ERCOMENON

Ben Crick ben.crick at argonet.co.uk
Sat May 19 17:53:02 EDT 2001


On Sat 19 May 2001 (14:31:28), emory2oo2 at hotmail.com wrote:
> HN TO FWS TO ALHQINON
> hO FWTIZEI PANTA ANQRWPON
> ERCOMENON EIS TON KOSMON

 Dear Mark,

 The Subject here is TO FWS, and TO ALHQINON defines what sort of FWS it is:
 namely, "the Real or Ideal or Genuine light".
 hO FWTIZEI PANTA ANQRWPON is a relative clause further defining TO FWS TO
 ALHQINON: it is the Light "which illumines all mankind".
 HN ... ERCOMENON is the verb: "Was ... coming".
 EIS TON KOSMON is an adverbial phrase of manner [coming] "into the world".

> What are the grammatical considerations for determining
> what ERCOMENON modifies? (The passage is John 1:9)

 Back to basics. Look for the Subject, the Verb, and the Object (if any).
 Look for adjectival constructions modifying the Subject; and adverbial
 constructions modifying the Verb.

> Is it grammatically conceivable that ERCOMENON would modify BOTH
> the "true light" and "every man?"

 Yes, it is possible to construe this verse as "He was the true light, which
 illumines every-man-who-comes-into-the-world". But not every man who comes
 into the world is thus illumined; the statement appears false.

 So it is better IMHO to render the verse "The true Light, which illumines
 all mankind, was coming into the world". That agrees with the following
 verse EN TWi KOSMWi HN, KAI hO KOSMOS DI' AUTOU EGENETO, KAI hO KOSMOS
 AUTON OUK EGNW.

 The KJV hedges its bets with "[That] was the true Light, which lighteth every
 man that cometh into the world" - neatly retaining the ambiguity of the Greek.
 The NIV puts "The true light that gives light to every man was coming into
 the world" (text); then offers "This was the true light that gives light to
 every man who comes into the world" (margin).

 TO FWS is of course Christ himself, hO LOGOS (John 8:12, 9:5). This is not
 the natural light of human reason or conscience, but the One who said "Let
 there be light" (alluded to in John 1:5). He is "the light of life" (8:12).

 Just my thoughts...

 Ben
-- 
 Revd Ben Crick, BA CF
 <ben.crick at argonet.co.uk>
 232 Canterbury Road, Birchington, Kent, CT7 9TD (UK)
 http://www.cnetwork.co.uk/crick.htm






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