John 1:1 and the Trinity explained (short version)

John 1:1
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with G-D, and the Word was G-D."

In actual order, John 1:1c reads, "and G-D was the Word". / kai Theos een ho Logos.

En arche een ho Logos,
kai Logos een pros ton Theon,
kai Theos een ho Logos. (John 1:1 in Greek transliteration)

The Verb in the Greek will generally have 5 features:
1) tense, 2) voice, 3) mood, 4) person, 5) number

Tense: There will be six tenses in the Greek.
1)Aorist (a simple undefined action),
2)Future (action in the future),
3)Imperfect (continuous or linear action in the past),
4)Perfect (action or process in the past that continues up to the present),
5) Pluperfect (action in the past that had continued up to a point of conclusion in the past),
6) Present (contemporaneous action)


En - A preposition: meaning "In", "at", "near by", "near to" (an object, place, or location). Sometimes translated as "on", or "upon".

This preposition may be translated as "among" when coupled with "mesos" ('to be in the middle'): bringing out the thought of - as "being in...", "being at...", "being among a..." 'multitude' or 'gathering' of people. (cf. Matthew 2:6; 11:11,21).

In John 1:1, en is used as a definitive point in time during which an event is taking place "in". (Cf. Matthew 2:1, 3:1, 8:13).


"(the) Beginning":
Arche' - an anarthous noun. Anarthous means "to be without joints". In Greek Grammar, this simply means that this noun is found without a definite article (such as being preceded by "the"). That is, there is no "ho" or "the" Arche. This emphasis is placed first upon logos, as "ο λογος" or "THE Word".

In classical Greek, its verb (archo) is found in the "active" Voice. An "active voice" is defined as: "that action which is represented or being accomplished by the subject of the verb." (Or a definition to this effect.) When we look at Arche, (the) Beginning in John 1:1, we are pointed to the word "Bereishis" in the Hebrew. What happened in Genesis 1:1? In the beginning G-D made the heaven and the earth. (Gen. 1:1) And how does John begin His Gospel? In the beginning was the Word....

So what is happening here in John 1:1 with Arche, (the) Beginning?

The Hebrew of Genesis 1:1 freely translates to the effect of: "In the beginning of God's creating of the heavens and the earth."
Therefore, we are to look and see John 1:1 in light of Genesis 1:1's "dynamic" of an active Creator (cf. John 1:2-3).


Jesus is the 2nd person of the G-Dhead, whom before the incarnation,
was not only "pros ton Theon" / "with G-D",
in John 1:1...Jesus WAS G-D "kai Theos een ho Logos" / "and G-D was the WORD".

In the Greek, the article simply highlights the theme of what the author wishes to say, and its absence before Theos in John 1:1c simply declares: Jesus is not the totality of the G-Dhead, but the essence of the totality may be found in Him, though not in Jesus only. This is also true of the Father and of the Son. Jesus is as He was before, "pros" / "up alongside with" the Father.

The Father is the Primary Person and Jesus and the Holy Spirit are persons who are extensions of the Father. This Trinity calls itself as "G-D", and as One United / "ehad" Being in the Hebrew, while also comprised of 7 spirits: 1) Father, 2) Son, 3) Holy Spirit ...these having individual intelligence and personality, though inflective and reflective as One and the Same Being; 4)Father-Son, 5)Father-Holy Sprit, 6) Holy Spirit-Son, and 7) The Collective Spirit of Father-Son-Holy Spirit.

When John refers to G-D, he infers the specific person of the Father. It appears that at some time in eternity past, perhaps maybe there was a one person and one Spirit Deity. When He expanded Himself from Himself, G-D did not cease to be G-D, He merely became a Trinity of Persons with a completeness of interconnection in and of His own Being. He did not "create" the persons of the Son and the Holy Spirit, these persons were in the one person Being and were as if one-third of his substance stepped out and became, and another third stepped out and became. The original substance that did not step out we know through Jesus as the Father. This is how it appears to be explained and inferred, it seems to me...and I am trying to be as accurate in accounting this as I can. Hence, the pre-incarnate WORD, whom we now know as the incarnate Jesus, was not created...being G-D...but of a sense begotten through the Virgin whom He chose to done flesh and come as a human through.


In John 1:18, the essence of the Greek is that, "He who is the Bosom [throne area within the Cherubim/Seraphim creatures] of the Father, has declared that no man hath seen G-D [directly, and as He is] at anytime." This is true. Have we seen directly even our own souls? Even ghosts and dreams are projections to which the naked eye can understand. Whatever G-D is, He (as a Being) is Spirit (John 4:24), and our worship is invisible (in Spirit) and in truth. It manifests in an outwardly form that we can grasp and understand.

In Lamentations 4:20, we are told that HASHEM is Messhiach, and the same HASHEM who created man in Genesis 2:7.

Micah 5:2 describes His origins as from of old, even to the everlasting ages of the everlasting ages.

John 1:1-18 informs us that this one is Jesus Christ. He was at the “Beginning”, at the αρχη, the “Bereshith”, or “beginning of all time”, as expressed in Genesis 1:1.

So when John uses protos in Revelation 1:5, when he quotes Messiah Yeshua as “the First”, he does not just explain Messiah as being just a “first one” born from the dead, but reaches for a deeper meaning. Christ is “before the birth”,/ πρωτοτοκος of all Creation, as Paul cites in Colossians 1:15. He bears forth the Creation of the universe by His power, the power of the spoken word (Hebrews 11:3, Isaiah 14:24).

The Father thinks it, the Son speaks it into existence (John 8:28,38; 12:49; 14:24; Psalm 119:160, 33:6,9). Cf. the “Oneness of GOD” in John 10:30, Deuteronomy 6:4, Zechariah 14:9. Isaiah 48:16-17 lists a LORD YHVeH, YHVeH Spirit, and YHVeH the Redeemer; the Old Testament origin to Matthew 28:19’s justified use of “Father, Son, and Holy Ghost”.

In John 1:3 , of the LORD Messiah, we are informed twice that “all things through Him εγενετο” -- all things came into being at a point in time when the “Beginning” was in a new state, and still unfolding into existence (i.e., ginomai being twice in the aorist). “Egeneto” is followed immediately by an emphasis on ginomai’s perfect tense: “gegonen”. This tells us the continuing existence of the new state that has come into existence, as being upheld by the word of His power (as it were).

In Lamentations 4:20 and Genesis 2:7, we see that this NAME is the sound of living breath...inhale masculine YH, (representative of the masculine Father and Son) ...
and the exhale feminine VeH (representative of the Holy Spirit).

This exhale feminine as a person of the Holy Spirit is pointed to (though darkly) by Job 27:3. In Job 26:13, we see the "hand" (Messhiach) is He who created the serpent or seraph (i.e., the Creatures of Creation). In that verse, the "Spirit" is whom "garnished the heavens". The word "garnish" is "Shiprah", which is effectively translated as "to order about so as to trumpet forth in clearness." In other words, to establish an order and enlightenment that reveals Christ in a clear, loud, and resonating way.

The Holy Spirit care-takes and aids in the order of this Universe as the third person of the G-Dhead, guiding -counseling - teaching of Yeshua (as a mother would teach her children, perhaps), but operating within the parameters of glorifying the Son -- Yeshua, Jesus Christ (Romans 8:2; Isaiah 40:13, John 16:13, Psalm 104:1-6, Job 38:5-6, Genesis 1:2, Revelation 22:17).

In Psalm 111, we read that:
2) The works of the L-RD are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.
3) His work is honorable and glorious: and his righteousness endureth for ever.
4) He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the L-RD is gracious and full of compassion...
7) The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure.
8) They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness.

Jesus said, "I am the truth" in John 14:6, which is also a claim to origins from before all that was made was ever made, a claim of being the Uncreated and Creator. Arche and Bereishis are more than just words of a "Beginning" of G-D's great works, they testify as keyword signs bringing into reminiscence, remember G-D's creating the Heaven(s) and the Earth. Hence, with Arche in John 1:1, we come to a definitive point in time...a starting point for when all this happens.

In the Hebrew of Genesis 1:1, there is an arugument that can be made that the Alef-Tav which follows Elohim (G-D) refers to Jesus, the Alef-Vav-Tav ("oth" - sign) that "is to come".

The root word "to come" in Hebrew is Alef-Tav-He. If taken in that context...we jump to Revelation 1:11 with Jesus declaring himself as equivalent of the Hebraic Alef-Tav in Genesis 1:1. Hence...a Beginning...a creating of both the Heavens and the Earth to testify as G-D's sign "to come" is revealed as having been fulfilled in Jesus, with Jesus, and through Jesus in John 1:1.

In Genesis 1:2, we see the person of the Holy Spirit hovering and fluttering (in the Hebrew) as a dove over a valley habitation (cf. Eze. 7:16) after that Job 38:4-7 has already occurred. Arche - In the classical Greek, its verb (archo) is found in the active voice. In comparison, the verb "to be" (eimi) is found in all 3 voices of active, middle, and passive. We do not see the middle voice in Arche (e.g., then shall I begin). Nor do we see Arche in the passive (I had begun).

In the English translation from Greek, the English language does not use a "middle voice"...only an active and passive. Translating that gap, will be the responsibility of a translator; but Arche in John 1:1, being in the Active Voice, informs us that the action of "(the) Beginning" clearly is being accomplished by "ho Logos", the subject of the verb (whom we know is Jesus Christ).

In the New Testament, the verb "archo" places an emphasis upon rulers who are to be described as "First" men (Romans 15:12, Mark 10:42).The noun "archon" informs us that these are men who are "First" in power. When Jesus speaks with Nicodemus in John 3:1, he was speaking to more than just a member of the Sanhedrin. Nicodemus was "First" in Eretz Israel. Beyond the walls of Jerusalem, he must have had the title of "Chief Rabbi", and have been one of the 7 elders of the Sanhedrin.

G-D is more than just being First. G-D is our finality or End. G-D is our perfect source of change into perfection, and our Eternal Life. G-D never changes, but we --His Creation-- do change. What does that tell us about why G-D created a Beginning in the first place?


By the WORD of the L-RD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth." (Psalm 33:6)

Colossians 1:15-17 {of Christ] :

"who is the image of G-D the invisible before-the-birth of all Creation because in Him were created all the things in the heavens and those upon the Earth, those invisible and those invisible: whether thrones, whether lord-ships, whether (first)rulers, whether authorities - ALL THINGS THROUGH HIM AND FOR HIM HAVE BEEN CREATED, and He is prior to all things, and all things in Him *stand*together*with*(Him)* / *stand*because*of*(His power)." -- Translation mine.


Existing prior to all things, and all things finding their existence / birth / origin in Him: all Creation is upheld or cast down for HIS glory, and by HIS power. One word translated a little differently than you might be used to seeing, is "prototokos". Translated as First-born in the KJV, in Colossians and Revelation 1, it is Proto ("before") and tokos (from 'tikto' - meaning "to bear or bring forth"). In these two passages (Col. 1:15, Rev. 1:5, especially -- the more correct Greek to English usage is "before the birth".)

Hence, exercising His right of inheritance to all things from His Father as He who is legally - a First-born as He existing "before the birth" of all Creation and all things created that were created (hence as uncreated G-D in G-D).

Revelation 1:8 - I AM -- the Alpha and the Omega, (the) Beginning and (the) End, says the L-RD: The BEING, and who was, and who is returning (as) the ALMIGHTY

Revelation 1:11 - I AM -- the Alpha and the Omega -- the FIRST [He before all] and the Last [the most extreme end, to the end of forever]. (Direct Greek to English translation)

Hebrews 11:3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of G-D, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
When John uses the word prototokos in Revelation 1:5, he does NOT "just" explain Christ as being the first one born back from the dead...but instead, reaches down, and digs deeper into its meaning.

Christ is not only "before the birth of all Creation", but:

"He (is) before the birth out of the dead (ones), and the Ruler of the Kings of the Earth." (Revelation 1:5) This relates to His Messianic lineage, and His origins in eternity, as stated in Micah 5:2 ...He shall come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

In Colossians 1:15, Paul refers to Christ as the "prototokos pases ktiseos" -- "(the) One who is pre-eminent above and over all Creation and its Creatures."

If we compare this to Revelation 3:14's "he arche tes ktiseos", we see that Jesus as the Logos is (again) the Source or First-Cause of creation, the Intelligent Reason issued forth from G-D the Father taking on personhood; and that is why He has pre-eminence: because - "in Him, life was; and the Life was the Light of men. All things were made by Him. And without Him, was not made any (thing) that was made." (John 1:4,3).
In John 1:3, using the word "ginomai" (the Greek verb which means "to become"), we are informed that it is through the Logos (of John 1:1) that: "all things through Him CAME INTO BEING (egeneto) and without Him CAME INTO BEING (egeneto) not even one (thing) that CAME INTO BEING (gegonen)."

Ginomai in the aorist is egeneto...referring back in Time to a point when the "beginning" or "New State" was occurring or still unfolding into existence. That is, it had now been made manifest as that creatio ex nihilo (that which was created from nothing), yet made sure and called "good"; but was still being made "complete". You might liken it to watching a blade breaking ground, and growing and growing; then budding, and finally blooming as the flower opens to its fullness and beauty.

After the aorist, we move from egeneto to gegone...the perfect tense of ginomai. Gegone speaks of the continuing existence of this Beginning is dependent upon the Logos of John 1:1. That is, "He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing." (Job 26:7)

The hanging of the earth and all existence is continually upheld by the Logos of G-D the Father -- His Intelligent Word, whom is Christ Jesus-- and the power of His will, the same will as that of the Father. Hence Jesus and the Father are One (united in Complex Unity) / echad (John 10:30).


The Early Church Fathers clearly refute anyone who denies the Sonship of Jesus as being both One with the Father, and a separate person who came forth FROM the Father. The failure is not in G-D's Oneness, it is in man trying to depreciate G-D to human or fleshly limitations. As if, "I can't do this or that...then how dare anyone say the Almighty can!" Precisely...G-D is Almighty.

The debate against the Oneness doctrine is seen with Ignatius (Letter to the Ephesians, 7.2), through Irenaeus (Against Heresies, 4.38.1,3), and on up to the very council of Nicea. And the difference can be ever so slight...and a great debate can erupt by the early Church over just one "n" in the reading. Where in certain usage “Gennatos" deals with generation or parentage, while the singular "n" word of "Genatos" deals with aspects of creation. Jesus is uniquely Gennatos kai aGennatos, begotten and unbegotten. And through that experience, he must be distinct from the Father...for it does not say that the Father is clothed in flesh upon the throne, nor that the Spirit returns from Heaven in a bodily form saying He is now somebody else (but really the same "Person", as someone's philosophical lunacy has prescribed).

Again, Irenaeus 4.38.3 tells us of this separately enough to be distinct and yet united entity we call "the Son" who is both begotten and unbegotten, who is part of the ONE Triune G-Dhead:
"...the uncreated G-D --
the Father planning;
the Son carrying these into execution and performing the work of creating;
and the [Holy] Spirit nourishing and increasing...."

Jesus is begotten, not made, homousios with the Father...as John 1:1 tells us in the Greek, though containing the fullness of G-D, he was not the totality of G-D...which is why He was "pros" (up, alongside, and with). And why the article in 1:1c did not rest on Theos (kai Theos een HO Logos) but on Logos. Hence it did NOT read "and (the) G-D was was the Word", as to infer fullness or totality in the person of the Word, but rather was "and the Word was G-D"...inferring fullness, but not totality.

I Corinthians 13:12, Paul uses the term prosopon pros prosopon to describe what the English translate "face to face".

Jesus is pros, up alongside and with, pros ton Theon, up alongside and with G-D in John 1:1. He stands or sits next to the Father, even as Moses stood next to the Angel of YHVeH and spake as one would speak "face to face" in the Torah.

Prosopon also incorprates "ops" as its root word (think "optical"), that which is seen with the eye. It can mean just about anything, and usually translated to mean a surface or face of something.

As 'prosopo", as used in 2 Cor. 2:10, we have it translated as "presence" (RSV)/ "person" (KJV) in the sense that Paul, the apostle of Jesus, represents the presumption of the gathering of two or three persons required for Christ to be in their midst.

Hence, when Jesus is pros ton Theon, He is beside something more than just the person of Himself, He is beside the separate person of the Father...but He is One in and with the Father and the Holy Spirit.

For in effect, the expression in the "love chapter" of I Cor. 13 of
prosopon pros prosopon is of:
1) a person looking out,
2) seeing another person up alongside and with...upon his left, and;
3) seeing another person up alongside and with, upon his right.

But Jesus is not just a mirror reflection of the Father, which He is, but Jesus is also a person of substance and being who is one with the Father. A human son has no more than 50% of his father's fleshly dna in his substance, but G-D the Holy Spirit and G-D the Son have 100% of the Father's substance in them, making them ONE and uniquely the One United Being we call G-D, and the Blessed Trinity.

As for us, as the Apostle John said, "Beloved, now are we the sons of G-D, and it does not yet appear [apply see each other as in a mirror dark, dimly] what we shall be: but we know that when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him (just) as He is. (I John 3:2) Amen.