The gospel definition1 of word extends far beyond the limits of its English equivalent. The word is the set of all ideas that pertain to how Jesus is, what Jesus is, and why Jesus is. The word obviously includes spoken or written words describing Jesus in some way, but also includes much more. Because all of creation testifies of God in some way,2 everything that exists in creation is part of the word; everything we experience or learn about in life—every person, object, or situation—provides us with opportunities to learn more about Jesus .3 While the word includes all of physical reality, it also extends beyond it. Because God’s ideas exceed our own in breadth, depth, accuracy, sincerity, and power, the word extends beyond the bounds of human language.4 Through our thoughts and feelings, we can access ideas that exist beyond the limits of our language and understanding.
Footnotes
- 1. The ancient languages of Greek and Hebrew can provide closer associations to the intended meaning of those who wrote in them than English, but are still limited to similar problems. No human language should be considered expressive enough to yield an exact expression of gospel concepts. All are limited to the best words that match most closely to the intended meaning, retaining the distance from what was intended and carrying with them unintended associations with other meanings of the same words. In the case of word, a good example of these limitations is noted with the Greek words logos and rhema, where some verses indicate a clear distinction between the two, and others seem to ignore this distinction. Analyses that assume mathematical precision in the Hebrew or Greek words used to describe gospel ideas are inherently and unavoidably flawed. Relaxation of these constraints is essential when one is approaching God in search of better expressions of his ideas. ↩
- 2. And behold, all things have their likeness, and all things are created and made to bear record of me, both things which are temporal, and things which are spiritual; things which are in the heavens above, and things which are on the earth, and things which are in the earth, and things which are under the earth, both above and beneath: all things bear record of me. (Moses 6:63) ↩
- 3. The heavens declare the glory of God, and the earth demonstrates his power. Day after day, he utters speech, and night after night he reveals knowledge. There is no word nor action where his voice is not heard. His words flow like cords through all the earth to every extremity of it. (Psalm 19:1-4, Author’s Reflection) ↩
- 4. For example, those in the Americas visited by Jesus after his resurrection said: “...The eye hath never seen, neither hath the ear heard, before, so great and marvelous things as we saw and heard Jesus speak unto the Father; And no tongue can speak, neither can there be written by any man, neither can the hearts of men conceive so great and marvelous things as we both saw and heard Jesus speak....” (3 Nephi 17:16-17) ↩