The identification of Jesus Christ with the divine Logos (‘Word’ or ‘Reason’) — the principle of cosmic order and rationality in both Jewish Wisdom literature and Greek philosophy. John 1:1-14 is the founding text: ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.’ This identification is enormously significant: it means the Jesus movement can engage Greek philosophical culture on its own terms, claiming that the divine Logos whom Heraclitus and Plato glimpsed has now become visible in a particular human life. Justin Martyr (~150 AD) develops Logos Christology as a bridge to pagan philosophy: all who have lived according to the Logos are implicitly Christians, including Socrates. Logos Christology provides the philosophical foundation for the Nicene doctrine of the Son’s eternal pre-existence and equality with the Father.