“The word of the Lord” appears in the New Testament – 16x’s in 12 verses. The purpose of this study is to help clarify the difference between the phrase, “The word of the Lord” and phrases such as “the word of God” and terms like “the scriptures”. At first appearance, they may seem to all refer to the same, but further investigation proves otherwise.
Scripture: Luke 22:61 The Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had told him, “Before a rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times.” Tou logou tou Kuriou (from logos)
Comments: Something specific and personal and prophetic Jesus spoke to Peter.
Scripture: Acts 8:25 “So, when they had solemnly testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they started back to Jerusalem, and were preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.” Ton logon tou Kuriou
Comments: Is “the word of the Lord” herein the specific and personal rebuke that Peter spoke to Simon? And thus different from the gospel mentioned in the latter part of the verse? Appears to be so.
Scripture: Acts 11:16 “And I remembered the word of the Lord, how He used to say, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’” tou rhematos tou kuriou
Comments: Here Peter is referring to a specific prophetic declaration of Jesus made apparently more than once to His disciples re: the soon coming baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Scripture: Acts 12:24 “But the word of the Lord continued to grow and to be multiplied.” Logos tou Theou
Comments: Wouldn’t this refer to the preaching/proclamation of the gospel and the teaching of Christian doctrine (e.g. teachings of Jesus and prophetic O.T. passages re: Jesus) by the apostles and other disciples, as well as any specific, personal and prophetic words added in?
Scripture: Acts 13:44, 48-49 “The next Sabbath nearly the whole city assembled to hear the word of the Lord. … “ ton logon tou kuriou 48 “When the Gentiles heard this, they [began] rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.” Ton logon tou kuriou 49 “And the word of the Lord was being spread through the whole region.” O logos tou kuriou
Scripture: Acts 15:35-36 “But Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch, teaching and preaching with many others also, the word of the Lord.” Ton logon tou kuriou 36 “After some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brethren in every city in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord, [and see] how they are.” Ton logon tou kuriou
Comments: The “word of the Lord” was taught, preached, and proclaimed by Paul, Barnabus and the “others”. Much of this ministry appeared to be to believers. The “word of the Lord” thus consisted of whatever the Holy Spirit led them to convey to these believers, again grounded and based in the scriptures available to them, but personal and specific to the audience.
Scripture: Acts 16:32 “And they spoke the word of the Lord to him together with all who were in his house.” Ton logon tou kuriou
Comments: “him” refers to the Philippian Jailer, who started to kill himself, presuming the prisoners had escaped, and knowing if they did he would be executed. Paul intervened; the jailer then wanted to be saved from his sins; and thus Paul began to minister “the word of the Lord” to him and his household. The word of the Lord in this context obviously had to be the gospel or good news re: Christ and His kingdom and how to enter it as well as anything else the Holy Spirit led them to speak of.
Scripture: Acts 19:10, 20 “This took place for two years, so that all who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks. …” ton logon tou kuriou 20 “So the word of the Lord was growing mightily and prevailing.” Tou kuriou o logos
Comments: The good news about Christ and His kingdom?
Scripture: 1 Thess. 1:8 “For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything.” O logos tou kuriou
Comments: The good news about Christ and His kingdom?
Scripture: 1 Thess. 4:15 “For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.” En logo kuriou
Comments: Paul appears to be claiming that what he and his co-workers were teaching the Thessalonians about the return of the Lord came straight from the Lord (for Paul at least through special revelation).
Scripture: 2 Thess. 3:1 “Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord will spread rapidly and be glorified, just as [it did] also with you;” “o logos tou kuriou”
Comments: The good news about Christ and His kingdom?
Scripture: 1Pet 1:25 “BUT THE WORD OF THE LORD ENDURES FOREVER.” And this is the word which was preached to you. “ to de rhema kuriou
Comments: Taking into account vs. 23 wherein we learn we are born again “through the living and enduring word of God”, and then the latter part of vs. 25 that should literally read “And this is the word which was preached as good news to you”, we know first of all that “the word of the Lord” is this “word which was preached as good news to you.” We know that the apostles preached Christ/the good news in at least 3 ways: 1. Old testament scriptures pertaining to Him; 2. The actual words and teachings of Christ; 3. Revelations of Christ such as Paul received and spoke of in II Cor. 12.
“word” in vs. 23 in greek is logou from logos; “word” in vs. 24 both times in greek is rhema.
Questions: 1. How does “the word of the Lord” differ from “the gospel of the kingdom”?
2. What is the significance of rhema in Acts 11:16 & I Peter 1:25 as contrasted with the use of Logos in all the other passages?
3. While “the word of the Lord” clearly does not always refer to scripture, does it not include it in some of these references such as Acts 12:24, Acts 13:44, 48-49, I Peter 1:25, etc.? ?
Possible Definitions: The word of the Lord is the message conveyed through one of God’s servants that proclaims Christ and His kingdom in a specific and personal, Spirit led and anointed way - grounded in or based on the scriptures to the said audience.
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