Jesus Christ

The first few verses of John in the King James Bible read,

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. (John 1:1-3)

The Inspired Version reads:

In the beginning was the gospel preached through the Son. And the gospel was the word, and the word was with the Son, and the Son was with God, and the Son was of God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made which was made. In him was the gospel, and the gospel was the life, and the life was the light of men; (John 1:1-4, Inspired Version)

There is an alternate translation that reads, "in the ruling council there was a spokesman, and the spokesman was among the gods, and the spokesman was a god."¹

The concept of Jesus Christ as God's messenger is in accordance with what we know through Joseph's revelations about the premortal council of the gods.

I shall comment on the very first Hebrew word in the Bible....It read first, "The head one of the Gods brought forth the Gods." That is the true meaning of the words. In the beginning, the head of the Gods called a council of the Gods; and they came together and concocted a plan to create the world and people it. (TPJS, p. 349)

John described the Savior's role by saying:

And he bore record, saying: I saw his glory, that he was in the beginning, before the world was; Therefore, in the beginning the Word was, for he was the Word, even the messenger of salvation- The light and the Redeemer of the world; the Spirit of truth, who came into the world, because the world was made by him, and in him was the life of men and the light of men. (D&C 93:7-9)

All of these scriptures teach us that Jesus Christ is the spokesperson for Heavenly Father. With exceedingly few exceptions,² most of the recorded words of the Father in the scriptures came through Christ. Significantly, the Father calls the Son the word of his power: "And by the word of my power, have I created them, which is mine Only Begotten Son, who is full of grace and truth."³ All of God's power that we experience is a result of his word flowing through Jesus Christ.

Man can come to the point where he receives God's word directly from Christ face to face as Moses did. He can come to the point where he walks with Christ as Enoch did. This point is always preceded by the occasional receipt of the voice of Christ. The scriptures are full of examples of Jesus dispensing the word of Heavenly Father to end recipients such as Joseph Smith and his associates, the brother of Jared, Moses, Enoch, and many many others. However, not all of God's word is delivered to the end recipient directly through Christ. The purpose of the Holy Ghost, angels, and human messengers is to bring a man to the point where he can converse with Jesus face to face. Until then, Jesus dispenses his word through the Holy Ghost, angels and men.