Let us examine this theory not through the lens of Stoic categories or speculative theology, but through the inspired text of Scripture.
What Does John 1:1 Actually Say?
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
Where in this verse is the Logos merely a concept? Where is He a potentiality waiting to be uttered? The grammar is clear: ēn ho Logos—the Word was. Not “became,” not “was imagined,” not “was projected.” The verb ēn (was) denotes continuous existence. The Logos was with God in the beginning, not after some metaphysical transition.
If the Logos were merely “in the mind of God,” how could He be with God? Is God with His own thoughts? Does the text say “the thought of God was with God”? No—it says the Word was with God, and the Word was God. This is not a two-stage process. It is a single, eternal reality.
The Fallacy of Category Confusion
The “Two-Stage Logos” theory commits a classic category error: it conflates ontological being with linguistic expression. Just because humans think before they speak does not mean God’s eternal Word follows the same temporal process. Is God bound by time? Does He need to “emit” His Word like a man clearing his throat before speaking?
This is anthropomorphism at its worst, projecting human limitations onto the divine nature. The theory assumes that because humans have internal thoughts and external speech, God must too. But Scripture never describes the Logos as a mere “potentiality.” He is the eternal Son, not a divine idea waiting to be verbalized.
Rhetorical Questions That Expose the Absurdity
- If the Logos was only a thought in God’s mind, who was “with” God in the beginning?
- If the Logos became a person only when “spoken,” does that mean God was not triune before creation?
- If the Logos was not yet a person, how do we explain John 1:3—“All things were made through Him”? Was creation accomplished by a concept?
Historical Context vs. Biblical Authority
Yes, early apologists like Justin Martyr, Theophilus, and Tatian flirted with this two-stage idea. But they were heavily influenced by Stoic philosophy, not sola Scriptura. They borrowed terms like Logos endiathetos and Logos prophorikos from pagan thought systems. Should we build our Christology on Stoicism or on the Word of God?
Even Justin, in his Dialogue with Trypho, speaks of the Logos as “another God and Lord” under the Father. This subordinationist language paved the way for later heresies. The “Two-Stage Logos” is not a safeguard of orthodoxy—it is the gateway to another Christ, one who is not eternally coequal with the Father.
Logical Fallacies in the Two-Stage Theory
| Fallacy | Description | Example in Theory |
|---|---|---|
| Category Error | Confusing thought with personhood | Logos as “thought” before becoming “person” |
| Begging the Question | Assuming what must be proven | Assuming Logos must be “spoken” to exist |
| Anthropomorphism | Projecting human traits onto God | Treating divine speech like human speech |
| Straw Man | Misrepresenting biblical Logos | Reducing Logos to a philosophical abstraction |
The True Logos: Eternal, Personal, Divine
The Logos of John 1:1 is not a two-stage phenomenon. He is eternally God, eternally with God, and eternally active in creation and redemption. The attempt to divide Him into “thought” and “speech” is not exegesis—it is eisegesis, reading into the text what the text does not say.
Let us not be seduced by philosophical categories that undermine the glory of Christ. The Logos is not a concept. He is a Person. He is not a projection. He is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact imprint of His nature (Hebrews 1:3).
Final Word
The “Two-Stage Logos” theory may have historical curiosity, but it has no biblical credibility. It introduces a subordinate Christ, a temporal Son, and ultimately a different gospel. Let us return to the Word not as imagined, but as revealed. Not as processed, but as proclaimed.
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us…” (John 1:14)
Not a thought. Not a stage. But the eternal Son, full of grace and truth.
Former Adventists Philippines
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