[B-Greek] John 1:18b question (and John 1:8)

Polycarp66 at aol.com Polycarp66 at aol.com
Wed Dec 24 02:25:23 EST 2003


In a message dated 12/24/2003 1:57:15 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
Polycarp66 at aol.com writes:


> I only know of one (possibly two) way(s) of answering that with any 
> credibility.  
> 
> 1.  Is there anything in the context of the passage which would lead one to 
> believe that the author had Ex 3.14 in mind?
> 
> 2.  Does the author use this expression elsewhere, and, if so, how does he 
> use it?
> 
> In regard to #1  the usage in the Apocalypse would seem to indicate that the 
> 
> author had Ex 3.14 in mind when he four times uses the expression 
> 
> hO WN KAI hO HN [KAI hO ERXOMENOS]
> 
> in reference to God, Christ or the Trinity.  The question is whether there 
> is 
> a similar "obviousness" here.  I tend to think there is not since hO WN does 
> 
> not function as an epithet as it does in the Apocalypse.  Perhaps someone 
> else 
> might notice something which would be more determinative.
> 
> In regard to #2, the Gospel uses the phrase hO WN six times
> 
> a.  Jn 1.18
> 
> MONOGENHS QEOS hO WN EIS TON KOLPON -- ktl
> 
> b. Jn 3.31
> 
> ANWQEN ERXOMENOS EPANW PANTWN ESTIN; hO WN EK THS GHS ESTIN KAI EK THS GHS 
> LALEI.  hO EK TOU OURANOU ERXOMENOS -- ktl
> 
> c. Jn 6.46
> 
> OUX hOTI TON PATERA hEWRAKEN TIS EI MH hO WN PARA TOU QEOU, hOUTOS hEWRAKEN 
> TON PATERA.
> 
> d. Jn 8.47
> 
> hO WN EK TOU QEOU TA hRHMATA TOU QEOU AKOUEI;  DIA TOUTO hUMEIS OUK AKOUETE, 
> 
> hOTI EK TOU QEOU OUK ESTE.
> 
> e. Jn 12.17
> 
> EMARTUREI OUN hO OXLOS hO WN MET' AUTOU hOTE TO LAZARON EFWNHSEN EK TOU 
> MNHMEIOU KAI HGEIREN AUTON EK NEKRWN.
> 
> f. Jn 18.37
> 
> . . . PAS hO WN EK THS ALHQEIAS AKOUEI MOU THS FWNHS.
> 
> It would appear that most, if not all of these are existential in nature 
> ("the one who is . . . ") and equate those whom it designates with another 
> quality 
> "the one who is of the earth speaks regarding the earth", "the one who is 
> from God -- he has seen the Father", "the one who is from God hears the 
> words of 
> God", "the crowd which were with him . . . bore witness", "every one who is 
> from the truth hears my voice."  Thus it would be hard to argue from the 
> author's usage that Jn 1.18 should be any different in character.
> 

____

Something which I had intended to point out but neglected to include is that 
some of these quite clearly COULD NOT BEYOND ANY DOUBT refer to Ex 3.14.   For 
example:  "The one who is from the earth" is contrasted to "the one who comes 
from above" and "The whole crowd who were with him" could hardly be a 
reference to Ex 3.14. 

gfsomsel



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