Did John Steal From Hinduism?

Did John Steal From Hinduism?

In the Gospel of John, it is said that John stole a passage from the Hindu Vedas. The idea that John 1:1, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God," is an interesting one. While there are similarities in language and concepts between this verse in the Gospel of John and certain passages in the Vedas, such as the Krishna Yajurveda and the Kathaka Samhita, there are also significant differences in the beliefs and context of the two traditions.

The Vedic tradition, which includes the texts of the Vedas, is a polytheistic religion that developed in ancient India. The concept of the "Word" or "Logos" in the Vedas refers to the cosmic principle of speech and language, which is seen as a fundamental aspect of the universe's creation and order. On the other hand, Christianity is a monotheistic religion that developed in the Middle East. The concept of the Word in the Gospel of John is referring to the incarnate Christ, who is the incarnate of God. It's important to note that the author of the Gospel of John wrote it in Greek, and the concept of Logos was already present in Greek philosophy, and Jewish thought before the advent of Christianity. Furthermore, the historical context and beliefs of the two traditions are vastly different, but even if this was so, it would be a struggle to claim this to be an issue for Christianity. Perhaps John was familiar with the text and rewrote it into the scriptures, so what? Paul is actually known for doing this in Acts, as Luke quotes Paul, "For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring," (Acts 17:28 KJV). This actually comes from teachings from Epimenides and Aratus, both Greek Pagans where instead of using the teachings to teach Paganism, he incorporates it into his preaching to help his Greek audience further understand his message.