Logos and Rhema

[Guest]

When one looks up, in the New Testament, every instance of the Greek word "rhema" and the Greek word "logos", it becomes obvious that the words appear frequently to be used interchangeably.

Nowhere in the Bible does EITHER "rhema" nor "logos" refer to "the written word" or the Bible.

Here are some ways in which the words rhema and logos are used:

1. Someone's speech or expression. It might be only a single sentence. Today, this use would occur in the statement, "Our friend John has a word for us."

Acts 11:15,16 As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. And I remembered the word (rhema) of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’

Matthew 19:8-11 He said to them, "For your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to leave your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. And I say to you: whoever leaves his wife, except for fornicaton, and marries another, commits adultery." The disciples said to him, "If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is not helpful to marry." But he said to them, "Not all can receive this word (logos) but only those to whom it is given.

2. The Gospel. This is the denotation of almost every use of the expression "the word of God" as found in the book of Acts.

I Peter 1:23-25 You have been regenerated, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word (logos) of God;for "All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls,
but the word (rhema) of the Lord abides for ever." That word (rhema) is the gospel which was proclaimed to you.

Acts 19:10 And this continued for two years, so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word (logos) of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.

1 Thessalonians 2:13 And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word (logos) of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word (logos) of men but as what it really is, the word (logos) of God, which is at work in you believers.

3. What God has spoken or revealed:

Luke 2:25-32 Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying, "Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word (rhema) ; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel."

Luke 3:2 in the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word (rhema) of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness;

John 10:35 If he called them gods to whom the word (logos) of God came ...