BDAG at Rv 3:14 - Christ was the first creation now probable

CEP7 at aol.com CEP7 at aol.com
Fri Jan 26 12:27:00 EST 2001



In a message dated 1/25/01 8:08:18 PM, GregStffrd writes:
GREG:
<< ARCH is not a verbal noun in the sense of beginner. It may be in terms of 
a process, as the start of a series, for this is clearly how we see it used 
elsewhere. (cf. John 2:11). But this does not open it up to any and all 
verbal ideas. One must show that a verbal idea that is suggested is likely or 
at least possible, and this is best done by showing how the suggested verbal 
idea is found in other texts. I had asked for some references that might 
support this view, but none have been given. 

CHARLES:
<< The same would be true of ARCWN, ERGON, AGAPH, etc. >>

GREG:
These are nouns that implicitly suggest a particular verbal idea. ARCH does 
not, in spite of its cognate relations, suggest the idea of "beginner," but 
of a beginning process of some kind, if at all.  

CHARLES:
This still suggests a verbal idea.


<< Nouns with verbal cognates are essentially verbal nouns. >>

GREG:
Then it should be a rather simple thing to find other verses where ARCH has 
verbal associations such as those suggested, when it is the head term of a 
genitive expression. 
 >>
CHARLES
The following list is contains passages with ARCH followed by a genitive.

Matt. 24:8  “But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs. 
objective gen "begins the birth pangs"

Matt. 24:21 for then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not 
occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever shall. 
subjective gen. "since the world began"

Mark 1:1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 
objective gen "begins the gospel" or subjective gen "the gospel begins"

Mark 10:6  “But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and 
female. 
subjective gen. "since creation began"



Mark 13:8  “For nation will arise against nation, and kingdom against 
kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will also be 
famines. These things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.
objective gen "begins the birth pangs" 

Mark 13:19  “For those days will be a time of tribulation such as has not 
occurred since the beginning of the creation which God created, until now, 
and never shall. 

subjective gen. "since creation began"

John 2:11 This beginning of His signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and 
manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him. 
objective gen. "began His signs"


Phil. 4:15 And you yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the beginning 
of the gospel, after I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me in 
the matter of giving and receiving but you alone; 
subjective gen. "when the gospel began"


Heb. 3:14 For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the 
beginning of our assurance firm until the end; 
attributive gen. assured beginning; attributed gen. beginning assurance; 
possibly objective gen. "began our assurance"


Heb. 7:3 Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither 
beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, he abides a 
priest perpetually. 
objective gen. "begin life"

2Pet. 3:4 and saying,  “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since 
the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of 
creation.” 
subjective gen. "since creation began"

Rev. 3:14  “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the 
faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this: 

objective gen. "begins creation"

As you can see in all of the passages above, ARCH is a verbal noun and thus 
takes a verbal genitive, i.e., a genitve that is either subjective or 
objective.

GREG:
In what sense is the genitive here (THS KTISEWS) verbal?

CHARLES:
It is verbal in the sense that it acts as the object of the verbal head noun, 
i.e., an objective gen.

As far as the illustration goes, I admit it was a bad one. The following one 
is a bit better.

In the creation of a building, who is the creator? The architect, the 
contractor, or the construction crew. Each one will say. "I made this 
building." The architect designs the building. He commissions the contractor 
to build the building. The contractor hires and supervises the crew who 
actually built the building. But all three are causal agents. All three would 
say, "I built this building." All three were necessary to the construction of 
the building.

This is somewhat analogous to the roles of God, Christ, and the Spirit in 
creation, whether you look at it from a Trinitarian standpoint or not.


Charles E. Powell, Ph.D.
(h) cep7 at aol.com
(w) cpowell at dts.edu
(h) 972-231-4166
(w) 214-841-3763



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