Of life (ris Swis). Lit., the life. See on Johni. 4. The phrase 6 Adyos THs Swfs, the Word of the Life, occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. The nearest approach to it is Philip. ii. 16; but there neither word has the article. In the phrase words of eternal life (John vi. 68), and in Acts v. 20, all the words of this life, pywara is used. The question is whether Adyos is used here of the Personal Word, as John i. 1, or of the divine message or revelation. In the four passages of the Gospel where doyos is used in a personal sense (John i. 1, 14), it is used absolutely, the Word (compare Apoc. xix. 138). On the other hand, it is often used relatively in the New Tes- tament; as word of the kingdom (Matt. xiii. 19); word of this salvation (Acts xiii. 26); word of His grace (Acts xx. 32) ; word of truth (Jas. i. 18). By John fwijs of life, is often used in order to characterize the word which accompanies it. Thus, crown of life (Apoe. ii. 10) ; water of life (Apoc. xxi. 6); book of life (Apoe. iii. 5); bread of life (John vi. 35); we., the water which is living and communicates life ; the book which contains the revelation of life ; the bread which imparts life. In the same sense, John vi. 68; Acts v.20. Compare Titus i. 2, 3.
Though the phrase, the Word of the Life, does not elsewhere occur in a personal sense, I incline to regard its primary refer- ence as personal,* from the obvious connection of the thought with John i. 1,4. ‘In the beginning was the Word,—in Him was life.” “As John does not purpose to say that he an- nounces Christ as an abstract single zdea, but that he declares his own concrete historical experiences concerning Christ,—so now he continues, not the Logos (Word), but concerning the Word, we make annunciation to you” (Ebrard). At the same time, I agree with Canon Westcott that it is most probable that the two interpretations are not to be sharply separated. “The revelation proclaims that which it includes; it has, an- nounces, gives life. In Christ life as the subject, and life as the character of the revelation, were absolutely united.”
* So Alford, Huther, Ebrard.