voluntary act; not as AV, "was made"), the reality and totality of His human nature, and His glory "as of the only begotten from the Father," RV (marg., "an only begotten from a father"), the absence of the article in each place lending stress to the nature and character of the relationship; His was the shekinah glory in open manifestation; John 1:18 consummates the identification: "the only-begotten Son (RV marg., many ancient authorities read "God only begotten,"), which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him," thus fulfilling the significance of the title "Logos," the "Word," the personal manifestation, not of a part of the Divine nature, but of the whole Deity (see IMAGE).

The title is used also in 1 John 1:1 , "the Word of life" combining the two declarations in John 1:1,4 and Revelation 19:13 (for 1 John 5:7 see THREE).

denotes "that which is spoken, what is uttered in speech or writing;" in the singular, "a word," e.g., Matthew 12:36; 27:14; 2 Corinthians 12:4; 13:1; Hebrews 12:19; in the plural, speech, discourse, e.g., John 3:34; 8:20; Acts 2:14; 6:11,13; 11:14; 13:42; 26:25; Romans 10:18; 2 Peter 3:2; Jude 1:17; it is used of the Gospel in Romans 10:8 (twice),17, RV, "the word of Christ" (i.e., the "word" which preaches Christ); 10:18; 1 Peter 1:25 (twice); of a statement, command, instruction, e.g., Matthew 26:75; Luke 1:37 , RV, "(no) word (from God shall be void of power);" Luke 1:38; Acts 11:16; Hebrews 11:3 .

The significance of rhema (as distinct from logos) is exemplified in the injunction to take "the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God," Ephesians 6:17; here the reference is not to the whole Bible as such, but to the individual scripture which the Spirit brings to our remembrance for use in time of need, a prerequisite being the regular storing of the mind with Scripture.

Notes: (1) Epos, "a word," is used in a phrase in Hebrews 7:9 , lit., "(as to say) a word," RV, "(so to) say," AV, "(as I may so) say;" logos is reasoned speech, rhema, an utterance, epos, "the articulated expression of a thought" (Abbott-Smith). (2) In Romans 16:18 , AV, chrestologia, "useful discourse" (chrestos, "beneficial"), is rendered "good words" [RV, "smooth ... (speech)"]. (3) For logikos, 1 Peter 2:2 (RV, "spiritual"), rendered "of the word," AV, see MILK. (4) For the verb apangello, rendered "to bring word," see BRING , No. 36. (5) In Matthew 2:13 , AV, eipon, "to tell" (RV) is rendered "bring ... word." (6) For "enticing words," Colossians 2:4 , see ENTICE and PERSUASIVENESS. (7) For "strifes of words," 1 Timothy 6:4 , AV, and "strive ... about words," 2 Timothy 2:14 , see STRIFE , STRIVE. (8) For suntomos, Acts 24:4 , "a few words," see FEW , B. For the same phrase see FEW , A, Nos. 1 and 2.