“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 by 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. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it… And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:1-5, 14).

The word ‘word’, the most underestimated verbal power, has the ability to destroy, heal, predict, divide, unite, spread love etc. Words, as used in different types of literature, when formed intelligently can transport the mind to imaginary locations, inexistent scenes, and surreal moments in time. Engraved words never lose their memory; they reiterate an unfolded story exactly as it was engraved. Just as its artistic counter part—music—words can produce thoughts of joy, fear, anger, sadness, hatred, excitement, compassion etc. No one can escape the power instilled in every word whether pronounced from the lips of a youngster or an adult; whether it is written with the pen of an historian or a philosopher. Even the mute is given the opportunity to absorb and rationalize the meaning of words through sign language. However, the ‘word’ in question is neither lifeless nor subjective; it is a Word with breath, a walking Word, a loving Word, a self-less Word, a compassionate Word who describes who He is, what He is, a Word who unfolds the Laws of His government, and speaks what He is told:

“If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me” (John 14:23-24).

The title Living Word reflects the encounter of the human and the divine where the Living is the carnal body of Christ and the Word is the eternal Law of God. Christ Jesus came as the embodied God to live out what He inspired the authors of Scripture. Isn’t it written that an angel of the Lord reassured Joseph that Mary, his wife, will bear a child mysteriously by the doing of the Holy Spirit; it is “He who will save His people from their sins. Now all this took place that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled, saying, ‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which translated means, “God with us” (Matthew 1:21-23).

Before His incarnation He transmitted and commanded His Word to mankind (John 14:21) and when He became the Son of Man He preached His own Law (Matthew 7:26) on the mountain top and lived it on the valleys, towns, villages, and cities. As He proclaimed the Word, the sinless Living Word was a flawless preacher who vocalized Scripture word for word without stuttering or loss of memory. Rather than 'googling' His topics He unfolded His heart manuscript with which He pierced every human heart under the sound of His voice. Rather than carrying a laptop pre-loaded with the ‘λογος’ software He spoke himself as the incarnate eternal λογος (Word). Rather than engaging in Scriptural debates, the truth He spoke muzzled all who attempted to test His unmatched knowledge of the written Word; after all He is the author of the inspired Word.

The power and authority with which Christ spoke amazed some and irritated others:

1. “And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it. And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes” (Matthew 7:26 - 29).
2. “For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins- he then said to the paralytic- ‘Rise, pick up your bed and go home.’ And he rose and went home. When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men (Matthew 9:5-8).
3. When the Lord “… entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching, and said, ‘By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?’ Jesus answered them, ‘I also will ask you one question, and if you tell me the answer, then I also will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, from where did it come? From heaven or from man?’ And they discussed it among themselves, saying, ‘If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say to us, 'Why then did you not believe him?' But if we say, 'From man,' we are afraid of the crowd, for they all hold that John was a prophet.’ So they answered Jesus, ‘We do not know.’ And he said to them, ‘Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things’ ” (Matthew 21:23-27).

Even if Peter had missed the authority of His master’s voice at all other times, it surely did not go unnoticed to him after the fact that his fishing nest remained empty throughout the hours of the night: “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch. And Simon answered, ‘Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.’ And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking.” (Luke 5:4-6). With His Word the Lord healed the sick:

1. “And behold, they were bringing to Him a paralytic, lying on a bed; and Jesus seeing their faith said to the paralytic, “Take courage, My son, your sins are forgiven.” And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves , “This fellow blasphemes.” And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, “Why are you thinking evil in your hearts? “For which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise, and walk '? “But in order that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins ”-- then He said to the paralytic-- “Rise, take up your bed, and go home.” And he rose, and went home” (Matthew 9:2-7).

2. “And behold, a leper came to Him, and bowed down to Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” And He stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed” (Matthew 8:2-3).

3. “And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out, and saying, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!” And after He had come into the house, the blind men came up to Him, and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.” Then He touched their eyes, saying, “Be it done to you according to your faith.” And their eyes were opened” (Matthew 9:27-30).

4. “And departing from there, He went into their synagogue. And behold, there was a man with a withered hand. And they questioned Him, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”-- in order that they might accuse Him. And He said to them, “What man shall there be among you, who shall have one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it, and lift it out? “Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep! So then, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” Then He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand!” And he stretched it out, and it was restored to normal, like the other. But the Pharisees went out, and counseled together against Him, as to how they might destroy Him” (Matthew 12:9-14).

As the Living Word, He calmed the storms: “… he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, ‘Lord, save us! We're going to drown!’ He replied, ‘You of little faith, why are you so afraid?’ Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. The men were amazed and asked, ‘What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!’” (Matthew 8:23-27).

He forgave the lost: “Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town. Some men brought to him a paralytic, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.’ “Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act ... He straightened up, and said to them, He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her. And again He stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And when they heard it, they began to go out one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman, where she was, in the midst. And straightening up, Jesus said to her, Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you? ” (John 8:4,7-11).

He softened the heart of the oppressed, and with His Word He effortlessly cast out demons: “Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit cried out, ‘What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are-- the Holy One of God!’ ‘Be quiet!’ said Jesus sternly. ‘Come out of him!’ The evil spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek. The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, What is this? A new teaching-- and with authority! He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey him” (Mark 1:23-27).

With the Written Word Christ refuted the traditions of the chief priests, teachers, Scribes, Sadducees, and Pharisees:

1. “One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain. The Pharisees said to him, ‘Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?’ He answered, ‘Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.’ Then he said to them, ‘The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath’ ” (Mark 2:23-28).

2. “Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. ‘It is written,’ he said to them, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it a ‘den of robbers.’ The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple area, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David,’ they were indignant. ‘Do you hear what these children are saying?’ they asked him. ‘Yes,’ replied Jesus, ‘have you never read, ‘From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise’?” (Matthew 21:12-16).

3. “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.’ He answered them, ‘And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? For God commanded, 'Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, What you would have gained from me is given to God, he need not honor his father.’ ‘So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God. You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men’” (Matthew 15:2-9).

Christ made use of His Written Word to annul the temptations of the devil: “Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end he was hungry. The devil said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.’ Jesus answered, ‘It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone.’ The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, ‘I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. So if you worship me, it will all be yours.’ Jesus answered, ‘It is written: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’ The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. ‘If you are the Son of God,’ he said, ‘throw yourself down from here. For it is written: ‘He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’ Jesus answered, “It says: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test’ ” (Luke 4:1-12).

The power of the Living Word is not weakened nor restricted by neither distance nor time: “When He had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, entreating Him, and saying, “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering great pain. And He said to him, ‘I will come and heal him.’ But the centurion answered and said, “Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed. ‘For I, too, am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, 'Go!' and he goes, and to another, 'Come!' and he comes, and to my slave, 'Do this!' and he does it.’ Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled…” and “… said to the centurion, ‘Go your way; let it be done to you as you have believed.’ And the servant was healed that very hour” (Matthew 8:5-10, 13).

Christ spoke everything into existence: “For by him (Jesus-Christ) all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:16-17). This creative power will be proven on the Great Day as the Almighty Christ will awaken those asleep in the graves with His majestic voice: “… an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment” (John 5:28-29).

Christ had a particular language that set Him apart not only from the teachers of the law but also from the prophets. It is this type of language that instantaneously arrested the attention of anyone under His voice even those with hardened hearts. Many were puzzled and left wondering about the meaning of the stories told with that language. No one, besides Christ, who spoke the Gospel within pages of the Bible made use of parables to illustrate, to teach, to convince, to correct, to rebuke etc. During His entire mission Jesus spoke plainly at certain times but in parables at other times.

These parables testify of Christ's supremacy: (Matthew 13: 3-52; 21:28-22:14; 25:1-46; Luke 15:1-32; 16:1-31; 18:1-14).

It is precisely after the first parable that Jesus told in the Gospel of Mark (4:3-9) that His disciples and few others interrogated Him about His use of parables and their meaning. He replied with a rather intriguing answer: “To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God; but those who are outside get everything in parables, 12 in order that while seeing, they may see and not perceive; and while hearing, they may hear and not understand lest they return and be forgiven” (Mark 4:11-12). For “…with many…parables He was speaking the word to them as they were able to hear it…He did not speak to them without a parable; but He was explaining everything privately to His own disciples” (Mark 4:33-34).

In the midst of His earthly journey, Christ received many threats and various diabolic titles because of what He spoke. They called Him a ‘deceiver’ (Matt.27:63), a ‘blasphemer’ (Matt. 26:65), ‘demon-possessed’ (John 7:20; Luke 7:33), a ‘glutton’ and a ‘drunkard’ (Matt. 11:19) etc. These unjustified titles did not keep the Lord from pronouncing His words with intent, power, conviction, and truth. These words were meant to pierce the most hardened heart, to alleviate the most excruciating pain, to eliminate confusion, to implement eternal hope, to appease sorrow, to inject love, to correct false doctrines, to refute traditional activities in the temples of the elders, chief priests, Scribes, and Pharisees. Above all this, every word of the Living Word was revolutionary.

Christ not only spoke the ‘Written Word’ but He also approved it by referencing several books of the Bible thus authenticating the content of the Holy Scriptures:

1. “Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'He gave them bread out of heaven to eat.” (John 6: 31).
2. “Have you not read, that He who created them from the beginning made them male and female…” (Matt. 19:4).
3. “But regarding the resurrection of the dead, have you not read that which was spoken to you by God, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?’ He is not the God of the dead but of the living.” (Matt. 22: 31-32).
4.“Have you not even read this Scripture: ‘The stone which the builders rejected, This became the chief corner stone’ ” (Mark 12: 10).
5. “It is written in the prophets, 'And they shall all be taught of God.' Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me”? (John 6:45).
6. “And Jesus, finding a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written, 'Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your King is coming, seated on a donkey's colt'” (John 12: 14-15).
The Living Word spoke directly to John the words of the book of Revelation where we find the immensity of our Saviour’s voice as never before described. John used a rather unusual ‘word’ at the hearing of the glorified voice of His Creator. Generally, one associates the ‘hearing’ verb with sound—voices included—but in this particular scene John makes use of the ‘seeing’ verb as he describes the voice of Jesus. I must say that John was so shaken by the rumbling frequencies of that voice he needed to visualize it: “And I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me” (Revelation 1:12).

This translation is not faulty for it is an image copy of the original Greek text. It is rendered as such by most English versions with the exception of the NLT (New Living Translation) who deliberately falsified the original text to suit its need. John continues to describe the rest of the sight as follows: “And I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands; and in the middle of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His breast with a golden girdle. And His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire; and His feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been caused to glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters” (Revelation 1:12-15).

In his pre-incarnate state, the Living Word left His prints through a variety of unexplainable phenomena:

1. He precisely spoke in six days every necessary element upon and around the earth for the benefits of man (Genesis 1: 3-31).
2. He commanded the big fish to swallow Jonah (Jonah 1 :17).
3. He demanded the red sea to split itself (Exodus 14: 21-22).
4. He instilled in Adam and Eve the ability to speak and to respond to God's voice with no prior linguistic learning. That same ability was replicated for a different purpose at the tour of Babel (Genesis 11:7).
5. He caused Balaam’s donkey to question his owner about the latter’s motives (Numbers 22: 28-30).

We have covered, thus far, the manifestations of the Living Word before and during His first coming. There is, however, a peculiar attribute possessed by the Living Word that no other being is entitled nor qualified to inherit which will be demonstrated at His Second Coming. Just as Christ is the central figure of the Old and New Testament as the Angel of the Lord, Emmanuel, the Alpha and the Omega, the Everlasting Father, the Great Counselor, the Immortal Lamb, the Ultimate Prophet, the Great Shepherd, the King of kings, the Worthy Lamb, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David He is also the One who will convict the unjust to eternal damnation as the Just Judge.

The notion of divine judgment, which will not be elaborated upon in this article, calls for an impartial judge. Who else can execute justice upon humanity but the Living Word? Who else, aside from the Living Word, can pronounce the fairest verdict upon the guilty? To present the enmity that separates man from God, the Written Word had to stare at man straight in the face through His perfect Law in order for him to recognize his frailness, fall, and inability to be righteous in the sight of His Maker. He will confront the wicked on judgment day not because they disobeyed a Law which they never heard but because they hardened their hearts to it. This final court séance, presided by the Lord, will certainly serve as the moment of truth for all who have rejected the spoken Word of God as it was prophesied in love by the Living Word of God, the Law and the Prophets.

“And if anyone hears My sayings, and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. “He who rejects Me, and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day” (John 12:47-48).

Did Jesus ever claim that the core of the Old Testament—the Pentateuch (5 books of Moses)—is in fact speaking of Him? Most assuredly! “Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; the one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have set your hope. “For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote of Me. “But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?” (John 5:46-47).

“Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that comes out of the mouth of God”. The Word of God, more precisely the Living Word, has life in Himself and more abundantly than deteriorating bread especially the yeast filled loaves of bread prepared by the hands of man.

Ascribe to the LORD, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness.
The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD, over many waters.
The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.
The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; the LORD breaks the cedars of Lebanon.
He makes Lebanon to skip like a calf, and Sirion like a young wild ox.
The voice of the LORD flashes forth flames of fire.
The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness; the LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
The voice of the LORD makes the deer give birth and strips the forests bare, and in his temple all cry, “Glory!”
The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; the LORD sits enthroned as king forever.
May the LORD give strength to his people! May the LORD bless his people with peace! (Psalm 29:1-11)