Unit One Topic Choices (Choose One): Choice 1: John 1:1–14; 17:1–5. The Premortal and Mortal Savior

Question one asked us to ponder the doctrinal connect between the two scriptural references.

The five truths I found regarding the premortal Jesus Christ are:

1. In the beginning, only Heavenly Father and his son, Jesus Christ existed.
2. Under God’s direction, Jesus created all things.
3. Jesus is “the Word.”
4. Jesus is full of grace and truth.
5. Jesus is the light of men.

Five truths I found regarding the mortal Jesus Christ are:

1. He was a messenger of God’s message on Earth.
2. He through his atonement would provide us with eternal life.
3. He prayed we would come to know Him and Heavenly Father.
4. The light of Christ, Jesus’ enabling influence, including enlightenment, knowledge and perseverance.
5. Jesus is the Only Begotten Son of Heavenly Father.

In John 1:1, Jesus is called “the Word.” He is the Word of God because He was sent to be a messenger for Heavenly Father to the world. In Greek, the language of the New Testament, “word” means expression. So Jesus is the “Word,” who conveys the expression of Heavenly Father.

Jesus is referred to by several different titles throughout the scriptures, to list a few;

1. Christ: The anointed Greek firstborn in the Spirit, the Only Begotten in the flesh.
2. Messiah: Derives from Aramaic language meaning “Anointed.” It only appears three times in the scriptures, which we find in Dan. 9:25–26 and John 1:41; 4:25.
3. Jehovah: Name for the premortal Jesus. It is the covenant or proper name of the God of Israel.
4. Immanuel: Its meaning is “God is with us.”(Matt. 1:18–25) This scripture also identifies this title  as a prophesy of Jesus birth into mortality. In Isaiah, it is given to us as a sign of God’s deliverance.(Isa. 7:14 and 8:8)
5. Word: Jesus is the word of God, or expression of His Father.