Oriental Orthodox churches (Coptic, Armenian, Ethiopian, Syriac) affirm the traditional interpretation of John 1:1: the Word (Logos) was God and was with God from eternity. This verse is foundational to Oriental Orthodox Miaphysite Christology, which affirms the single, unified divine-human nature of Christ. The Logos, fully divine and eternal, became incarnate in Jesus.

Oriental Orthodox tradition, rooted in Cyril of Alexandria's theology, understands the incarnation as the Logos assuming human nature while remaining fully divine. John 1:1 establishes the eternal divinity of the Word, essential to understanding how Christ could be one complete divine-human being.