John’s use of that phrase—“in the beginning”—in the prologue also reminds readers that God continues to act in history and engenders an anticipation of yet another divine intervention in human history, an intervention that will have immense significance for humanity. John reminds readers of the role of the word in the process of creation and of its life-giving power. The focus is no longer primarily on the process of creation or the creation itself, but on the journey of the word that brought the universe into existence. The word that created the universe now becomes the created and enters the universe.
On yet another level, John’s prologue calls attention to how one might choose to deploy the power of words. Words have an amazing ability to breathe life into people and can rejuvenate people and communities during critical moments. But if and when words are misused, they can cause significant harm. In these polarized times, John’s powerful introduction to Jesus calls us to be attentive to how we employ words and toward what end.
