Rhema vs.

Logos
It happens every now and again. Well, it happened yesterday again! Somewhere, sometime, someone came up with the idea that the Greek word 'rhema' has a totally different meaning to that of 'logos.' I do not know who started this mythological hoax, ut once again the church fell for the hoax! !esterday, one of the pastor's at church preached a sermon that included "t #$#, %&ut he answered, 'It is written, %Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.%'% 'he Greek word for 'word' here is rhema. 'he claim is that rhema does not refer to the &i le like logos does, ut to a fresh word from the mouth of God. What follows is a little study on the uses of 'rhema' and 'logos.' It is a little long, ut I hope it is worth the reading. 1. Introduction In the (harismatic world we have een inundated with all kinds of teaching from all over the world. Some of it legitimate, and others not. In the last two decades or so the teaching has een spread that there is a ma)or difference etween *+,"- and ./G/S. Is there a difference0 If so, what are the differences etween these two words0 If not, how do they relate to each other0 It has een taught that rhema is the spoken Word from God to each individual or to a people today, whereas logos is God's written Word as we have it in the &i le. /ne thing that we must not e, is scared of what our studies of the Word of God will reveal. We should also never come to the Scriptures with preconceived ideas. We should also not always merely accept what we are taught from the pulpit or in conferences y %reputa le% teachers. We should e like the &ereans that kept on comparing what 1aul preached with the Scriptures they had. In the final analysis we are all responsi le for our own faith and system of doctrine. If we are to mature as (hristians, then we have to % e diligent to present 2ourselves3 approved unto God as a workman who does not need to e ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.% 45-S& 6 'im. 6$789. 'his study is not )ust a matter of semantics. Is it semantics that separate us from the :ehovah's Witnesses and the "ormons0 It is the true meaning ehind common words that we use. 'here are many words that are shared etween them, and us, yet they have vastly different meanings. So, it is important to know exactly what a word means as set forth in the Scriptures. 2. Meanings Rhema

;irst, let us look at some lexicons and a theological dictionary.<

'he following resources were used$ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance from the /nline &i le. Gerhard Kitte 's 'heological =ictionary of the 5ew 'estament a ridged in one volume and translated y Geoffrey W. &romiley.

!.E. "ine's ,xpository dictionary of 5ew 'estament words. #ha$er's - Greek>,nglish lexicon of the 5ew 'estament. Lou% and &ida's Greek>,nglish lexicon, recogni?ed y many Greek scholars as one of the est works on Greek lexicography. 'auer's - Greek>,nglish lexicon of the 5ew 'estament and other early (hristian literature, recognised y many Greek scholars to e the est work on Greek lexicography. 'his is what I gleaned from the a ove resources a out rhema. 2what has een uttered y the living voice, sound from the voice with a definite meaning, words )oined together to form a sentence@ something expressly stated like an announcement or treaty, the Septuagint translates oth ogos and rhema from the +e rew da(ar, that which is uttered in speach or writing@ speech, discourse, the su )ect matter of speech@ a minimal unit of discourse, single word, focus on the content of the communication, differences etween ogos and rhema is a matter of style@ thing, expression3 Logos

'his is what I gleaned from the a ove resources a out ogos.

2a word, decree, the act of speaking, teaching, reason, account@ first sense of collection, counting, conversation@ expression of thought, statement@ thoughts expressed in words, relates to speaking and thinking, a divine declaration recorded in the /'@ systematic and formal treatment of a su )ect, the content of what is preached@ matter3 ). #rans ation Rhema

Spoken 'he following verses related to rhema all show its usage with the general meaning of %speaking%. "t #$#@ "t 76$AB@ "t 7C$7B@ "t 6B$D8@ "t 6D$7#@ "r E$A6@ "r 7#$D6@ .u 7$AC@ .u 7$B8@ .u 6$7D@ .u 6$7E@ .u 6$6E@ .u 6$8F@ .u 6$87@ .u A$6@ .u 8$8@ .u D$7@ .u E$#8@ .u 7C$A#@ .u 6F$6B@ .u 66$B7@ .u 6#$C@ .u 6#$77@ :oh A$A#@ :oh 8$#D@ :oh B$BA@ :oh B$BC@ :oh C$6F@ :oh C$#D@ :oh 7F$67@ :oh 76$#D@ :oh 76$#C@ :oh 7#$7F@ :oh 78$D@ :oh 7D$C@ -c 6$7#@ -c 8$6F@ -c B$77@ -c B$7A@ -c 7F$66@ -c 7F$AD@ -c 7F$## %%While 1eter was still saying these things 4rhema9, the +oly Spirit fell on all who heard the word 4 ogos9. +ere the ogos is eGuated with the rhema that 1eter delivered unto them. -c 77$7#@ -c 77$7B@ -c 7A$#6@ -c 7B$AC@ -c 6B$68@ -c 6C$68@ *o 7F$7D %So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the %ord of (hrist.% Should we elieve that here the rhema refers to the spoken word0 5o, here it has nothing to do with the word eing a spoken word or a written word. 'he word here is the gospel of (hrist eing preached.

*o 7F$7C@ 6(o 76$#@ 6(o 7A$7@ +e 7$A@ +e 77$A %&y faith we understand that the universe was created y the %ord of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visi le.% God spoke and all that exist came into existence. In 61e A$8 it is the ogos that was spoken and the heavens existed. +ere it is clear that rhema and ogos are meant to e synonyms. +e 76$7E %and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose %ords made the hearers eg that no further messages 4 ogos9 e spoken to them.% +ere once again ogos is eGuated with rhema. 71e 7$68 %' ut the %ord of the .ord remains forever.' -nd this %ord is the good news that was preached to you.% 'he rhema of the .ord here is the gospel that was preached. 61e A$6 %that you should remem er the *redictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the .ord and Savior through your apostles.% 'he rhema of the prophets that the 5ew 'estament disciples knew in those days were written, yet they are referred to as that which was spoken y the prophets. In this case rhema can e seen as referring to that which is written. -lthough the prophets spoke those words, to the people that 1eter wrote to, they were written. See also :ude 7$7D. Other than spoken .u 7$AD %;or nothing 4no word9 will e impossi le with God.% .u 6$78@ -c 8$A6@ *o 7F$C %&ut what does it say0 ''he %ord is near you, in your mouth and in your heart' 4that is, the %ord of faith that we proclaim9@% 'he word of faith eing preached is the gospel. 'he gospel today is part of the written Scriptures. Should it not then e known as the ogos0 =uring the early years of preaching the gospel, it was not written down yet, ut the gospel is )ust as well contained in the /' as it is in the 5'. -nyway, the word of faith is preached here and not written. ,ph 8$6B %that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her y the washing of water with the %ord,% +ere there is no reason to go either way as to what rhema is referring to. It could e pointing to the gospel that is cleansing us, or to the whole of the &i le that has a sanctifying effect on us. ,ph B$7D %and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the %ord of God,% Is the sword of the Spirit that which is spoken or that which is written, or oth0 Something that I )ust thought of is this$ =o the Scriptures refer to that which God has spoken or to that which is written when it uses the phrase %ord of God0 I am almost sure that it uses the former meaning. Whether it uses the phrase rhema of God, or ogos of God, it still points to that which is spoken. +e B$8 %and have tasted the goodness of the %ord of God and the powers of the age to come,% In the context the Scriptures are speaking a out salvation and related su )ects, and I would venture to say that in this case %%ord of God% refers to the gospel as that which is good. Logos

;or the sake of time and space we will not display all instances of ogos or its derivatives which amount to a out A6F. Selected verses will e used here.

In the gospels ogos is used as a spoken word in the greatest ma)ority of cases. We can learn from this that ogos is not to e interpreted as that which is written alone. It is to e suggested that the word used to refer to the written word of God is gra*he. When a reference is made to logos as that which is written and especially when a Guote is made from the /ld 'estament, is seems never to show the whole of the /ld 'estament as the logos, ut rather a ook or even )ust a verse. e.g. .u A$# %-s it is written in the ook of the words of Isaiah the prophet, ''he voice of one crying in the wilderness$ %1repare the way of the .ord, make his paths straight.%'%, :oh 76$AC %so that the word spoken y the prophet Isaiah might e fulfilled$ '.ord, who has elieved what he heard from us, and to whom has the arm of the .ord een revealed0'%, :oh 78$68 %&ut the word that is written in their .aw must e fulfilled$ ''hey hated me without a cause.'% Spoken "t 8$AD@ "t D$6#@ "t D$6C@ "t C$C@ "t C$7B@ "t 7F$7#@ "t 76$A6@ "t 76$AB@ "t 7A$7E@ "t 78$76@ "t 78$6A@ "t 67$6#@ "t 66$78@ "t 6#$A8@ "t 6B$##@ "r 8$AB@ "r C$AC@ "r 7F$6#@ .u 7$6F@ .u #$66@ .u #$AB@ .u 8$78@ .u B$#D@ .u E$6C@ .u 7F$AE@ .u 6A$E@ :oh 6$66 %When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remem ered that he had said this, and they elieved the Scripture 4gra*he9 and the %ord that :esus had spoken.% +ere :ohn uses the word gra*he to refer to the written Scriptures, and ogos to refer to that which :esus had spoken. :oh #$AE@ :oh #$8F@ :oh 7#$6A>6# %:esus answered him, %If anyone loves me, he will keep my %ord, and my ;ather will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my %ords. -nd the %ord that you hear is not mine ut the ;ather's who sent me.% :ohn is not using ogos here as that which is written, ut rather as those words that :esus spoke to the disciples. :oh 7D$B %I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. !ours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your %ord.% Herse 7# will clear up what the ogos here refers to. It refers to that which :esus spoke to them. :oh 7D$7# %I have given them your %ord, and the world has hated them ecause they are not of the world, )ust as I am not of the world.% :oh 7D$6F@ :oh 7C$E %'his was to fulfill the %ord that he had spoken$% Logos here refers to a portion of the Scriptures, and not all the Scriptures. :oh 7C$A6@ -c 6$66@ -c 6$#F@ -c #$# %&ut many of those who had heard the %ord elieved, and the num er of the men came to a out five thousand.% Logos here refers to the gospel as preached y the apostles, and not all the Scriptures. -c 8$8@

-c 7F$## %While 1eter was still saying these things 4rhema9 , the +oly Spirit fell on all who heard the word.% 'hese words 4rhema9 of 1eter were seen as a ogos. +ere we have a direct eGuation etween these two words. -c 77$66@ -c 7A$78@ -c 78$6D@ *o A$#@ *o E$B %&ut it is not as though the %ord of God has failed. ;or not all who are descended from Israel elong to Israel,% 'he %ord of God here most pro a ly refers to the promises God made to Israel. In verse E the word is shown as the promise to - raham. *o E$E %;or this is what the promise said$ '- out this time next year I will return and Sarah shall have a son.'% *o 7A$E@ *o 7#$76@ 7(o 7$8@ 7(o 7$7C@ 7(o #$6F@ 7(o 76$C %'o one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit,% /ne of the most conclusive evidences that rhema does not refer to the spoken word and ogos to the written word is found here in this passage where ogos is used to refer to the spoken word as found in the ogos of wisdom, and the ogos of knowledge. It has een said so many times y popular preachers that the %ord of wisdom, the %ord of knowledge, and prophecy are to e seen as the rhema of God to +is people, yet here in this passage it is clear that they are the ogos of God. 7(o 7#$E@ 7(o 7#$7E %5evertheless, in church I would rather speak five %ords with my mind in order to instruct others, than ten thousand %ords in a tongue.% When speaking in a tongue it is not a rhema from God, ut a ogos from God. 7(o 78$6@ 7(o 78$8#@ 6(o 7$7C@ 6(o 7F$77@ 6(o 77$B@ Ga 8$7#@ Ga B$B@ ,ph #$6E@ ,ph 8$B@ ,ph B$7E@ (ol A$7D@ (ol #$B@ 7'h 7$8@ 7'h #$7C@ 6'h A$7#@ 7'i #$76@ 7'i B$A@ 6'i 7$7A@ 'it 6$C@ +e 6$6 %;or since the message declared y angels proved to e relia le and every transgression or diso edience received a )ust retri ution,% +ere the ogos is spoken y angels. +e #$6@ +e D$6C@ +e 76$7E %and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words 4rhema9 made the hearers eg that no further messages e spoken to them.% -gain, here the ogos is eGuated with the rhema that was spoken. +e 7A$66@ :as A$6@ 71e A$78@ 61e A$8 %;or they deli erately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water y the %ord of God, . . . D &ut y the same %ord the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, eing kept until the day of )udgment and destruction of the ungodly.% When God spoke the heavens into existence, the Scriptures do not use the word rhema, ut rather ogos. What does this show us0 When God speaks we cannot make a difference etween rhema and ogos. 7:o A$7C@ *e 76$77. Other than spoken The gospel .u C$77 %5ow the para le is this$ 'he seed is the %ord of God. 4769 'he ones along the path are those who have heard. 'hen the devil comes and takes away the %ord from their hearts, so that they may not elieve and e saved.% I would suggest that ogos here refers to the gospel, ecause it is y

this ogos that %they may 2 3 elieve and e saved.% :oh 8$AC %and you do not have his %ord a iding in you, for you do not elieve the one whom he has sent.% :esus said this to the 1harisees ecause they did not accept the good news a out :esus, %for whom he sent, him ye elieve not.% 'he %ord here then refers to the good news a out :esus that they did not want to accept, and therefore did not a ide in them. ;or, if it was, they would have elieved in :esus. :oh C$A7 %So :esus said to the :ews who had elieved in him, %If you a ide in my %ord, you are truly my disciples,% :esus did not have any technical meaning for ogos except to say that in order to e a disciple of +is, one has to %continue in "y word.% 45-S& Ipdated edition9 'his %ord then points to the gospel that :esus rought to them. It is a %ord that :esus spoke to them from the times of +is own aptism. -c B$6 %-nd the twelve summoned the full num er of the disciples and said, 'It is not right that we should give up preaching the %ord of God to serve ta les.'% 'he ogos here again refers to the gospel, and not to all the Scriptures. When we keep on reading we can see what the twelve meant y the %ord of God in verse #, %&ut we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the %ord.% 'he gospel is intended here. -c B$#@ -c B$D %-nd the %ord of God continued to increase, and the num er of the disciples multiplied greatly in :erusalem, and a great many of the priests ecame o edient to the faith.% +ow does the %ord of God increase, unless it means that the gospel kept on spreading. -c C$# %5ow those who were scattered went a out preaching the %ord.% I would suggest that the %ord here again refers to the gospel. -c C$7#@ -c C$68@ -c 7F$AB@ -c 77$7@ -c 76$6#@ -c 7A$8@ -c 78$D@-c 78$A8@ -c 7B$B@ -c 7D$77 %5ow these :ews were more no le than those in 'hessalonica@ they received the %ord with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures 4gra*he9 daily to see if these things were so.% In this instance the ogos is set in contrast to the written Scriptures. -c 7E$6F@ 7(o 7#$AB@ 6(o 6$7D@ 6(o 8$7E@ 6(o B$D@ ,ph 7$7A@ 1hp 7$7#@ 1hp 6$7B@ (ol 7$8@ (ol 7$68@ (ol A$7B@ (ol #$A@ 7'h 7$B@ 7'h 7$C@ 7'h 6$7A@ 6'h A$7@ 'it 7$A@ 'it 7$E@ +e 8$7A@ +e B$7@ +e 7A$D@ :as 7$7C@ 71e 7$6A@ 71e 6$C@ 71e 7$6A@ 71e 6$C@ *e B$E. Other "t 8$A6@ "t 78$B %So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the %ord of God.% In this case the ogos of God may refer to the whole of the &i le, ut I would suggest that in the context in this case ogos refers to the commandments given y "oses to the Israelites. In verse A :esus asks them %why do you reak the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition0%, and then :esus Guotes one of the commandments. "t 7C$6A@ "r 7$#8@ .u A$# %-s it is written in the ook of the %ords of Isaiah the prophet.% +ere the written part that ogos refers to is that verse which .uke Guotes here, and not the whole of the &i le as the %written word of God.% :oh 7$7 %In the eginning was the !ord, and the !ord was with God, and the !ord was God.% +ere ogos undenia ly refers to :esus as in the following verse. :oh 7$7# %-nd the !ord ecame flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the ;ather, full of grace and truth.%

:oh 76$AC %&ut the %ord that is written in their .aw must e fulfilled.% -gain, here %ord refers to a portion of the /' found in Isaiah. :oh 78$68 %&ut the %ord that is written in their .aw must e fulfilled$ ''hey hated me without a cause.'% Logos here refers to a portion of the law, and not all the Scriptures. -c 7$7 %In the first (oo+, / 'heophilus, I have dealt with all that :esus egan to do and teach.% Logos here refers to that which .uke wrote efore, yet it only refers to the ook of .uke and not the whole of the &i le. -c 78$78@ -c 7E$#F@ *o E$6C %for the .ord will carry out his sentence upon the earth fully and without delay.% Isaiah is here Guoted saying that the .ord will execute +is ogos Guickly. What was Isaiah referring to if indeed his own prophecies were part of written Scripture0 Is it logical here to say that the ogos refers to the written %ord0 Logos most likely refers to a portion of Scripture, or even the spoken %ord of God. 6(o #$6@ 1hp #$78@ 1hp #$7D@ (ol 6$6A@ 7'h #$78 %;or this we declare to you y a %ord from the .ord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the .ord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.% 'he %ord of the .ord here pro a ly refers to that which the .ord revealed to 1aul, and is not written somewhere else. 7'i #$8@ 7'i 8$7D@ 6'i 6$E@ 6'i 6$78@ 6'i #$6@ 'it 6$8@ +e #$76@ :as 7$67>6A@ 71e A$7@ 61e 7$7E@ 7:o 7$7F@ 7:o 6$8@ 7:o 6$7#@ *e 7$6@ *e A$C@ *e 7D$7D@ *e 7E$E@ *e 66$D. ,. #he *hrases -!ord of God- and -!ord of the Lord *+,"-

Word of God .u A$6 > God spoke to :ohn the &aptist in the wilderness. ,ph B$7D > 'he sword of the Spirit. +e B$8 > 'asting the good word of God. +e 77$A > 'he worlds were prepared y the word of God. Word of the Lord .u 66$B7 > 1eter remem ered the word of the .ord a out the rooster. -c 77$7B > 1eter remem ered the word of the .ord concerning the +oly Spirit. 71e 7$68 > 'he word of the .ord endures forever@ the gospel is this word. ./G/S

Word of God "t 78$B > 'he word of God eing invalidated y the traditions of men. .u C$77 > 'he seed that is sown is the word of God.

-c B$6 > 'he apostles are not to serve ta les with the effect of neglecting the word of God 4the preaching of the gospel9. -c B$D > 'he word of God 4the gospel9 kept on spreading. -c C$7# > Samaria received the word of God 4the gospel9. -c 77$7 > 'he Gentiles received the word of God 4the gospel9. -c 76$6# > 'he word of God 4the gospel9 continued to grow. -c 7A$8 > 'hey egan to proclaim the word of God 4the gospel9. *o E$B > 'he word of God concerning Israel did not fail. 7(o 7#$AB > +ow did they get to know a out the word of God 4the gospel9. 6(o 6$7D > "any peddle the word of God 4the gospel9. 6(o #$6 > 5ot adulterating the word of God 4the gospel9. 1hp 7$7# > Speaking the word of God 4the gospel9 without fear. (ol 7$68 > 1aul was called to carry out the word of God 4the gospel9. 7'h 6$7A > 'he 'hessalonians received the word of God 4the gospel9. 7'i #$8 > ;oods are sanctified y means of the word of God and prayer. 6'i 6$E > 'he word of God 4the gospel9 is not imprisoned. 'it 6$8 > 'he word of God 4the gospel9 must not e dishonored. +e #$76 > 'he word of God is living and active. +e 7A$D > *emem er those who led you and spoke the word of God to you. 71e 7$6A > We are orn again through the living and enduring word of God 4the gospel9. 61e A$8 > It is y the word of God 4God spoke9 that the heavens existed long ago. 7:o 6$7# > 'he word of God a ides in the young men. *e 7$6 > :ohn testified to the word of God. *e B$E > Some were slain ecause of the word of God 4the gospel9. Word of the Lord -c C$68 > 'hey testified and spoke the word of the .ord. -c 78$A8 > 1aul and &arna as taught and preached the word of the .ord. -c 7E$6F > 'he word of 'he .ord 4the gospel9 grew mightily. 7'h 7$C > 'he word of the .ord 4the gospel9 sounded forth from the 'hessalonians. 7'h #$78 > 1aul spoke to them y the word of the .ord. 6'h A$7 > 'hessalonians were to pray for 1aul that word of the .ord 4the gospel9 would spread rapidly.

.. Conc usion -fter what we have learnt concerning the uses of rhema and ogos, we have to conclude that there is no reason for us to speak of rhema as the spoken word of God, and of ogos as the written word of God. &oth have the potential to e used in either way. It has ecome one of the (harismatic ways to ring in all kinds of unverified teachings that no>one others to study. If it ever happens that someone differs on something they feel is essential to their (harismania, they will come with counter attacks such as %you are not in su mission to your elders%, %you are critical%, and %do not resist God's anointed%, etc. "any (harismatic churches are still in the trap of elieving that whatever the pastor says must e adhered to, ecause you need to remain under someone's covering. 'his is what I would liken unto (harismatic witchcraft. Witchcraft is the art of manipulation, and oy, do these (harismatics manipulate! =o not get me wrong! I am a (harismatic 4*eformedJ(alvinistic9 myself, ut I am daring to stand up and e counted for correct doctrine. I want to handle the %ord of truth correctly. We cannot do this unless we study the Scriptures for ourselves. We are to e mature (hristians, and not )ust e spoonfed from the pulpit. Iltimately we are each responsi le for our own spiritual lives. "y purpose for writing this paper was not to trample on toes, or to deviate from that which is the truth. *ather, it is a calling ack to that which is the truth. +ow many times have we not heard that someone said, %I received a rhema from God last night.% It is accepted to such a large extent > not truthfully > that there exists a ma)or difference etween rhema and ogos, that it almost seems impossi le that people's perception would e changed. Who wants to stand up and say %-ll of you are wrong, and I am right.% 'he sheer opposition to that would already put most people off. !et, when we know that there is wrong teaching in the church we need to stand up and speak the truth the est we know how. -fter all this ram ling, what is the connection etween rhema and ogos0 /ne thing I have found is that rhema is never used to point to a Guotation in the /' in the same way that ogos is used. ,.g. :oh. 76$AC %that the %ord of Isaiah the prophet might e fulfilled, which he spake, K% Logos is used in this way several times where such a Guotation from the /' is made, ut never do we find any conclusive proof that ogos is directly connected with the whole of the &i le. *ather ogos is used as a part of a ook or as a %ord. .ooking at all the passages Guoted a ove that relate to oth rhema and ogos we have to conclude that these 6 words are in reality synonyms for each other. -s with all synonyms the %synonomic% 4)ust coined9 words do not always have exactly the same meanings or domains. 'here could e different shades or nuances, ut synonyms, nevertheless. I hope this study rought you, the reader, some enlightenment, and that I was a le to ring the facts across clearly, and without am iguity. "ay God less you as keep on searching for, and living out the truth