The Tao, Logos, and Christ
Dec 31 2007
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The Word was with God in the beginning. All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created. In him was life, and the life was the light of mankind. And the light shines on in the darkness, but the darkness has not mastered it.
- John 1:1-5
There is a thing inherent and natural,
Which existed before heaven and earth.
Motionless and fathomless,
It stands alone and never changes;
It pervades everywhere and never becomes exhausted.
It may be regarded as the Mother of the Universe.
I do not know its name. If I am forced to give it a name, I call it Tao, and I name it as supreme.
- Lao Tzu
Listening to the Logos rather than to me, it is wise to agree that all things are in reality one thing and one thing only.
- Hippolytus
In both the East and West philosophers, mystics, and scholars have a concept behind the whole Universe. This concept represents what moves, governs, and holds all existence together. In the East they named this concept the “Tao” meaning “The Way”. In the West they called this concept “Logos” meaning “divine mind” (loosely translated). When Jesus Christ said “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (John 14:6), he wasn’t claiming religious supremacy as many fundamentalist would claim, he was identifying himself as the divine or “ultimate truth” the world had already been searching for.
Many Bibles in Asia translate “Word” in John 1:1-5 as “Tao”. In fact, what we translate as “Word” comes from the Greek word “Logos”, so to translate “Logos” into “Tao” in Eastern Bibles is very appropriate. As a Christian mystic, the concepts of the Tao and Logos are very important as they illustrate the eternal nature of Jesus Christ.
A Christian mystic does not look at Jesus Christ as only being a man who was born, lived, died, and was resurrected some 2,000+ years ago. Rather, we look at Christ as the essence of all things. All truth, all goodness, all virtue lived in this world is Christ’s presence. Christ’s life as a man, when “the Word became flesh”, was an inevitability as the greatest expression of the Tao/Logos is manifested through the lives of Mankind.
Christ claiming himself as the Tao and Logos also give credibility to his place as the Messiah. Jesus Christ wasn’t just the fulfillment of Jewish prophecy, but also the manifestation of truth as identified by the ancient master of both the East and the West.
The difference between how the concepts of the Tao and Logos came about very much illustrate the differences between Eastern and Western thought. The Tao, which is “the Way”, centers around our emotions and actions. Writings on the Tao, like the Tao Te Ching, spend much time talking about how to control and discipline our emotions and how to act in accordance with the Tao. A person at one with the Tao would be at complete peace with himself, others, and the world around him.
The Logos, which is the “divine mind”, centers around the search for reason and clarity of mind. The Logos described a state of mind where a person can see himself and all reality without any perversion or illusion. Ancient Greek philosophers would seek to have their discussions governed by Logos as they sharpened and developed their skills of reason through discussion and debate. A person at one with Logos would be thought, not to know everything, but to clearly understand all he experiences.
Even though there is a difference in development of Tao and Logos, they both represent the search for the “ultimate truth”, and they are both pursuing the same pure understanding of reality. Most people today don’t realize that Jesus’s claims of being the “Truth” and the “Way” were as dramatic to the Greeks as his claims of being the “Messiah” were to the Jews of the time.
While evidence of Jesus’s Christ authenticity to the Jews is by prophecy. The evidence of Christ to the Gentiles was through his teachings, which demonstrated the “divine mind” of Logos. The evidence of Christ to the East is was through his life itself, which was lived as a pure manifestation of the Tao.
The philosophical implication of Christ being the Tao/Logos is that the “ultimate truth” of the Universe is also a conscience entity. It means that the Tao/Logos of the Universe interacts and reacts with us on a personal level. Every time a Christian performs an act of charity, compassion, or self-sacrifice he does so directly with the person of Christ.
Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the king will answer them, ‘I tell you the truth, just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of mine, you did it for me.’ – Matthew 25:37-40
Christian mysticism is about experiencing Christ here and now in everyday life. We do not wait for Heaven or the afterlife to begin communion with God, we begin it here and that communion is extended after death.
“…the truly divine God is the God who has revealed himself as logos and, as logos, has acted and continues to act lovingly on our behalf. Certainly, love transcends knowledge and is thereby capable of perceiving more than thought alone; nonetheless it continues to be love of the God who is logos. Consequently, Christian worship is worship in harmony with the eternal Word and with our reason…” – Pope Benedict XVI
That was well put and quite beautiful to boot. I love it!
-g-
Thank You!
I have recently started reading a version of the Tao Te Ching with commentary by Dr. Wayne Dyer; while his comentary is adequate, he has yet to mention what I picked up right away–the similarity of the Tao and Logos. Thank you for brining the two together. In my own search within Christianity, I have been turned off by the primitivistic requirements of fundamentalism, and the equally dogmatic Marxist interpretations of liberal Chritianity. Two thousand years of church teaching will not change in my lifetime, but I will continue to look for something more genuine given the limitations of our current world view.
@Emile,
Thank you very much. However, please consider that there is a great difference between modern pop-evangelical Christianity and the ancient philosophers and theologians. My views come from those ancient traditions, kept by the Vatican, they are not new. Although I like to think I communicate them in a fresh way
amazing
ever since I read the Tao te Ching I have seen the connection between Christ and the Tao, and I had idea of the greek idea of Logos from when I read up on what that ment, but you point to Christ in a whole new way, you go so much deeper then i did
thank you so much for helping people better understand our Lord
sincerely
your brother in Christ
Alex S.
awesome.
I love the Tao Te Ching- I truly feel that the “tao” underlies all. I also love the writings of the Greek/Roman philosophers and their attempts to see reality without preconceptions and void of subjective thinking. With this post I am impacted by the weight of the words “I am the way, the truth, and the messiah”..wow- I never before looked at those words and considered what they meant to people outside the judeo-chrisian world.
so cool.
*judeo-christian..oops*
WOW!
Ahh, home at last. Until recently, I had been part of the conservative/fundy church for most of my, getting to be, long life. I’ve had heavy Taoist leanings along with my Christian theology for most of those years; albeit, fear of being branded a heretic had kept me “in the closet”, if you will.
Many thanks and much gratitude to all of you for your posts. I do have some questions and hope that the collective” brethren/sisteren” might share their insight with me.
Peace,
Prodigal
Snaps Bro
Good stuff. I have studied both concepts extensively and I am currently working on a comparative article on the topic. I have some questions for you about some of the statements you made. But may come in the future. I’ll keep your page link so i can visit again.
thanks for your thoughts
Jim
It’s deeper than you think… God’s Creation is a quantum based holographic universe, we are all part of it, every living and non living thing. The ancient aboriginal peoples of the earth knew that all things are connected long before the dawn rose on Lao Tzu. It is all the same.
@Josephon
You are confusing an insight into purpose and function with insight into construction. I am also afraid to say that your over-simplified (yet not entirely incorrect) assessment of the universe’s construction shows that you are both rushing to establish an answer to great mysteries and, in the process of doing so, missing so much nuance and meaning therein.
I find it interesting that you would quote mine for things to try and support your view, and yet this is the very reason that the bible says to consider the “Whole counsel of God”.
I see a great lack in that area, as though you think the Word of God would support a quasi- “All paths could lead to God” philosophy, or at least that Eastern idolatry has anything whatsoever to do with the teachings of Jesus and the bible.
The bible is clear that mysticism and occultic means to approach “God” are forbidden, bc fallen angels inhibit the spiritual realm. They utilize false religion, false idols, and demonic communication through these systems of false spiritual instruction which are laced with deception to lead people astray and yes, into eternal judgment.
You try to equate the Tao and/or other false religious mysticism with Jesus, but Jesus said He alone was the gate, the door, the epitome of God in human flesh exclusively dying for the sins of the world. He said man must be born again to enter the kingdom. The bible is replete with 66 books and gives important instruction, which you seem to ignore for the replacement of subjective experience without the security of identifying the Source. Merton, was a huge advocate of meditation, all finding God in all paths, and finding God in all creation.
The bible never gives support to false religions, or New Age and eastern concepts all God as the Universe or part of all. God is a person, not a force, not a thing, not a manifestation or a universal mind. God is spirit, God incarnated into one human, once. This is to never be duplicated again- ever.
People that play with mystical paths as opposed to entering through the Cross of Jesus, are so far away from the forgiveness of sins, the narrow path that leads to life, all tenets given by Jesus; Things thatare mysteriously absent from your erroneous marriage of Tao and Jesus/Logos. The bible could not be clearer that there is a division between Truth and error, Light and darkness, forgiveness and rebellion… The old Test gives great pains in teaching a lesson to not (under that covenant)combind certain materials of fabrics to mantain a concept of singular purity. The New Test tells us to not combine truth and error, of which your article and site leap into doing.
Part of the danger of error with consequences, is marrying the Tao to the Logos is that with In the Eastern philosophy God is all, and God is IN all, including his creation, thus making creation equal with God, the Creator. If you are being honest you will admit the bible declares that to be incorrect according to the Source and a sin. The end of Romans 1 declares that man will exchange the worship due the Creator with the creation and offend a holy God.
And towards the end of the book of Revelation, when man unites to do just such a thing, you can see God’s respond to such through great judgment. ( You can even peer straight into your future by looking up Revelation 17 the adulterous whore/Harlot, who worships all false gods, along with Jesus, if you are not clear on this principle.
Thank you and may you repent of your sins and bow to the one true God for the forgiveness of sins, of which he will not reject any humble heart that is burdened to seek the Truth.
@Teresa Blosser
Wait… So you acknowledge Jesus as Logos, but say I am committing idolatry for comparing the Tao to Logos? You do know that Logos is a philosophy that existed hundreds of years before Jesus in Greek culture, don’t you? I am uncertain as to what your argument actually is.
The path of a seeker is not easy and probably never has been. Hopefully with patience and open hearts we can find connection to that which is greater and purer. Thank you for sharing your journey and insights.
The Hebrew word bara means to create and to speak, as does dabar. Lets use “Word” for bara in the sense of the word that creates.
Using rabbinic rules on the first three words of Gen 1:1 bereshit bara Elohim
we find bara in bereshit (ignore vowels) – In the beginning was the word.
bara Elohim – the words are side by side, the word was with God
bara Elohim (with bara as an attribute of Elohim) – the Word was God.
bar also means son
bereshit bara Elohim – the beginning (alpha in Greek) son of God. The alpha was God’s Son, so the word was God’s son.
Elohim has two puns:
L’chai-im – life
Alo-khoom – not dark, or light
We can see that John could derive all the concepts of John 1:1-5 by using a first century Jewish hermeneutic without depending upon Greek ideas at all.
I heard the word from many people but never think of it. But now I have got a full idea of it and have better understanding. Thank you for doing so.