Words are the building blocks with which we construct sentences in order to convey ideas, form perceptions, ascribe meaning, and tell stories. We are linguistic creatures because we are creatures made in the divine image. God employed words to create the universe:
“By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth” (Psalm 33:6).
That same word is still alive and active today:
“The creative energy that called the worlds into existence is in the word of God. This word imparts power; it begets life. Every command is a promise; accepted by the will, received into the soul, it brings with it the life of the Infinite One. It transforms the nature and re-creates the soul in the image of God” (Ellen White, Education, pp. 126).
Jesus explained it like this:
“The words that I speak to you are spirit (pneuma), and they are life (zoe)” (John 6:63).
Pneuma
Literally: air or breath
Figuratively: psychological activity, mental disposition, the vital principle that composes rational existence
God employed words to create the universe…
Zoe
Literally: to be alive, the state of one who is possessed of vitality
Figuratively: to be wholly alive on all levels—biologically, psychologically, emotionally, morally, and volitionally
Consider a paraphrase of John 6:63 based on the meaning of pneuma and zoe:
“The words that I speak to you are the essential rational building blocks that create in you a healthy and whole life.”
We are launching a new seven-part message series simply titled Words, in which we will explore seven key words of the Greek New Testament: logos, agape, sozo, pistes, zoe, perisseuo, and doxa. Each word opens a window of understanding into the life-transforming truth of the gospel. Word by word, we will be ushered into a deeper walk with Jesus. My friend, Nathan McKee, who studied Greek at Oxford University, will host the series with me. Please join us at live.storyline.church each Saturday at 11AM PDT (UTC-7).
Ty Gibson
Ty is a speaker/director of Light Bearers. A passionate communicator with a message that opens minds and moves hearts, Ty teaches on a variety of topics, emphasizing God’s unfailing love as the central theme of the Bible. Ty and his wife Sue have three adult children and two grandsons.
