<P> John 1: 1 is the first verse in the opening chapter of the Gospel of John . In the Douay--Rheims, King James, New International, and other versions of the Bible, the verse reads: </P> <P> In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God . </P> <P> The phrase "the Word" (a translation of the Greek word "Logos") is widely interpreted as referring to Jesus, as indicated in other verses later in the same chapter . This verse and others throughout Johannine literature connect the Christian understanding of Jesus to the philosophical idea of the Logos and the Hebrew Wisdom literature . They also set the stage for later understanding development of Trinitarian theology early in the post-biblical era . </P> <P> According to Matthew Henry (1662--1714) in his commentary, Jesus is called the "Word" in this opening verse because he was the Son of God sent to earth to reveal his Father's mind to the world . He asserts that a plain reading of the verse written by John the Evangelist should be understood as proof that Jesus is God; that Jesus has the same essence as God and existed with God the Father from the very beginning, the Word was with God, and the Word was God . </P>

In the first chapter of john the logos refers to