[132] See the noble and enthusiastic preface to the washing of the disciples' feet (John xiii. 1, 2, 3).
[133] The phrase probably means the Logos, the Personal "Word who is at once both the Word and the Life." For the double genitive, the second almost appositional to the first, conf. John ii. 21, xi. 13. This interpretation would seem to be that of Chrysostom. "If then the Word is the Life; and if this Christ who is at once the Word and the Life became flesh; then the Life became flesh." (_In Joan. Evang._ v.)
[134] Gen. i. 1; Prov. viii. 23; Micah v. 2.
[135] Cf. John vi. 36, 40. The word is applied by the angel to the disciples gazing on the Ascension, Acts i. 11. The Transfiguration may be here referred to. Such an incident as that in John vii. 37 attests a vivid delighted remembrance of the Saviour's very attitude.
[136] Luke xxiv. 39; John xx. 27.
[137] Gospel i. 1-14; 1 John i. 1; Apoc. i. 9.
[138] "He hath a name written which _no one knoweth but He Himself_,--and His name is called THE WORD OF GOD" (Apoc. xix. 12, 13). Gibbons' adroit italics may here be noted. "The Logos, TAUGHT in the school of Alexandria BEFORE Christ 100--REVEALED to the Apostle St. John, ANNO DOMINI, 97" (_Decline and Fall_, ch. xxi.). Just so very probably--though whether St. John ever read a page of Philo or Plato we have no means of knowing.
[139] The following table may be found useful:--
+------------------------------------------------------------------+ | THE WORD IN ST. JOHN IS OPPOSED. | +------------------------------+----+------------------------------+ |(A) To the Gnostic Word, | |(A) Uncreated and Eternal. | | created and temporal | as |"In the beginning was | | | |the Word." | +------------------------------+----+------------------------------+ |(B) To the Platonic Word, | |(B) Personal and Divine. | | ideal and abstract | as |"The Word was God." | | | |"He"--"His." | +------------------------------+----+------------------------------+ |(C) To the Judaistic and | |(C) Creative and First Cause. | |Philonic Word--the type | |"All things were made | |and idea of God in | as |by Him." | |creation ... | | | +------------------------------+----+------------------------------+ |(D) To the Dualistic Word-- | |(D) Unique and Universally | |limitedly and partially | |Creative. "Without Him | |instrumental in creation. | as |was not anything made | | | |that hath been made." | +------------------------------+----+------------------------------+ |(E) To the Doketic Word-- | as |(E) Real and Permanent. "The | |impalpable and visionary | |Word became flesh." | +------------------------------+----+------------------------------+
[140] _Vie de Jesus_, Int. 4.