Protestant argument on John 1:1

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John 1:1 says

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

A protestant friend of mine argues that this is why he uses the bible as his final authority. What is the Catholic response to this?

Thanks-
 
JimRyan said:
John 1:1 says

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

A protestant friend of mine argues that this is why he uses the bible as his final authority. What is the Catholic response to this?

Thanks-
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Agree…God is your final authority. It doesn’t say, In the Beginning, there was the Bible, and the Bible was with God, and the Bible was God…
 
Jesus himself is the word, if you keep reading, the word is referred to as a person. In John 1:2-3 its says “From the very beginning the Word was with God. Through him God made all things; not one thing in creation was made without him.”

We see this again later in John1:14 “The Word became a human being and, full of grace and truth, lived among us. We saw his glory, the glory which he recieved as the Father’s only Son.”
 
JimRyan said:
John 1:1 says

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

A protestant friend of mine argues that this is why he uses the bible as his final authority. What is the Catholic response to this?

Thanks-
Click to expand...
“And the Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us”.

It’s a deeply mystical passage. However it is not intended as a self-promotion.
 
Tell your friend to keep reading:

John chapter 20, tells us: Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of (his) disciples that are not written in this book.

Is God contained simply in a book, or is there a little more to God.

While you’re at it, ask him to read the rest of chapter 20:
“Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you."*** 22 *** And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the holy Spirit.*** 23 *** Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.”
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Ask him if anyone has forgiven his sins resulting in their forgiveness in Heaven? If not, why not?
 
JimRyan said:
John 1:1 says

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

A protestant friend of mine argues that this is why he uses the bible as his final authority. What is the Catholic response to this?

Thanks-
Click to expand...
Christ is the Word of God.
 
JimRyan said:
John 1:1 says

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

A protestant friend of mine argues that this is why he uses the bible as his final authority. What is the Catholic response to this?

Thanks-
Click to expand...
:banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

I post this about five times every day:

The Word of God (logos) has been, is now, and ever will be:

The Second Person of God: Jesus

Sola Scriptura does not take into account The Real Presence and on that basis alone it is a false doctrine, a tradition of man.
 
Ani_Ibi said:
:banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

I post this about five times every day:

The Word of God (logos) has been, is now, and ever will be:

The Second Person of God: Jesus

Sola Scriptura does not take into account The Real Presence and on that basis alone it is a false doctrine, a tradition of man.
Click to expand...
LOL—you might want to consider starting your day by typing out this post, mousing over the words, and hitting CTRL-C. It will save you plenty of time.

Perhaps there’s a macro you could write to autorespond whenever this same assertion gets made. 👍
 
JimRyan said:
John 1:1 says

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

A protestant friend of mine argues that this is why he uses the bible as his final authority. What is the Catholic response to this?

Thanks-
Click to expand...
My response would be that your Protestant friend is confused. This verse is about a person, not a book. Jesus is the final authority.
 
Ani_Ibi said:
:banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

I post this about five times every day:

The Word of God (logos) has been, is now, and ever will be:

The Second Person of God: Jesus

Sola Scriptura does not take into account The Real Presence and on that basis alone it is a false doctrine, a tradition of man.
Click to expand...
Just make it your signature! Then you’ll automatically say it every time you post.
 
JimRyan said:
John 1:1 says

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

A protestant friend of mine argues that this is why he uses the bible as his final authority. What is the Catholic response to this?

Thanks-
Click to expand...
Your friend doesn’t understand that here “the Word” is Jesus.

Does your friend think that “…the Word WAS God” means that the Bible is God? LOL.
 
Gamera said:
Your friend doesn’t understand that here “the Word” is Jesus.

Does your friend think that “…the Word WAS God” means that the Bible is God? LOL.
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If so, Luther’s got some explaining to do as to why he dismembered God.

Of course, since the Church is the Body of Christ, that works on many levels.
 
JimRyan said:
John 1:1 says

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

A protestant friend of mine argues that this is why he uses the bible as his final authority. What is the Catholic response to this?

Thanks-
Click to expand...
Since “the Word” clearly refers to Christ, the Second Person of the Trinity, I’d say your friend was confusing God with some text inspired by God. That is a gargantuan error, understandable perhaps to someone who only has the Old Testament, but certainly not to someone who also has the New Testament, much less the entire deposit of the Christian faith.

Unfortunately, “the Word” isn’t a very suitable translation for the Greek “Logos”.
 
JimRyan said:
John 1:1 says

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

A protestant friend of mine argues that this is why he uses the bible as his final authority. What is the Catholic response to this?

Thanks-
Click to expand...
The Word is JESVS CHRIST, not the Holy Scriptures.
 
Great resposes. In all fairness, I don’t think many of the more thoughtful non-Catholic Christians would try to float this as a proof-text of Sola Scriptura.

Scott
 
If your friend thinks that “the Word” referred to by John means the Bible, then I am truly amazed.
 
JimRyan said:
John 1:1 says

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

A protestant friend of mine argues that this is why he uses the bible as his final authority. What is the Catholic response to this?

Thanks-
Click to expand...
Context would help wouldn’t it? It would be best to read that whole section of the Gospel and not base anything on a single verse.

People are soooo weird. 🤷 (Not you Jim!)
 
Wow, I never heard that one before… I am still reeling from the realization that the first question I was asked in 7th grade CCD was: In John 1 what was “the Word”? And none of us knew at the time. By the end of that year we were asked again…and we couldn’t believe how stupid we were on the first day.
 
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