The Word and Creation

I’ve always been fascinated by the first chapter of John in the New Testament. It’s here that I first became acquainted with the Savior’s name-title The Word and, by linked association, His role as Creator. The passage regarding The Word having first made all things and then later having “dwelt among us” provides support to the various Christian denominations that teach that Christ played the central role in the physical creation of all we see around us.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.”( John 1: 1-3)

I obviously don’t understand the entire scope of this name-title given to the Savior, which is also referenced in Revelation 19:13, but my Biblical Hebrew studies have recently helped me understand what it may mean in part. It turns out there are also passages in LDS scripture that support the Hebrew language insights that I’ll refer to here.
 
In Hebrew, the terms for "word", "act(ion)", and "thing" are all related to the same three-letter root דבר (dalet-bet/vet-resh), which are loosely equivalent to the English letters D-V-R. While reading the examples of linguistic connections between the set of Hebrew terms related to speech, action, and existence, it’s important to remember that in Hebrew and other Semitic languages word relationships are founded on consonant patterns. That’s in part because across the whole range of spoken language throughout history, vowels are fluid, meaning they’re much more prone to change within a word over time than consonants.

We see that three-letter root I mentioned above (D-V-R דבר) in such words as “to speak” (leh-dah-BEHR  לְדַבֵּר) and in the noun “a saying”  (dah-VAHR דָבָר), which also means "thing". In the book of 1st Kings we also find the same root present in the phrase "the acts of Solomon", deev-REY she-loh-MOH דִּבְרֵי שְׁלֹמֹה. So the Lord's title referenced in John (The Word) seems to be linked to His role as the Creator: "and all things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made." Human speech is passive when not backed by the authority and power of God. In contrast, the Lord's spoken commands are actions that result in things coming into existence. See Genesis 1:3, 1:11, and the following scripture as examples:

“So shall my word be that goeth out of my mouth (the speech part): it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please (action), and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." (Isaiah 55:11, inserts added)

 The significant link detailed above is easily lost in the New Testament Koine (Common Greek) since the terms in that language for "word" (logos) and "thing" (pragma) have no linguistic connection. Interestingly though, the Hebrew doctrinal and etymological links resurface in several places in the scriptures, including Moses 1:27, 30-32.

“And it came to pass, as the voice was still speaking, Moses cast his eyes and beheld the earth, yea, even all of it; and there was not a particle of it which he did not behold, discerning it by the Spirit of God. 

And it came to pass that Moses called upon God, saying: Tell me, I pray thee, why these things are so, and by what thou madest them? 

And behold, the glory of the Lord was upon Moses, so that Moses stood in the presence of God, and talked with him face to face. And the Lord God said unto Moses: For mine own purpose have I made these things. Here is wisdom and it remaineth in me. 

And by the word of my power have I created them, which is mine Only Begotten Son, who is full of grace and truth.” (Emphasis added)